28 replies to this topic

[Lucifer-smells-icky]

Thanks Retro that would be very kind

I think the second guy we talked too suggested a helicoil (sp?) but said the engine would need to be removed for it to be done which i was very unsure about, as it obviously doesn't need to.

I checked minispares and found this

www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?pid=32968

which a friend at work said he would fit for me, would this be a viable option? He said he would drain the oil (as it would come out anyway lol)and we could change to the better stuff.

I've reupholstered the inside of the car, made my own dash, made and recovered my own door cards pulled the seats out and all kinds of jim jam Inside wise i can pretty much do anything. Engine wise its all bum holes and crabs to me.

I'm pretty loath to go back to our original guy simply because i think he would fob me off again and i wouldn't get a good job done, so reguarding the paintwork i want to see if i can get a good finish with some elbow grease before i take her back, then i can really see what the finish it. Because if she still looks S***t after a good polish then i'm gonna put my foot down and make him respray the whole car. Even if it means dragging a posse down from work to stand behind all 5 foot of me and look menacing

I mite get some pictures up of her tonight as i never actually intro'd meself properly

[Retro_10s]

Well, Pm me if you want to learn how to serivce, takes about an hour to do the lot at a leasurely rate with tea and biccys.

Well.... that enormous self tapper for a sump plug form Minispares would work and is much quicker... but it's till a bit dodgey really, but,.. I have used one before and it was fine. but you have to make sure you get the plug in dead straight and bang on right or it wont seal so take your time. And a bit of plumbers tape round the hole (used like a washer) will make a good seal.

when doing the oil change, refill with 20w50.


(pics would be great.)

Edited by Retro_10s, 20 September 2006 - 02:41 PM.

[cooper_shaz]

Hi..

Just went over your thread.... for the £1250 what did they do ?, i.e. replace panels etc ?

The marks you see in the paint should have been taken care of, but one thing with black paint is that it will show every mark on the body.

If you are only seeing marks in specific light, then make a note of them and create a snag list

Take the list back to the spray shop and speak to them about it..

I would think that the re-spray is 2 pack not cellulose, so you should have no problems giving the car a good wash. Use any silicon free car shampoo, avoid one with wax in it for a few weeks.

Also worthwhile asking the garage if the paint is 2pack or cellulose just to make sure..

With regards to the lines in the paint you are seeing, you will be surprised at what can be flatted and polished out.. (have a look throught he guide pinned above in this section, "getting the shine")

I would say give them a chance to go over the faults you found, and see what they say.

As for the service, if the oil leak is that bad it would not be covered in a standard service, as this would most likely be a seperate repair.

If it is the sump plug then it should be done in situ. Is the oil definetly coming from there ?
also I am surprised that the oil level is not dropping... keep an eye on water levels too as if there is liquid on the floor it has to be comign from somewhere..

Hope this helps.. If you have no joy then take it up with trading standards, and also tell them you have sopke to your local paper... and they are interested in this story..!!

But do give them a chance as if they take any pride in their work they will fix their mistakes/oversights

[Lucifer-smells-icky]

The saga continues.......

I asked a friend from work to pop out and have a look at her yesterday, which ended in me in tears, then him telling me not to be daft go get a piece of paper and we will right it all down.

He says it deffinately wasn't worth what i paid. So we rang the chap, politely said we thought the work wasn't of a standerd it could be and he said bring it down for him to have a look next week.

The main points we got that there is a fair bit of dribbling, (where theres been to much paint added) on the roof and on both front doors.

Where rust has been removed there are scratches and swirls under the paintwork, We did find one door had big bogey sized chunks of dust stuck in the paint and on both the roof and bonnet there was a obvious grey swirl effect. The bonnet seems over-tcutted if that makes sense? the colour is lighter than the rest? Theres black spray on one of my bumpers....lordy nows how as it was brand new and still in its packet when we took it there lol!

The arches and sidestrips haven't been put on properly and aren't flush with the car, which i didn't realise untill a lovely little white mini parked next to me at asda and i saw how nicely hers where done. Mine have a inch worth of seal hanging of the ends of them all and because one is lose everytime i open the passanger door it pulls the seal all off.

Theres seems a lot of moaning but he did a nice job under my lights of re-panelling them so i just wish he had taken that care all over.

Shaz for 1250 i got the respray, a bodykit removed and rust checked underneath, new panels under my lights and some chromey bits added like arches and bumpers. Also to fix leak.

Forgot to say oil is deffinatley coming from plug.

Edited by Lucifer-smells-icky, 22 September 2006 - 08:01 AM.

[Retro_10s]

Awww Lucifer!!! :'(

Well, hope this spray guy realises what a jerk he's been, dribbles are usually called Runs, and you're right, it's where he's put on too much paint

It's a shame he did the front well and then rushed the rest. Fingers crossed....still no pics woman!

[Lucifer-smells-icky]

LOL! my car has the runs!

She's still just as fun to drive as ever though, promise to get piccies up tomorrow if the weather is nice, because even though shes dribbly shes still pretty

[Retro_10s]

She's still just as fun to drive

That's the spirit... this is what minis are all about.

[Lucifer-smells-icky]

Here she is in all her glory

Im not a huge fan of the lamp covers but they will soon be painted to match the door cards

Hopefully will be getting a new black carpet soon too.

A piccie of her

 SPA50049.JPG   2.43MB   15 downloads

a piccie of her insides

 SPA50035.JPG   2.41MB   5 downloads

a piccie of her engine runs

 SPA50034.JPG   2.34MB   10 downloads

and her outside runs

 SPA50044.JPG   2.37MB   8 downloads

and her shoddy finishing

 SPA50047.JPG   2.44MB   11 downloads

and finally one of her swanky new back seat covers and her old grey ones that i haven't covered yet lol!
 SPA50037.JPG   2.39MB   7 downloads

[Retro_10s]

Lovely car, that repsray is abominable though, Now i realise why you're so upset.

That's not worth 1250 at all, The front end is nice though, you're right about that.
any progress on having a rant at the respray guy? Hope yuo get it sorted, justice is due!

[JuaniKart]

nice car! pitty about the paint, nice backseat cover!! did u make it urself?

the guy should really sort it out..

[Lucifer-smells-icky]

Nah, I made the door cards myself but not the seat covers, brought them of a lady on ebay. You just have to take the old covers off and refit the new ones with a bit of glueing and staple trickery

They are a really nice fit though, she's done a lovely job of them, she makes them to order. I really fancied zebra print ones but that would be slight overkill I think with the dash and doorcards. lol.

[Lucifer-smells-icky]

Wooooo good news

Took the car back last week and got her back today, even though she was out in the rain :'( she looks much better

I ran my finger over her and shes smoooooooovvvvvvveee and all my loose bits are now not loose and my windows look shiney brand new. She also isn't piddling everywhere now, shes been helicoiled and is now locked happily in my garage for the night, though my nice squeaky clean zebra door cards have a big greasy mechanic sized hand print on. lol.

Very happy shes back Will get some shiney photos up soon and carry on with the pimpin on the inards.

[mini93]

good to know things are all good n spanking now!! how about getting some pics?

[Retro_10s]

AWWWWWW great news!!!

really glad you got this sorted in the end!. brill,... another mini saved