Max Bradley - A Good Used Car Dealer I've Found in Essex

[bob6600]

Definitely going to be cheaper for Max as regardless of parts prices, labour rates for his mechanic are his hourly rate and not what he charges out. He seems to be doing the right thing and has to be given a chance to rectify the faults, which all seems positive. Hopefully the result will be in your favour.

 

[Chrishazle]

Thanks Bob, certainly hope so as, with the mechanicals fixed, she's a nice car and what we've been looking for, even SWMBO is happier in her than in the 968 cab, and we can both get in and out far easier! Fingers etc crossed for what we/MTA find when she comes back, all I know ATM is that she went north through the Dartford crossing at 16.59 today, obviously caught her number plate (thus my Dart Charge account) rather than his trade plate - but for £2 I'm not bothered!

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

Always wary of recommending garages. I once bought a two year old astra diesel estate from a dealer that a friend said was very honest and fair. The day after collecting it "with a fresh service", I hooked up our caravan and set out on a 70 mile journey to North Devon. Rear brakes seized up,had to have it towed and new rear pads fitted. After a couple of weeks the car took ages to start every morning .Had new glow plugs fitted,still had starting problems. Took it back to the dealer, went to get it back on Xmas Eve . Dealer said the alarm/immobiliser was at fault having been very badly wired/, fitted, and I would have to pay £160. I pointed out that it had been fitted by them at a cost of £300 when I purchased the car. "Well, you will have to pay or we won`t release the car". At which point I went behind the service desk, grabbed my keys , then the salesmans lapels and said "this ****" can pay for it , and stormed out. A neighbour had been looking to buy a car from them but changed his mind after I put him in the picture.

 

[Deleted member 11979]

Always wary of recommending garages. I once bought a two year old astra diesel estate from a dealer that a friend said was very honest and fair. The day after collecting it "with a fresh service", I hooked up our caravan and set out on a 70 mile journey to North Devon. Rear brakes seized up,had to have it towed and new rear pads fitted. After a couple of weeks the car took ages to start every morning .Had new glow plugs fitted,still had starting problems. Took it back to the dealer, went to get it back on Xmas Eve . Dealer said the alarm/immobiliser was at fault having been very badly wired/, fitted, and I would have to pay £160. I pointed out that it had been fitted by them at a cost of £300 when I purchased the car. "Well, you will have to pay or we won`t release the car". At which point I went behind the service desk, grabbed my keys , then the salesmans lapels and said "this ****" can pay for it , and stormed out. A neighbour had been looking to buy a car from them but changed his mind after I put him in the picture.

you are absolutely right, it’s a used car, the dealers will have good and bad ones and if anyone thinks they’ll all be brought up to the standard a new car they are deluded, at best it will be fixed by them when you find out what’s wrong with it.

I don’t know when we expected used cars to be as new anyway, surely that’s why they are cheaper.

 

[Chrishazle]

I didn't expect the car to be "as new", but advertised with a full service history - yet had not been serviced for over 2 years, plus the services over the past 5 years did not follow what's in the service book, a number of important items were not done, but I guessed/knew this and had budgeted for a major service. I would have expected the MoT to pick up the rear brake pads and especially the corroded/leaking front NS shock absorber and top mount. Whether the control arm bushes and tracking would be picked up on MoT I don't know, but when my indie test drove it he aborted the drive pretty quickly as he thought something underneath was broken, the handling was so poor - and I'd noticed how twitchy and fidgety she was, especially compared to the 968, this on roads I know well. Not heard anything back yet, we'll see what next week brings, but Murphy's Law has kicked in as the C220 battery decided to completely die this morning! Battery is probably 11 1/2 years old, off to Halfords shortly for a replacement and alternator check. Another £158 bill - but that's fitted, MB Ashford were £172 to supply only!

 

[Chrishazle]

Progress - my SLK is being delivered back to MTA today or tomorrow, and it seems a lot of Ben's list has been done, namely :
Replace 6 of the 8 control arms (which are about £100 each from MB!)
Replace rear discs and pads - found 1 caliper not working, not on Ben's list, replaced same!!
Relaced front NS shock absorber and top mount
Rust patch cleaned up, painted and waxoyled. Also found powder coat slight damage in the rear somewhere, cleaned and protected.
4 wheel tracking
The "missing bolt" on the rear right bank is actually a blind hole, part of the manufacturing process.
The "weeping" oil return line crimp was apparently oil from above, someone a bit careless adding oil, cleaned up, checked and not leaking.

No mention of the transmission seal weep requiring ATF out to change (I've told Ben to do this) or the slight oil leak from the back of the engine (Ben thinks possibly rocker cover, not a major problem).

So, Ben is getting in the parts for the service, will give the car a full inspection once it's back with him, and I'll hopefully get the car back Friday!!

 

[Chrishazle]

Car is already back at MTA, Ben's had a good look, Max has replaced all 8 control arms on the rear, plus rear pads/discs and 1 caliper, had the tracking done. Has not done anything about the weeping propshaft seal on the transmission so Ben will be dropping the ATF and propshaft to replace the seal, then refilling with ATF - unless he finds anything untoward when he drains the ATF, in which case I'll have a full transmission service done. It had that at 33k miles by MB North Wales, so I hope just doing the seal and making sure she has the correct amount of ATF will be good for many more miles (currently 64k).

Ben reckons I've done really well, that Max has done more than he expected, which is good news. I'll get the car back either late tomorrow or Thursday, and she'll get a good run Monday when we're off to near Gatwick to meet friends for lunch.

 

[bob6600]

Sounds like a result there! Perhaps the title of the thread can stay as it is

 

[Chrishazle]

Hope so, but I'm keeping my powder dry until I see the car and actually talk to Ben face to face, just been phone so far. I've also asked for documented proof from Max of what's been done/fitted as I'm a bit of a fiend for keeping a history file for my cars - the one for the 968 cab was almost 2" thick!

And this is the car - with my cab and Max in the background!

 

[ianw19]

That is a beauty!
Sounds like Max has come good.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk

 

[Chrishazle]

Collected the car from MTA about 5 this evening and must say she feels a lot better now - but I could only drive the 1 mile home in the dark in hissing rain, I'll get a 16 mile round trip for fuel tomorrow, maybe a better run Sunday then a decent run Monday to Gatwick area and back Monday. From all I've seen Max has indeed come good, and the thread title is apt. OK, he's not replaced the front control arms (MTA do say it's not urgent but would improve things, so I'll have it done in a year or so) but he replaced all 8 on the rear, and the fronts are OK for a while. He also found and replaced a failed rear brake caliper that MTA had not found, and had a 4 wheel tracking done.

Overall my comment so far would still be positive about Max, with the proviso that a good on ramp undertrays off inspection before starting negotiations would be a good move, as his "full service history" may not be all you think it means!! However, his actions following MTA's inspection report speaks for itself - collect and deliver car (Danbury Essex to Ashford Kent!), replace 8 rear control arms, replace rear brake pads and discs, replace rear NS brake caliper, 4 wheel tracking, replace front NS shock absorber and top mount, repair rust patch on front OS floor pan - quite a list!

 

[DITTRICH]

People always change cars if they think a large bill is looming.