South Bay British Auto Repair

RIP OFF ARTISTS
We read online that this place could restore our old London Taxi. After speaking to Nigel about our car that had been at a mechanics that had no idea what he was doing and billed us over $ 9000 (turned out they had actually contacted Nigel’s place to look at the car) he suggested we bring the car to him to look at. He also suggested not to pay the previous mechanic as it seemed nothing had been done on the car. We ended up paying the other guy anyway so that we could get the car back, then paid an over the top tow fee to a company Nigel recommended to tow the car from the old mechanic to him. This was in mid May. His mechanic John was to look at the car and get back. We also gave them a copy of the $ 9100 invoice from the previous mechanic who had ripped us off. When we had picked up our car from the previous mechanic, we had driven it to the tow truck and realized it needed brakes as it wouldn’t stop. We explained this to South Bay British once we got it there.
John got back in June after having looked at it, told us we had been ripped off, nothing was really done, he could help us report the previous mechanic. John said he would start with putting rear brakes on, it would cost about $ 100 each. We agreed, and received a bill literally the next day for $ 700 for rear brakes. $ 100 each ($ 200) and it took 4 hours at $ 125per hour. That same week I had to take an emergency flight to the UK and left my husband to deal with them. He felt we had been ripped off again and literally wanted to wash his hands of the whole thing. I explained I would be back in several weeks and was told they were putting a lien (fake lien) on the car and charging $ 35 per day storage. Long story short had to fly back early, pay $ 1160 to get the car out and pay another tow fee to get it home. Problem was, when we went to pick up the car it wouldn’t start. It had been running when we left it and both my husband and I relayed this several times to Nigel. Nigel tried to play it off saying that it was the battery and it had been sitting for too long. I explained it was worked on in June and we were picking it up in July so it must be something else. After a while Nigel said if it doesn’t start when you get home, call me and I’ll send John to look at it.
Obviously it did not start, even with a new battery but trying to get hold of them by email, phone messages was impossible. We found a buyer for it several weeks later and since we had no response, we gave them Nigel’s details to contact directly to see what other work needed to be done and costs. Even though they had ripped us off, we still suggested them as someone who could restore the car. Believe it or not they never got back to them. I then had to email and say WTH, this buyer with money is trying to get this information from you. When they finally decided to email back, it was too late. We then stepped up our trying to get in contact about the car not starting, still no response. Looking through my phone I realized I still had their mechanic John’s number and we called him directly. We were now in September. John, told us that because he was working on the car and unsure about the electrics, he disconnected something which is why it wouldn’t start. Apparently it would take 10seconds to connect back. John would continually tell us next week, when next week came, we were told another next week. We were now in October. My husband ended up calling the shop on one of the scheduled days John was due to come and hadn’t turned up. From what we were told, Nigel was less than pleased and told John he couldn’t do it on work time even though it was their fault. At this point Nigel was now not returning phone calls, voicemails, emails in one case we left 3 emails, 4 messages with the receptionist and 4 voicemails all in one week. This was a total 360 turn from the immediate responses back, phonecalls etc when our car was on their lot and they thought they could probably squeeze $$$ from us. Our last message was left with John on Saturday 7^th November, a day he set to come and fix the car, a no show and no call back. Every time he had set a date, the no shows were either because he broke down, was moving, he was working, excuse after excuse which seemed to escalate after my husband called the shop asking where he was. Also on the 7^th November an email was sent to Nigel basically relaying our disgust at the way he has handled this and that we will be taking it further. Today November 11^th, still no response from either of them.
Having known we were ripped off by the prior mechanic, I feel South Bay British saw us coming, the way they have treated us knowing the situation with the car is disgusting. Don’t go to these con artists. I don’t even want to select a star, they don’t deserve it, but I need to to post.

Nigel is a wonderful guy from England and a master mechanic who has been working on these cars for 45 years! As you may know owning a classic British car can be a labour of love… Well this is the place to give it that love!
My best friend has a Classic Jaguar and no one else touches her car!

Nigel is awesome. Very honest people! They gave me an amazing quote which was half of what the competitors gave me. Very trustworthy people here! I wouldn’t go anywhere else!