Need Help dealing with NSX Specialist, Melbourne Australia

[OzzieJohn]

Last weekend I dropped my NSX off at the workshop of Paul McCreedy in Melbourne Australia (Classic Team Lotus) for a timing belt service.

I have not been able to reach him by phone since that time and he has not returned my messages. I am 90 minutes away and have to work during the day so I can't sit outside his workshop in the rain waiting for him to show up.

I have discovered that at least one other customer has been attempting to arrange the return of their Lotus for a full month now but has not been able to track the guy down.

Does anyone here where Paul is? I simply want to get my car back and take it to someone who will do the job without literally hiding from their customers.

Suggestions anyone?

 

[NSXsan]

any luck with your car OzzieJohn ???

 

[OzzieJohn]

Hey Laski! I just managed to track him down and picked my car up, work not done.

[START RANT]
Paul McCreery aka Classic Team Lotus is a good guy but in this case time was a factor and frankly I got sick of being mucked around. After he told me he was ready to do the work (1 day job) a couple of weeks ago, I took the car to him.... it seems he then:

* got busy with another job;
* broke a tool he needed;
* lost his phone so he couldn't return my calls;
* didn't show up to work for a few days;
* then went away Friday for a long weekend;
* and then extended his weekend through to Wednesday.

His work is top notch. He's also honest and genuinely friendly, the type of guy any petrolhead will get along with. But his customer service is worse than anything I've ever experienced. After hearing stories of customers who have:

* Taken Paul to court after having their car in his shop for a YEAR
* Being told (by another customer trying to track him down) that he's liable to physically hide behind a sofa in his workshop until customers stop knocking on the door and go home; and
* Speaking to another long-term customer who currently has his car in the workshop and has been trying to speak to Paul for 6 weeks (to the point of phoning every 30 minutes).

...I had visions of my job heading in the same direction and simply wanted to get my car back. I guess his mind has been on other things lately and I wish him all the best with whatever those things are. Hopefully I can return and enjoy the benefits of his work in the future when time is not a factor as there are not too many factory trained NSX techs around.

This rant is so people in Melbourne can make an informed choice about taking their car to Paul and because ranting on Prime is way cheaper than finding a psychiatrist :biggrin:
[END RANT]

 

[NSXsan]

Im glad you have got your baby back :biggrin: , so whose gonna do the work now ?

 

[OzzieJohn]

Laski I'd like to tell you but I'm worried that mentioning Robert Lane Honda here might get me flamed :biggrin:

 

[Skippy]

OzzieJohn, saw your outstanding NSX on the Calder Freeway and it put into the shade various Porsches and an Aston Martin on the same stretch of road that day. Have you had any luck with adding to the selection of reliable NSX mechanics in Melbourne.

 

[OzzieJohn]

Hey Skippy I'm starting to really like you already! Were you in the NSX?

I heard yesterday that the guy who was phoning Paul (Classic Team Lotus) every 30 minutes trying to get his car back in early July is still trying to get his car back.... I understand that Paul has things other than work on his mind at the moment.

*mumble* Robert *cough* Lane..... seriously. First 2 visits, not impressed. Last 2 visits, everything I could hope for + more. Maybe it's a matter of perspective but here's what you might expect based on my experience:

Book it in, drop off, pick up your courtesy car, if it's a long job they phone you every day. Whilst they're at it they also fix this and that and the other thing, free, and replace missing parts that you didn't know were missing. Then you get a call before you expected to say your car is ready. Back into the 1-week-old loaner car, down to Robert Lane, they show you over an interesting NSX out back (hope I'm not getting anyone in trouble), knock some money off the bill, and you're on your way. Then you get home and at 7pm Paul - the service manager - calls to chat for half an hour about NSXs and offers all sorts of flexible and helpful solutions regarding some future work on the car.

I know Dippy gets rubbed the wrong way by the whole "yes Sir, no Sir, that will be $1000 and 3 weeks, Sir".... but they do the job right, and they do it when they say they will do it, and you don't need to trawl around pubs and stake out their dealership for days just to get in touch with them. If you factor in that rubbish and value your time at all, Robert Lane are probably much cheaper.

Sorry for another manifesto. I've worked as a legal secretary, I can type :biggrin:

Where do you go for service Skippy????

 

[Skippy]

No I wasn't in the NSX that day. Good drive up the Calder, turning off the Bendigo side of Taradale, just on Elphingstone, gives you a nice selection of curves and straights to Bendigo via Sedgwick. Thanks for your opinion re Lanes. I have had my major servicing there and I tend to agree with you. Pricey but they seem to look after you and the car. There had been a change of personel when I was in there in December but good to hear things are now OK.