76 replies to this topic

[Guess-Works.com]

In an attempt to provide a guide to the places to go, and the places to avoid. Here's a list of garages etc which are recommended ( the Good ) the ones which are not so good, but may do a satisfacory job ( The Bad ) and the ones to avoid at all cost... ( The Ugly )

When placing an entry please provide the following information, and most importantly a reason why they are good, bad or ugly ( ie, testimony )

County / Country :
Town :
Name :
Services :
Address :
Link to Map or website :
Rating:
Testimony:

I'll start the ball rolling.

Edited by GuessWorks, 05 July 2005 - 09:09 AM.

[Guess-Works.com]

County / Country : Warwickshire / UK
Town : Rugby
Name : Paul Treen Motor Services
Services : General garage service, mechanics welding
Address : 279, Lawford Rd, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 2JG
Link to Map or website : Yellow Pages
Rating: GOOD
Testimony: Has done a lot of work for local club members which has been all of a high standard, quick and resonably priced.

[Purple Tom]

County / Country : Nottinghamshire
Town : Giltbrook - Nottingham
Name : Surf Blue
Services : Classic car repairs, servicing, welding, performance modifying, tuning
Address : 521 Nottingham Road, Giltbrook, Nottingham, NG16 2GS
Link to Map or website :Surf Blue
Rating: Good
Testimony: Excellent service by Geoff and Les, excellent quality of work, often does small favours, very enthusiastic. Discounts for local club members, good prices and quick work.

[Pooky]

County / Country : East Sussex
Town : Ninfield
Name : Gerald Dale Motorsport/Engineering
Services : Rolling Road, Suspension alignment, Engine building, Mechanical fabrication and Servicing.
Address :
Unit 1
Ninfiled Garage
Bexhill Road
Ninfild (Nr Battle)
East Sussex
TN33 9EE
Link to Map or website : geralddale.co.uk
Rating: 10/10
Testimony: I've only had a rolling road here but Gerald got the absolute most power he could out of it. If you see the site you can tell he knows his stuff with minis as he's done plenty of racing!

[mattvallins]

County / Country :Dorset
Town : Charlton Marshall
Name :Sivad Garage (Davis backwards)
Services : General garage
Address :
Link to Map or website :
Rating:0
Testimony:This garage does anything, but when saying they had done the lower bushes on a Pug 405 they hadnt. 15 months on, they had disintegrated and needed doing. He hadnt taken the bushes off, let alone changed them. Oh. but he charged us 200quid for the "work and parts".
Avoid at all costs

[Mono Guerillo]

County / Country : Northamptonshire / UK

Town : Northampton

Name : The Mini Hospital

Services : Full body and paint restorations and repairs, Replacement panels and sprayed, Light mechanical work, Welding and MOT work There’s also a Saturday morning drop in workshop where you can work on your car yourself, I’ve not been to one of these yet but I probably will at some point

Address : 48 Clare Street, Northampton, NN1 3JF

Link to Map or website : www.theminihospital.com

Rating: Good

Testimony: Charlie Brown suggest I go to the Mini Hospital to get my Mini repaired after it was vandalised & I was really impressed buy the standard of work & it didn’t cost the earth, I’ve since been back for a service & MOT etc. + Bob & Della are really friendly & helpfull. It must be good for me to be willing to drive all the way from Stevenage to Northampton to get work done!

[Jammy]

County / Country :Kent
Town : Broadstairs
Name :Manne Hutte Services
Services : General garage/Petrol and Spare parts
Address : Yell details
Link to Map or website : see above
Rating:6
Testimony: 9 times out of 10 they've had the parts I needed, especially odd little parts that, or parts that are stupidly expensive new (Speedo housing to rad bracket - £5!!). The main guy there (Alf) can be a bit old and grumpy, but he always has time to stop and tell me the best way to do something, or a handy little tip that will save me time! Haven't had any work carried out there, so can't comment on that.

[Leonard]

County / Country : Gloucestershire
Town : Thrupp, Stroud
Name : Autocraft
Services : General garage service, mechanics welding
Address : Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire

Rating: BAD
Testimony: tell you theyve done work they havent, very rude on the phone. other people have had similar experiences, one had his car catch on fire.

[Jackman]

County / Country : Lancashire
Town : Wigan
Name : John Atherton Autos LTD
Services : Most things
Address : Wigan, Lancs
Link to Map or website :
Rating: So So
Testimony: Welding was great, services is good and very friendly, good estimates for work, however not too good when tuning carbs, all in all will use again but not for tuning.

[GigaDave]

County / Country : Hampshire
Town : Southampton
Name : Minis Only
Services : Pretty much everything
Address :Unit 22 Allington Manor Business Centre
Allington Lane
Fairoak
Southampton
Hampshire
SO50 7DE
Link to Map or website : Minis Only
Rating: GOOD
Testimony: I've had several things done at this garage and it's all been good. They certainly know their stuff! They can be rather expensive and do seem a little obsessed with putting really high spec bits into your car but the quality of the work is second to none.

[mambaman]

County / Country : Norhtamptonshire
Town : Northampton
Name : Mini hospital
Services : Pretty much everything, but mainly bodywork and painting
Address : Claire street
Norhtampton
Link to Map or website : www.minihostpital.co.uk
Rating: VERY GOOD
Testimony: Nice bloke, in with the mini scene. Can give advice, does top body work and pretty much knows about or knows where to get anything. Did me a wing early 2005 and was a v good job

[dayzee]

County / Country : Suffolk
Town : Ipswich
Name : Phoenix Minis
Services : Restoration and MOTs (dunno what else)
Address : Foxhall Road, Ipswich
Link to Map or website :
Rating: EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE
Testimony: really friendly bunch, even delivered my mini for free when I explained Id been a non driver for a few years, theyve fixed my windscreen jets, bent the bumper back in place (whoopsie) for free, and I suspect Ill be back to them regularly for bits and pieces.

[nev_payne]

BODY REPAIRS, MOT, TUNING AND PERFORMANCE:

County / Country : Somerset
Town : Minehead
Name : Dev's Auto Repairs (Member of Minehead Mini Club)
Services : Restoration and MOTs, performance, etc etc..NOT PAINT WORK.
Address : Mart Road, Friday Street, Minehead TA24
Link to Map or website : N/A
Rating: SPEEDY REPAIRS, BRILLANT PRICES, TOP BLOKE.
Testimony: Knows his minis - has 5 projects on the go at any 1 time, and has plenty of spares...will tune to limits, bodywork like a God, MOTs and services that make your heart flutter. Fantastic stuff!

PAINT WORK:

County / Country : Somerset
Town : Minehead
Name : Bens Paint Shop
Services : Car paint work and rust removal welding if necessary
Address : Minehead Industrial Est. Near Tescos.
Link to Map or website : N/A
Rating: Fantasic paint work!
Testimony: Re-sprayed my britih open classic for £700. Rebuilt the thing virtually from scratch, replaced all stickers - bought genuine from Rover spares.

[blacktulip]

county/country: essex uk
town: Braintree
name: Bridge Farm Garage
services: all engine work, usual garage services and minor welding!
address: Bridge Farm Garage, London Road, Braintree, Essex
rating: 10/10 good
Testimony: have been taking my minis there since i passed my test 5 years ago, Trevor is a top bloke who knows his stuff, really good on prices and is quick, offers good recovery too. his troubleshooting is excellent.

[Charlotte]

County / Country : West Midlands
Town : Birmingham
Name : GRB Mechanics
Services : General garage services, mechanical problems repaired etc
Address : rear of 1731, Pershore Rd, Birmingham, West Midlands B30 3DT, 0121 458 3366
Link to Map or website :map here, taken from yell.com
Rating: GOOD
Testimony: Got my mini through it's MOT after it got failed at another garage which would rate as an UGLY garage, Gordon the owner loves minis, is a total enthusiast. Reasonable prices too.