Murray Motors - Hang on a f**king minute!

Post by **simon** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:33 pm

r055 wrote:to be fair to John, i think it will get sorted now - i emailed him photos today.
It has been the 4th time I have called and each time its news to them that i need the panels done. Ive already been in and showed them it...

Sounds like my bubbling paint problem and it's almost resolved now, a year on Sunday later!

gorrie · Post by **gorrie** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:48 pm

Whats the score with specialists in Scotland... I know everyone raves about Dan@JPS... but, that is a fair treck. So, being new to Lotus, are there any indies in Scotland?

I'd prefer to use an indy that I know... so have always used Dreadnought (since 2002) for everything. I'm hoping that come the time I need work on the 'liz they will assist also... but, if not is there anyone in Scotland (within an hour of West Lothian) that I can go to?

Or, is there a serious gap in the market for a Lotus friendly services garage?

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:53 pm

I had the car in at MMC last week to get my weird squeaking clutch checked. They fed me a pile of lies and, surprise, surprise, the problem was back within 2 days. Is there anywhere else I can go for warranty work? I'm fed up of taking time out my life to take it in to get things looked at just for them to re-occur because they don't bother their @rse investigating things properly

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:05 pm

gorrie wrote:Whats the score with specialists in Scotland... I know everyone raves about Dan@JPS... but, that is a fair treck. So, being new to Lotus, are there any indies in Scotland?

I'd prefer to use an indy that I know... so have always used Dreadnought (since 2002) for everything. I'm hoping that come the time I need work on the 'liz they will assist also... but, if not is there anyone in Scotland (within an hour of West Lothian) that I can go to?

Or, is there a serious gap in the market for a Lotus friendly services garage?

Get your lazy arse down south... its not far and if you go the right route its a great run down and back....

r055 · Post by **r055** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:09 pm

Are you on commission!?

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:14 pm

gorrie wrote:Whats the score with specialists in Scotland... I know everyone raves about Dan@JPS... but, that is a fair treck. So, being new to Lotus, are there any indies in Scotland?

I'd prefer to use an indy that I know... so have always used Dreadnought (since 2002) for everything. I'm hoping that come the time I need work on the 'liz they will assist also... but, if not is there anyone in Scotland (within an hour of West Lothian) that I can go to?

Or, is there a serious gap in the market for a Lotus friendly services garage?

Unless we can convince Dan to come up for a few days as i can get him an industrial unit near aberdeen and some tools Just no lift that is all

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:25 pm

When I got my Elise last year, that was one thing I was worried about, getting it serviced at a place I trust. It was reading all the problems on here that shocked me how bad MMC are. The guy I bought the car off always had it serviced at MMC, just for the stamps, but told me to find somewhere else as they were useless. I worked my ass off to be able to afford my baby and I'm not going to put it somewhere and have some uneducated chimp destroy it. Thatâ€™s why I'm quite happy to go to Dans, yeah its a long drive from Aberdeen, but Its well worth it. I got an 'A' service, cambelt, alt belt , brake fluid change done at Dans last year and including the petrol, hotel and the g/fs shopping spree it was still cheaper than getting it done at MMC. The good thing as well, is it doesn't come out with problems it didn't have from when it went in. Another plus side is it's always a good excuse for a dirty weekend away

.

Personally I haven't had that much to do with MMC, apart from ordering some parts. Still waiting for 6 washers that I ordered in October

A guy I knows Dad got an DB9 from MMC, even spending 100 grand on a car doesn't seem to make much difference with the level of service you get from them.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:25 pm

Gaz,

I didn't see your car today. I was at MMC for an A service and was impressed by the improved customer service.

Hope you get things sorted out.

Derek

PhilA · Post by **PhilA** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:27 pm

tis a shame that things have gone this way with mmc.

the support from graeme to the scottish elises community with dealer track days and lotus enthusiasm is great.

service and warranty not so, it seems - and it seems to have become worse.

shows u how much pauline did, imho.

about time the service matched the cars!

renmure · Post by **renmure** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:29 pm

I use Falkland Performance Centre in Glenrothes for the Exige and Elise. They have done stuff on my megablade and also have experience doing work on Ferrari including the "KH Ferrari Experience" F355. They also work on other elises and exiges. I took the Exige to be serviced there last week and again found them to be excellent, knowledgeable, reliable and inexpensive.

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:34 pm

Have had work done by Falklands without problems in the past too.

r055 · Post by **r055** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:35 pm

Jim, that signature of yours is impressive!

renmure · Post by **renmure** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:37 pm

lol... yeah... but "stuff" covers a whole selection of psychiatric conditions!!

robin · Post by **robin** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:56 pm

thinfourth wrote:agree go for a specialist as they are doing it as they have an interest a dealer just employs grease monkeys that could of been knackering fords last week and is doing a lotus this week as the pay might be slightly more.

But that is exactly the problem - the job is generally harder than working on a Ford (because Ford et al spend at least some time trying to make the cars practical to work on, I suppose, and the volumes are so much higher that it's in the manufacturer's interest to fix niggling faults in the design, use fasteners that might still be removable a week after the car left the factory, etc.) but the pay for the guys in the shop is no better I believe.

Even though you are paying a lot more for a service (or lack of it) than you would at the Ford dealer, the guys in the workshop probably collect less bonus because the number of hours they can book is not as high as it should be, because each job is such a flaming pain in the arse. I am pretty sure most of Lotus's book times are optimistic on a brand new car straight from the factory (ignoring the basic servicing, which is probably the only job that takes less time than it says in the book), let alone a rusty old S1 shed.

To me a rusty bolt calls for the angle grinder, 5 minutes of fun and a coffee. For them it's money down the drain. Hence the quality drops because they will be rushing work.

That's my understanding of it anyway - no hard facts to back it up though.

Cheers,
Robin

Wacky Racer · Post by **Wacky Racer** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:59 pm

Andy G wrote:especially for pads - its such a price of piss to use them.

Ronnie at Wheels Around is the best I've found for tyres.

Example - A048's at MMC - £405 for 2 rears. Last set from Ronnie £265 of there abouts fitted and balanced!

Realise Newcastle isn't quite as near for you, but JPS is worth a visit. Not only does Dan know his stuff, he's hugely enthusiastic, and so much better in all regards than MMC.

If you want the FLSH stamps for the books, get your oil changed at MMC at the recommended intervals, for everything else, look elsewhere .

Where is "wheels around" ? I need 2 rears. TA