Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[admin]

We're always told that its best to get the professionals in to work on our cars. For the first time in years (if ever), I left a car for an MOT and agreed to collect it later in the day. Normally I stick around, to keep an eye on things.

I found out that they'd had a query with the beam patterns, and had kindly fitted replacement headlamp units (without asking first either, which also pi**ed me off a bit). Grudgingly I paid up and took the car home, having unexpectedly needed to pay an extra 70-80 quid for the work done. Being Spring we didn't have much cause to use the headlights, til one night when we were returning home from somewhere.

It was immediately obvious that the headlamp aim was miles out, trees, electricity pylons and low flying 747s were beautifully picked out in the darkness. The road, cyclists, and cute furry animals however, were still in gloom. Not only did this make driving trickier than it should be, we were winning no new friends will fellow motorists. Oncoming cars were flashing wildly, and three different cars we were following, flashed their rear fogs at us, desperate for us to stop dazzling them.

It looks like I'll have to line the car up against the garage doors and set them myself, I couldn't make more of a mess of it than the 'professionals' at the garage could ?!

Rick

[Uncle Joe]

I fully agree with you. You cant possibly do it worse than a professional!

There is one thing that I found out a good number of years ago. Good professional mechanics just dont exist. if you leave a car in to have work done on it, the minimum expectation is that the work is carried out in a safe and proper manner.

Is there anyone that would like to contradict this post?

[Rick]

Seems we're all in agreement then!

Some years ago I spoke to a lad who worked at a Nissan garage (bear with me!), his colleague 'serviced' a sporty Turbo thing and took it out for a blast, only remembering when he got back, that he'd not put any oil in the engine. Fortunately it hadn't started knocking, but can't have done much for the life expectancy of the motor.

Reminds me of a mate of mine changing the oil in his Marina, forgetting to put the drain plug in, and pouring his fresh 20/50 straight through the engine and on to the road. Not ideal, but it was only his car that could have been damaged, not a garage customer's, as in the first case.....

Then there was the MG Metro that mum had. Dad took it to have some welding done at a 'professional garage' and noticed, on driving it home, that the handling was a little odd. A poke around underneath uncovered the fact that the garage had removed and re-fitted the front subframe, but only tightened the nuts up a few turns, by hand.



Rick

[Uncle Joe]

Some of the garage stories I could tell you - if I could remember them!

[PACresta]

Bit late for a reply here but i only just noticed this thread I dissagree that all garages are the same. I remember being fleeced with welding work years ago, i was running a VW Split screen camper (wish i had it now) and one of the cross members had rotted out. Took it to a back street garage who said he could weld it up. I left the V-Dub with him and picked it up 2 days later, paying my £50. I looked at the work and it looked fine. One month later when it came to M.O.T. the tester uncovered the workmanship of the crossmember repair. The guy had shaped new metal, daubed lots of body filler in it and just stuck it over the rotted part. Once the underseal was painted over it no one could tell the difference, typical back street rip off merchant.
On the over hand i have had good experiences with my present restoration. I know my limitations and my expertese don't extend to welding and spraying. I can always sense a good garage when they are not concerned that i can call in at any time. Indeed the guy who done the welding was pleased i was taking so much interest, at the end of the day he had nothing to hide and i was able to observe most of the work that he has done. Fortunately i had the same experience with the painter, perhaps my cause was aided by the fact both these guys came well recommended. So there you have two good garages / repair shops and i am sure there are more.

I worked in the motor trade as head partsman, a garage i worked at up in Chesterfield was another good example. They specialised in Citroens and saw first hand their workmanship. The repeat customers speaks volumes for a garage, the owner was a stickler for quality work. He personally tested all work and insisted on taking all cars for a test run.

I think the main culprits are main agents to be honest, find yourself a good back street garage and you won't go far wrong. Yes there are the bad back street garages, but again i think you can soon tell the bad ones.

[Uncle Joe]

Not late for a reply at all. I thought that your comments were interesting and accurate, especially the part about main dealers. Normally, I do everything possible myself. But one incident comes to mind with them.

A few years ago, my wife took her car into a main dealers to be serviced. This was to keep the warranty intact. Driving home, she got a front wheel puncture. Being unable to remove the wheel nuts as they were siezed, I had to go out to help. Removing one of the nuts sheared the stud. OK, my fault, but at least we got the wheel off and changed. With the car home, I decided to forget the warranty, and repair the car myself. When I did this, I found that the front pads were worn, more or less to the metal. Despite the fact that this was a service point. When I confronted the mechanic, he told me that they didn't remove the wheels to check the brakes. This was in spite of the fact that it was clearly stated that they should do so in the cars manual.

So my opinion is, if you are competent enough to do the job yourself, do it! At least it saves hunting for a competent garage! The trouble is, modern cars are becoming a little bit to complicated for this approach. Maybe thats the real reason we drive classics!

[PACresta]

Yes Joe i agree with you regarding us driving classics, i have really enjoyed the experience of working on my old motor. Like you say modern cars are getting complicated, i used to run VW / Audi up to the late 80's then i had a change of heart and bought a 90 Granada. Once i realised a computer was on board i joined the RAC, thankfully I have only had to use them a couple of time in 10 years but at least its peace of mind.

Your encounter with the main agents sounds familiar; a friend of mine took his Peugeot into the main agent for servicing. The first year the front discs and pads were replaced, he paid up and thought no more of it. The second service they did the same again and replaced the front disc’s, needless to say he had a big fall out and takes his car elsewhere.

[Uncle Joe]

Do I take it from your handle that your classic is a PA Cresta?

[PACresta]

Yes thats right Joe will hopefully have it on the road by April 2007. Something i have not taken on before (car retoration) and has taken more resouces that i thought. Don't know whether all restorers go through but i had a spell of not wanting to touch the car. Just getting back into the swing of things again now. Have you got a project on at the moment?
Plenty of photographs of the Cresta as i have done a website following progress so far: www.pacresta.co.uk

[Uncle Joe]

I'll have a look at your website, sounds interesting. When I was a nipper, I remember walking past a PA on the way to school everyday. Looked very nice in pink and grey! They all seemed to be that colour then, but its years since I saw one now.

My current (major) project is my Lincoln Continental Coupe, which is proving to be a lot more extensive than I expected. But thats always the case! Trouble is, I keep getting sidetracked. The latest is the Chrysler 300 that I bought. A nice looking car that still needs a lot of work. There are photos of it and my Lincoln under the post "Tracing a US cars history."

[PACresta]

Nice looking cars Joe, here's me thinking how big the Cresta is They both look in good condition? mind my Cresta looked in good condition when i bought it What sort of work have you got to do on your motors?

[Uncle Joe]

I bought the Chrysler as an incompleted restoration, so on that its just an A4 sheet of irritants.

The Lincoln is proving to need a lot more extensive work than I expected. I'm currently working on the rust, making a new panel up for the boot floor. After the rust will be the paintwork, a complete interior, electrical work (part harness), then a bit of mechanical, (gearbox, diff. a/c). I could go on.

I had a quick look at your website, mainly the galleries. It looks like you are going to have a very nice car soon. I suppose you now realise why I like the Crestas styling!

[PACresta]

Sounds like you got plenty to keep you busy then Joe. The shear size of the car looks daunting, you will need a good few litre's of paint. Will be interesting to see the progress you make as time goes on.
Yes the Cresta was very American influenced, looks good even now.

[Uncle Joe]

I've never been one to take photos, but I guess that I will have to start doing so now that I am involved in this forum. So hopefully, I will be able to let you see my progress.

Funny thing is, in spite of its size, the Lincoln is by far the easiest car I've ever worked on.

[Cranki]

Getting back to the garages, if I have to use a garage service then I am lucky enough to have that very very rare breed of good honest fair priced garages on my doorstep. The garage is owned and run by two Brothers, previously it was their Father and his Father before.

These guys are genuine motor mechanics and will work on any car to a high professional standard. I have seen all manner of cars in their garage for all manner of work, repairs or maintenance. TVR, Italian Stallions, Vintage cars, Alfa's, in fact you name it and they have proberly worked on one. When I owned a modern TVR they serviced it for me and the car was transformed into a beautiful driving machine. I now take my vintage cars there for any work I cannot handle myself and have never felt disapointed or overcharged.