Just looking for someone who will do some servicing on my car. I would prefer someone who specialises in Skoda, but any good garage will do. I hate just going along to a new place and hoping everything will turn out OK.

Cheers,

Andy

My guys at TS Autotmotive in Tunbridge Wells are very good. You can have a walk around town too which is handy.

Cheers W8, I used them for the clutch/flywheel job last year, and wasn't impressed with the work done or their attitude when I complained about it.

Andy

Oh dear. I think I remember them saying they struggled with a clutch now you mention it. Did you supply it and had to check the parts or something?

Hi W8, they were keen enough to take the job on in the first place, and yes I did supply the clutch (Darkside Developments). The only two problems were:

1) The clutch release bearing had been damaged in transit by Royal Mail, so TSA just sent for one from Eurocarparts - no problem.

2) When they came to fit the clutch/flywheel unit, it looked different to the original parts - which it would, because it was replacing a DMF clutch unit.

I drove the car back in heavy traffic, and within half a mile the engine management light came on, so I had to take it back to be diagnosed and reset. I then drove the car home in rush hour traffic, so couldn't test it fully, but it seemed OK.

I then gave the car to my wife to use for work, and if I am to be honest, she is not the best person for spotting mechanical problems, or noticing something wrong in the way a car drives.

I then drove the car in July last year, and noticed excessive clutch slip and a very heavy pedal, on the way to catch a ferry to France for our two week holiday. I couldn't turn back so completed the 2800 mile journey, having to adopt a very different driving style - dropping down one or two gears, even to accelerate gently.

On my return from holiday, I notified TSA of the problem, but they simply said just keep an eye on it. It got progressively worse, and in September I phoned them again, and said the car was not right, and that I had never experienced a clutch like it.

They then said, that they were not really happy to fit the clutch/flywheel in the first place - which was not true.

I managed to get Darkside Developments to change the unit over for me, where they found that the release bearing was packed/smeared in grease, and that had contaminated the clutch/flywheel.

The car is now running fine.

I certainly do not want to get involved in a slanging match over this, because DD will back up what happened.