My horror story!
Discussion
I took the car into Auto..... in April for a service nice and early before I was taking it around europe in June. I got told the the one or two of the valves were worn. I asked that when the engine was out of the car what preventative actions could be taken. I got told that the finger followers are crap and they should be replaced, replace the spring on the followres as the tention was too hard and caused wear, to have an extra oil feed put in and have the head skimmed and the head gasket replaced. I agreed to the work. I got told it would be 4.5k and take 3 weeks. 10 weeks later I was charged 5.5k without telling me about the increase (they told me that they got the price on the parts wrong and it was just an estimate). Any way I was to do 500 miles and bring the car back to have the tappets sorted. I took it back and after 3 days the tappets were no better(not been touched), I couldn't wait any longer as holiday was here. The car lasted two days and the head gasket blew in Germany! I had high level of RAC and had the car arranged to be taken back to England whilst I carried on my trip in a Astra diesel courtasy car.
I got back to Egland two weeks later and the car hadn't arrived. We chased the RAC up and got the car back to the garage another 3 weeks later. The engine had been taken to bits, the head gasket was in the boot along with various bolts pullies and chains etc.(after specific request not to touch it and have it taken atraight back to England as its under warrenty of engine work). Auto..... took one look at the car and said that was the warrenty void!
I had the car taken to D&M Autos to have a copper gasket put in and the engine rebuilt(at extra cost when the car should be under warrenty). The car seemed fine apart from the tappets a bit noisy but he said to bring it back after a month and he would adjust it all. I took the car back and had it adjusted. The car seemed a lot quieter but not quite right. I spoke to John and he said that the new finger followers were crap and they needed replacing already! To top it all off I think my clutch is on its way out! Thanks to John castle at D&M Autos as he is doing his best to make this experience not as bad. I'm tearing my hair out as I love the car but I can't keep spending this sort of money. What can I do? HELP PLEASE!
I got back to Egland two weeks later and the car hadn't arrived. We chased the RAC up and got the car back to the garage another 3 weeks later. The engine had been taken to bits, the head gasket was in the boot along with various bolts pullies and chains etc.(after specific request not to touch it and have it taken atraight back to England as its under warrenty of engine work). Auto..... took one look at the car and said that was the warrenty void!
I had the car taken to D&M Autos to have a copper gasket put in and the engine rebuilt(at extra cost when the car should be under warrenty). The car seemed fine apart from the tappets a bit noisy but he said to bring it back after a month and he would adjust it all. I took the car back and had it adjusted. The car seemed a lot quieter but not quite right. I spoke to John and he said that the new finger followers were crap and they needed replacing already! To top it all off I think my clutch is on its way out! Thanks to John castle at D&M Autos as he is doing his best to make this experience not as bad. I'm tearing my hair out as I love the car but I can't keep spending this sort of money. What can I do? HELP PLEASE!
Sorry to hear about the bad experience. Won't the RAC accept responsibility for taking the engine to bits when they were asked specifically not to touch the engine since it is so specialized?
You'd expect the original garage to try to help, even though the warranty may now be void - mayvbe go halfway on the costs or something? After all their engine rebuild did fail.
Hope you get everything sorted soon and start piling on the smiles again.
You'd expect the original garage to try to help, even though the warranty may now be void - mayvbe go halfway on the costs or something? After all their engine rebuild did fail.
Hope you get everything sorted soon and start piling on the smiles again.
Andrew, I'm saddened reading your post.
The only advice I can offer you is that you speak to Richard at Dulfords, as he did my engine upgrade.
If it is any comfort my clutch went last year during London Thunder, and David Hendry in Malmesbury fitted a new clutch and upgraded the slave cylinder. It cost £1400 and have had no problems with it since.
Email me your phone number or will you be coming to the Bristol TVRcc event on the 16th Sep.
The only advice I can offer you is that you speak to Richard at Dulfords, as he did my engine upgrade.
If it is any comfort my clutch went last year during London Thunder, and David Hendry in Malmesbury fitted a new clutch and upgraded the slave cylinder. It cost £1400 and have had no problems with it since.
Email me your phone number or will you be coming to the Bristol TVRcc event on the 16th Sep.
but at least i had power do my engine and it should be home by this time next week! I am putting in a large bill to the RAC for the work done putting the engine back together and also will be lookingto bill them for a years warrenty which is no long valid on my car because of what they have done. But in the mean time it is still costing me a lot of money to put right not only what crap the garage put in there in the first place but what the what the RAC have caused, with no garanty of getting it back. Its cost me about 7.5k and it still needs new clutch and finger followers(which means engineout again!).
The garage that I origionally took the car to has lost most if not all of his staff now due to how badly he treated them/customers. I feal completely ripped off by him as now his staff have left I'ved found out what really happend with the engine etc.
I will be at the Bristol meet on the 16th as long as the car is going!
I don't want this to sound like a sob story but though I might share my experience. Sorry for waffalling on!
The garage that I origionally took the car to has lost most if not all of his staff now due to how badly he treated them/customers. I feal completely ripped off by him as now his staff have left I'ved found out what really happend with the engine etc.
I will be at the Bristol meet on the 16th as long as the car is going!
I don't want this to sound like a sob story but though I might share my experience. Sorry for waffalling on!
W111AAM said:
I'm sorry to hear about your problems. I think we meet on the M5 back in about April, while stuck in a traffic jam!! If it was you, you'd said that you'd just had the engine rebuilt.
I hope you get this issue resolved quickly.
Would of been later than April if the engine had been done, but yeah it was me. Shame you didn't have your car on you at the time, I would of loved to seen it. Are you a member of the TVRcc?I hope you get this issue resolved quickly.
Did you ask the RAC why it had taken 5 weeks to get the car back?
Why had the engine been stripped down to such an extent? I didn't think any of the breakdown services did this, they aren't engine builders after all.
It sounds as though a second party recovery company in Germany may have been having a look see at the engine!
As someone else said I think a couple of very strongly worded solicitors letters are in order.
Why had the engine been stripped down to such an extent? I didn't think any of the breakdown services did this, they aren't engine builders after all.
It sounds as though a second party recovery company in Germany may have been having a look see at the engine!
As someone else said I think a couple of very strongly worded solicitors letters are in order.
Franco sorry to hear of your very annoying problems. Surprised the warranty wasn't honoured in circumstances, if it was obvious the gasket had failed and nothing else was wrong eg. cooling/oil systems 
Mine is about to have the same Autocraft-design followers fitted, by Dulfords.
One thought, have you seen the alleged wear in these finger followers yourself? Dulford and others have also been fitting these for a year or so, with no reported issues at all. Maybe needs right thickness shims in to correct the clearance issues you heard from the start when John rebuilt it for you?
Crikey. I really hope you get this sorted - what an utter nightmare. Why does this sort of thing only seem to happen with TVRs!?
For what its worth, I stopped spending on my Tam when the bill hit £7K. Bit my lip, took the hit and chalked it up to experience. I loved the car so much it hurt - but there comes a time when you have to ask yourself what the hell am I doing?
Best of luck whichever route you decide to take.
For what its worth, I stopped spending on my Tam when the bill hit £7K. Bit my lip, took the hit and chalked it up to experience. I loved the car so much it hurt - but there comes a time when you have to ask yourself what the hell am I doing?
Best of luck whichever route you decide to take.
s6boy said:
Did you ask the RAC why it had taken 5 weeks to get the car back?
Why had the engine been stripped down to such an extent? I didn't think any of the breakdown services did this, they aren't engine builders after all.
It sounds as though a second party recovery company in Germany may have been having a look see at the engine!
As someone else said I think a couple of very strongly worded solicitors letters are in order.
5 weeks is not uncommon. Companies that repatriate will wait until they have a complete load.Why had the engine been stripped down to such an extent? I didn't think any of the breakdown services did this, they aren't engine builders after all.
It sounds as though a second party recovery company in Germany may have been having a look see at the engine!
As someone else said I think a couple of very strongly worded solicitors letters are in order.
Taking a TVR abroad can be a worry when you look at your breakdown cover. Most will say the option to repair is first call. No dealer network abroad (even when it was a going concern) and hardly any indies. Tell the recovery company you do not want them to attempt repair, and it can get very interesting...We use RACs 5 star cover.
We have amusingly used Green Flag in the past.
"hello, is that green flag? we have a Ducati that won't start and need some help" reponse..."what do you want us to do, you're in country - is there no yellow pages" We eventually did managed the next day by ourselves thanks to a very good Ducati dealer in Holland.
Recovery companies vary and you need to check your policy before travel.
Oh the Astra was a beauty! I didn't have to check the oil once, I didn't have alarm bells ringing when I heard a slight noise and I could fit things like BBQ's into it. But it wasn't my Tam and it couldn't keep up with the other cars that went with us.
I'm sure that those t
ts in Germany just wanted to explore the car. The car didn't over heat as the water temp was at 86c went the Gasket went.
I love the car to bits and can't think of another car I would rather sub 30k, but I'm really starting to be pushed to the limits with this car. I keep asking myself is it worth it?
I'm sure that those t
ts in Germany just wanted to explore the car. The car didn't over heat as the water temp was at 86c went the Gasket went.I love the car to bits and can't think of another car I would rather sub 30k, but I'm really starting to be pushed to the limits with this car. I keep asking myself is it worth it?
tail slide said:
Franco sorry to hear of your very annoying problems. Surprised the warranty wasn't honoured in circumstances, if it was obvious the gasket had failed and nothing else was wrong eg. cooling/oil systems Mine is about to have the same Autocraft-design followers fitted, by Dulfords.
One thought, have you seen the alleged wear in these finger followers yourself? Dulford and others have also been fitting these for a year or so, with no reported issues at all. Maybe needs right thickness shims in to correct the clearance issues you heard from the start when John rebuilt it for you?
FrancoTam said:
I would be very careful about having those followers fitted. I strongly believe that the origionals are better but the spring tention is too high and causes wear. If you look at them next to each other they are not evan the same size/shape. John said this is not the only ones he has seen wear.
OK thanks for that. Don't share your views about the originals though, at this stage, as even to a non-engineer the re-designed shape looks better to interact with the cam profile, be lighter and carry an oil feed to a better spot.Personally I'll get confirmation from experienced Indie as, to be fair, there are potential axes to grind from both the others involved.
Do hope you get sorted without much more ££, they are such great cars when all's well.
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