Should I be angry?
Discussion
I used an inspection service when buying my TVR, name and shame rules prevent me from disclosure. I have had my Chim for around 3 months and recently wasn't happy with the gear change so took it to a reputable TVR specialist to get a 12K service and look over. This is the list of stuff required for repair:
1) Front lights too dim, possible MOT fail
2) Rear light lense smokey
3) Corroded wishbones front
4) Leaking radiator
5) Two leaking rear shocks, MOT fail
6) Diff bush needs replacing
7) Engine mounts need replacing
8) Spray bottle cap missing
9) Powersteering hose (HP) cracked
10) Interior door lock button not working
The inspection picked up (1) from the MOT report, (2) from a physical inspection and that is f
kING all.
I feel cheeted, or am I just being stupid?
Shabs
1) Front lights too dim, possible MOT fail
2) Rear light lense smokey
3) Corroded wishbones front
4) Leaking radiator
5) Two leaking rear shocks, MOT fail
6) Diff bush needs replacing
7) Engine mounts need replacing
8) Spray bottle cap missing
9) Powersteering hose (HP) cracked
10) Interior door lock button not working
The inspection picked up (1) from the MOT report, (2) from a physical inspection and that is f
kING all.I feel cheeted, or am I just being stupid?
Shabs
1) Front lights too dim, possible MOT fail - Erm they are all like that however yours could be worse.
2) Rear light lens smokey - Don't really know what you mean
3) Corroded wishbones front - Pic's if possible
4) Leaking radiator - How bad are you losing lots of fluid or has it just got water marks on it.
5) Two leaking rear shocks, MOT fail - I wouldn't be happy.
6) Diff bush needs replacing - can you feel it?
7) Engine mounts need replacing - Pic's
8) Spray bottle cap missing - few pounds to replace (could have just fallen off/ not put on properly)
9) Power steering hose (HP) cracked - Pic's
10) Interior door lock button not working - probably not checked
I would take it somewhere else first some garages are very good at replacing items that have years of life left.
It might not be as bad as it seems
2) Rear light lens smokey - Don't really know what you mean
3) Corroded wishbones front - Pic's if possible
4) Leaking radiator - How bad are you losing lots of fluid or has it just got water marks on it.
5) Two leaking rear shocks, MOT fail - I wouldn't be happy.
6) Diff bush needs replacing - can you feel it?
7) Engine mounts need replacing - Pic's
8) Spray bottle cap missing - few pounds to replace (could have just fallen off/ not put on properly)
9) Power steering hose (HP) cracked - Pic's
10) Interior door lock button not working - probably not checked
I would take it somewhere else first some garages are very good at replacing items that have years of life left.
It might not be as bad as it seems
Dave 500 said:
1) Front lights too dim, possible MOT fail - Erm they are all like that however yours could be worse.
2) Rear light lens smokey - Don't really know what you mean
3) Corroded wishbones front - Pic's if possible
4) Leaking radiator - How bad are you losing lots of fluid or has it just got water marks on it.
5) Two leaking rear shocks, MOT fail - I wouldn't be happy.
6) Diff bush needs replacing - can you feel it?
7) Engine mounts need replacing - Pic's
8) Spray bottle cap missing - few pounds to replace (could have just fallen off/ not put on properly)
9) Power steering hose (HP) cracked - Pic's
10) Interior door lock button not working - probably not checked
I would take it somewhere else first some garages are very good at replacing items that have years of life left.
It might not be as bad as it seems
I wouldnt worry about most of those, diff bush, pas hose and engine mounts could be replaced for 300-400 pounds, interior lock button, you can probably rectify yourself (could be a solenoid or loose connection, this can happen at anytime. 2) Rear light lens smokey - Don't really know what you mean
3) Corroded wishbones front - Pic's if possible
4) Leaking radiator - How bad are you losing lots of fluid or has it just got water marks on it.
5) Two leaking rear shocks, MOT fail - I wouldn't be happy.
6) Diff bush needs replacing - can you feel it?
7) Engine mounts need replacing - Pic's
8) Spray bottle cap missing - few pounds to replace (could have just fallen off/ not put on properly)
9) Power steering hose (HP) cracked - Pic's
10) Interior door lock button not working - probably not checked
I would take it somewhere else first some garages are very good at replacing items that have years of life left.
It might not be as bad as it seems
leaking rear shocks, i ve got a pair of adjustable shocks for a chim, in very good condition if you are interested, they are dead easy to change. concerning the wishbones, send some pics, if they are shot give bell hill garage, or autowash repairs a call and get a used pair. Agian about 2 hrs labour to change
Depends on what kind of inspection you paid for. I've not had one done so I wouldn't know what to expect, but, like you, I would certainly feel miffed at that amount of missed items.
I would certainly expect an inspection to put the car on ramps to check for rust/leaks/wear/breakages - or be told this would not be happening when I purchased the inspection. IMO, there's too much there to be able to claim they all happened post inspection
I would certainly expect an inspection to put the car on ramps to check for rust/leaks/wear/breakages - or be told this would not be happening when I purchased the inspection. IMO, there's too much there to be able to claim they all happened post inspection
Do bear in mind that different independents have different ideas of what need doing. Of the two I tried, one was very much the "replace with the brand new the moment it looks suspect to keep things in tip-top" and the other was "bks, there's years of life left in that. I'll just tighten it up / make a minor repair and we'll keep an eye on it".
When I bought my Chimaera I had a similar (but lesser) situation to you, and it was simply a case that I'd gone to the former before the latter. It was the latter I stayed with as I liked his attitude and honesty. Never replaced anything that didn't need replacing, but never let anything fail either.
Edit: The "weeping PAS pump" the former diagnosed was still fine 6½ years later when I sold the car, BTW.
ks, there's years of life left in that. I'll just tighten it up / make a minor repair and we'll keep an eye on it". When I bought my Chimaera I had a similar (but lesser) situation to you, and it was simply a case that I'd gone to the former before the latter. It was the latter I stayed with as I liked his attitude and honesty. Never replaced anything that didn't need replacing, but never let anything fail either.
Edit: The "weeping PAS pump" the former diagnosed was still fine 6½ years later when I sold the car, BTW.
Edited by JonRB on Friday 5th June 16:30
The topic of TVR inspections comes up ad nauseum on here, and there are quite clearly people offering the service who do know what they are doing and others who have less of a clue than me. And I don't know anything. Depending on who you used, your experiences may not be that uncommon as a very recent thread on here discussed...
JonRB said:
Do bear in mind that different independents have different ideas of what need doing. Of the two I tried, one was very much the "replace with the brand new the moment it looks suspect to keep things in tip-top" and the other was "bks, there's years of life left in that. I'll just tighten it up / make a minor repair and we'll keep an eye on it".
When I bought my Chimaera I had a similar (but lesser) situation to you, and it was simply a case that I'd gone to the former before the latter. It was the latter I stayed with as I liked his attitude and honesty. Never replaced anything that didn't need replacing, but never let anything fail either.
Edit: The "weeping PAS pump" the former diagnosed was still fine 6½ years later when I sold the car, BTW.
You did'nt sell it to the original poster did you?ks, there's years of life left in that. I'll just tighten it up / make a minor repair and we'll keep an eye on it". When I bought my Chimaera I had a similar (but lesser) situation to you, and it was simply a case that I'd gone to the former before the latter. It was the latter I stayed with as I liked his attitude and honesty. Never replaced anything that didn't need replacing, but never let anything fail either.
Edit: The "weeping PAS pump" the former diagnosed was still fine 6½ years later when I sold the car, BTW.
Edited by JonRB on Friday 5th June 16:30
I would of hoped that after 3 months of ownership you would of opened up the bonnet at least 12 times and should of noticed that your rad was leaking (weekly check for water level ???)and noticed that your washer bottle top was missing.If you haven't been doing weekly checks you had better check you actually have some oil in the engine!! Or are you just going to wait for the oil light to stay on then whinge about that too????
Blimey, you lot are being tough. The guy paid for someone else to do the inspection as he may not have been confident enough himself.
The inspection I had on mine included things such as the weave on the roof panels being in opposite directions !! Very thorough and levels of wear on various components were highlighted so you could keep an eye on them. He should expect the same after handing over his hard-earned.
The inspection I had on mine included things such as the weave on the roof panels being in opposite directions !! Very thorough and levels of wear on various components were highlighted so you could keep an eye on them. He should expect the same after handing over his hard-earned.
Three months is quite a long time .. to be fair.
Sounds like if all there faults were present on the day of imspection then you would be right to be unhappy and not recommend them to anyone..
But the question is - which of these faults were there at the time..
Plenty of these are wear and tear .. and lets admit it - a garage when asked about the condition of something will in many cases say replacement of parts is needed.. why most of us would quite happily put up with it for quite a time before it really is an issue.
Buying a car is about overall condition .. if you think the guy recommended you buy a dog then fair comment but somehow I doubt you would have done that.
Sad thing about TVR's and other cars in general - is that there are less and less good cars out there .. with cash being tight out there cars get neglected more.
Sounds like if all there faults were present on the day of imspection then you would be right to be unhappy and not recommend them to anyone..
But the question is - which of these faults were there at the time..
Plenty of these are wear and tear .. and lets admit it - a garage when asked about the condition of something will in many cases say replacement of parts is needed.. why most of us would quite happily put up with it for quite a time before it really is an issue.
Buying a car is about overall condition .. if you think the guy recommended you buy a dog then fair comment but somehow I doubt you would have done that.
Sad thing about TVR's and other cars in general - is that there are less and less good cars out there .. with cash being tight out there cars get neglected more.
If people take money to provide a professional inspection service, that’s what they should provide.
If you want a piece of paper that doesn’t tell you what is or isn’t wrong with a car, send me some money and I’ll send you one. But I suspect the OP
The age of the car is irrelevant. If something isn’t right, serviceable, or it’s foreseeable that it will fail soon, the report should mention it.
If something isn’t right, but is serviceable and that’s fair and typical of cars age and price, then why not mention that too?
In short, if the inspector saw it, why did he not say it?
That way, the buyer could have made an informed decision. People tend to infer that if something isn’t pointed out as wrong, then it’s ok.
I know who the inspector is in this case. Yet again, it’s the same inspector I had problems with.
If you want a piece of paper that doesn’t tell you what is or isn’t wrong with a car, send me some money and I’ll send you one. But I suspect the OP
The age of the car is irrelevant. If something isn’t right, serviceable, or it’s foreseeable that it will fail soon, the report should mention it.
If something isn’t right, but is serviceable and that’s fair and typical of cars age and price, then why not mention that too?
In short, if the inspector saw it, why did he not say it?
That way, the buyer could have made an informed decision. People tend to infer that if something isn’t pointed out as wrong, then it’s ok.
I know who the inspector is in this case. Yet again, it’s the same inspector I had problems with.
With the exception of very few of you, like Uncle Fester, you all completely missed the point, nice work, comprehension lessons all round then?
The point is this, I expect stuff to go wrong with TVRs, I get it OK, TVRs have niggles, most of them I have fixed myself, however, if I pay somebody to do an inspection I expect fundamental issues to be listed so that I can make an informed decision - understand, the key word there is informed. I received ZERO value for the inspection service, I may as well just relied on the word of a main dealer for all the good it has done me.
Anyway, bottom line is this - I paid my money and made my choice (driven from recommendations on here BTW), I was conned, I won't be paying my money there again, I am pissed off, there is nothing I can do about it, I'll build a bridge and get over it
The point is this, I expect stuff to go wrong with TVRs, I get it OK, TVRs have niggles, most of them I have fixed myself, however, if I pay somebody to do an inspection I expect fundamental issues to be listed so that I can make an informed decision - understand, the key word there is informed. I received ZERO value for the inspection service, I may as well just relied on the word of a main dealer for all the good it has done me.
Anyway, bottom line is this - I paid my money and made my choice (driven from recommendations on here BTW), I was conned, I won't be paying my money there again, I am pissed off, there is nothing I can do about it, I'll build a bridge and get over it
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