London's DIY Garage
Discussion
Well I certainly wish you guys luck, there will be people who will probably want this for the lifts more than anything else it's quite a luxury being able to stand up under a car as you work under it. If I say wanted to wax oil my car (a messy job) what is the clean up procedure?
This will appeal to people who want to treat their car to work which they are confident will be done better by themselves in decent premises and perhaps better than a garage which has no sentimental attachment to the vehicle. In all honesty however I couldn't afford the £10 per hour rate to do this. I worked at a breakers and know a bit (taking stuff apart is easier than putting it together and making it work again) I also know that even on the same model of car a job could take half an hour and at other times take 2 hours to do the same work if the previous owner had rounded every bolt or everything was rusted solid, imagine the simplest job - removing a wheel, now factor in wasted time for sheered bolts or locking nuts minus the removal key and you get my drift.
I imagine there have been a fair few people thinking a couple of hours will do the trick only to be standing their swearing at the job 3 hrs later because it's stripped down and the supplier sent the wrong bit and they are stuck. Not such a problem for you guys though eh!
This will appeal to people who want to treat their car to work which they are confident will be done better by themselves in decent premises and perhaps better than a garage which has no sentimental attachment to the vehicle. In all honesty however I couldn't afford the £10 per hour rate to do this. I worked at a breakers and know a bit (taking stuff apart is easier than putting it together and making it work again) I also know that even on the same model of car a job could take half an hour and at other times take 2 hours to do the same work if the previous owner had rounded every bolt or everything was rusted solid, imagine the simplest job - removing a wheel, now factor in wasted time for sheered bolts or locking nuts minus the removal key and you get my drift.
I imagine there have been a fair few people thinking a couple of hours will do the trick only to be standing their swearing at the job 3 hrs later because it's stripped down and the supplier sent the wrong bit and they are stuck. Not such a problem for you guys though eh!
RW774 said:
Seems a no win situation.Gripe or not,the motor trade lacks any legislation. The RMI,of which we are members -are effectively dictated to by the bigger dealerships as are the manufacturers,the banks are calling in facilities on good businesses. The public think we rip off merchants.What do you suggest??
It would seem quite a lot of the public think the motor trades are " rip off merchants"http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/news/default.asp?stor...
To be fair most people do not think of the overheads in running a business when they get a bill. The biggest rip off merchants are the council and the excessive rates they charge which in turn are passed onto us, the end user.
However the idea that only a garage should be allowed to mend a car is frankly stupid. When I was young and had no money I maintained my own motorcycles and cars and never had a catastrophic failure. I don't do it now because I can afford to pay someone else to do it. Yes they have more experience and better tools but it does not mean they are the only option.
The modern computerised car management systems do make it ever more difficult for the DIYer to maintain their cars and as a consequence there is an ever smaller proportion of drivers who understand how their car works. I think our driving population is all the poorer for it.
If facilities such as this encourage more people to look after their cars then all the better. And if it brings home how hard and complex maintenance can be then that is good too.
However the idea that only a garage should be allowed to mend a car is frankly stupid. When I was young and had no money I maintained my own motorcycles and cars and never had a catastrophic failure. I don't do it now because I can afford to pay someone else to do it. Yes they have more experience and better tools but it does not mean they are the only option.
The modern computerised car management systems do make it ever more difficult for the DIYer to maintain their cars and as a consequence there is an ever smaller proportion of drivers who understand how their car works. I think our driving population is all the poorer for it.
If facilities such as this encourage more people to look after their cars then all the better. And if it brings home how hard and complex maintenance can be then that is good too.
Bumping this and bringing it all the way back on topic, I now live in a part of london where I only have street parking and a lock-up garage a couple of miles away for the TVR but with no space to work on the cars.
I used pit start a couple of weeks ago for the first time to change the waterpump on the BMW, and found it to be really good. Although if the parts were supplied by *** were actually correct it would have been a whole lot easier. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the place, the guys are really friendly, and it's so nice to have a clean and decently prepared workshop to work in!
I'll be going back on friday to replace the camshaft on the TVR
I used pit start a couple of weeks ago for the first time to change the waterpump on the BMW, and found it to be really good. Although if the parts were supplied by *** were actually correct it would have been a whole lot easier. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the place, the guys are really friendly, and it's so nice to have a clean and decently prepared workshop to work in!
I'll be going back on friday to replace the camshaft on the TVR
exactly, i don't have a driveway, i have to work under my cars laying on flattened cardboard boxes in the gutter in all weathers. but i read the blurb for this place and you are not allowed to do any welding which is a shame! if i was allowed to bring my welding gear and work under the car safely and comfortably when it is up in a lift rather than having to wriggle under it with no space between it and the road when it is on axle stands that would have been worth the fee!
Emeye said:
I don't think this will make more people attempt DIY repairs, it will just save enthusiasts from lying on a sloping street in the freezing cold with water running down their neck!
Not everyone can afford or have access to a garage or even a house with a drive. I used to have a drive and garage and enjoyed doing haynes manual repairs to my mk1 mx5 - my new house I will have to park on the road and this type of facility would be great if it was closer to home.
Cheers.
Not everyone can afford or have access to a garage or even a house with a drive. I used to have a drive and garage and enjoyed doing haynes manual repairs to my mk1 mx5 - my new house I will have to park on the road and this type of facility would be great if it was closer to home.
Cheers.
that's good to know, i know this is an old post and don't even know if you still have a tvr or are still in london by i am in london and have 2 tvrs which i have to work on in the road, so glad to hear you have no negatives there.
wombat172a said:
Bumping this and bringing it all the way back on topic, I now live in a part of london where I only have street parking and a lock-up garage a couple of miles away for the TVR but with no space to work on the cars.
I used pit start a couple of weeks ago for the first time to change the waterpump on the BMW, and found it to be really good. Although if the parts were supplied by *** were actually correct it would have been a whole lot easier. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the place, the guys are really friendly, and it's so nice to have a clean and decently prepared workshop to work in!
I'll be going back on friday to replace the camshaft on the TVR
I used pit start a couple of weeks ago for the first time to change the waterpump on the BMW, and found it to be really good. Although if the parts were supplied by *** were actually correct it would have been a whole lot easier. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the place, the guys are really friendly, and it's so nice to have a clean and decently prepared workshop to work in!
I'll be going back on friday to replace the camshaft on the TVR
My drives okay but my garage is too small, so I hate working under the car at home, always conscious of wearing a Merc on my noggin. The thing that puts me off, unless I've done the particular job before I don't know.
a) How long it's going to take?
b) What else I'm going to run into while under there?
c) Additional/Incorrect parts required?
I dislike being "on the clock" so if a job takes me a couple of days, instead of a couple of hours sobeit. I'd probably be as well paying a professional.
Not for me but a useful idea, we even had one in the West Midlands (Coventry) for a while, I'm not sure it lasted long.
a) How long it's going to take?
b) What else I'm going to run into while under there?
c) Additional/Incorrect parts required?
I dislike being "on the clock" so if a job takes me a couple of days, instead of a couple of hours sobeit. I'd probably be as well paying a professional.
Not for me but a useful idea, we even had one in the West Midlands (Coventry) for a while, I'm not sure it lasted long.
Saw a similar concept in USA a few weeks ago. Main thing that struck me was the camaraderie and sharing of skills. For example the workshop had a bit of a V8 engine swapping clique who helped mechanically a fella running a prewar MG....who was great at trimming.... and so the skills were shared. Really positive.
NB: 944 is running a V8 as are some Mazdas. All cars being worked on and some restorations. Storage as well between working on cars. Had an old railway carriage set up for surfing web, drinks and food.
NB: 944 is running a V8 as are some Mazdas. All cars being worked on and some restorations. Storage as well between working on cars. Had an old railway carriage set up for surfing web, drinks and food.
Edited by SDB660 on Monday 28th November 12:12
I popped into the PitStart place a couple of months ago on a Thursday around 6pm just to see if it was worth taking my car for a bit of transmission work.
When I went in, there were a couple of blokes working on a MPV, there was no staff in existence at the counter, as I walked further inside and just looking at the setup they run there was another gang of approx 15 guys all standing around a minibus drinking some type of red wine from a 10 litre plastic can they were all Eastern Europeans in looks; the stares I got for been in there domain was not exactly welcoming. I walked back out and had a chat with the other two guys who told me that basically most of the 'pits' are hired out pretty much continuously mainly to Eastern European guys who use the place to work on cars rather than have the overheads of a garage and are mainly doing work between their own communities.
I asked how much per hour; they weren't to sure "maybe £20 or £30 pounds" seemed like they were running the place between themselves. I asked about spraying and welding, they said they had a small part where it was done unofficially.
This place is pretty busy though as I've been past many times in the daytime and lots of stuff happens, how much is done by DIY home mechanics I don't know, but its not really running how the place started out.
The idea is still brilliant though, I've often thought that large car clubs get involved in running private garages for their members, probably wouldn't pay for itself though.
When I went in, there were a couple of blokes working on a MPV, there was no staff in existence at the counter, as I walked further inside and just looking at the setup they run there was another gang of approx 15 guys all standing around a minibus drinking some type of red wine from a 10 litre plastic can they were all Eastern Europeans in looks; the stares I got for been in there domain was not exactly welcoming. I walked back out and had a chat with the other two guys who told me that basically most of the 'pits' are hired out pretty much continuously mainly to Eastern European guys who use the place to work on cars rather than have the overheads of a garage and are mainly doing work between their own communities.
I asked how much per hour; they weren't to sure "maybe £20 or £30 pounds" seemed like they were running the place between themselves. I asked about spraying and welding, they said they had a small part where it was done unofficially.
This place is pretty busy though as I've been past many times in the daytime and lots of stuff happens, how much is done by DIY home mechanics I don't know, but its not really running how the place started out.
The idea is still brilliant though, I've often thought that large car clubs get involved in running private garages for their members, probably wouldn't pay for itself though.
Edited by souper on Monday 28th November 14:42
Yertis said:
What happens when – as frequently happens to me – you start job and then find that in fact X,Y, and Z need fixing also, you can't get parts for a week, and the car is in bits and immobile?
Plan your works, ensure all ancillary components are on hand..I'm going to get booked in for this Saturday, got quite a list of stuff to do, I mean pile of bits to fit, for the porker, street parking really sucks..
Not going for the 'tools included' option, as, morally, if I don't have all tools required for the job, I am an embarrassment to myself..
Note, bit of a resurrection bump, turns out these guys aren't too far from me so..
Beers!
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