Land Rover update (and a decision on Škoda wheels and tyres)

"4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30" (4muddyfeet) 08/02/2016 at 18:13 • Filed to: land rover

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Last week I was wondering where my Land Rover Series was and how far it had progressed through it’s partial restoration. The company has had it for 9 weeks, without contact for 6 of those weeks.

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So on Thursday I managed to finish work early and surprised them by turning up to check on what progress had been made.

As it turns out I surprised myself, because absolutely no work has happened whatsoever. I came into the car park and spotted it on it’s own tucked in beside a Defender, looking decidedly like ne’er a wrench had touched it. I went straight over to it and confirmed that it was exactly the same as I had left it, save for the rear number plate being pulled off. For the last nine weeks they’ve been driving the Rover out of the garage every morning, and driving it back in every night.

I was utterly disappointed and ready to rage, so I walked into the office and met a smiling and totally un-flustered Marsha which dissolved my rage into grumpiness and I asked,

- ‘What’s happening?’

‘Oh hello you, I was wondering when I’d hear from you!’

- ‘What do you mean? It’s been six weeks now and I haven’t been able to reach you.’

‘Well we’re just waiting on your decision on the final parts list. I sent you an email.’

- ‘I definitely haven’t received an email. Was it to my personal account? Anyway I sent you an email and haven’t had a response.’

‘The same email account we always use. Hang on I’ll find it.’

Lo and behold she finds the email with the full parts list dated 6th of July, and shows me it in her sent box. She also shows me the inbox where my email is nowhere to be found.

At that point I relaxed a bit, and while still annoyed that nothing has moved with the build, all of the parts got ordered there and then and there was a pile of already confirmed parts stacked up in the corner of the workshop. It also settled my mind a little that her initial reaction wasn’t ‘Oh shit’, and rather ‘Oh hello you!’.

Before the ‘build’ I did specifically ask her not to ring me as I work outdoors, quite often with noisy machinery and in full view of customers, so I really don’t want to take personal phone calls.

We have swapped mobile numbers so we can keep up to date via text message, and I spent another two hours there talking rubbish with her husband and herself. I have since had two text messages updating me on parts and labour items, so I guess that’s good.

Am I being too soft with this matter? Or do I give them another chance and believe what was said to me (and what I saw) and their seemingly genuine reaction on seeing me? I don’t want to get pushy just for them to fart the build out in record time and in shit order. I told them to take their time and replace what needs replacing, no matter the wait.

Anyway, lots of O.M.E., Monroe, Bearmach, and GLR parts are inbound and I’m all excited again and really hope to have it on the road by September :)

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In other news:

After a quick opinion post

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I’m going to put Eagle F1 AS3's on all four corners on the stock vRS wheels, and Nankang NS-2R’s on the two Audi wheels (albeit in ‘like new’ condition rather than the scraped and gouged example above).

Haters gonna hate, but most of you said they look OK-ish :)

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 18:40

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Isn’t technology just a pain in the arse sometimes? At least it seems that the ball is rolling now, mine on the other hand sits untouched due to me not having time to devote to it... SIGH.

This is what I want it to look like, but in Pastel Green.

I am a fan of the wheels btw.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/02/2016 at 18:41

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Ooh so you’ve decided on the colour. I like pastel green, fitting now too as the Heritage Defender rocks the same colour.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 18:47

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I have, at first I was worried that it would just be too common a colour but at the Muddy Chef this weekend past I encountered a few and I really just love it. Especially if I have a sandalwood brown interior. Would look the dogs bollocks I'd think.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/02/2016 at 18:54

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Harris Tweed interior! Pleeeeeaaasse!

RallyWrench > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 19:06

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Glad to hear you had a pleasant resolution and that there’s now progress, it did seem out of character for them based on your description. I run a shop and have had similar communication problems (though admittedly not for so long) that aren’t really anyone’s fault cause delays. I do wonder why the emails and your phone calls didn’t reach either party, though. Seems odd.

On the Skoda, I like the Audi wheels! Always liked that style on our older A4s in 16" form, and they look good sized up on yours.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > RallyWrench 08/02/2016 at 19:12

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The phone calls went through but remained unanswered, and I know they transfer to Marsha’s phone when there’s no answer but the line just kept ringing out and going dead.

As you say, it at least looks like it’s moving now, and nobody was cagey about it.

Thanks for the vote on the Audi wheels, I like them too but thought I was in the minority!

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 19:21

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Interesting, I wonder how that would work in summer months heat wise...

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/02/2016 at 19:28

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What’s a summer? I know not of such fanciful things.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 19:34

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Even if you said don’t call me I think they could have tried after maybe week 3. I am lucky with the Z because any major stuff I don’t do, my friend and his brother do at their shop and I let them do whatever because I know them and they help me out a lot. I don’t know about these people, but 6 weeks is pretty long to have a vehicle and not take some initiative. Maybe it’s settled and you showed up so they know you are watching now.

I like the wheels on the rear better than the front.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 19:56

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Last Thursday was 35° and 83% humidity...

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 08/02/2016 at 19:57

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That was my thinking too, but maybe she just did as she was told? Who knows.

I prefer the stock wheel too, but I’d like a reasonably priced second set of fronts for sticky rubber and the vRS spiders are hard to come by, so the Audi wheels fill that gap nicely.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/02/2016 at 19:59

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Sod that game of cricket. I absolutely hate the heat, especially when the humidity is so high. I know you’re a Saffa , but how do you survive?!

shop-teacher > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 20:06

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I’d give them another chance.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 20:17

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Eh Durban was the same type of thing except more humid. Butthe Disco has aircon so I muddled through.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/02/2016 at 20:20

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What is aircon? I know not of such fanciful things.

I really miss a/c in the Defender, the matte paint just soaks up the heat. It’s like an aluminium torture chamber if I’m stuck in traffic in the heat.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/02/2016 at 20:43

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Should just bolt a safari roof on it. Also aircon is something they put in fancy Land Rovers

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/02/2016 at 21:00

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A new roof isn’t a bad plan actually. In its previous life it’s hit something on the roof edge on the top right of the windscreen and the roof is pulled up slightly and the hole filled with bodge. It’s minor, but it means the driver side door doesn’t quite line up with the roofline. There’s that, and the fact the sealant has gone along to roof panels and like hell am I pulling them apart to repair it. I’ll have a look for a new roof then :)

xyzabc > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/03/2016 at 06:16

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Trust, but verify.