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Author Topic: REPAIR GONE WRONG FLAVIA 2000 COUPE  (Read 3108 times)
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Mike Anderson
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« on: 04 April, 2016, 10:12:31 PM »

Hi I'd be pleased to get any advice on the following relating to work done on my Flavia 2000 Coupe.
A restorer I have used before did a number of jobs on the car in late Jan early Feb.One of these was to repair the drivers window as the mechanism had failed and the window was dropping of its own accord. The repair was done but I was faced with a larger bill than I had anticipated for this particular job. I was told this was because the door card was difficult to remove and the cable which operates the winding mechanism had snapped. The repairer said that it wasn't obvious how the cable which they got from Omicron (cost £10.00)was routed.The repairer told me Omicron was unable to help regarding the correct way of fitting a new cable and they could find nothing online. So the passenger door card was removed to see how the cable was routed. I was charged 7.25 hours labour for this work.
After using the repaired window three times it will now only open half way and it isn't smooth in operation.
I contacted the repairer and asked if their work had any sort of guarantee but was told that I'd have to pay in full to have the window repaired again. I'm not sure what the legal position is if a repairer doesn't do the work properly. I presume that I would need some sort of independent expert report regarding the repair if I was to go down the legal route which would cost money but with no certainty of success. I'm new to Lancias-my previous classic cars being 60's Mustangs which were much simpler to work on! Is it reasonable to take a day to sort out this repair? Advancing years, a muscular/skeletal problem and a lack of knowledge limit my own ability to investigate the issue but any advice will be most welcome-thank you.
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neil-yaj396
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« Reply #1 on: 05 April, 2016, 06:12:36 AM »

Last year it took me less than two hours to strip and re-fit my Beta window mechanism. I'm no expert, and the mechanism is tricky to get through the aperture in the door then bolt up. So yes, I'd say you were overcharged, and it sounds like they didn't fit it properly after all that.

Over the years I've always found it best just to move on from these sort of people, they may have over charged you and done a poor job, but now they have lost your custom, which will cost them more in the long run.

Finding a good garage is one of the challenges of classic car ownership. My friend who owns a 2000 Coupe takes it to Omicron even though he lives in Doncaster. They are not cheap, but he knows he can 100% rely on them to look after his now valuable car.

(They are sometimes chippy to people on the phone, and I imagine they were un-impressed by a tradesman calling asking how to fit a 'simple' part).
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1979 1300 Beta Coupe, 2014 Ypsilon 1.2 S Series Momo
brian
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« Reply #2 on: 05 April, 2016, 08:31:46 AM »

This sort of problem is just where the Flavia and 2000 Consortium is so very helpful - there was a description of sorting window winders out some years ago - talk to Colin Clamp.
Brian
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Brian Hands


1922 Hands Tourer
1934 Augusta standard saloon
1938 Aprilia S1 saloon
1953 Aurelia B10
1965 Flavia Sport
Jay
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« Reply #3 on: 05 April, 2016, 10:22:27 AM »

I first read it as £7.50 an hour, which is super cheap, but realised it was 7.50 hrs of work, items like these can be tricky and time consuming, but it should be proper job including full strip down and paint. Why not take off the door cards and see what’s going on in there?     
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Julian Wood, Kingston, London
ben
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« Reply #4 on: 05 April, 2016, 11:17:57 AM »

I recently spent considerably longer than 8 hrs refitting the electric windows on my Fulvia Sport despite having taken notes when I stripped them and the cables had not broken.
Coming at the problem with no previous experience I do not find it at all surprising that say two people could spend half a day on the job.
The Fulvia has from memory 6 pulleys the cable passes over any one of which may have seized to cause the cable to break in the first place.For the most part re-threading the cable has to be done blind---or with a mirror---and doubtless some experimentation is required regarding how many times the cable has to wrap around the drum.  I would be surprised if the system on the Flavia was any simpler or easier.
I don't think the Beta has cables and pulleys so taking that apart is not really relevant.

Knowing how time consuming even the simplest job on an elderly Lancia can be and usually is it amazes me that anybody can run one if they don't do their own repairs!!
Having said that I do sympathise with you if the repair has not been done properly and I would expect a better response from the garage.
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rogerelias
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MY 1600HF IN HEARTBEAT GARAGE


« Reply #5 on: 05 April, 2016, 05:45:04 PM »

Mike where are you located?
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FULVIA 1600HF LUSSO
1958 VELOCETTE MAC
Triumph Bonneville t120v 1972
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Mike Anderson
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« Reply #6 on: 05 April, 2016, 06:13:35 PM »

Thank you all for your very helpful advice.My confidence in the repairer has been damaged and even if they agree to do the work for free I don't think I'd use them again. I'm in East Sussex TN21 so if anyone can recommend a restorer/repairer I'd appreciate it.
I will get in touch with the Consortium (I am a member) to get advice on how to remove the door card myself and see how the pulley system works so that I can assess the problem for myself. The Flavia is a very refined car, great to drive but I'm finding it's "over engineered" and that parts are either non obtainable or expensive. It's the exact opposite of my Mustang which had "agricultural" engineering was difficult to drive but easy to work on with a plentiful supply of cheap parts. I'm in the position where I'll increasingly have to rely upon someone else doing a lot of the repairs but hope that there won't be too many in the future! I've got a ticket for the Auto Italia event at Brooklands at the end of the month so may see you there. Regards Mike.
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