TVR service in Kent
Discussion
I have been using Chris Baldock at James Motor Sports but went there the other day and it seems that he has dissapeared.
I don't want to pay the prices that Dream Machines charge (although their service was good), Walldonway I believe are in a similar price bracket.
Don't actually need anything done at the moment but nice to have some reccomendations for when I do, its a 2000 Chimaera, and I'm in mid Kent near Ashford
I don't want to pay the prices that Dream Machines charge (although their service was good), Walldonway I believe are in a similar price bracket.
Don't actually need anything done at the moment but nice to have some reccomendations for when I do, its a 2000 Chimaera, and I'm in mid Kent near Ashford
I honestly don't understand the necessity to have a RV8 powered car serviced by a TVR 'specialist'. 
Or, is it all about stamps in the book?
I understand the need to have someone 'in the know' service an AJP but a Rover 'lump' is so simple and it's as old as the hills. In 4.0 form, it's the same as a Range Rover p38.
Keith, would you consider a good 'local' garage to have your engine tuned/serviced? If so I have one I can recommend.
If you want other services, like RR or alignment then yes, a TVR specialist should be sought out.
I live just outside Ashford too, and to the best of my knowledge there's no one local that is a specialist. I take my car to APM in Liphook, if it needs TLC. It's a long haul, but Andy really does know his stuff.
Tim
Or, is it all about stamps in the book?
I understand the need to have someone 'in the know' service an AJP but a Rover 'lump' is so simple and it's as old as the hills. In 4.0 form, it's the same as a Range Rover p38.
Keith, would you consider a good 'local' garage to have your engine tuned/serviced? If so I have one I can recommend.
If you want other services, like RR or alignment then yes, a TVR specialist should be sought out.
I live just outside Ashford too, and to the best of my knowledge there's no one local that is a specialist. I take my car to APM in Liphook, if it needs TLC. It's a long haul, but Andy really does know his stuff.
Tim
Edited by TT Tim on Saturday 21st June 10:10
5MUG said:
Hello
we live near Ashford too and use our local garage, Andrews Garage in Smeeth. He has, in the past serviced our 5 litre Chimaera, our 1963 Lotus 7 and our present car, a 1998 4 litre Chimaera.
Hes not a sports car specialist but we've never had reason to complain. S
Excellent prices for fitting tyres too. we live near Ashford too and use our local garage, Andrews Garage in Smeeth. He has, in the past serviced our 5 litre Chimaera, our 1963 Lotus 7 and our present car, a 1998 4 litre Chimaera.
Hes not a sports car specialist but we've never had reason to complain. S
They're part of e-tyres.co.uk
Tim
TVR keith said:
I have been using Chris Baldock at James Motor Sports but went there the other day and it seems that he has dissapeared.
I don't want to pay the prices that Dream Machines charge (although their service was good), Walldonway I believe are in a similar price bracket.
Don't actually need anything done at the moment but nice to have some reccomendations for when I do, its a 2000 Chimaera, and I'm in mid Kent near Ashford
He has moved to Faversham. U4 John Hall Estate next to Oare Creek. His mobile is 07866 462 977.I don't want to pay the prices that Dream Machines charge (although their service was good), Walldonway I believe are in a similar price bracket.
Don't actually need anything done at the moment but nice to have some reccomendations for when I do, its a 2000 Chimaera, and I'm in mid Kent near Ashford
Thanks for the replies guys.
I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
TVR keith said:
Thanks for the replies guys.
I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
Not sure I agree that there's a lot more to the car.I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
Because, there simply isn't.
Tim
TVR keith said:
Thanks for the replies guys.
I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
I too am in Ashford and would like to find a competively price good indy. And I agree Keith, there is more to the car than the engine, almost every mot i get done you get comments like "should that move like that", "are those lights right" etc. etc., so good knowledge of the car and its foibles is important. I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
Andy_J_G said:
TVR keith said:
Thanks for the replies guys.
I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
I too am in Ashford and would like to find a competively price good indy. And I agree Keith, there is more to the car than the engine, almost every mot i get done you get comments like "should that move like that", "are those lights right" etc. etc., so good knowledge of the car and its foibles is important. I know the Rover lump is nothing special, but there's a lot more to the cars than that alone. I would do it myself but getting too old to lay on my back under the car, and until I have built one I don't have a garage, just a gravel drive into which small nuts and bolts are easily lost!
I'll give Chris Baldock a call at his new place
If anything is spotted by an MoT inspector I'd rather he pointed it out and questioned it rather than a TVR garage, saying 'they all do that'. Pushing a car through an MoT, turning a blind eye to various things isn't always the best way.
I have a great relationship with a local garage, no they don't touch my Cerb' but they do MoT all my cars and have done for years. They don't keep you behind a glass screen, if they find anything they'll talk you through it, and probabally against many H&S rules I've been into their pit on many occasions to look at things that might need work.
Local specialists can offer just as bad a service as any garage, I paid a lot of money to a respected TVR Specialist, well over £1K and the service and quality of work was shockingly bad! just because you pay for specialist knowledge does NOT mean you get better service. Hey, even I could set up tomorrow, hang up a TVR sign and spin a story that I used to work on TVRs blah, blah, and charge over the odds.
Oh, and I've had some enlightening emails about various 'local' TVR specialists, so I know that my car will continue to travel to Liphook or Chesterfield should anything complicated need sorting on my Cerb'.
At the end of the day, you pay your money to make your choice. We all want to feel that our cars are being well cared for so, find someone you're happy with and stick with them. Can't say any more than that really, I was only trying to open people's eyes to the fact that there are alternatives and you shouldn't feel 'trapped' by the need to use a 'specialist'.
Drive the cars - enjoy the cars.
Tim
Edited by TT Tim on Friday 27th June 08:03
"find someone you're happy with and stick with them"
and there is the problem, Tim, any recommendations? I too had a 3k service (included some nitrons) at a "respected" specialist but was also unimpressed with certain things - I know that the cars don't involve rocket science, I was just keen on having someone who was experienced with TVRs. I have had the car MOTed by the same person for 3-4 years and still get asked what kind of Triumph it is..
and there is the problem, Tim, any recommendations? I too had a 3k service (included some nitrons) at a "respected" specialist but was also unimpressed with certain things - I know that the cars don't involve rocket science, I was just keen on having someone who was experienced with TVRs. I have had the car MOTed by the same person for 3-4 years and still get asked what kind of Triumph it is..
Edited by Andy_J_G on Friday 27th June 21:07
There is Taylor TVR is Aylesford. I haven't used them myself as I'm still looking for a car; however, Dan at Taylor TVR has really been very helpful and offered lots of advice. Worth a try. I'll probably head there myself when I eventually pick one up!
http://taylortvr.co.uk
http://taylortvr.co.uk
Edited by chris1972 on Thursday 22 November 00:13
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