I thought I'd start a little page about my experience with a so called "Professional" VW restoration garage in Evesham.

I was going to do this work myself, but as I was too busy at work at the time, so I decided to let the 'professionals' do it for me.
I had a quote to replace my old 2" narrowed bay window ball joint beam on my 1959 splitty for a complete new front end, which included:

4.5 Slamwerks beam
Reconditioned dropped spindles
CSP Disk kit
4 Trailing arms bottom ones narrowed.
Narrowed leaves
linkpins
Narrowed tie rods and ends
Splitscreen swing arm
Trailing arm seals
Lowered shocks and fittings
full hardware kit.

The 'Professional' (which by the way, was someone I used to call one of my best friends of over 25 years), said he could do it for the same cost as I had been quoted for all the same parts listed by the other company, but because the CSP brakes were going to be secondhand (done approx 3000 miles, but he would clean them all up, put new bearings, seals, brake hoses, pads on and resurface the disc's), he would also raise my steering box and fit a dual master cylinder at the same time. I greed to the deal and paid him in cash upfront for the work (He was a best friend of over 25 years after all, so no reason not to trust!).

I took the van over to his garage on May 4th 2013. He gave me a time scale of 1 week and told me to collect it on May 11th. I told him that would be superb, but if he need another week that would be no problem, as long as I had it back by then (18th May).

To cut a very, very long story short and after many, many lies, phone calls, text's and visits I was told my van was ready for collection (June 22nd), 6 weeks later than he first told me it would be ready!!!

The drive back from the 'Professional VW Restoration Garage in Evesham" last week was one of the most scariest experiences ever – no really, EVER!

I shouldn't have really driven it, but I just wanted to get it back home as he had messed me around so much. On the journey back home, the van was swaying around across the road so much that I nearly had 5 accidents. The brakes were awful and several loud bands could be heard along the way. I managed to get up to a top speed of about 30mph... believe me, that was very scary.

When I eventually got home, I put it straight into my garage, jacked him up and had a look underneath to see what on earth he had done to my pride and joy. To say I was shocked, would be an understatement. I found 6 bolts that were loose that I could take off with my fingers and all the track rod ends I managed to do 3 turns with a spanner before feeling any tightness!!!

My eyes were then drawn to the attention of the steering centre pin. He had assembled it wrong. This is where I started taking photo's and I'll be putting them on here so show you what this 'professional' has done.

WHAT! No grease!!

Incorrect bolt. The wear on this bolt is after just 18 miles.

Old bolt on the left. New correct bolt I made on the right.

Incorrect bolt in steering arm

Correct bolt in steering arm.
(By the way, I had to strip and repaint the steering arm to look like this)

Damage caused by incorrect fitting of spring washer.

I've now fitted back together correctly (with grease) and with no more play!

NEXT TIME....
King and Link drop spindle strip down.
I was told these were all fully reconditioned - What a joke.
Notice the short pinch bolt that the nut is just about holding onto.

If this is a garage's work then you should you not say who it is and stop someone else having the same problems?

Yes, I think I should really, but I'm not sure of the legal complications of things. I have no loyalty to this person, after all, he did let me drive a death trap out of his garage.

Name and shame !!!

Save someone else being taken for a ride

Sorry, I can't name & shame on here, but I can tell you they are based in Evesham.

Old nuts and bolts used

Knackered - Not what you would expect after paying of thousands of pounds