Sinclaire's for services & Geo setup ???
Discussion
Hi Guys
Well things are going well with the beast of late, S2 suspension working well, Advans arriving today, all it needs is a good wash & wax!
Next on the list is the "C" service, it's due towards the end of October so I had better start saving as this is the big one.
My local Lotus Dealer, Formula 1, are asking around £750+ for the full "C" sercive and to be honest it's a lot of cash, especially when you consider specialist companies charge much less. I have been looking around and Sinclaire's seem to have a decent reputation, but does anyone have any first hand experience of their servicing and also their Geo work ??
As usual any help will be most appreciated.
Wako
Well things are going well with the beast of late, S2 suspension working well, Advans arriving today, all it needs is a good wash & wax!
Next on the list is the "C" service, it's due towards the end of October so I had better start saving as this is the big one.
My local Lotus Dealer, Formula 1, are asking around £750+ for the full "C" sercive and to be honest it's a lot of cash, especially when you consider specialist companies charge much less. I have been looking around and Sinclaire's seem to have a decent reputation, but does anyone have any first hand experience of their servicing and also their Geo work ??
As usual any help will be most appreciated.
Wako
I use them for most things including Geo and servicing.
My experiance has been pretty good, not perfect but I am an awkward customer.... I like things close to perfection and I dont like paying out my hard earned cash if things arn't to my standards.
All in all... I would give them about 8 out of 10 and would happily recomend them.
My experiance has been pretty good, not perfect but I am an awkward customer.... I like things close to perfection and I dont like paying out my hard earned cash if things arn't to my standards.
All in all... I would give them about 8 out of 10 and would happily recomend them.
Not sure... firstly because I'm not having the full C because they did my cambelt last year when my head gasket went (so they're just performing a B service + fuel filter).
Secondly, I can't say I've EVER had a service on the Elise where the costs were just for a plain ordinary service. I always need extras like ball joints doing as as well. Has anyone ever got away with paying the flat service fee and no more? You're a lucky bastard if so!
The same goes for Geometry - the cost varies on what needs doing. IIRC It's £50 for the basic and then they show you what's wrong and make recommendations with priorities and explainations on what the effect of each adjustment would be so you don't have to get it all done. Budget £200 if you've never done your geo before. Money well spent though!
Secondly, I can't say I've EVER had a service on the Elise where the costs were just for a plain ordinary service. I always need extras like ball joints doing as as well. Has anyone ever got away with paying the flat service fee and no more? You're a lucky bastard if so!
The same goes for Geometry - the cost varies on what needs doing. IIRC It's £50 for the basic and then they show you what's wrong and make recommendations with priorities and explainations on what the effect of each adjustment would be so you don't have to get it all done. Budget £200 if you've never done your geo before. Money well spent though!
paulwakinshaw said:
Thanks for that info, much appreciated.
so what problems have you had with them, I want the service done soon, have you had any service problems with them? and how about the Geo work, was there any problems with that?
Wako
1st... I have had a lot of work done by them so these 2 "problems" dont constitute the majority by a long way.
The 1st issue I had, after a suspension setup and geo I found that the ride hight had been set lower than I had stimpulated and as a result the car was liable to bottom out, I returned it and the issue was resolved and no cost.
Current problem, They installed a water cooler kit which they designed but is heavily based on the elise parts cooler kit. After the installation the cooler has started to whistle.... I have been back down and they have diagnosed it as a suspect radiator unit that requires replacing. They have since been in touch with Elise parts and will contact me when a replacement part is in for installation. I dont expect to pay for any remedial work on this either.
The 1st problem was a cockup, they shouldnt have made.
The 2nd was very bizzare and couldnt really have been avoided.
Customer service is about how people resolve problems that do occur and so far they have done pretty well in my book.
At aprox 60% of the cost of a Lotus garage they provide an excellent service.
Also as they provide free trackside assistance for SELOC track days I owe them a dept of gratitude for a few favours on track days.
Sinclaires: www.lotusrepairs.com/servicing.asp
So £487 inc parts, labour and VAT for a C - very reasonable for the standard of service I've always received!
So £487 inc parts, labour and VAT for a C - very reasonable for the standard of service I've always received!
Bonce said:
Has anyone ever got away with paying the flat service fee and no more? You're a lucky bastard if so!
But I don't do many miles in mine so perhaps that's why?? I paid about £300 for C service form Fibreglass Services - Miles prices up his servicing as the cost of all the bits and then adds a labour charge at about £35- £40 p/h. I seem to remember that the belts were £40ish plus four or five hours to fit it all and do a Lotus spec 'B' service for which the bits came to about £50 I think.
ok, some good views there chaps.
Brook Kensington look like they could be in the frame, price is nearly exactly the same as Sinclaire's and they are closer to where I live (bloody Newcastle upon Tyne) so less time to travel. hmmmmm decisions.
Just another question on the side of all this, I get my advans fitted tomorrow, will the fitting of these mean I need the geo done again?
Wako
Brook Kensington look like they could be in the frame, price is nearly exactly the same as Sinclaire's and they are closer to where I live (bloody Newcastle upon Tyne) so less time to travel. hmmmmm decisions.
Just another question on the side of all this, I get my advans fitted tomorrow, will the fitting of these mean I need the geo done again?
Wako
This will be my quandary also soon.
Have 1k to go before the magic 27k clicks by - do I go to Sinclaires (who did a 'rack replacement and geo for me last week) and pay around the £500 mark or do I do a bit of a trek and go to Miles @ Fibreglass Services.
Both are more than competent and far more reasonable than main dealers.
At the moment to save money is my priority but Sinclaires are a 40min drive, Miles is 1hr+.
I think it may have to be Sinclaires as they are closest - here's hoping they don't find a bunch of stuff to do as I've spent a small fortune on niggles this year and would quite like not to fork out again anytime soon... however the dreaded MOT is in Dec.
Why do I have a nasty feeling about Q4 2004 all of a sudden!?!?!
Have 1k to go before the magic 27k clicks by - do I go to Sinclaires (who did a 'rack replacement and geo for me last week) and pay around the £500 mark or do I do a bit of a trek and go to Miles @ Fibreglass Services.
Both are more than competent and far more reasonable than main dealers.
At the moment to save money is my priority but Sinclaires are a 40min drive, Miles is 1hr+.
I think it may have to be Sinclaires as they are closest - here's hoping they don't find a bunch of stuff to do as I've spent a small fortune on niggles this year and would quite like not to fork out again anytime soon... however the dreaded MOT is in Dec.
Why do I have a nasty feeling about Q4 2004 all of a sudden!?!?!
Hi - I had my car in Sinclaires yesterday. It went in for a new rear tyre and I asked them to check the brakes whilst it was there. Ended up having;
New rear tyre
New EBC Discs and pads all round
Pair of steering gaitors
Geo report and set up
Considering it went in just for a tyre I was very impressed that they got this all done in a few hours and although the cost was just over 1000 I think this was reasonable after looking around. Anyone have opinions on this cost for the work?
Still this all came as a bit of a shock as I only purchased the car 3 months ago and it had a C service and MOT done just before I bought it....seems the discs and pads must have been very borderline when I bought it! Still this wasn't Sinclaire fault.
I will def be taking the car to Sinclaires for my next service. (when my bank account has recovered from yesterday)
New rear tyre
New EBC Discs and pads all round
Pair of steering gaitors
Geo report and set up
Considering it went in just for a tyre I was very impressed that they got this all done in a few hours and although the cost was just over 1000 I think this was reasonable after looking around. Anyone have opinions on this cost for the work?
Still this all came as a bit of a shock as I only purchased the car 3 months ago and it had a C service and MOT done just before I bought it....seems the discs and pads must have been very borderline when I bought it! Still this wasn't Sinclaire fault.
I will def be taking the car to Sinclaires for my next service. (when my bank account has recovered from yesterday)
I must be one of the lucky ones. I've had 4 services on my S2 111S inc. the initial oil/filter change. Mines now done 27.5K in just under 2 years. I've only ever paid the standard service rate.
At my last service (B service) they replaced the alternator FOC under warranty. I had no clue anything was wrong, but I was told they were prone to failure and the factory was replacing them under warranty for good measure. Point is, had I saved £75 on the cost of the service by going to a non-franchised outfit, had my alternator gone in 6 months time say, I'd be paying out hundreds for a new one to be fitted with no hope of Lotus coughing up.
I don't mind paying the standard servicing rates. Esp. when you're looked after with a S2 Exige as a demonstrator/courtesy car for the day! It's when they try to fleece you for routine jobs like a new set of brake pads. £150+ fitted! Thank you no!
At my last service (B service) they replaced the alternator FOC under warranty. I had no clue anything was wrong, but I was told they were prone to failure and the factory was replacing them under warranty for good measure. Point is, had I saved £75 on the cost of the service by going to a non-franchised outfit, had my alternator gone in 6 months time say, I'd be paying out hundreds for a new one to be fitted with no hope of Lotus coughing up.
I don't mind paying the standard servicing rates. Esp. when you're looked after with a S2 Exige as a demonstrator/courtesy car for the day! It's when they try to fleece you for routine jobs like a new set of brake pads. £150+ fitted! Thank you no!
Just undergone the same thoughts as you Paul.
Had F1 do my C service couple weeks ago it cost719.99 including a full geo check (£60).
Initially unimpressed with the cost/surroundings. they did my car and clean bill of health apart from pinholes in the zorst tailpipes (being binned soon anyway). Geo was well out, seems much less skittish, Chris explained it all
Had considered Sinclaires and others too but fuel to get there and such a long service (8hours) the saving is about £100 excl. fuel day off work etc.
Will not take it there next year for A service @ 200+
Ironically seen a lotus/tvr indep in Middlesbrough called Falcon Performance today. Are they any good???
>> Edited by Ricardo S1 on Tuesday 14th September 19:25
Had F1 do my C service couple weeks ago it cost719.99 including a full geo check (£60).
Initially unimpressed with the cost/surroundings. they did my car and clean bill of health apart from pinholes in the zorst tailpipes (being binned soon anyway). Geo was well out, seems much less skittish, Chris explained it all
Had considered Sinclaires and others too but fuel to get there and such a long service (8hours) the saving is about £100 excl. fuel day off work etc.
Will not take it there next year for A service @ 200+
Ironically seen a lotus/tvr indep in Middlesbrough called Falcon Performance today. Are they any good???
>> Edited by Ricardo S1 on Tuesday 14th September 19:25
mine goes to Sinclaires for everything too (I live a few miles away) ....my car spends a lot of time ther - usually every 6 weeks minimum depending on whether its servicing and/or upgrades....I do about 25-30K miles a year, airfield/trackdays etc...so lots of stuff wears out.
As above really - the customer service is excellent, if on the very odd occasion something isnt perfect its put right without issue....no reason to go anywhere else for anything - bodyshop, servicing etc...the only thing they are not is engine builders a la DVA, Minister, Scholar etc
As above really - the customer service is excellent, if on the very odd occasion something isnt perfect its put right without issue....no reason to go anywhere else for anything - bodyshop, servicing etc...the only thing they are not is engine builders a la DVA, Minister, Scholar etc
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