Oh my, I have been there too. My list isn't quite as long as yours and I
won't waste bandwidth with the details, but much money was spent and many
headaches. <thank god for ibroprofin, gift of the gods>
I won't be happy till you tell us you returned to the first mechanics and get
some of your hard earned cash back. Service like that needs a letter to the
Better Business Bureau or somfin'. Crack your knuckles and start typing.
But the answer is to pick up a few good manuals and get your fingernails
dirty. I know it can be mighty frustrating but it is worth every penny
<saved>.
Good luck and I know you will enjoy your Spit.
Steve
74 TR-6
<Currently only has a dead battery and a strange bearing noise from the rear,
You could say I'm living large>
Terry Thompson wrote:
>
> Okay, when I bought my Spitfire last year from the DPO, I knew it
> needed some work. but little did I know the horror that lie before me.
> Around Mid March (17th to be exact), I took the little inca yellow car
> out of winter rest and found the brake lines to have air in them.
> "No problem" I thought "I can handle that". After 2 hours of bleeding
> and no results, I threw in the towl and lumbered the car to the local
> repair shop. "Not a big deal. Even though they're not British car
> mechanics they can bleed some breaks. And while they're at it they
> can weld the broken muffler mount back on."
>
> Note: this was the first mistake that lead to a downward spiral.
>
> Well, after a week of them fidgeting with my car, they instruct me
> that my uv joint is bad, and the need to replace the valve cover gasket
> due to leaking oil. Among other things (aside from the gasket, the
> UV joint replacement, a new exhaust pipe (after manifold upto but
> not including muffler), and "remounting the muffler" using a large
> rubber-looking piece of hardware attached to the frame of the car, &
> I pick-up the car 3 days later (to the tone of $615).
>
> One week later, my hydrolic clutch goes out (lost fluid somewhere).
> So, after attempting to unsuccessfully bleed the clutch (I really should
> have just bought the stupid vacuum bleeder) I take it back to the same
> shop (my parents of course swear by these guys). I figure "Hey, they
> just need to bleed the hydrolic clutch. You don't need to be a specialist."
>
> Note: I must have been high on something that week. I don't kno what
> I was thinking.
>
> A week later (I love the way they mechanics get around to working on my
> car.) I get a call...'Well, the clutch is not a problem, but you need new
> break shoes on the rear', so I figure "hey, if they got to do it, they've
got
> to do it. another -$360 to my bank account. I picked it up on a Saturday
> eve.. Oil is getting blown out of every seal on the engine. Of course I
can't
> talk to anyone because they don't get in until monday...so the LBC sits....
>
> Note: You'd think I'd have learned by now right? also I find out later they
> change the shoes, but not the cylinders.
>
> Okay, I call the mech on that monday "Dude, there's oil blowing out of every
> oriface on the engine and orifaces that weren't even there before. What's
up?"
> Mechanic "we didn't touch the engine, must be cooincidence that it happened
> right at the same time as you picking it up." Okay. My parents have
trusted
> this guy for past 20 years. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
>
> Note: I think I'm actually getting more stupid every day that passes.
>
> I take it back to the shop. Another three days pass (I think they have a
> "u-store it
> for a week THEN we'll look at it policy). "Well, you've blown all he seals
on
> the lower half of the engine. And since we're changing the seals, you should
> let us change the timing chain and timing gears." Two days later: "We
can't
> get the parts until next tuesday. and the blowing of the seals was caused by
a
> venting problem from the carbon canister blowing into the engine. But we
> fixed it.
> (They didn't). Rather than wait another 5 days for my car, I offer to get
> them
> the parts from a parts place in VA. That weekend, It's ready
> again (to the tune of $420) (plus the $140 I paid the parts place for the
> parts).
>
> Note: I have had a total of about 10 miles of use out of my car for a total
of
> $1395 so far. over a 3 week period.
>
> I pick the car up on a Sunday this time...The car is STILL blowing oil out
> of the
> dip stick (while it's in with a new seal) AND the car is now idling at 1500
rpm
> (These guys have a misunderstanding about the fact that it's a Spitfire
1500).
>
> The next day I drive it DIRECTLY to a Triumph MGB specialty place. (I have
to
> go out of town for a week) I pick up the car yesterday (Wed.)
> Mechanic for the great job he's done replacing the cracked intake manifold,
the
> screwed-up venting that the other mechanics caused, replacing the idiotic
hose
> configuration they had going to the carbon canister, a new distributor, The
car
> soudns FANTASTIC. It's humming like a well-oiled british beauty. I've got
> exactly
> $600 in the bank. The Cool mechanic says "I'll cover you for a month" you
> can owe
> me the other $180 of the $780 bill." ME: "GREAT! You guys are the best!"
> I'm almost in tears having been apart from my beautiful yellow LBC for so
> long (a
> month and a half now.)
>
> (Grand total so far, $2175) in a time-frame of about 2 months. BUT
> THE CAR IS MINE AGAIN! I'M HAPPY.
>
> That is until, I got 20 miles down the road and threw a rod.
>
> Now, I've borrowed $125 to have the car towed back to VA. I have no money
> to have any further repairs for atleast a month. My question is:
>
> Does anyone have a gun I can shoot myself with?
>
> -Terry Dumb Previous Owner '76 Spitfire (Rest in Peace)
--
Lenny Seidman
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA
email: lseidman@erols.com
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