A story...better the TVR specialist than a TVR garage

[Adrianw]

A story….

So I decided that the winter months have been hard on my Griff and that it needs a bit of care and attention

• Camshaft, followers, rockers etc…
• Carbon trumpets
• Pre-cats removed

So I contacted a few specialists for quotes, but ultimately I know that I will send it Dan Taylor, because I trust his experience, knowledge and extra he cares shows when dealing with my pride and joy.

So on Sunday night I start 130 mile trip from Norwich to Kent to deliver the said pride and joy, except that the Griff has other ideas and after a few miles decides have a huff with a total loss of power. No sparks on the HT side of the dizzy, indicates a coil, amp or dizzy problem, but the recovery man from the AA says ‘Sorry, I was told just to recovery the car to the nearest garage”. So I ask for it to be recovered to the nearest TVR garage (stupid, stupid, stupid).

Now it was a cold, late at night and I still had 100 miles to go and my thinking cap was in the other car, so what happened next was my big mistake.

The car gets recovered to nearest TVR garage which I have known for several years and by now I really should have learnt from my previous encounters with them.
Don’t get me wrong, they can do a reasonable job sometimes, but every now and then they remind me of just how bloody useless they really are.

1) Told that car is ready to collect, arrive and find workshop closed with car still on ramps – no staff and have return next day
2) Can never be bothered to phone me and give me an update on progress – unless they want spend more money
3) Grounded the car and scratched the paint work (then claimed it was the recovery truck)
4) After three days of supposed investigation, they still can’t find the fault and the car still won’t start.
5) To cap this joyous experience they refuse to release the car because they claim I haven’t settled their bill which they haven’t told me about, but are happy to discuss with a third party sent to collect the car.


Anyway to cut a long story short, after several days of meddling with my griff they produced no viable results except a bill £150. So my brain starts function again and I contact Dan which , yes I should have done on day one. Anyway Dan as always is happy to assist and sorts out transportation and I am now secure in the knowledge that my griff it will go to someone who knows what they are doing.

Moral of the story? If you find a good specialist then stick with them whatever the circumstances and don’t trust you pride and joy to TVR morons who think they know what they are doing.

Dan Taylor 2 TVR Garage 0

[shapeshifter]

I agree, Dan is the man, one of life's good eggs and a bloody good mechanic.

[Laser Sag]

Rough location of this "garage"?

[BLUETHUNDER]

I collected my Cerbera from him today. He even managed to pick me up from the station. As always, i have always had 1st class service from him and colin.

It pays when you know that your indie is the only one working on your car.Dan gets a from me.

[BLUETHUNDER]

Laser Sag said:

Rough location of this "garage"?

I would think its in the cambridge area.

[coetzeeh]

you should have used Dave Wallis formerly from Tower View. He lives/works in Norfolk and has worked on/with TVR's since the 70's. If he's good enough for Steve Heath...

[sgrimshaw]

So what was the bill for then?

[Milky400]

BLUETHUNDER said:

Laser Sag said:

Rough location of this "garage"?

I would think its in the cambridge area.

hmmmmmmm let me think?

[LivingTheDream]

Chaps,

Anyone care to enlighten me on said garage (privately of course). I am new to TVR ownership and I need a reliable place local to me (I'm just outside Hitchin) for any work needed plus servicing etc.

thanks

LtD

[coetzeeh]

LivingTheDream said:

Chaps,

Anyone care to enlighten me on said garage (privately of course). I am new to TVR ownership and I need a reliable place local to me (I'm just outside Hitchin) for any work needed plus servicing etc.

thanks

LtD

The obvious place for you would be Techniques in Stotfold. They are Morgan specialists but service many TVR's. Good knowledgeable people, honest work and reasonable prices. (and no more than 2 miles from Hitchin)

[M3John]

BLUETHUNDER said:

As always, i have always had 1st class service from him and colin.

In my short time in TVR ownership this is EXACTLY how i find him. Have had to call him a couple of times and he's been more than helpful with me !

Dan Taylor =

[Adrianw]

Hi,

Wrong county on the guesses so far .

Email me off-line if you really want to know

Update: Dan fixed my Griff this morning, in under an hour (as opposed to the 3 hours the other
garage charged me). He is now working on the other bits and pieces and providing regular updates.

How nice to be treat as a valued customer for once :-)

[Zippee]

BLUETHUNDER said:

Laser Sag said:

Rough location of this "garage"?

I would think its in the cambridge area.

I assume your tainting a dealer near a certain airport? If so to counter that I've always found them helpful, professional and above all damned good at what they were doing.

[S6 ROR]

Zippee said:

BLUETHUNDER said:

Laser Sag said:

Rough location of this "garage"?

I would think its in the cambridge area.

I assume your tainting a dealer near a certain airport? If so to counter that I've always found them helpful, professional and above all damned good at what they were doing.

Tony, I think they are on about a certain garage which is about 5 to 6 miles from you

[Zippee]

S6 ROR said:

Zippee said:

BLUETHUNDER said:

Laser Sag said:

Rough location of this "garage"?

I would think its in the cambridge area.

I assume your tainting a dealer near a certain airport? If so to counter that I've always found them helpful, professional and above all damned good at what they were doing.

Tony, I think they are on about a certain garage which is about 5 to 6 miles from you

Ah! Sorry, in that case then I may well be inclined to agree with the other posts. I got confused by the term TVR garage thinking they meant the ex-dealers, though the other place I'd have thought would be classed (albeit in the loosest sense) as TVR specialist..

Sebring for me everytime anyway! Are you heading along to their open day in June/July?

[Zippee]

coetzeeh said:

LivingTheDream said:

Chaps,

Anyone care to enlighten me on said garage (privately of course). I am new to TVR ownership and I need a reliable place local to me (I'm just outside Hitchin) for any work needed plus servicing etc.

thanks

LtD

The obvious place for you would be Techniques in Stotfold. They are Morgan specialists but service many TVR's. Good knowledgeable people, honest work and reasonable prices. (and no more than 2 miles from Hitchin)

I've heard a lot of good things about this place though not used them myself.

[greenback]

my tvr has been undergoing some deep cleaning by me this winter and whilst looking at the sag guru bible it said to put some cable ties through the clips of the air filter box ....hmmm i thought to meself i will go and do that only to find dan the man had done it already and i had not even asked him as he only changed a drop link.i know cause hes the only one who touched it and i know pretty much every nut and bolt on my baby.he gets my vote.

[Brioss]

LivingTheDream said:

Chaps,

Anyone care to enlighten me on said garage (privately of course). I am new to TVR ownership and I need a reliable place local to me (I'm just outside Hitchin) for any work needed plus servicing etc.

thanks

LtD

I used to have a Chimaera in Hitchin. I used to use Tower View in London, but I hear there no longer around. I did use www.techniques.uk.com in Stotfold, there a Morgan specialist but also cater for TVR's. They appeared to take pride in the work and I was very impressed with the service they offered. There very handy for Hitchin. I miss my TVR, I will look out for you in the Hitchin area. Enjoy!

[sarsmel]

Hi it's a shame you can't name the garage that information is of use to all. if it happened as you say they wouldn't have a leg to stand on, one can praise good work but are afraid to criticise. Perhaps if we said a garage was ok? we would known it was crap.

[LivingTheDream]

thanks for the pointers chaps - I know of Techniques but have never used them. I was also thinking of heading over to Stanstead so glad to hear that's also an option.