Pi55 poor work from TVM!
 

Let me tell you of an experience I have had with said business,

Had a clutch kit(AP Racing) fitted by Colin at 'Thamesvalleymotorsport' in Reading last year, he quoted me a good price, and so I turned up early on a Fri morning(8.30ish). 5-6 hrs he quoted, so gave me a courtesy car for the day,(fair enough) and when returned to pick car up, it was still up in the air etc.. No problem I thought, delays happen. When finished, told to take for a test--only about 2 inches of clutch action, and rest free play!.Biting point right on floor, and wouldn't engage gears etc...:o Ok might need bleeding he said, so that he did > Still no better, I complained alot (by now it was 6pm ish) 100miles to home, was told it may 'bed' in. (Agreed to not charge me for the flywheel skim) and I left. Got home, and had to adjust the pedal (which I have been told by numerous people is something I should never have needed to do) to get the car drivable to any extent! :(

The new Thrust bearing (genuine Subaru part) was noisy from the beginning, but got progressibly worse, so suspected it wasn't fitted quite right somehow. 2000 miles later, the thrust race was so noisy, I decided to let someone else look at and replace the bearing.(Car not used much so only 2000 miles clocked since summer last year). My mechanic removed gearbox etc to inspect and found to my horror!:

A bolt that holds the cover plate to the Flywheel sheared off!!
The bolt had not sheared on the car, it was obvious that the bolt had been sheared off when fitting the Clutch, and he'd left the threaded part in the flywheel, and had not bothered to remove/replace broken bolt!! :o

To me this is NOT acceptable practice by any so-called mechanic, as even if I had done this myself, I would've removed and replaced, so to Pay for what Is supposed to be a business to do it is terrible :o

Now with another Bearing fitted, and done properly, the clutch is quiet as a mouse. :)

I CAN understand that it may just have been a dodgy bearing, and I CAN understand that the pedal on my car may have needed adjusting to suit the clutch, BUT IN NO WAY can I except SHODDY WORKMANSHIP, without the idiot telling me that there was a problem!! I am so pi55ed off about this, as he obviously thought that I would never have the gearbox out again, so I wouldn't notice it!

Should have gone down the road to len @ Subaru 4 U ;)

Seriously though, that is bad :(
What does Colin say about it ?

Wouldn't be acceptable to anyone with a hint of sanity. Absolutely pathetic. Sorry this happend to you.

Andrew,

Can you prove that the bolt must have been sheared when fitting the clutch?

Cheers,
Nick.

Are you directing your question at me or is Pickles name Andrew?

I am not trying to start any kind of arguments etc, just wanted to warn others of the kind of service I received from one particular business!. The bolt was sheared before we removed the gearbox the other day, and no head to the bolt was found, also the end of the bolt-shaft was dirty enought to conclude that it hadn't happened recently.

Also, I was present when the gearbox was removed, and I can assure you that the mechanic who has just replaced the Thrust bearing, had NO part in the breakage of the bolt. The gearbox, had not been touched since TVM had reassembled the car!

I think that I am entitled to be angry, as I feel ripped off, cos it has cost me twice now, to have a clutch fitted properly, when surely it shouldn't have! :(