Indy VW service for Passat nr Bristol?

[mungo]

Hello all, first post and I'm on the scrounge already! Can anyone recommend an independent VW specialist within thirty miles of Bristol? I've always had my 2001 Passat Tdi 130 PD serviced by main dealer (Heritage) at Weston-super-Mare and am nervous of jumping to an indy who might screw me and put dodgy parts and oil in my precious car. I will soon need a full service, and soon would really like, one, a new clutch and dual mass flywheel, and, two, a new cambelt and water pump. I've had a look at PD Cars in Bristol, but wasn't impressed that it was just a bloke in an office who said "Oh yes, we take the cars away and service them elsewhere'. Someone did recommended Audi Volks in Keynsham, but any thoughts will be welcome. Ta!

[mungo]

Someone elsewhere has suggested Graham Batt Ltd in Bristol, anyone know anything about them? In the absence of anything else, I may give them a try.

[mungo]

Was that tumbleweed I saw blow past in this ghost town..........................

[neutrino]

Was that tumbleweed I saw blow past in this ghost town..........................

I am struggling to find a place t o service my Polo too. I might try Audi Volks in Keynsham though.

[BruceB]

Hi

I have been using Ian Studley Cars in Shipham for 3 years now for both my Audi and Passat and cannot fault them. Ask for Neil.

Cheers

[gingerbloke]

Probably too late for this post but could be useful for somebody else.
I can recommend White House VW in Brislington.
The White House V.W Centre
822, Bath Rd, Brislington, Bristol, Avon BS4 5LQ
Tel: 0117 977 4424
Doesn't look so pretty from the outside but they've done a good job on my Mk2 Golf in the past few years. Lots of recycled parts available but all new parts fitted if requested.

I've also tried PD cars - also seem good.
PD Cars (Bristol)
221-223, Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, Bristol, Avon BS7 8NR
Tel: 0117 908 2225

However I've now got a cold/idle/cut out problem with my Bora which, so far, no garage has been able to diagnose & fix. It wasn't such a problem when I took it to these two a while ago but will have to take it back now that it has recently got worse.

[jackg]

Volksmania on the A46 (Old Sodbury) are breakers and may service cars. I get parts from them a lot. 01454 329990
Two garages in Stonehouse are good. I have used Bridgend garage mainly 01453 825500. The Volkswagen and Audi centre are ok a bit boy racersish. By BP garage.
But a mechanic in my village services my TDI passat, charges are good. Last service was £100.
Johnson commericals. Did my Dads Skoda Cam belt for £250.

[jonathan bees]

acp garage in chepstow just over the bridge i work there 01291 622080

[alicecat]

I used PD cars to service my Sharan last year. I was unimpressed then; they charged far more than I was originally quoted (the only benefit I seemed to get for this extra charge was the use of engine flush - which I would expect any decent garage to do anyway - and some injector cleaner chucked in the tank.) The car was returned to me with oil splashed about my previously pristine engine bay and had not cleaned the car as they originally promised for first time customers.

Recently I decided to do the next service myself. I left the oil change to last and was sikcened to find that the previous servicer (PD Cars) had overtightened the sump plug - they had actually fitted a non-VW plug - despite their assurance to me that they only used genuine parts! So I had to remove the sump and get an insert put in to repair the thread before reassembling with a genuine plug.

So, thanks very much PD Cars! I would thoroughly recommend that anyone looking for a good independent in Bristol avoids them.

[gingerbloke]

Prompted by your reply and following my earlier post, I now have to say I would go to PD Cars with with your eyes open.

I had a problem with cold idling on my Bora and took my car to PD Cars. On its return there was a minor improvement in idling - they explicitly told me that they had cleaned the throttle body - but it soon reverted to cutting out at cold again.

Well, after trying a number of things myself including changing a temperature sensor and considering the possibility of a leaking head gasket, I asked a friend (2 hours ago) who knows a bit more out cars. First thing, remove air inlet to throttle body - peered inside - totally filthy. It looked like it had never been cleaned ever (I think most people can tell the difference between recent dirt and oily dirt and grime that has built up over the last 8 years).

Quite obviously the throttle body had not been cleaned - which took my friend and I less than half-an-hour to do with a cloth and some solvent, including disassembly/assembly (plastic cover and three spring clips). On reinstating all of the air inlet parts the car sparked straight to life and the revs never dropped below normal idling speed - previously revs would drop to about 400rpm and then cut out. This was a total improvement. Had they done the simple cleaning that we have just undertaken then this would have been a post of recommendation. Why not just do the damn work - it's a win-win situation?!!

On the positive side they did fix my broken window winder mechanism and door lock, so both a positive and negative experience.

Consumer power! Great forum. Thanks forum owner!

PS. Someone has just pointed out that my ECU probably needs resetting now to cope with the change. Engine does idle slightly high now but at least it doesn't cut out when I'm halfway across a road junction.