Automedon - if you own a TVR then read this
Discussion
Took my Tam to Automedon on Friday to get some bits and bobs done.
(For those who don't know, Automedon was recently formed by ex-TVR factory employees who have many years of experience with TVRs.)
Straight away the guys at Automedon pointed out several items that should have been performed during the recent service at the main dealer but were not, even though the items were ticked on the worksheet. They also demonstrated the poor quality of some work items that had been performed, and some stuff that was just completely wrong.
The main dealer had also given me a post-service list of stuff that needed doing, but actually only some of it was accurate. It seems that the main dealer didn't have the knowledge/experience/inclination to correctly assess what needed doing.
For the first time since I bought the Tam I feel looked after. I feel that I have someone looking after the car who actually knows and cares about maintaining and servicing it. Because of various niggles and worries I have been considering selling the Tam for ages, but I am now looking forward to keeping it and staying with the TVR marque.
The guys at Automedon were keen for me to see the car up on the ramp and to let me see with my own eyes what needed doing or what had been done.
When I got the car back from Automedon it was immaculate. Even the leather and carpets had been cleaned; something the main dealer never did.
They refitted my doors and bonnet too. The doors have never fitted very well, and the bonnet was rubbing on the top of the engine...the main dealers ‘fix’ for this was to stick some Velcro on the engine at the point where it rubbed on the bonnet...that just about sums up the main dealers entire approach in my eyes.
My Tam now drives better than it EVER has, and it's all round FANTASTIC
Thank you Automedon.
All you lot on PH,
especially in the North/West, get your TVR to Automedon. They deserve your custom and you deserve their workmanship!
I cannot praise them enough.
(For those who don't know, Automedon was recently formed by ex-TVR factory employees who have many years of experience with TVRs.)
Straight away the guys at Automedon pointed out several items that should have been performed during the recent service at the main dealer but were not, even though the items were ticked on the worksheet. They also demonstrated the poor quality of some work items that had been performed, and some stuff that was just completely wrong.
The main dealer had also given me a post-service list of stuff that needed doing, but actually only some of it was accurate. It seems that the main dealer didn't have the knowledge/experience/inclination to correctly assess what needed doing.
For the first time since I bought the Tam I feel looked after. I feel that I have someone looking after the car who actually knows and cares about maintaining and servicing it. Because of various niggles and worries I have been considering selling the Tam for ages, but I am now looking forward to keeping it and staying with the TVR marque.
The guys at Automedon were keen for me to see the car up on the ramp and to let me see with my own eyes what needed doing or what had been done.
When I got the car back from Automedon it was immaculate. Even the leather and carpets had been cleaned; something the main dealer never did.
They refitted my doors and bonnet too. The doors have never fitted very well, and the bonnet was rubbing on the top of the engine...the main dealers ‘fix’ for this was to stick some Velcro on the engine at the point where it rubbed on the bonnet...that just about sums up the main dealers entire approach in my eyes.
My Tam now drives better than it EVER has, and it's all round FANTASTIC
Thank you Automedon.
All you lot on PH,
especially in the North/West, get your TVR to Automedon. They deserve your custom and you deserve their workmanship! I cannot praise them enough.
Hmmm......
Having driven a car that had just arrived from the factory, prior to the dealer spending the usual 2 days rectifying all the faults that usually exist on such vehicles, I have to confess that I would not be all that re-assured to know that my car was being looked after by ex facory employees.
Having driven a car that had just arrived from the factory, prior to the dealer spending the usual 2 days rectifying all the faults that usually exist on such vehicles, I have to confess that I would not be all that re-assured to know that my car was being looked after by ex facory employees.
unrepentant said:
Hmmm......
Having driven a car that had just arrived from the factory, prior to the dealer spending the usual 2 days rectifying all the faults that usually exist on such vehicles, I have to confess that I would not be all that re-assured to know that my car was being looked after by ex facory employees.
I think that is rather unfair. With respect, I think you have rather missed the point. You are generalising the poor QA coming out of the factory because of a bad experience. There is both a collective responsibility and a responsibility by the person who checks the cars before they leave the factory. This may or may not even have been the same people.
But the real point is that the individuals at Automedon now have a real incentive to offer a high level of service. It is now their name above the door, not TVR's.
unrepentant said:
Hmmm......
Having driven a car that had just arrived from the factory, prior to the dealer spending the usual 2 days rectifying all the faults that usually exist on such vehicles, I have to confess that I would not be all that re-assured to know that my car was being looked after by ex facory employees.
I think you always have to check out the people you trust with your car - and especially check out their background - I mean its ok saying ex factory but I am ex factory and I would be rubbish at servicing your car to any standard but I can put a kettle on and answer the phone.
I do however think there is an awful lot of knowledge and know how out there in indie garages - just make sure the people you are dealing with are fully qualified mechanics and that they worked or were trained in the factory service department and are not say ex office staff like me
K18STM said:
Hmmm......
Having driven a car that had just arrived from the factory, prior to the dealer spending the usual 2 days rectifying all the faults that usually exist on such vehicles, I have to confess that I would not be all that re-assured to know that my car was being looked after by ex facory employees.
I think you always have to check out the people you trust with your car - and especially check out their background - I mean its ok saying ex factory but I am ex factory and I would be rubbish at servicing your car to any standard but I can put a kettle on and answer the phone.
I do however think there is an awful lot of knowledge and know how out there in indie garages - just make sure the people you are dealing with are fully qualified mechanics and that they worked or were trained in the factory service department and are not say ex office staff like me
Quite.
I wasnt meaning to be generally derogatory. Just that the fault list on factory fresh cars (I've had 2) seems alarmingly high. And I don't mean the car I referred to above....
Having said that guys like Heath in the service department at Blackpool are absolutely first class IMHO.
unrepentant said:
Hmmm......
Having driven a car that had just arrived from the factory, prior to the dealer spending the usual 2 days rectifying all the faults that usually exist on such vehicles, I have to confess that I would not be all that re-assured to know that my car was being looked after by ex facory employees.
I think you always have to check out the people you trust with your car - and especially check out their background - I mean its ok saying ex factory but I am ex factory and I would be rubbish at servicing your car to any standard but I can put a kettle on and answer the phone.
I do however think there is an awful lot of knowledge and know how out there in indie garages - just make sure the people you are dealing with are fully qualified mechanics and that they worked or were trained in the factory service department and are not say ex office staff like me
Quite.
I wasnt meaning to be generally derogatory. Just that the fault list on factory fresh cars (I've had 2) seems alarmingly high. And I don't mean the car I referred to above....
Having said that guys like Heath in the service department at Blackpool are absolutely first class IMHO.
I agree the service lads are top blokes and there are a few now out there in independant garages you just have to do your research
To be fair, the original post could also be read in the opposite way - Nothing worse than taking your car to the garage for an inexpensive thing like a new spark plug, and then the garage starts to list about 30 very expensive things that need doing ASAP!!!! Don't get me wrong - not suggesting that Automedon are doing this at all, but i guess at the end of the day you have to go with your heart when you take your pride and joy to someone.
A personal example, my Cerb once ended up at a place recently mentioned quite a lot in the Cerb forum, and i was astonished to hear that basically it was getting to the time in it's relatively short life when it would need a complete engine rebuild with newly forged components to boot!!! (and all this just by them reading the mileometer!!!!!! I only took it in for a sports exhaust!!!!!!!!) To say the least, i did not Trust their opinions over my tried and tested local indie, and off i walked. (and no, my engine has not gone pop since then)
A personal example, my Cerb once ended up at a place recently mentioned quite a lot in the Cerb forum, and i was astonished to hear that basically it was getting to the time in it's relatively short life when it would need a complete engine rebuild with newly forged components to boot!!! (and all this just by them reading the mileometer!!!!!! I only took it in for a sports exhaust!!!!!!!!) To say the least, i did not Trust their opinions over my tried and tested local indie, and off i walked. (and no, my engine has not gone pop since then)
gbbird said:
To be fair, the original post could also be read in the opposite way - Nothing worse than taking your car to the garage for an inexpensive thing like a new spark plug, and then the garage starts to list about 30 very expensive things that need doing ASAP!!!! Don't get me wrong - not suggesting that Automedon are doing this at all, but i guess at the end of the day you have to go with your heart when you take your pride and joy to someone.
Actually Automedon pointed out that some of the stuff the dealer had said needed replacing or adjusting was not necessary because the dealer had basically mis-diagnosed a few problems...so I saved quite a bit of money.
Automedon did a load of other bits while the car was with them - stuff that in their opinion needed doing - stuff that the dealer hadn't paid attention to. They also sorted some long standing niggles that the dealer hadn't been able to fix.
And the bill from Automedon...quite a bit less than the dealer had quoted
It's all about putting your trust in someone I suppose. Automedon demonstrated to me that they are very knowledgeable and competent, and my gut feeling is that they are very decent fellas who will not rip you off.
They get my vote.
mikesum said:
Took my Tam to Automedon on Friday to get some bits and bobs done.
(For those who don't know, Automedon was recently formed by ex-TVR factory employees who have many years of experience with TVRs.)
Straight away the guys at Automedon pointed out several items that should have been performed during the recent service at the main dealer but were not, even though the items were ticked on the worksheet. They also demonstrated the poor quality of some work items that had been performed, and some stuff that was just completely wrong.
The main dealer had also given me a post-service list of stuff that needed doing, but actually only some of it was accurate. It seems that the main dealer didn't have the knowledge/experience/inclination to correctly assess what needed doing.
For the first time since I bought the Tam I feel looked after. I feel that I have someone looking after the car who actually knows and cares about maintaining and servicing it. Because of various niggles and worries I have been considering selling the Tam for ages, but I am now looking forward to keeping it and staying with the TVR marque.
The guys at Automedon were keen for me to see the car up on the ramp and to let me see with my own eyes what needed doing or what had been done.
When I got the car back from Automedon it was immaculate. Even the leather and carpets had been cleaned; something the main dealer never did.
They refitted my doors and bonnet too. The doors have never fitted very well, and the bonnet was rubbing on the top of the engine...the main dealers ‘fix’ for this was to stick some Velcro on the engine at the point where it rubbed on the bonnet...that just about sums up the main dealers entire approach in my eyes.
My Tam now drives better than it EVER has, and it's all round FANTASTIC
Thank you Automedon.
All you lot on PH,
I cannot praise them enough.
If I didnt know better I'd believe you were talking about Torquervt (Middlewich, Cheshire). This has to ring the bells for many who have benefitted from visiting Ian even following a recent service at a dealership and even tiv specialist indi's. I dont know the guys personally at Automedon but they must have passion and enjoy their work. This is typical of Ian who really puts himself through it: starvation, sleep deprevation and pure grieve in order to please his customers / family and avoid disappointing them. He may deliver sometimes late, but deliver he does. I know of no other that is willing and even insists on working through until all is well. With Ian there's no set opening hours. Monday morning I arrived at 0220 hours to collect the cerb only to find Ian still working on it. He'd completed all the tasks identified and continued on correcting small insignicant things that wouldn't have mattered to me (they did to him). He declared that he couldnt possibly release it until he was satisified that all was well. He realised the importance of the role it would play later than day when it joined the file behind Dave Cumming EVENT. And to this end he even went about polishing the car whilst I checked out his midnight life support (expresso machine). This is what all owners want. To talk to the guy that works on their pride and joy. Someone who knows their tiv, who cares about things being right not just satisfactory, who's interested, who enjoys their work and has passion. Without this combination the results are all there for everyone to witness. After all, everyones tiv is the best, the quickest, a little different from the rest and the most important. TORQUE RVT (MIDDLEWICH, CHESHIRE) CENTRE OF EXELLENCE FOR YOUR TVR. SERVICING, BODYWORK, REPAIRS, RETRIM SPECIALIST, VALETING CENTRE, UPGRADES, CAFE, HAIRDRESSERS AND GENERAL DOG HOUSE ON OCCASIONS. IF YOU CARE, SEE YOU THERE!!!!
::CLAP:My first Posting! Some of you know me from Blackpool Car Club. Having sampled both independent and Dealer servicing, my T350 is going into Automedon at Poulton for a 12K service on Tuesday. Difficult choice between taking it to the main dealer and keeping the full dealer service history going as this seems important to a first time TVR buyer. But those who are on their 2nd or 3rd TVR like myself know there's life outside of the dealer network will testify to some good guys out there.
Our local dealer (Ciceley, in Preston) put up a brave fight in reducing service costs as an introductory offer, but in the end for cost and 'service' (no pun intended!) I've decided to go to Automedon.
It becoming an interesting place Poulton industrial estate: TET Mouldings & Readman Racing/Grantura Engineering. Should be good news for all of us with some competition to raise the bar a little.
Our local dealer (Ciceley, in Preston) put up a brave fight in reducing service costs as an introductory offer, but in the end for cost and 'service' (no pun intended!) I've decided to go to Automedon.
It becoming an interesting place Poulton industrial estate: TET Mouldings & Readman Racing/Grantura Engineering. Should be good news for all of us with some competition to raise the bar a little.
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