"Best" Specialist

[Jonesy]

i heard that matt ripped him off and some one else did the work??

 

[MikeH]

Come on folks keep on topic please

If you have issues or queries of Tdf please post them in the relevant section

 

[Jonesy]

Come on folks keep on topic please

If you have issues or queries of Tdf please post them in the relevant section

dont be a spoil sport now! everyone likes abit of gosip

 

[J200]

i heard that matt ripped him off and some one else did the work??

Wouldn't surprise me.

That kind of crap happens with remapping too, where so called specialists who offer remapping services for example then get someone else to remap it and then charge you a crap load on top.

Always obvious when they need your car for qyuite a bit of time and can't remap it while you wait lol.

 

[MikeH]

dont be a spoil sport now! everyone likes abit of gosip

Gossips fine, hence the reason i havent cleaned the thread, just asking for it to be put in the relevant section....


Dont make me make further additions to your car jonesy!!

 

[J200]

Come on folks keep on topic please

If you have issues or queries of Tdf please post them in the relevant section

Well at least the posts have helped me narrow down the list of "specialists" to potentially use lol

Pretty much from what I've read there are five, mark fish, btm, rentech, birchdown and 519 automotive.

Heard Mark fish charges bucks though, he's meant to be very experienced but not sure if that counts for much when doing an oil change, so I'll have to go on price as I'm certain all the ones I've mentioned are more than capable.

Oh I had a look at k-tec they have their prices listed and they seem ridiculously over priced. They want over 400 quid for an oil change, filter, air filter, plugs and brake fluid and coolant. That sounds like a lot of cash. Or is that the going rate in clio land?

In my mind an oil and filter change with air filter and plugs should be 200 ish (give or take) but k tec then want like another 230 for brake fluid and coolant?! They're having a laugh.

 

[MikeH]

RS tuning??

Served me well whenever ive had any of my renaultsports over there, and SC auto electrics are getting plenty of practice as well lately...

 

[Willis]

Depends where you are in the country really... That'll narrow your choices a bit as why drive 500Miles to a specialist if you have another one 50Miles away. Like you say, if you're after a basic service then they'll all be doing the same thing anyway and most likely using the same parts so prices will probably be similar too.

 

[J200]

Depends where you are in the country really... That'll narrow your choices a bit as why drive 500Miles to a specialist if you have another one 50Miles away. Like you say, if you're after a basic service then they'll all be doing the same thing anyway and most likely using the same parts so prices will probably be similar too.

Yeah absolutely. Also it wouldn't make sense driving 500 miles and doing 2 tanks of petrol to pay 30 quid less for a service lol.

But I'd drive 1000 miles for someone that isn't going to try it on, and will work on the car like it was their own.

Closest to me is mark fish as I'm in sawbridgeworth but he charges a lot, next nearest is 519, had a look at website and if prices are similar to 182 prices then they don't seem unreasonable.

Anyone any experience with them?

 

[MikeH]

Come on give us a clue what area you are in if you are after some advice for someone nearby

 

[J200]

Come on give us a clue what area you are in if you are after some advice for someone nearby

I've put my area in the post above I'm in sawbridgeworth.

Mark fish is defo the closest being in harlow but his prices seem extortiante.

I'll give 519 a call Monday to see if prices are near 182 prices on the website for a service.

 

[Willis]

Never heard a bad word said about Danny at 519, probably your best bet I'd think...

 

[J200]

Never heard a bad word said about Danny at 519, probably your best bet I'd think...

Cheers. That's the thing nowadays with the internet if anyone is a little dodgy word get's around fast not like the olden days lol

Definitely overdue a service, oil is black as you like and air filter is definitely far from white and spark plugs are an absolute state, so much for full service the main dealer apparently done.

 

[sideways danny]

I've put my area in the post above I'm in sawbridgeworth.

Mark fish is defo the closest being in harlow but his prices seem extortiante.

I'll give 519 a call Monday to see if prices are near 182 prices on the website for a service.

call me monday. Prices are a little higher than for the 182, purely for parts costs of genuine air and pollen filters being higher, but I try to keep it reasonable

 

[MikeH]

I've put my area in the post above I'm in sawbridgeworth.

Mark fish is defo the closest being in harlow but his prices seem extortiante.

I'll give 519 a call Monday to see if prices are near 182 prices on the website for a service.

Ah yes, usually handy to give us an idea first rather than updating a post afterwards, but Danny definitely sounds like your best option

 

[J200]

call me monday. Prices are a little higher than for the 182, purely for parts costs of genuine air and pollen filters being higher, but I try to keep it reasonable

I will do. Going by your 182 prices I doubt you'll be much more than what I have in mind at about 200ish, it's pretty much the 12k service with spark plugs done too.

Will call you monday morning anyway and go from there

 

[J200]

Ah yes, usually handy to give us an idea first rather than updating a post afterwards, but Danny definitely sounds like your best option

Yeah makes sense, my fault I didn't say what location or what I wanted but I guess I left the location out as travelling wasn't a problem.

I've travelled to Scotland for a service before lol I sound nuts but I always made a weeked of it to keep the mrs happy.

 

[BenW]

I used Mark Fish when I was living in Stansted, I provided my own oil & filter and the service was still £200 which was far too much really.

For plain oil and filter change I'd get a quote from the main dealer, they're normally not too bad and the stamp in the book is good enough.

 

[J200]

I used Mark Fish when I was living in Stansted, I provided my own oil & filter and the service was still £200 which was far too much really.

For plain oil and filter change I'd get a quote from the main dealer, they're normally not too bad and the stamp in the book is good enough.

Main dealer has done a service, that's why I need a new one lol

Filter is black, oil has clearly not been changed when they say it was and spark plugs look like a right state. There's no way the service was done less than a 1000 miles ago.

THe only reason I won't even go back there and kick up a fuss is because it wasn't a seperate paid for service, just something they done before selling the car. If I called them I might be able to get them to do it again, but I don't want them to.

I'm sure some main dealers are better than specialists, at the end of the day there are dodgy people out there, it's just a case of finding someone who isn't.

I would rather drive the car into a wall than let the dealer that sold me the car touch it again. They've obviously cut corners, not serviced the vehicle and though "We'll just stamp it" as most people wouldn't think to check.

I'm not overly bothered about the stamp in the book as I'm planning on keeping this car quite a while and to be honest the type of person that would buy this car would probablty prefer a specialist than a main dealer.

With regards to Mark Fish his prices are absolutely ridiculous, but people are obviously willing to pay them. If I had an exotic supercar then I'd obviously be willing to take it someone with his background but it's only a clio. (don't mean that in a bads way as the clio is the best handling hot hatch out there in my opinion)

 

[Foxspeed]

Main dealer has done a service, that's why I need a new one lol

Filter is black, oil has clearly not been changed when they say it was and spark plugs look like a right state. There's no way the service was done less than a 1000 miles ago.

THe only reason I won't even go back there and kick up a fuss is because it wasn't a seperate paid for service, just something they done before selling the car. If I called them I might be able to get them to do it again, but I don't want them to.

I'm sure some main dealers are better than specialists, at the end of the day there are dodgy people out there, it's just a case of finding someone who isn't.

I would rather drive the car into a wall than let the dealer that sold me the car touch it again. They've obviously cut corners, not serviced the vehicle and though "We'll just stamp it" as most people wouldn't think to check.

I'm not overly bothered about the stamp in the book as I'm planning on keeping this car quite a while and to be honest the type of person that would buy this car would probablty prefer a specialist than a main dealer.

With regards to Mark Fish his prices are absolutely ridiculous, but people are obviously willing to pay them. If I had an exotic supercar then I'd obviously be willing to take it someone with his background but it's only a clio. (don't mean that in a bads way as the clio is the best handling hot hatch out there in my opinion)

very valid points :thumbsup:

519 will look after you 8)