trapperjohn
MB Enthusiast
Oh come on, tell please do. None of this - and the winner is.................. I'll tell you after the break.
And Then The Fight Started....
- Thread starter Baron_Samedi
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2007
- Messages
- 20,694
- Location
- Portsmouth, Hampshire.
- Car
- E55K SL500 E250X2 Smart44 Brabus Track car E450Cabriolet X350 Pick up
Its not for me to say.
TBH I am not suprised.
I am sure gary will be home soon and post up his thoughts.
TBH I am not suprised.
I am sure gary will be home soon and post up his thoughts.
OP
OP
Baron_Samedi
MB Enthusiast
I are ere to tell the tale of a man who can't tell the difference between Protyre and Euromerc 
Anyway... recall if you will the events of the last day or two and the reactions here to freebie work half done rather than carried out properly and a fair price paid with reputation and <cough> honour intact.
Well, I am here to tell you that honour and customer service is alive and kicking in the 21st century.
After reading about my difficulties, a Certain Olly of PCS got in touch to offer his company's services.
Well, given that his garage is 85 mile from my cowshed in rural Wiltshire it seemed churlish to refuse given that he was prepared to work on my car today!
So, car loaded with fuel, (which only emphasised the ready for take off look) and a woman offered a sweet day out by (well, near) the sea, we journeyed to Horndean.
Given that I have relatively good ballpark navigation but absolutely no fine resolution, we found PCS very easily
On arrival it became clear that Olly is every bit the gentleman that other members have described and taking my springs and car in hand set to work.
After 30 minutes I received a feeling of foreboding.... Technician approaching with concerned expression
It transpired that, having had to wrestle with the aluminium locking nut that retained the near side strut top bolt, Olly found that the end of the strut top thread was, not to put too fine a point on it.... screwed!! It had been mangled by something.... something harder than the aluminium retainer
Much cursing ensued (under breath) and Olly got on the case straight away and obtained a replacement ally retainer that he hoped, with fettling of the strut thread would solve the problem....
Alas it was no dice and Olly needed to order up two replacement struts as he wasn't prepared to risk my safety by using a single replacement with arrived from the factor toute suite.
The struts arrived within 45 minutes and another 45 minutes saw the suspension re-assembled and the car out for a test drive.
So... after a chat and paying the bill, we were off northward to Wiltshire, happy in the knowledge that a job had been done properly even in unfortunate circumstance.
So, PCS 1, Protyre 0
So, from what Olly found when removing the same strut that caused the others problems, is that the torn thread was fresh and not corroded, this in turn leads me to believe that... the others removed the retainer, attempted to remove the top nut which having been undone to almost the height of the strut before someone panicked, realising that they had no way to properly compress the spring in order to release it (owing to the MB peculiar strut top mount. Screwing the spring back up tore the thread owing to the compressive force working against the nut....
Something else for the agenda for a conversation with the company!
Oh and does anyone still think I got a good deal with the previous workshop?
Last thing,
Thank you very much Olly for being a great host, sorting out my problem promptly and with professionalism and not fuss
Anyway... recall if you will the events of the last day or two and the reactions here to freebie work half done rather than carried out properly and a fair price paid with reputation and <cough> honour intact.
Well, I am here to tell you that honour and customer service is alive and kicking in the 21st century.
After reading about my difficulties, a Certain Olly of PCS got in touch to offer his company's services.
Well, given that his garage is 85 mile from my cowshed in rural Wiltshire it seemed churlish to refuse given that he was prepared to work on my car today!
So, car loaded with fuel, (which only emphasised the ready for take off look) and a woman offered a sweet day out by (well, near) the sea, we journeyed to Horndean.
Given that I have relatively good ballpark navigation but absolutely no fine resolution, we found PCS very easily
On arrival it became clear that Olly is every bit the gentleman that other members have described and taking my springs and car in hand set to work.
After 30 minutes I received a feeling of foreboding.... Technician approaching with concerned expression
It transpired that, having had to wrestle with the aluminium locking nut that retained the near side strut top bolt, Olly found that the end of the strut top thread was, not to put too fine a point on it.... screwed!! It had been mangled by something.... something harder than the aluminium retainer
Much cursing ensued (under breath) and Olly got on the case straight away and obtained a replacement ally retainer that he hoped, with fettling of the strut thread would solve the problem....
Alas it was no dice and Olly needed to order up two replacement struts as he wasn't prepared to risk my safety by using a single replacement with arrived from the factor toute suite.
The struts arrived within 45 minutes and another 45 minutes saw the suspension re-assembled and the car out for a test drive.
So... after a chat and paying the bill, we were off northward to Wiltshire, happy in the knowledge that a job had been done properly even in unfortunate circumstance.
So, PCS 1, Protyre 0
So, from what Olly found when removing the same strut that caused the others problems, is that the torn thread was fresh and not corroded, this in turn leads me to believe that... the others removed the retainer, attempted to remove the top nut which having been undone to almost the height of the strut before someone panicked, realising that they had no way to properly compress the spring in order to release it (owing to the MB peculiar strut top mount. Screwing the spring back up tore the thread owing to the compressive force working against the nut....
Something else for the agenda for a conversation with the company!
Oh and does anyone still think I got a good deal with the previous workshop?
Last thing,
Thank you very much Olly for being a great host, sorting out my problem promptly and with professionalism and not fuss
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2007
- Messages
- 20,694
- Location
- Portsmouth, Hampshire.
- Car
- E55K SL500 E250X2 Smart44 Brabus Track car E450Cabriolet X350 Pick up
See. I told you there was more.
Thanks Gary, it was a pleasure.
It is just a warning to you all. Make sure whoever works on your car knows what they are doing. The thread on the top of the shocker was very butchered and had a nut wound onto it cross threaded.
Thanks Gary, it was a pleasure.
It is just a warning to you all. Make sure whoever works on your car knows what they are doing. The thread on the top of the shocker was very butchered and had a nut wound onto it cross threaded.
trapperjohn
MB Enthusiast
The winners are............... Olly, Baron Samedi and the forum.
Ah far more to it then - my opinion has now changed, we have gone from not having the right tool to attempting the job and messing it up.
Wonder if they were aware of any thread damage they may have caused. Did Olly/you take photos?
Wonder if they were aware of any thread damage they may have caused. Did Olly/you take photos?
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2007
- Messages
- 20,694
- Location
- Portsmouth, Hampshire.
- Car
- E55K SL500 E250X2 Smart44 Brabus Track car E450Cabriolet X350 Pick up
1 pic was taken by Garry.
They would have had to "wind" the nut on pretty hard.
They would have had to "wind" the nut on pretty hard.
Doodle
MB Enthusiast
I suspect an air tool with a monkey on the end of it. The moral of the story is to go to Olly in the first place
Frank O' Phile
Active Member
The moral of the story is to go to Olly in the first place
just googled Ollys post code and it's 177 miles for me. It would still be worth it if I ever needed him.
Nice resolution guys, I think that letter is probably going to get sent now.
Mudster
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
- Messages
- 2,509
- Location
- Surrey
- Car
- 2008 A150 SE Classic, 2007 Saab 9-3 Sportwagon
Well the moral is go to the right guy to start with.
Now armed with the information you have, you will have a case with the original garage.
However, you will require a written report from Olly and you should have reasonable cause to have the costs of the struts and their fitting costs replaced.
The problem is (from a legal perspective anyway) you should give the original garage the opportunity to put right the problem.....But you're not comfortable with that and youre also concerned to the safety of the vehicle if you do hand it back to them.
This is where Olly's report is important and needs to impress the safety issues with the condition of the car as it arrived with him.
The developments found by Olly have obviously changed the circumstances.
Now armed with the information you have, you will have a case with the original garage.
However, you will require a written report from Olly and you should have reasonable cause to have the costs of the struts and their fitting costs replaced.
The problem is (from a legal perspective anyway) you should give the original garage the opportunity to put right the problem.....But you're not comfortable with that and youre also concerned to the safety of the vehicle if you do hand it back to them.
This is where Olly's report is important and needs to impress the safety issues with the condition of the car as it arrived with him.
The developments found by Olly have obviously changed the circumstances.
Although Garry wasn't aware of the problem until PCS started the job Protyre couldn't do. So it would be unreasonable for them to agrue the car should have been reassembled and returned to them.
OP
OP
Baron_Samedi
MB Enthusiast
Exactly, Mudster, stevesey!
I now realise how my safety has been compromised by the other firm..... and it worries me somewhat.
Learning that the spring needs to be compressed by tooling costing over £1600 just makes me more certain that they should have not had the car back even to have an attempt.... to correct the problem.
Ordinarily, I would allow the original firm to correct a problem as it is only fair. Mistakes happen and a good company or person will react positively to sort things out without the need for a prompt.
I now realise how my safety has been compromised by the other firm..... and it worries me somewhat.
Learning that the spring needs to be compressed by tooling costing over £1600 just makes me more certain that they should have not had the car back even to have an attempt.... to correct the problem.
Ordinarily, I would allow the original firm to correct a problem as it is only fair. Mistakes happen and a good company or person will react positively to sort things out without the need for a prompt.
Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 34,199
- Car
- Peugeot 403 Convertible
With the new information it does seem that they have cocked up somewhat in even attempting the job, then to wreck the retainer is poor.
I guess they were trying to tighten the retainer with the wheel hanging so required lots of force. If they had compressed the suspension arm it should've done up no problem.
What's so special about the compressor for a W203.? It appears if if Lynall managed no problem.
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=747310&postcount=17
Without telling Granny how to suck eggs, My advice would be to write a unemotional concise letter explaining the issue and rectification work when asking for recompense. The reader will understand your concerns.
Try to find the National Operational Director's name to send the letter to.
Good luck.
What was making it sit unlevel.?
I guess they were trying to tighten the retainer with the wheel hanging so required lots of force. If they had compressed the suspension arm it should've done up no problem.
What's so special about the compressor for a W203.? It appears if if Lynall managed no problem.
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=747310&postcount=17
Without telling Granny how to suck eggs, My advice would be to write a unemotional concise letter explaining the issue and rectification work when asking for recompense. The reader will understand your concerns.
Try to find the National Operational Director's name to send the letter to.
Good luck.
What was making it sit unlevel.?
Mudster
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
- Messages
- 2,509
- Location
- Surrey
- Car
- 2008 A150 SE Classic, 2007 Saab 9-3 Sportwagon
Completely agree, which is why a fully written report pointing this out is pivotal on the entire claim. Without the documented opinion you're into a little legal wrangling of "we should have been given an opportunity to rectify the problem".
Mudster
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
- Messages
- 2,509
- Location
- Surrey
- Car
- 2008 A150 SE Classic, 2007 Saab 9-3 Sportwagon
OP's car is a W209...does that make a material difference?
(I have no knowledge of what special tools are required for this job...that's why I pay people to do things like this!)
Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 34,199
- Car
- Peugeot 403 Convertible
The W029 is a W203 in drag and the parts appear to be the same apart from the damper part number, which is probably only a stiffness rating.
W203.
W209. For some reason the lower spring cup has been missed off the illustration, but they are, in essence, the same.
OP
OP
Baron_Samedi
MB Enthusiast
Interesting stuff.
If.... the other firm could have used a "standard" spring compressor tool how come they bailed out when confronted with inability to remove the slotted retaining nut?
If.... the other firm could have used a "standard" spring compressor tool how come they bailed out when confronted with inability to remove the slotted retaining nut?
Last edited:
Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 34,199
- Car
- Peugeot 403 Convertible
I don't know. I'm hoping Olly or Lynall will give us some details.