Sorry for the essay.
I just feel that if I'm going to name and shame then I must be comprehensive and fully justify my reasons.I'd heard a lot of good things about 3S so decided to leave my tubby with them for two weeks whilst I went on holiday.
I left them a list of things to do including a new clutch and a blowing exhaust repair job. I emailed them a week into my holiday to check how things were going and received a mail back saying that all the work was done.However, when I arrived back at Heathrow I called them to arrange to pick the car up that afternoon.
This seemed to upset them somewhat and I was asked to call back a few minutes later. I tried calling repeatedly for the next hour or so with no answer. Bearing in mind I'd just gotten off a 12hr flight, was stuck in Heathrow, expected at work in Northamptonshire the next day and didn't know whether to get the train to Hook, home or wherever, this was a rather distressing time for me. The phone was finally answered just before 5pm and I was told that everything was ready but they were now closing (conveniently early). I then asked if they had honestly done my clutch and was told with some hesitation that they had. It was blatantly obvious that they hadn't. I basically said 'look, I'd just like to come and pick up my car please, new clutch or not. If you could take it home with you and I'll make my way there'. This was quickly dismissed as not possible and I was basically told that i had no other option than to collect it the following afternoon.I stayed in London for the night at my own expense and called into work the following morning, my boss said I'd have to take the day as unpaid leave.
I arrived at 3S about lunchtime to find my car in the shed with a mechanic just finishing off some work in the engine bay (clutch!!!). I wasn't given any apology for the confusion, only a rubbish excuse - something along the lines of 'you had me dashing all over the town looking for an exhaust gasket, hard to find because you've got a blue flame exhaust and all, in the end i had to make one out of thick aluminium for you'. Bah!They charged me 300 quid for the clutch and 30 for a
'one-off' gasket, at this point i was just glad to have my car back in one piece. Honestly, at times i thought it was some kind of a scam and i was never going to see her again. The new clutch felt great on the drive home but the exhaust seemed to be blowing just the same. Just last week i fitted a downpipe and found that a bolt had been sheared holding the exhaust to the cat, causing the blowing. Its funny how they never mentioned that? I suspect they never even looked at the bloody exhaust...So just a word of warning, these guys aren't professional.
Their workshop is a mess and the way they conduct business has a lot to be desired. I'm sure they know what they're talking about and if you're 'mates' you can probably use them to your advantage. However, if you haven't been there before but must for some reason, go with low expectations and watch them like a hawk to make sure they're doing what you're paying for and doing it properly. Seriously though, these guys look like monkeys compared to Rogue.Cheers,
Sam
I've used him many times now, most of the time ringing the workshopwith a problem, or sending him a PM on here, 99% of the time he tells me to bring the car in the next day! And has a look at it when he can.
