Running like a dog!

Running like a dog!

Author
Discussion

wokkywokky

Original Poster:

36 posts

253 months

Thursday 29th May 2003
quotequote all
Got the car back from it 12000mls service two weeks ago. Had to then go away for a week and am now back and have done 200 miserable miles. The garage didn't set the engine up properly and has now got to a stage where it wont even idle! The throttle pots were suspect before going to the service but the specialist(thats a fine word!) advised me not to change them just yet as there is nothing wrong with them and the setup went very well. I have now had a closer look and have discovered my old air filter still in there! Tappet cover bolt dont look like they have been touched! Exhaust still knocking on body which was apparently cured. Specialist (theres that word again) told me that the wheels need a high speed balance to eliminate steering vibration over 120mph. Never heard of high speed balancing, have you?

dannylt

1,906 posts

285 months

Friday 30th May 2003
quotequote all
No idea about high speed balance, but certainly if they need balancing it will be obvious well under 100mph (in my experience). Air filter is an issue - it should definitely be changed, as are the tappets - ask which ones were tight and/or needed adjustment.

danny

james

1,362 posts

285 months

Friday 30th May 2003
quotequote all
It sounds like you need a quick trip back there with a face like thunder. Tell them to do the work that you've paid them for.

joospeed

4,473 posts

279 months

Friday 30th May 2003
quotequote all


Got the car back from it 12000mls service two weeks ago. Had to then go away for a week and am now back and have done 200 miserable miles. The garage didn't set the engine up properly and has now got to a stage where it wont even idle! The throttle pots were suspect before going to the service but the specialist(thats a fine word!) advised me not to change them just yet as there is nothing wrong with them and the setup went very well. I have now had a closer look and have discovered my old air filter still in there! Tappet cover bolt dont look like they have been touched! Exhaust still knocking on body which was apparently cured. Specialist (theres that word again) told me that the wheels need a high speed balance to eliminate steering vibration over 120mph. Never heard of high speed balancing, have you?



in defence of specialists everywhere..
I've no doubt the car is much worse than before, but that could be coincidence? .. cars go wrong, sometimes they go wrong in the workshop, sometimes they go wrong immediately after leaving the workshop, sometimes they go wrong many miles after leaving the workshop. At which point do you say it's the work at fault and at which point do you accept it as the car being a TVR?
The throttle pots may well be fine, there's more things can upset the engine than just the pots. Granted they're normally the first port of call, but HT leads are notoriously poor and need changing at least every 18 k miles, some people even insist on that every service.
How do you know the cam box bolts haven't been moved? .. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to tell unless they'd been marked beforehand. the air filter should be changed according to the schedule, but it's a foam jobbie and I know some dealers who clean them and refit them - I do this for customers on a budget, saves them the cost of the new filter but it's something that's agreed beforehand. Has it been removed and cleaned or just not touched at all .. if it's the former I wouldn't be too upset unless you've been charged for a new one. If it's just not been touched at all then you have right to an explanation there.
Best thing would be to go back to your specialist and raise these points in a firm but fair manner and see what response you get, if they accept there are issues to be adderssed and they get on with it and give you a free car for the duration, accept that and maybe change your specialist afterwards. there's always right ways and wrong ways of doing things .. just as your specialist may have gone about his work the wrong way, I would suggest maybe you're doing the same here.
If you want some independant advise on what could be causing your problems please give me a call and hopefully we can come up with the right questions for you to ask, but please let them have a go at fixing whatever faults you have with the car.
like they say, the bloke (or woman) that never made a mistake never made anything!!

Best wishes.

Joolz

wokkywokky

Original Poster:

36 posts

253 months

Sunday 1st June 2003
quotequote all
Spoke to the specialist yesterday and hes gonna look into what has happened with my car. It makes me wonder if things like old filters have been left in and worn and cracked aircon belt unnoticed then what else hasn't been done! Will be taking the car back soon.