Vw splitscreen restoration advice please..

littlegoldfishie

Hello all, I bought a vw splitscreen, which I took to a well known restoration place, I was originally quoted 10-15k for work to be conducted and given a rough time frame of 3 months. It's now 15 months since I have left the van with him and it's still not ready, it's not even been painted. Last time we spoke, he said that the work had taken longer than expected as the van was in worse condition than he first thought and to keep the cost of restoration within the 15k budget, he wouldn't be able to fit windows and a few other bits that we had agreed on initial consultation. I have paid 13k to date and despite me requesting to have it back by certain dates (for festivals that I had bought tickets for) he keeps stalling. How am I to move forward with this?
Thanks in advance for any advice...

colino

First of all you have to visit the restorer and have a look at your van. With such a long timescale, anything could have happened and you want to document the work, ideally with pictures, so far. I hope this is a straightforward misunderstanding and he's been looking after your money, but then again, out of sight, out of mind, this van might have been cannabalised for other work with him thinking you'd forgotten about it.

littlegoldfishie

Thanks, I am going over in the morning with my camera, I have been a few months back and he had actually started work on it, a few panels had been made, he promised a month or so ago it was due to go into paint the next week, but have heard nothing since. I believe because I paid so much up front, that he took in other paying work and left it in a barn out of sight. I just want my blinking van back, I expected it back to enjoy last summer in it, but looks like I will be missing out on this one too. Is there any point in I sitting the originally agreed items - new windows, iPod connectors, headlining etc are fitted for the 15k? I feel like he is ripping me off

colino

Frankly, they are not, even with less of them on the road, priced as strongly as they once were. £15k could buy you an up and running spiltscreen so I'd be pushing for the job to be fully done asap.

littlegoldfishie

Yeah I know, but it's a bit late for me now. C'est la vie...

littlegoldfishie

To be honest, it was up and running, just needed a revamp. So annoying!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

sounds like he hasnt prioritised your van and taken in work on a regular basis and done this as and when he has an empty bay.

restorers at best usually ring with when certain miles stones are completed,

a mile stone will be a strip down completion call customer (may want picks) to to document and pass over receipt for folder.

then engine/gearbox strip down rebuild and new shiney parts put on it, (call customer like above for pics) pass on receipt for folder.

all new metal work and welding completed (call customer take pics and pass on receipt).

interior passed over to trimmers, stipped and retirmmed call customer pics and reciept.

all wiring completed call customer pics pass on receipt.

prepped with primer call cutomer take pic.

body work completed call customer take pic.

project complete call customer for collection final payment.


i know someone who just restored a morris oxford,at every stage he was in contact with the owner. and the owner always came down every two weeks or so to take pics help out for the day, and pay what was owed between mile stones.

you must be very trusting in this person to hand over that amount of cash upfront and not hear of anywork going on.

moneyspender1981

Just my 10 pence worth,

15k is alot for a restoration, and 15 months is not acceptable for a restoration period, especially when you were told 3 months at the start.

I would go to the garage with a friend for support sit down with the guy and discuss. ask him whats left to do, why has it taken so long. ask him how long he has spent on it already, Break down of costs hourly rate or the job.


If he is likely to fob you off, tell him how much do you owe him to take the van now, if its really high talk about trade and standards and tell him you would like to bring a professional in to look at it.

15 k is alot of cash, but not knowing exactly what was required, how ever you are a custome , you have expectation.
trust me if the garage is good, they will be busy and always looking to serve the most demanding customer first becaus they dont want to turn work away. they just try and please everyone.

if you start talking about taking the van else where and only paying for whats been done, they wont want to loose your money.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

15K can be about its mark on a nut and bolt,new metal work fabricaion, engine and electrics and interior restore.

just for e.g jaguar e type can cost about 40-100k to restore depending on level of finish and quality.

i agree with you though. but OP hasnt been back to update us on what progress its at and what the garage has said now.

forgotmyname

Anyone watch Mark Evans was it? A car is born.

He did an E-Type jag, Im sure he spent over £100,000 on it and later sold it for
£60k or £80k.

Bit more involved than a VW maybe but shows how easily the price goes up and up.

15 months when he initially said 3 thought. OUCH!!.

I would want him on the phone weekly saying why its not done yet.

Notmyrealname

moneyspender1981 wrote: »

Just my 10 pence worth,

15k is alot for a restoration,

It isn't. I stopped counting at £5k on my Capri and when I started, that had an MOT and was a daily runner.