Had a good quality service for a change!

General General Lotus Talk
1

Since I’ve had my car (12 months now) its been to a franchised dealer 3 times, one for its service (�400 - and they didn’t change the brake fluid), followed by a gearlever recall and finally a new pair of cams (which took nearly 3 months to fit).

I took the car to Automotive Engineering in Northampton this week together with 5L of Silkolene Pro S and the workshop manual. They sourced the appropriate toyota oil filter and sump washer themselves.

When I arrived I was greeted at the door, Nigel the owner gave the car a good once over and took the manual off me to read over lunch. I pointed out the list in the back which details exactly what is required for each service and the time it should take (which he thought was very funny - about twice the time it should take!) and he got to work.

When I got back he’d done everything listed + brake and clutch fluid and he’d re attached the front arch liners properly. He then proceded to enquire about the general construction of the car and highlighted alsorts of details which were pretty poor in his opinion (plating on suspension, front wheel bearings being left open to the elements on the inside?, wheel bolts massively over torqued (dealer)) and also noted that several items weren’t particularly well strapped down and had clipped them in place properly. He’s also flushed the engine and ran through some injector cleaner, diagnosed the ECU and confirmed it was fault free and it still had all the plastic covers on the seat etc when I went outside.

So I’ve been properly dealt with, I’ve got full documentation of exactly what he’s done and full receipt and a nicer driving car to boot.

So how much did all this come to? �187 - (okay that’d be �240 incl the expensive oil), he also said that it was such a phaff to clean the air filter that if he’d known he would have changed it while he was in there for an extra �5.

I’m just happy and confident now that my car has been well treated and I dont have to spend �160 fixing it (dealers messed it up big time last year).

So if you live in Nothampton and want a service I cant recommend him enough.

2

Good call, IMHO the local mechanic/specialists are often more knowledgable and experienced than the dealers. I’m fortunate too to have a local guy that I’ve used for over 6 years for servicing and other jobs for which the dealers would have ripped me off and or taken ages to fix. He has to date replaced wheel bearings, head gasket, clutch and, like you found, fixes anything else he finds.

I’ve now entrusted him to look after the Exige since it is now outside the warrenty period, confident that he’ll continue to do a competent job.

I appriecate that occassionally it’ll need some specialised attention but largely he can do most jobs.

3

Glad to hear you have the car sorted and back on the road!

4

Bob we still havn’t met up! There’s a meet on the first Sunday of every month at Sywell around 12ish. You’ll have to come down to one.

5

Hi Fluff, I’d love to meet up sometime but sunday lunch is protected family if you know what I mean! Evenings not too bad though.

Laters