Clifton Lane

[uk kiwis]

Anybody noted the impending move to Sixfields of Clifton Lane MG service?

A new huge, I mean huge building just over from the Audi showroom. By the Wicks roundabout near Sixfields......interesting.

[Rich]

I need to go and investigate this, as it seems that Clifton-Lane are moving away from being just MG-Rover specialists and are now advertising themselves as being BMW Mini and Renault (!) speacialists too... I can't really see how you can be specialists if you're going to run off a whole load of different car manufacturers... Also, if rumours are to be believed, the partnership of Clifton and Lane may not be so solid...

We haven't really had much positive feedback this year, so not sure if we'll be 'officially' recommending them for 2010 until we have all the facts are are certain that our members are getting a service worthy of it.

Watch this space!

Rich

[daved]

I mentioned to Rich weeks ago that I was told by Martin that they were moving to Sixfields and taking on more marques! It involves personal guarantees for big bank loans too.

On the subject of feedback I have two issues with them.

The first is when they changed the pads and discs on the rear wheels of the Trophy in the summer.............the rear offside wheel was loose; the nuts hadn't been tightened. When I complained they said it was a fault with the disc. Its position changed on the hub after being fitted therefore although the nuts were originally tight after the disc slipped on the hub they became loose!!!!! Just on one wheel? To be fair they took the car back and replaced the discs showing me the "replaced" ones. I had only travelled from their place to the Bedford roundabout when I heard the wheel wobbling and the "replaced" discs looked a damn sight older than the 30 mile round trip I'd done on them.

The second issue is when I bought the ZTT I had an oil service done but when dipping the oil a few weeks later it was seriously black whereas the Trophy oil remains new looking for a lot longer. The main point is that after 3000 miles I needed to put nearly 4 litres of oil in the Z but it it isn't burning any and there is no leak.

I seriously doubt that they had tightened the rear wheel on the Trophy and seriously doubt they had changed the oil in the Z.

A further minor issue is that they lost the windscreen washer bottle top.
I seriously doubt I'll use them again.

[Rich]

Well. all the signs are up on the new building but they still say 'Opening soon' so I'm not sure when they will be officially open. It doesn't look as if it's the whole building but I think they have the end part which is the one nearest the road. I can't help thinking that this could be a step towards them becoming an official MG dealer - something they were unable to do at their original premises.

Now all we need to do is see if the service improves again and to a standard that the club is willing to recommend them, after the last year or so of quite negative experiences by several of our members.

Rich

[uk kiwis]

One can only comment via personal experience but I have always found Clifton to be helpful, and so far able to carry out all I ask to an acceptable degree.

A year or so ago I had a bad experience with a so called speciaslist in Northampton who
carried out a repair on our Aircon. Two compressors later it still made a terrible noise and I used it sparingly. Needless to say smoke appeared one day and bang it went.

Clifton gave advice in 30 seconds. 'They failed to oil prime the pump'.

a second hand pump was fitted for £100, never had trouble since.

ps I should have sued for the £1,000 charged but I thought it not worth the effort.

Cliftom Lane for me now every time.

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