Support your Local?! Independent

[NJS25]

Thought it would be a good idea to start a thread for recommended list of independent specialists.

A big to Mike at HORIZON MOTORSPORT in Cradley, West Midlands.

C service, full geo and a few other bits done. The car has been set up with a revised geo and tyre pressures, and I must say that my initial impression is WOW! Everything Mike said it would be, improved ride, turn in and cornering!

The car feels like new and was a pleasure to drive the 170miles home to Anglesey (hence the local?! in the title)

As usual a wide variety of interesting vehicles in the workshop!

Highly recommended, give them a call on 01384 566660.

Regards, Neil

Apologies to the Elan going in the opposite direction in Gornal (didn't register 'till you'd passed). Also spotted on the M6 southbound, a Jaguar XJ220!!

[Mclovin]

I wish I had one close to me or one that was close to a tube station. I live in London and the nearest is Brooke Kensington.

[Andyt25]

I have one for owners around the South Wales area. A chap called Andy. He is the regional guy looking after the South Wales arm of Club Lotus and his company is a Lotus and Caterham specialist.

http://www.qmechenviro.co.uk/index.htm

Great rates and supurb work with great attention to detail. A big thumbs up.

[anonymous-user]

I live in the Mudway Towns but the specialists I always go back to are:

Lakeside Engineering near Woking, 01932 340003. Not the place for those who like comfortable waiting areas with plasma screens or floors you could eat your lunch off but they've always done top class work on my cars and you can watch it being done. Have gone out of their way to provide good service many times and Max has talked me and others out of spending money more than once.

Specialised Paintwork, Theale near Reading 01189 306206. Did a superb repair job on my S2 at a sensible price with great attention to detail.

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 27th April 10:32

[bogie]

Mclovin said:

I wish I had one close to me or one that was close to a tube station. I live in London and the nearest is Brooke Kensington.

errr..I dont think so - you want to be at Sinclaires nr Romford - well inside the M25 www.sinclairemotorsport.co.uk

[MJK 24]

NJS25 said:

Thought it would be a good idea to start a thread for recommended list of independent specialists.

A big to Mike at HORIZON MOTORSPORT in Cradley, West Midlands.

C service, full geo and a few other bits done. The car has been set up with a revised geo and tyre pressures, and I must say that my initial impression is WOW! Everything Mike said it would be, improved ride, turn in and cornering!

The car feels like new and was a pleasure to drive the 170miles home to Anglesey (hence the local?! in the title)

As usual a wide variety of interesting vehicles in the workshop!

Highly recommended, give them a call on 01384 566660.

Regards, Neil

Apologies to the Elan going in the opposite direction in Gornal (didn't register 'till you'd passed). Also spotted on the M6 southbound, a Jaguar XJ220!!

I travel from Liverpool to Horizon and echo what you've said though they have had a little bad press on the forums lately.

[Mclovin]

bogie said:

Mclovin said:

I wish I had one close to me or one that was close to a tube station. I live in London and the nearest is Brooke Kensington.

errr..I dont think so - you want to be at Sinclaires nr Romford - well inside the M25 www.sinclairemotorsport.co.uk

I used them before and didn't think they were any good.

[bogie]

thats odd...no-ones perfect I guess, but I was very happy with them when they used to look after my old car - for 80K miles and 6 years in fact.

Its like anyone, if you go there the first time, things are not perfect then I guess you get a bad impression and try elsewhere.

Use somewhere regularly for a couple of years, then they make a mistake/dont do something 100% to your satisfaction, you go back and give them a chance to correct it etc

[kevin ritson]

Sinclaires get the thumbs up from me - everyone makes mistakes from time to time but it's how they're resolved that makes the difference. I've had experience of both good and bad from various places in this respect.

Wayne and Gill are my first point of call if there's something wrong with the car. It helps that they are the nearest, too.

[TIPPER]

South West Lotus Centre nr Launceston, very enthusiastic and knowledgable family run business which I'd use if it weren't for a 100 miles plus round trip. Red Post Garage nr Newton Abbott also come recommended (the owner has an Elise). There's a place at Tipton St John nr Crediton whose name escapes me which is also highly recommended and finally for routine non-specialist stuff Star Garage, Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth.

[Spunagain]

Salisbury, Sportomotive. They have a courtesy car.

http://www.sportomotive.com/

I got my Sabre heads doen there as Roger supplies heads to Sportomotive and have used them for the past 8 years for servicing (£600ish for my last C service and few odds and sods..(oh my god - that long!), and thay have a list of happy customers.

Sportomotive are very good indeed if you have an Elise they are enthusiasts and their charges are massively lower than a main dealer. How many other workshop guys actually own Elises?

Regards

Spunagain

[Alimac]

MJK 24 said:

NJS25 said:

Thought it would be a good idea to start a thread for recommended list of independent specialists.

A big to Mike at HORIZON MOTORSPORT in Cradley, West Midlands.

C service, full geo and a few other bits done. The car has been set up with a revised geo and tyre pressures, and I must say that my initial impression is WOW! Everything Mike said it would be, improved ride, turn in and cornering!

The car feels like new and was a pleasure to drive the 170miles home to Anglesey (hence the local?! in the title)

As usual a wide variety of interesting vehicles in the workshop!


I travel from Leeds to Horizon!

Highly recommended, give them a call on 01384 566660.

Regards, Neil

Apologies to the Elan going in the opposite direction in Gornal (didn't register 'till you'd passed). Also spotted on the M6 southbound, a Jaguar XJ220!!

I travel from Liverpool to Horizon and echo what you've said though they have had a little bad press on the forums lately.

[RobM77]

I've used Plans Motorsport near Guildford for my last two services and found them excellent. Everyone there seems intelligent and friendly, they've always got the time for you, and the workshop always looks clean and tidy.

[abz 7001]

Mines at sinclaires at the moment for HGF...
I've used them for 6 years and (only) 35k miles! Never been anything other than incredibly impressed by their workmanship and customer service especially when they took the car in after it was the victim of road rage a couple of years back! Sorry you had a bad experience

[Handbag]

Andyt25 said:

I have one for owners around the South Wales area. A chap called Andy. He is the regional guy looking after the South Wales arm of Club Lotus and his company is a Lotus and Caterham specialist.

http://www.qmechenviro.co.uk/index.htm

Great rates and supurb work with great attention to detail. A big thumbs up.

+1

[jondude]

Mclovin said:

bogie said:

Mclovin said:

I wish I had one close to me or one that was close to a tube station. I live in London and the nearest is Brooke Kensington.

errr..I dont think so - you want to be at Sinclaires nr Romford - well inside the M25 www.sinclairemotorsport.co.uk

I used them before and didn't think they were any good.

Found them incredibly expensive - quoting silly prices, to be honest. Maybe I caught them on a bad day, but such first impressions have kept me away.

[kevin ritson]

jondude said:

Mclovin said:

bogie said:

Mclovin said:

I wish I had one close to me or one that was close to a tube station. I live in London and the nearest is Brooke Kensington.

errr..I dont think so - you want to be at Sinclaires nr Romford - well inside the M25 www.sinclairemotorsport.co.uk

I used them before and didn't think they were any good.

Found them incredibly expensive - quoting silly prices, to be honest. Maybe I caught them on a bad day, but such first impressions have kept me away.

Their rates are pretty competitive and about half of some dealers - they also give a discount to SELOC members and have price-matched parts for me in the past. Not as cheap as a backstreet garage but you do get what you pay for.

[Mclovin]

jondude said:

Mclovin said:

bogie said:

Mclovin said:

I wish I had one close to me or one that was close to a tube station. I live in London and the nearest is Brooke Kensington.

errr..I dont think so - you want to be at Sinclaires nr Romford - well inside the M25 www.sinclairemotorsport.co.uk

I used them before and didn't think they were any good.

Found them incredibly expensive - quoting silly prices, to be honest. Maybe I caught them on a bad day, but such first impressions have kept me away.

Found this too with the silly prices, price for the work I had done was the same as main dealer prices and it wasn't even done properly.

[kevin ritson]

What happened?

[Mclovin]

kevin ritson said:

What happened?

I don't want to go into specifics as there is always 2 sides to every story. Just went in for a simple job and then whilst the car was in for some work a week later at a main dealer they noticed things that weren't done properly in relation to the simple job.