How to deal with problems with usual VW specialist.

[bettythebay]

Wanted advice as I am aware that most of you on here are not know for sitting on the fence !
Had my 2L auto bay serviced and Mot's by my normal garage.
All this year it has felt as if I was no getting full throttle, but put this down to the complicated throttle arrangement on the auto box.
Has recently been worse, struggling up hills, so whilst in Chester on my holidays, took it to Steve at Gassure.
He noticed a piece in end of balance bar on standard Solex carbs was missing, resulting in one carb not fully opening.
When he put his carb balance tool on, one was reading 5.5 and one 9, so way out of balance.
He also checked timing, muttered something about 38 and said it was far too advanced and loss of power was down to engine overheating.
He also dialled up the regulator for the electric pump from 2 to 3.5.
As you see, apparently quite a few issues and I want to know how to go about approaching my guy when I tell him what was found.
The van now performs beautifully and flew over Woodhead today!

[Zed]

"All this year". You've left it too long to complain.

Find another garage who care/know what they're doing.

Better still take control. You could have screwed the engine by blindly trusting someone else with it. Read Haynes or attend techenders- knowledge is power. 👍

[Zed]

I've had a few dealings on the phone with Steve at gassure, he was very helpful and I judged he did care.

[rickyrooo1]

What zed says. You can't go back to complain this long after, for all they know you've been meddling.... now hopefully you've not regressed the valves or done something running it lean find by recommendation a decent old school place or learn to diy

[chad]

Zed and the Pope will be the experts on this.

To me part of it depends on what sort of relationship you have with them and whether there are other VW specialists within a reasonable distance.

Depending on this one option is to tell them that it broke down on holiday but not necessarily go into detail unless asked.
If they don't show much interest I'd start looking for another garage - if you say what area you're in someone from here might be able to suggest someone.

If they've been good in the past it might have been done by someone who doesn't normally work on air cooled but they still should be very concerned.

I'm sure that this will be a popular thread...

edit : I took too long typing this up - Zed beat me to it.

[bettythebay]

I phoned my guy to book it in for him to look it over when I got home and he gave me the guy's phone number.
He asked me to update him when I got home....
Not looking for confrontation, but basically to let him know what was found.

[bettythebay]

Aug 16, 2017 17:16:28 GMT Zed said:

"All this year". You've left it too long to complain.

Find another garage who care/know what they're doing.

Better still take control. You could have screwed the engine by blindly trusting someone else with it. Read Haynes or attend techenders- knowledge is power. 👍

Keep threatening to come to Techenders, however my guy has a good reputation in Sheffield.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't bother going back, vote with your feet, most of these small time crooks dont give a shit about an individual bus, so going back six months later to complain that the carb and timing were out for so long isn't worth the hassle.

In the end I got through three VW specialists to some degree all provided shit service and stole my money, two were sort of recommended via a well known forum for VW owners. The best way is to learn to do as much as you can yourself and if you find some one to do the stuff you can't then you've done well. Alternatively you go for a more modern engine or bus.

[Woody]

I'm sat on the fence on this one 😳

[Zed]

I wouldn't let anyone adjust anything on my engine.
That way if it's wrong it's your own fault, but it won't go wrong because you know you have it set up right.

[Woody]

Aug 16, 2017 18:58:49 GMT Zed said:

I wouldn't let anyone adjust anything on my engine.
That way if it's wrong it's your own fault, but it won't go wrong because you know you have it set up right.

This. Fact is that if you can't fix an old classic yourself don't buy one unless your very rich coz most so called experts don't have much of a clue either.

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2017 18:58:49 GMT Zed said:

I wouldn't let anyone adjust anything on my engine.
That way if it's wrong it's your own fault, but it won't go wrong because you know you have it set up right.

The first VW specialist I used was actually good at setting up the engine and run great when he sorted it.  However he fucked me about with a paint job and stole my pushrod tube seals and lied about doing those and the breathers and other fuel pipes.  The next was supposed to service the bus and (because the other guy didn't) change all the fuel pipes, I think he must have lost the list after changing the oil and it didn't run as well after either, he certainly didn't change the pipes.  The last took the engine out took all the ancillaries off and threw them in two boxes never to be seen again, foolishly I paid him at that point.  

Now I tend to give the odd bit of work I can't find time or have the equipment for to the village garage.  They also service my car and being a relatively small place they obviously need to maintain their reputation, so far so good and much better than my experience with VW specialists.

You are dead right Zed that if you do it yourself only have yourself to blame.  

[popegregoryxi]

Agree with most of the above really, well, apart from the general slating of Vw specialists in general...😜

I think you have left it too long to get any sort of recourse, as your guy will no doubt think it was fine when it left his workshop. You could pop in and tell him your findings, but ultimately, you would be better off either finding a better garage, or having a go yourself..

I have only ever heard good stuff about Steve at Gas sure as well, so I'm sure his verdict can be trusted, and it sounds like you are happy with it now. Maybe leave anything your not happy doing yourself to him if he is not too far away?

Glad you got it sorted and got home OK anyway. 👍

[Woody]

Aug 16, 2017 19:46:31 GMT popegregoryxi said:

Agree with most of the above really, well, apart from the general slating of Vw specialists in general...😜

I think you have left it too long to get any sort of recourse, as your guy will no doubt think it was fine when it left his workshop. You could pop in and tell him your findings, but ultimately, you would be better off either finding a better garage, or having a go yourself..

I have only ever heard good stuff about Steve at Gas sure as well, so I'm sure his verdict can be trusted, and it sounds like you are happy with it now. Maybe leave anything your not happy doing yourself to him if he is not too far away?

Glad you got it sorted and got home OK anyway. 👍

Yep you deffo seem to be one of the good ones, you post on forums as well which is always a good sign because people can get to know you and your work and your customers.

[Tuesday Wildchild]

Aug 16, 2017 18:58:49 GMT Zed said:

I wouldn't let anyone adjust anything on my engine.
That way if it's wrong it's your own fault, but it won't go wrong because you know you have it set up right.

Yes but no but yes you is a bloody mechanical wizard.