Disappointed in independents service standards
Discussion
For 6 years I have exclusively used to use a well know independent guy now based at Didcot. Does Top Gear cars and bits.
After the last expensive "service" I had
No oil change - it is black at 0 miles
Tracking set 2 deg out on front wheel
Steering wheel at ten to 4 position when driving in a straight line (hard to do with 2 deg of wheel out of alignment)
Loose lambda wire near exhaust
So I booked it in at TopCats Racing, Aylesbury
They fixed all the above and found
Air filter filthy – Jubilee clip rusty so never been off in years – after cleaning it goes like it has never gone in years
Front Knuckle joints Volvo not TVR
Lower Knuckle joints Skoda not TVR
Rear Upper wishbone bent where washer was missing and bolt just done up so tight it bent the wishbone
And
All the wheels had a different camber
Tracking out on rear wheels
The tracking was not inline between the front and rear wheels
So, after 4 hours with Brian and Warren at TopCats – it handles a dream – I do not believe it was ever set like this and I have owned it from 15000 to 82000 miles. And buy the way I goes I reckon the air filter was last clean when it left the factory.
Amazing
After the last expensive "service" I had
No oil change - it is black at 0 miles
Tracking set 2 deg out on front wheel
Steering wheel at ten to 4 position when driving in a straight line (hard to do with 2 deg of wheel out of alignment)
Loose lambda wire near exhaust
So I booked it in at TopCats Racing, Aylesbury
They fixed all the above and found
Air filter filthy – Jubilee clip rusty so never been off in years – after cleaning it goes like it has never gone in years
Front Knuckle joints Volvo not TVR
Lower Knuckle joints Skoda not TVR
Rear Upper wishbone bent where washer was missing and bolt just done up so tight it bent the wishbone
And
All the wheels had a different camber
Tracking out on rear wheels
The tracking was not inline between the front and rear wheels
So, after 4 hours with Brian and Warren at TopCats – it handles a dream – I do not believe it was ever set like this and I have owned it from 15000 to 82000 miles. And buy the way I goes I reckon the air filter was last clean when it left the factory.
Amazing
Sadly, there are quite a few places that have been caught charging for work not actually carried out.
Before I wised up to one in Kent, he had charged me a fortune. When I sent the car elsewhere, they found the work he had done was dangerous and needed redoing. They actually blew a hole in one wishbone with a welder, then they tried to cover it up with powder coating. I was lucky not to have been killed.
When you do find a good place, treasure them.
Do your best to drive the dangerous places out of business by making sure everyone knows. Much of the reputation for unreliability the TVR suffer isn’t the car. It’s the people who don’t do the servicing work right.
If anyone in Kent wants to know who does that kind of thing, PM me.
Before I wised up to one in Kent, he had charged me a fortune. When I sent the car elsewhere, they found the work he had done was dangerous and needed redoing. They actually blew a hole in one wishbone with a welder, then they tried to cover it up with powder coating. I was lucky not to have been killed.
When you do find a good place, treasure them.
Do your best to drive the dangerous places out of business by making sure everyone knows. Much of the reputation for unreliability the TVR suffer isn’t the car. It’s the people who don’t do the servicing work right.
If anyone in Kent wants to know who does that kind of thing, PM me.
I have also used the same independent and the car came back scratched, plus the same old spark plugs after a 12000 mile service,even though I was charged for new ones.
I've also had small things done at topcats when they have been very helpful.
A lot of stuff done on a service, unfortunately, relies on trust.
Is this not the same dealer who was previously being strongly recommended!
I've also had small things done at topcats when they have been very helpful.
A lot of stuff done on a service, unfortunately, relies on trust.
Is this not the same dealer who was previously being strongly recommended!
Edited by davvid on Sunday 28th September 09:52
Edited by davvid on Sunday 28th September 09:52
My biggest gripe on this subject is that although we pay an exhorbitant hourly rate for work supposedly carried out,there is no guarantee that it is being done by competent technicians and that sufficient supervision or independant checks are carried out to ensure standards are met.
In other words we are paying Harley street prices for backstreet butcher surgery.
In other words we are paying Harley street prices for backstreet butcher surgery.
f@-pots said:
My biggest gripe on this subject is that although we pay an exhorbitant hourly rate for work supposedly carried out,there is no guarantee that it is being done by competent technicians and that sufficient supervision or independant checks are carried out to ensure standards are met.
In other words we are paying Harley street prices for backstreet butcher surgery.
And there lies the problem In other words we are paying Harley street prices for backstreet butcher surgery.
of the TVRs i viewed with so called tvr specialist/dealer history i was not impressed,dont forget i am talking various Chims here i am not talking about things like free chassis maintainence(an advise would be nice) but more of the jobs that had been invoiced for which had either not been done or the workmanship was back street bodger(excess silicone and loose bolts spring to mind)and of the Chassis i did see they did not even mention that they may need some kind of attention on the service bill be it paint cleaning whatever,none had new fuel filters the air filters had not seen daylight for years never mind cleaning and things like leaking PAS or rocker cover gaskets had been ignored,real high quality workmanship like 
Edited by That Daddy on Monday 29th September 11:17
Hi Davvid - yes it’s the one I thought was fine and recommended in previous posts. The oil that came out at TopCats was pitch black. No way had it been changed and I was told it had been by the duff independent himself!
Also, did you find your car had used a lot of fuel during the “service” by this duff independent?
Also, did you find your car had used a lot of fuel during the “service” by this duff independent?
I always tend to hold back any removed parts..even oils in case the customer wishes to see any of it...Which I will more often than not show them anyway.
There are alot of rogues in the motor trade in all ares...
I like to make the customer feel part of the service and when possible show them their car from the service side..rather than keep them in the dark. If a customer can pop in during as service I welcome it as I can give pointers, what to look out for even how to adjust items. This all ensures a good customer relationship and it shows that they are getting what they asked for and alot more.
I deal in trust and thats key in retaining customers...I would feel ashamed if a customer took their toy away to another garage and be told the oil hadnt been changed and yet it was charged. Not only do you loose the custom but word of mouth would cause a severe and long lasting damaged to the business, which in this climate is a big mistake.
There are alot of rogues in the motor trade in all ares...
I like to make the customer feel part of the service and when possible show them their car from the service side..rather than keep them in the dark. If a customer can pop in during as service I welcome it as I can give pointers, what to look out for even how to adjust items. This all ensures a good customer relationship and it shows that they are getting what they asked for and alot more.
I deal in trust and thats key in retaining customers...I would feel ashamed if a customer took their toy away to another garage and be told the oil hadnt been changed and yet it was charged. Not only do you loose the custom but word of mouth would cause a severe and long lasting damaged to the business, which in this climate is a big mistake.
[quote=< FORZA WEST]I always tend to hold back any removed parts..even oils in case the customer wishes to see any of it...Which I will more often than not show them anyway.
There are alot of rogues in the motor trade in all ares...
I like to make the customer feel part of the service and when possible show them their car from the service side..rather than keep them in the dark. If a customer can pop in during as service I welcome it as I can give pointers, what to look out for even how to adjust items. This all ensures a good customer relationship and it shows that they are getting what they asked for and alot more.
I deal in trust and thats key in retaining customers...I would feel ashamed if a customer took their toy away to another garage and be told the oil hadnt been changed and yet it was charged. Not only do you loose the custom but word of mouth would cause a severe and long lasting damaged to the business, which in this climate is a big mistake.
[/quote]
even women like this approach sometimes,even when they say i dont know what i am looking at, i say thats why i am showing you so you know what your paying for 
i have no problem with this either it only takes a couple of minutes,my pet hate is garages that charge for parts that they dont fit 
that is theft.
There are alot of rogues in the motor trade in all ares...
I like to make the customer feel part of the service and when possible show them their car from the service side..rather than keep them in the dark. If a customer can pop in during as service I welcome it as I can give pointers, what to look out for even how to adjust items. This all ensures a good customer relationship and it shows that they are getting what they asked for and alot more.
I deal in trust and thats key in retaining customers...I would feel ashamed if a customer took their toy away to another garage and be told the oil hadnt been changed and yet it was charged. Not only do you loose the custom but word of mouth would cause a severe and long lasting damaged to the business, which in this climate is a big mistake.
[/quote]
even women like this approach sometimes,even when they say i dont know what i am looking at, i say thats why i am showing you so you know what your paying for i have no problem with this either it only takes a couple of minutes,my pet hate is garages that charge for parts that they dont fit that is theft.Holding back parts shows true quality. Warren @ topcats always has the old bits to show me what they were like and why they have been changed. He also usually pops it up on the ramps when I collect it to talk me through, from front to back any items he's noticed and for a general chat about condition and possible future items that will need attention.
Soon all Techs and the companies will have to carry ATA which is the equivalent of Corgi to work with and on vehicles...I believe it comes into force in 2010.
Hopefully this will shake up the motortrade and wipe out the idiots that rip people off and do a crap job...BMW piloted the scheme with MERC,VW etc I was at BMW when it came out and achieved it at Master level and also IMI which a professional qualy
http://www.automotivetechnician.org.uk/
http://www.motor.org.uk/
Hopefully this will shake up the motortrade and wipe out the idiots that rip people off and do a crap job...BMW piloted the scheme with MERC,VW etc I was at BMW when it came out and achieved it at Master level and also IMI which a professional qualy
http://www.automotivetechnician.org.uk/
http://www.motor.org.uk/
Edited by < FORZA WEST on Monday 29th September 23:27
It is for this reason that I was considering taking the Chim to my previous italian specialist.
I have used the same specialist for 3-4 years now, the work is always fairly priced and he only uses genuine parts, he lets me wait and watch whilst he does the work and never been anything but honest.
He is used to working on Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati (and a number of TVR's)...but I am a little scared to put a italian service stamp in the book, with the resultant impact on value.
Though I have seen recommendations for some local TVR specialists, so when the time comes...I guess I will just have to see.
I have used the same specialist for 3-4 years now, the work is always fairly priced and he only uses genuine parts, he lets me wait and watch whilst he does the work and never been anything but honest.
He is used to working on Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati (and a number of TVR's)...but I am a little scared to put a italian service stamp in the book, with the resultant impact on value.
Though I have seen recommendations for some local TVR specialists, so when the time comes...I guess I will just have to see.
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