Chapman M Auto Services in St. Albans

[Ka` 0]

Hello people,

 

I would like to recommend M Chapman's Audi and VW specialists for anyone within nice distance from St. Albans. I've had my C for under a year and I curse myself for not taking it to Chapman's before.

 

I've had service from them now and since I said I hadn't had the C for long, they went over it thoroughly, pointing out things that might go. And no, I didn't get the idea they were trying to pull wool over my eyes.

 

To add to the glory, I had trouble with my headlights a couple of days ago. I didn't have any So I drove the C to the garage as fast as I could while it was still twilight (with sidelights only) and he spent good 30 minutes sorting out the connections with an uprated loom and so on. No charge!

 

Try to find service like that among the stealers :)

 

Rica

[stevemac 0]

Do you have an address & phone number ??

 

I can then put them in the recommended garages section.

[Ka` 0]

Chapman M Auto Services

rear of 258, Hatfield Rd

St. Albans Hertfordshire

AL1 4UN

 

Tel: 01727 844179

 

Thanks

 

Rica

[Ka` 0]

Right,

 

I'll take it all back now. As soon as I recommended them, the garage has been giving me nothing but trouble!

I'll try Wayside in St. Albans, can anyone say whether it's good or not?

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Bolster 0]

Wayside have been good to me for parts (they will give a discount if you ask for the 'parts for older cars program')

Always given me the right bits. The dealer near my home is woeful so I have got everything from Wayside for the last few months.

I will let wayside have a crack at servicing my car in about a month so let me know how you get on.

[Bolster 0]

I nearly put my car into chapman's based on your recommendation but one thing and another it didn't happen. Happy I didn't now. I have a good Mobile mechanic who charges £30/hr and I get all the parts myself from VW.

 

I'll just be getting Wayside to do an oil service (just to get the stamp in the book for resale purposes!) ad also because they're close to my work.

[Ka` 0]

Bolster,

 

Good.

They haven't ballsed anything up with my car, and the work I had done by them was always good.

What has pissed me off is the constant cancellations, ordering of wrong parts and then blaming

it on someone else. I've been waiting for a bloody hose for a month now. They call me to say the

hose is in, I book a time, they check the hose day before, discover it's the incorrect part, don't bother

calling me until the NEXT DAY.... :mad: AFTER I've organised a day off work!! AAAAAARGH!

 

Thanks,

feel better now

Rica

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I know for many of you a trip to Stealth Racing will be a trek and a half, but I really can't recommend them enough. I've been using them since 1999 and the 4.5 hour round trip for me is well worth it. The distance involved gives you ample time to assess the changes and improvements during the journey home, especially after you've just had Konis, H&Rs and Neuspeed ARBs fitted, bring on those corners :lol:

 

No bodges, no rip offs, just impartial advice, exactness and knowledge second to none.

 

K

[Henny 0]

I know for many of you a trip to Stealth Racing will be a trek and a half, but I really can't recommend them enough. I've been using them since 1999 and the 4.5 hour round trip for me is well worth it. The distance involved gives you ample time to assess the changes and improvements during the journey home, especially after you've just had Konis, H&Rs and Neuspeed ARBs fitted, bring on those corners :lol:

 

No bodges, no rip offs, just impartial advice, exactness and knowledge second to none.

 

K

 

I must say, I've been very impressed with them since I dropped my gearbox down there to get it "tweaked"... ;) Vince really knows his stuff and came across really well...

 

I can see what you mean about the roads around there too! Shame I was in my boat of a Driver!

[Bolster 0]

Well Wayside were fine. Only had a minor service (for the stamp in the book mainly before you all start ...) My C has full VWSH and since I will have to sell it this summer I like to keep it that way.

Anyway Wayside were very professional, courteous, etc. Didn't get anything wrong, didn't stuff anything up. Dropped me back at work in the morning, gave me back a washed and cleaned car and left the remaining oil that wasn't used in my boot and no 'extra' faults found.

I'll happily let them stamp my book again. They have also always been good with ordering parts like I said before. Correct parts, on time. (recently needed an aux water pump that I did fit myself).

 

Only downside is the dealer pricing but that's a given before you step through the door.

[Bolster 0]

Ka - if you're happy with the actual work that Chapman's do tehn see if they will let you supply the parts. Just a thought.

[kangaroo 0]

While I was living in Hatfield I used Mark Tempest Autocentre (vw & audi specialist). Its based in Welwyn Garden City, which isn't too far from St. Albans. I used them for repairs and servicing on my Mk2 Golf (for a couple of years), and never had any problems. Even had the head-gasket done there - no problems. This was several years ago though, and I was only taking in a Golf Driver, so I couldn't say how they'd fare with a Corrado. But based on previous experience I would recommend at least giving them a call...

 

~Matt.

[Ka` 0]

Bolster,

 

Heh, put my car in at Wayside for a strong petrol smell. :mad: I got it back with two of the three headlight

screws missing from the units, the OE light loom was not clipped back to where it should've been AND

my passenger side light was actually unplugged! :mad: Now, I KNOW I am probably coming down a little

hard on them, but I've been screwed around so many times, I start with an attitude. At least they took

£100 off the final bill, so that's good.

 

Chapman's. Yes, they're good, but the problem I also had is that they never bother telling you they can't

take your car in, except on that day! I've lost two working days by taking time off. So, I can't put up with the agro.

 

kangarooboy, yes, I've heard about them as well.. I'll have to make the effort of driving over there and trying them instead.

Thanks for that.

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Bolster 0]

Sorry to hear it Rica - doesn't sound like you're having much luck. It does give a balanced view though.

I am still constantly amazed how few decent mechanics there are around - doesn't do much to change the stereotypes. Shame.