Looking for a new tuning shop

[zoglet 0]

Hi guys

 

Quick question for y'all

 

Had my C for about 6 years now, M reg VR6 with 84k on the clock, keeping toying with the idea of selling, keep losing the battle :)

 

Main reason for this is because I find it increasingly hard to find someone I feel I can trust and respect to do a half decent job when working on it.

 

Used to go to a small well known tuner for many years, found them going downhill as they got bigger and bigger and got royally mucked around and shafted by them last time I went there so went back to VW.

 

Car just been to a nearby VW garage for it's 80k service and came out driving worse than when it went in. Their advice, "bring it back in and we'll take a look" suggesting that some more work will be required.

 

I'm now trying to find somewhere nearby with a good reputation for tuning Cs and not messing people about. I live in Hemel Hempstead, M1 J8.

 

Any advice?

[Supercharged 2]

I assume it was AmD you used to use...

 

Stealth are really the only people i'd trust with a VR6, Vince knows the engine inside out, well worth a trip and fairly easy for you to get there going straight up the M1.

 

What was done by VW and what are the symptoms?

 

- it may be something trivial like they have forgotten to plug the MAF back in - my local dealer did the same when servicing one of our work cars... The other thing they forget to do with these 'old' cars is running thru the basic settings procedure after resetting the ECU.

[Phil K 0]

If you don't mind a drive then get down to The Phrim they really know their stuff, write the Q and A's for PVW and are always happy to take the time to explain things to you...

 

I can't recommend them more 8)

[pete nice 0]

I would agree with Phil. The Phirm are great, just sorted a Corrado out for me that was propper sick. It too had been to VW & a local garage. Everyone that touched it seemed to make it worse.

 

The Phirm have sorted it 100% & is soo smooth to drive. Give them a call & mention our names.

[zoglet 0]

Hey Supercharged, your assumption is correct. Wouldn't go back to them. A two day job took three weeks and then they claimed to do work they didn't to recoup the cost. Some of the other work they did was picked up by VW at the last service as having to be done again. A veritable shower of sh*t for around £1500.

 

Stealth were going to be my suggestion as well but unfortunately, I can't take my car there and leave it with them and pick up later without taking two days off work.

 

As I currently commute every day, this also get's complicated. I might ring them all the same, perhaps I have a cunning plan forming, as I have to go past Stoke at the end of this month.

 

Cheers guys for the advice, I assume these were my options, THere's also G-Werks or summat on the south coast, but none are easy to get to's.

 

Symptoms are clanky boinky noises from front end on turning,bumps, slow full lock parking. Took car back to VW who say it's front wishbone movement but funnily enough the noises only started after the car went in for it's 80k service and they tightened up the excessive play. They now reckon it's loosening off and needs a new wishbone. I reckon I'll ask Stealth to check it out.

[Supercharged 2]

zoglet, yeah thought so...

 

It may be complicated but it's probably well worth taking those 2 days leave and going up there, just book into a B&B for a night and that way they also have time to order and get in anything needed (Stealth are still a smallish business so obviously can't keep everything in stock) - People travel from all over the place but it's worth it for that extra knowledge of these cars.

 

80k seems to be the mileage with Corrado's and VW's in general where alot of parts need replacing for the first time, it may be a costly time but think of it as an investment for the next 10 years!

[zoglet 0]

Cheers.

 

Yeah, spent out a fair bit already this year, hence annoyed to find much of the work potentially sub-standard. Very disappointed as never had reason to fault em before. Heard good thing about Stealth for some time though. It looks like it all might work out well actually. I'm heading up north diving at the end of this month and one of the guys I'll be diving with lives in Stoke. Plan is to drop car off and leave with them over the weekend, picking it up on the Monday. Gonna be an expensive weekend :?

 

Cheers again for the tips, btw used to spend a lot of time in Woodbridge a few (6-7) years back, nice part of the world, never saw any Cs around at the time, only mine.

[NickVR6 0]

I hate it when this happens to tuning companies as they expand. I used to love going to TSR, having a coffee with Tim and chatting about dubs, even when i just had something like an exhaust fitted.

 

Then they moved site and doubled in size and would barely give you the time of day unless you wanted a £5k engine conversion. I refuse to beleive that he lost his love for VWs as he allways had so much passion for GTis when i used to speak to him. I suspect he just got caught up in the financials and swept along. Think he got out at the right time and i hope he did well, but its a shame none the less.

 

I help out at a local VW specialists, purely to better my knowledge and borrow tools etc. They could expand but hav'nt because they are so aware of loosing the personal touch. It counts for a lot, and most of their business is regulars and word of mouth, and they have kept their labour rates very low.

 

I also now have new respect for the fact that lots of jobs end up costing them money, yes it evens its self out and they make a living, but its not all roses.

 

Trust is a very big word when it comes to garage services, and very rare these days i hate to say.

[zoglet 0]

Just to let y'all know I went to Stealth this weekend and it was worth the wait. A bunch of really talented, genuine people. No egos, no fussiness, they were happy to have us mill around and spent time to tell us what they were doing.

 

Car feels great again and I'm taking it back in a couple of weeks for a few more items. Half the work I was quoted by VW was unecessary as expected. Other work previously done was with the wrong parts. A relief to find places like this still exist. My C has found it's new home and it won't be stopping in Bicester on the way back, even for petrol.

 

Thanks to Stealth for the work and the welcome and the forum for the recommendation.

 

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