10 replies to this topic

[rouge55]

Hi there,

 

I need my sills, companion bin & doorsteps redoing

 

New wings and A panels

 

Rust above rear windscreen sorting

 

It's a 1979 Mini Clubman and I'm based around Guildford.

 

Many thanks! 

 

[silve1999]

minidave?

 

David Spurdle - https://www.facebook...inidave?fref=ts

[smalpaul]

I write in the hope that my story prevents anyone else suffering the same fate as myself.

 

In November 2008 I bought a classic mini from a company called Croydon Mini’s. It was grey Mini Sidewalk registered in 1995. From the start, it was obvious there were problems with the vehicle, so I returned the vehicle to have the problems sorted out. Regrettably, the problems were not resolved so I took the vehicle to a local garage where they found that the entire exhaust system needed replacing. Moreover, when they checked the vehicle against the VOSA MOT database they found that the vehicle didn’t have a current MOT and that the MOT certificate that had been supplied with the vehicle was a fake. After a couple of stiff letters and threats to involve solicitors and police regarding the fake MOT Croydon Mini’s refunded the money I had had to pay out to make the vehicle legal and roadworthy.

 

Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of my problems. As the following months went by I began to notice rust and paint blistering on certain sections of the vehicle. As I was employed at the time I managed to save enough money to have the vehicle repaired. I knew it would be quite expensive but had budgeted for this. Not wanting to take the car back to the original dealership I sort a paint and panel specialist on the Internet. I eventually found a trader who went by the pseudonym of Minidave – I later found out that his real name is David Eric Spurdle. I met Mr Spurdle on a couple of occasions at his business address at the rear of 33 Harrow Road, Warlingham to discuss what I wanted done to the vehicle and it was agreed that he would undertake the work. He seemed like a genuine character at the time.

 

I delivered the vehicle to his workshop in late July 2009. It was agreed that he would undertake certain repairs to the vehicle that he would complete them in 6 weeks and I would pay him the sum around £2,500 for this work. I had asked for a written estimate for the work at the time but he never did supply any written quotation even after numerous requests to do so.

 

After six weeks or so, when the repairs were supposed to have been completed, I was contacted by Mr Spurdle to advise me that further work was necessary and this would cost me a further £1,000. As I wanted my vehicle repaired and returned, and after some discussion and re-budgeting, I agreed. And that’s when everything went downhill; he became extremely elusive and wouldn’t return my phone calls. I eventually made contact by phone with Mr Spurdle at the beginning of November 2009 and he advised me that it would be easier for me to contact him by email, which I began to do. Yet again though it wasn’t long before Mr Spurdle started ignoring my emails. By January of 2010 I had had enough and just wanted my vehicle back – by this time he had had my vehicle for nearly 6 months – so I contacted Consumer Direct/Trading Standards. They advised me to write Mr Spurdle a letter explaining that he was in breach of section 14 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (failure to carry out the service in a reasonable time). The return correspondence was little more than contemptuous. I again called Consumer Direct/Trading Standards and was advised to seek legal advised.

 

I contacted a local solicitor seeking advice but was told after a couple of fixed fee meetings that I would have to wait until April of 2010 before they could open a Legal Aid claim for my case. However, I was fairly hopeful that once a solicitor was involved the problem would be quickly solved – I was very wrong! From the very outset of the solicitors involvement Mr Spurdle went out of his way to be as awkward and evasive as possible. I pleaded with the solicitors to start court proceedings but was continually told that “there are protocols to follow”. So, eventually, after Mr Spurdle’s continual procrastination and ridiculous demands at the beginning of October of 2010 I was told by the solicitor that legal aid would no longer fund my case and that they were subsequently unable to act on my behalf. They also took the opportunity to tell me that even if I undertook the Small Claims Court route that I would not be able to claim for the monetary losses I’d incurred since Mr Spurdle had had my car – at the time around £1000. They advised me just to pay Mr Spurdle what he demanded just to get my car back and ‘move on with your life’, which I was prepared to when he made his most outrageous demand – that any cash “be verified”. I ask you how do you verify cash?

 

At this point I had what I can only describe as a mental break, and without the intermediary of a solicitor I just wasn’t in an emotional condition to deal with the situation anymore.

 

It was in December of 2010 when I received an email from Mr Spurdle stating that he was going to dispose of my car that I was forced to deal with the situation. I approached my solicitors again and asked them to act on my behalf in a private capacity, and they initiated a Small Claims Court action of a breach of contract under the Supply Of Goods & Services Act 1982.

 

After many months of correspondence going back and forth, made eminently more difficult by Mr Spurdle’s insistence of hiding behind his pseudonym and business address the case went to Bromley County Court on the 29^th May 2012 where the Judge found in my favour, dismissing Mr Spurdle’s counterclaim completely. Mr Spurdle was ordered to return the vehicle to me immediately and to pay compensation of £4050. At this point I had hoped the issue had been settled but I was wrong. It was another three months before my solicitor heard anything from Mr Spurdle in the form of a letter from his solicitor in which he made the demand that I be present when he delivered the vehicle to the company I had found to complete the repairs. The letter also made it clear that he had no intention of paying the £4050 compensation.

 

At this point I was forced to start enforcement action against Mr Spurdle with the use of Court Bailiffs, but they were unsuccessful at locating Mr Spurdle at his business, and he was ignoring enforcement notifications left at his business.

 

It was over a year later on the 10^th June 2013 that Mr Spurdle finally deemed to deliver the vehicle to Panelcraft but what was returned was little more than scrap. The vehicles engine had been seized; the bumpers had been stolen along with the spare alloy wheel, as well as several other components including a front damper off the suspension. Moreover, it was immediately obvious the vehicle had been left out and open to the elements, with animal hair and leaves scattered across the fabric interior that had begun to rot.

 

At the time of writing this I have been forced to pay for the Track and Trace services to try to find address’s for Mr Spurdle, and for the Sheriffs Office to try and recover the outstanding compensation, but they too have been unsuccessful in recovering what I’m owed by Mr Spurdle, who is still ignoring enforcement notifications left at his business address - although I believe he still works out of there – and another address supplied by Central Company Services Track and Trace that turned out to be spurious.

 

And thus my nightmare goes on. So I hope you will learn from my experience and have nothing to do Mr David Eric Spurdle aka Minidave who trades out of 33 Harrow Road, Warlingham, Surrey.

 

HE IS A ROGUE TRADER!!

[amphalon]

I'd have to disagree with the above, I've been very satisfied with the work Mini Dave has done on my '82 City, new sills and a-frames and respray all done to a very high standard.  Stayed in contact throughout and a pleasure to deal with.

 

Tom

[Quattro Kid]

I am sorry but I also have to disagree...On several counts, I was the one who named Dave 'Minidave' back in around 1996.  He has worked on my cars, my families cars, and my friends cars.  He is and will always remain a decent and honest man whose work far exceeds the expectations of his clients.  Of all of the people I have known he is the one who will go the furthest out of his way to help out anyone he possibly can.

 

I can only conclude (not knowing all the facts) that the statement above must have some rather convenient glaring holes in it as the description of the man above is the polar opposite to the man I know, and have know for over 20 years.

 

Signing up 3 days ago only to write what can only described as a personal one sided attack not to warn people but to deliberately undermine his business, and not even leave your real name says it all to me.  I am sorry but I have and always will leave any car I own with Dave quite happily some of which are far more valuable than a Mini.

[kUSTOM 7]

As a representative of Croydon Minis I can confirm that the "Fake Mot" comment is a miss representation of what was actually a clerical error by the Mot Station which conducted the test . Further most no contact was received from either Solicitors or Police concerning this error and the costs which the owner had to pay to rectify this error , were refunded in full . Croydon Minis have all sale cars Moted by an independent test station which is governed by VOSA . 

[kUSTOM 7]

May I also add that Croydon Minis has no links with "Mini Dave" and will not comment on other traders . We have been trading for over twenty years and like most decent companies have very satisfied customers .

[Sfuller1275gt]

Ive never had any trouble with dave infact the opposite very helpful kind and will do anythinh for you as said signed up a few days ago well unsign

[minidaves]

Thanks guys I have some great customers, and yes there is a lot of facts missing along the way, i will fill a few in as i have done over the net where i find this, and after contacting croydon minis, about the information in Mr Prices statement above because i felt i had too do this.

Facts 

1) yes i took Mr Prices car in for a respray! some dents and an a panel replacement, upon starting work and preparing the car a considerable amount of filler was found and poor rust repair.

2) it was discussed with Mr Price to replace the front end and other parts and i would have to order parts from BMH and that not all parts are always in stock.

3)no stock of the screen repair panel and weather played a part in delay of repair

4)Mr Price never ever paid 1 penny toward the repair work carried out

5)Mr Price was the one that instructed me to stop work via a solicitor and as for a final invoice he never paid nor collected his car

6)Mr Price had the works on the vehicle inspected at my workshop in Aug10 and the engineer was happy of the standard or repair work

7)Mr Prices solicitor writes to me to say legal aid had finished and i was to contact direct he never answered my emails regarded payment or collection

8)Mr Price was the one that went down the court action route I lost in court and accept that right or wrong

9)Have offered to pay Mr Price a monthly sum of money to reduce what has been ordered to him via the court and he refuses.

[wikkidminis]

I think the comments made about croydon minis are rediculous. Croydon minis are the most responsible and honest independent classic mini specialists i have ever had the pleasure to work with, and it was on this basis they were chosen from over 40 different specialists across the country to work on the World recognised Top Gear Mini 'Wilf', when it arrived to them the car was a wreck and barely in one piece, let alone road worthy, they put months of effort into restoring the vehicle to a road worthy and safe condition, including a light restoration to get it back to a safe and solid car. Comments about fake mots etc are libelous and if i was croydon minis i would be holding you account to these wild accusations and blatant lies in court, they are NOT an MOT testing station and to mention them and imply they had given a fake mot is tantamount to rubbish, they use an independent VOSA inspected mot station and any errors are nothing to do with them, and the fact they even offered to refund teh cost of rectifying any errors with the mot cert when it was not their fault nor place to resolve, shows their integrity and commitment to their customers.
 
paul - get a life and stop talking **** about people who have more integrity that you will ever have

Edited by wikkidminis, 08 January 2014 - 05:54 PM.
Please do not try and avoid the swear filter!!

[crazirob]

he has always been a completely honest businessman, always willing to offer help support advice, he even popped over late one evening as I had a problem with my mini. he has never misguided, or not told me how to do something to make money, dave is a normal down to earth guy, nothing wrong with the way he operates, I will be using him in the foreseeable future. I very much see this as a personal attack on dave,

 

not only have you purposefully sign up and come on 'the mini forum" to bad mouth a well respected and highly talked of man and trader, this isn't the only forum is It now paul........ now that's not really playing fair is it