Very, very disappointed Caterham owner

[Spingo]

It might seem that I tend to moan on this forum, but...

My car was booked in to a very reputable K series specialist for a major conversion next week. This specialist has just pulled out (with 6 days notice) with no real reason. We were only talking this morning & everything was hunky dory and now he wants nothing to do with it. I'm very confused & feel that I'm not getting a straight answer.

What makes it even more odd is that all I hear & read is good things about this company.

Not a happy bunny. :-(

Sorry - just need somewhere to vent my anger & frustration...

Edited by Spingo on Friday 12th March 15:32

Edited by Spingo on Friday 12th March 15:43

[casbar]

Without, knowing who your talking about, this post is useless! What was the company going to do for you? If it was an engine re-build, then it would seem odd, if its a fault finding exercise, they probably have better things to do.

[Spingo]

Conversion was 1.4 to 1.8 K series plus head porting & other bits & bobs.

Booked in at the end of last year, so plenty of notice...

Edited by Spingo on Friday 12th March 16:28

[fergus]

Spingo said:

Conversion was 1.4 to 1.8 K series plus head porting & other bits & bobs.

Booked in at the end of last year, so plenty of notice...

Unless it's the specialist around J15 off the M1, I'd try DVA.....

[James.S]

Spingo said:

It might seem that I tend to moan on this forum, but...

Edited by Spingo on Friday 12th March 15:32

Edited by Spingo on Friday 12th March 15:43

Yup.

[V7SLR]

Spingo, why not have a go at the conversion yourself?

Stu.

[Spingo]

V7SLR said:

Spingo, why not have a go at the conversion yourself?

Stu.

I just don't have the mechanical knowledge I'm afraid - the car would probably never run again!!!

Fergus - you were spot on... but sadly ( & perhaps unbelievably) it was the second company you mention...

[fergus]

Spingo said:

V7SLR said:

Spingo, why not have a go at the conversion yourself?

Stu.

I just don't have the mechanical knowledge I'm afraid - the car would probably never run again!!!

Fergus - you were spot on... but sadly ( & perhaps unbelievably) it was the second company you mention...

Unusual for Dave to cancel on someone, unless there's a good reason for it. I'm aware of instances of where he's been messed around to the extent that he's decided not to work on certain individual's engines. I'm not accusing you of this btw....

[Murph7355]

Have you asked him why?

Have had v.good service from Dave before (and the car is currently still going strong).

(Wasn't aware he did the full monty job. Used to be just the engine - you'd get it removed/fitted by someone else).

[Spingo]

fergus said:

Spingo said:

V7SLR said:

Spingo, why not have a go at the conversion yourself?

Stu.

I just don't have the mechanical knowledge I'm afraid - the car would probably never run again!!!

Fergus - you were spot on... but sadly ( & perhaps unbelievably) it was the second company you mention...

Unusual for Dave to cancel on someone, unless there's a good reason for it. I'm aware of instances of where he's been messed around to the extent that he's decided not to work on certain individual's engines. I'm not accusing you of this btw....

I just don't understand it. All communication (verbal & written) was polite, clear & professional up to and including this morning when we discussed on the phone twice the arrangements for next Weds. I twice upped my budget at his request to allow him to build a good engine with new parts. I then receive an e-mail this afternoon saying that he was not happy & thought I would be unhappy with the engine and therefore he was cancelling. I didn't understand this (or his e-mail generally) and called him immediately to try & understand the issue. He said that he had spend lots of money on duff engines (not really my issue... I am the customer) and had decided it was not worth his while. I said I was happy to be flexible & wait etc but he was not having any of it - just completely uninterested.

So on top of being very annoyed (I was really looking forward to my conversion) I also feel incredibly let down. I have also cashed in an ISA ready to pay him and booked leave to deliver the car to him. A complete waste of time & effort.

I appreciate some will struggle to believe this (I do in fact - it hasn't quite sunk in yet) but those are the facts. I don't think he was being straight with me today - I just have the feeling something else was going on, but there you go!

So, any thoughts on how to upgrade a 1.4 Super Sport???

[casbar]

Well I'm amazed. I feel for you, and would really like to understand what Dave's issue is. All the reports and the minor dealings I've had with him, have all been really good

I would not have gone to anyone else if I needed any K work done.

[carsounds_dan]

I'm sure Dave would have had a good reason, to turn down a job like that is very unlike him.

You are obviously serious about having the work done, so maybe try speaking to a couple of local reputable companyies regarding the engine change, and find another k-series expert to do the engine build. A bit more co-ordinating on your part but it will work, your main priority with this ruite is to find a garage who you feel confident in using.

If not that then get on blatchat, I'm sure there are a few owners in your area whom would help with an engine swap. Most engine swaps can be done in a day by a competant mechanic and I see no reason why with a few helping hands it could not be done and dusted in a weekend.

I realise that this is not what you had planned at all but by the sounds of it you are not going to be able to get it done as intended, which is a shame.

Either way I wish you the best of luck, hopefully you'll get it done for the summer for some sunshine!

[normalbloke]

You cashed in an I.S.A for an engine upgrade??
Blimey.

Edited by normalbloke on Saturday 13th March 07:21

[James.S]

Spingo said:

fergus said:

Spingo said:

V7SLR said:

Spingo, why not have a go at the conversion yourself?

Stu.

I just don't have the mechanical knowledge I'm afraid - the car would probably never run again!!!

Fergus - you were spot on... but sadly ( & perhaps unbelievably) it was the second company you mention...

Unusual for Dave to cancel on someone, unless there's a good reason for it. I'm aware of instances of where he's been messed around to the extent that he's decided not to work on certain individual's engines. I'm not accusing you of this btw....

I just don't understand it. All communication (verbal & written) was polite, clear & professional up to and including this morning when we discussed on the phone twice the arrangements for next Weds. I twice upped my budget at his request to allow him to build a good engine with new parts. I then receive an e-mail this afternoon saying that he was not happy & thought I would be unhappy with the engine and therefore he was cancelling. I didn't understand this (or his e-mail generally) and called him immediately to try & understand the issue. He said that he had spend lots of money on duff engines (not really my issue... I am the customer) and had decided it was not worth his while. I said I was happy to be flexible & wait etc but he was not having any of it - just completely uninterested.

So on top of being very annoyed (I was really looking forward to my conversion) I also feel incredibly let down. I have also cashed in an ISA ready to pay him and booked leave to deliver the car to him. A complete waste of time & effort.

I appreciate some will struggle to believe this (I do in fact - it hasn't quite sunk in yet) but those are the facts. I don't think he was being straight with me today - I just have the feeling something else was going on, but there you go!

So, any thoughts on how to upgrade a 1.4 Super Sport???

Pretty bloody obvious what the problem is.......

[pw75]

Ok....I'll bite but it better be good

[Sam_68]

James.S said:

Spingo said:

I just don't understand it. All communication (verbal & written) was polite, clear & professional up to and including this morning when we discussed on the phone twice the arrangements for next Weds. I twice upped my budget at his request to allow him to build a good engine with new parts. I then receive an e-mail this afternoon saying that he was not happy & thought I would be unhappy with the engine and therefore he was cancelling. I didn't understand this (or his e-mail generally) and called him immediately to try & understand the issue.He said that he had spend lots of money on duff engines (not really my issue... I am the customer) and had decided it was not worth his while.

Pretty bloody obvious what the problem is.......

Sounds like he was being asked to build an engine to a specification he did't think was viable, probably due to aforementioned engine specification being heavily constrained by budget?

To be fair, he has his reputation to think of, so if he is being asked to build an engine that he doesn't think will deliver what is being expected of it - or worse, that it won't hold together for long if it does - then declining to proceed might be the most professional response he can make?

[James.S]

PW - have no info other than what OP has out but reading HIS version i notice the following;

"I twice upped my budget at his request to allow him to build a good engine with new parts"
"he was not happy & thought I would be unhappy with the engine and therefore he was cancelling"
"He said that he had spend lots of money on duff engines and had decided it was not worth his while"

You can't polish a turd......as they say.

Jugding by the OP's rapid resort to keyboard warrior i suspecty they have made an excellent judgement call.

As my final thought the OP says "I don't think he was being straight with me today", i will leave the OP with the thought that maybe, just maybe he was doing exactly that......reality is a bh sometimes, learn from it, grow the f8ck up and stop bashing companies that niether deserve or need it in times that are hard enough at best.

[pw75]

ah, I am with you...I was reading the first post on my iphone and it didn't show the bold bits up...now I see;)

anyway, qualy was good eh...!

[Spingo]

Thanks to those of you with positive suggestions going forward.

Think I'll keep the car as a 1.4 with perhaps some minor mods and save for a higher spec car in the future. I've always hankered after a HPC, so perhaps that is the best route for me...

Cheers all!

Spingo

[stigmundfreud]

James.S only one keyboard warrior on here sunshine.

OP sorry to see your issue, nothing to do with Caterham cars just saw the therad on the new post list. Despite James and his abrubt posting style it might well be that the job just was never going to work long term for you which would reflect bad on him. Bit like if you fix a friends PC when it then subsequently breaks it is your fault.

Were you looking to do a port/skim or an actual engine swap?