BUILDING A VINTAGE BENTLEY PART FOUR
THE COLLECTED PARTS STORED ON MY LONG SUFFERING MOTHER`S PATIO
CED COOKE GIVING MY CHASSIS A TEST DRIVE
RESTORATION ESTABLISHMENTS
IT`S PROBABLE THAT SOME OF YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT ALL OF THE BUILD YOURSELVES, SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO GET INVOLVED WITH A BENTLEY RESTORER. BELOW I WILL GIVE SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO SELECT ONE AND HOPEFULLY AVOID THE MANY PITFALLS THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES.
I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT OFFER RESTORATION SERVICES ARE HONEST AND ABOVE BOARD. THE HIGH VALUE OF PRESTIGE CARS LIKE THE VINTAGE BENTLEY MAKE IT EASY FOR THE LESS SCRUPULOUS TO INSTIGATE SHARP PRACTICES. HERE I MUST INCLUDE A DISCLAIMER THAT THE FOLLOWING DISCLOSURES DO NOT APPERTAIN TO ANY PARTICULAR COMPANY BUT ARE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE UNWARY. HONEST ESTABLISHMENTS WILL WELCOME THESE DISCLOSURES, AS THE SEEDY ACTIVITIES OF THE LESS SCRUPULOUS TEND TO GIVE EVERYBODY A BAD NAME. ONLY THE GUILTY WILL COMPLAIN.
A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE RESTORATION COMPANIES ARE CUSTOMERS THAT DO NOT, OR ARE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT AND THEN GO ON TO ACCUSE THE COMPANY OF NOT DOING THE WORK CORRECTLY. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS TO RESEARCH INTO EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND THEN PRODUCE A SET OF WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS TO PRESENT TO THE RESTORER AS A BASIS FOR DISCUSSION AND THEIR QUOTATION.
THE SCAMS
IT`S IRONIC THAT HARD HEADED BUSINESS FOLK CAN BECOME MISTY EYED AND EMOTIONAL WHEN IT CONCERNS A BOYHOOD AMBITION SUCH AS A VINTAGE BENTLEY AND BECOME PUTTY IN THE HANDS OF THE UNSCRUPULOUS. BEFORE GOING ANY FURTHER I WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SCAMS THAT ARE AROUND THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF.
UP FRONT DOSH
IT HAS BEEN KNOWN THAT RESTORERS OFFER TO PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS A DEAL, WHERE IF THE CUSTOMER PAYS THE FULL COST OF THE RESTORATION UP FRONT, THE CUSTOMER WILL BE SAVED ANY INCREASE IN LABOUR AND OTHER COSTS DURING THE RESTORATION. NEVER ACCEPT THIS TYPE OF DEAL AS YOUR CAR WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER TO COMPLETE COMPARED TO THE CARS OF THE MORE ASTUTE CUSTOMERS THAT PAY BY RESULTS. AS FAR AS A FIXED PRICE IS CONCERNED A REASON CAN ALWAYS BE FOUND TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL BILLS. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT A BUSINESS CAN ALWAYS CEASE TRADING FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS AND YOU COULD LOSE YOUR MONEY AND YOUR CAR AS WELL..
PAY CASH AND SAVE THE V.A.T
IF YOU DO A DEAL WITH THE RESTORER TO PAY CASH FOR THE WORK AND SAVE PAYING THE V.A.T, NOT ONLY IS THIS ILLEGAL, IF YOU HAVE A DISPUTE WITH THE RESTORER IT WILL BE HARD TO PROVE THAT THEY CARRIED OUT THE WORK AS THERE WILL BE NO OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION AVAILABLE. EVEN IF YOU CAN PROVE THAT THEY CARRIED OUT THIS WORK YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE COURT SYSTEM TO SOLVE THE DISPUTE AS YOU ARE AS GUILTY AS THEM IN AVOIDING PAYMENT OF V.A.T AND COULD BE LIABLE FOR A LARGE FINE, EVEN JAIL. THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL RESTORERS THAT KEEP THEIR TURNOVER BELOW THE THRESHOLD OF V.A.T AND TO USE THEM COULD SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY.
PAYING FULL PRICE FOR PARTS
WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR ITEMISED BILL FROM THE RESTORATION COMPANY, IF YOU BOTHER TO READ IT CAREFULLY YOU WILL SEE THAT ALL THE SMALL ITEMS SUCH AS BOLTS, SCREWS, WASHERS AND NUTS ARE AN INCREDIBLE PRICE. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE COMPANY BUYS THESE IN BULK AND THEN CHARGES YOU FOR SINGLE UNITS AT AN INFLATED PRICE. A TYPICAL EXAMPLE ARE THE WATER JACKETS WHICH NEED SEVERAL HUNDRED SCREWS TO FIX THEM TO THE CYLINDER BLOCK. IF THE COMPANY BUYS PARTS ON YOUR BEHALF THEY WILL CHARGE YOU THE BOOK PRICE EVEN IF THEY HAVE NEGOTIATED A DISCOUNT. EVEN IF THEY BUY THE PARTS V.A.T FREE THEY WILL HAVE TO CHARGE YOU V.A.T ON THEIR BILL TO YOU IF THEY ARE REGISTERED. THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO BUY ALL THE PARTS YOURSELF, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE BENEFIT OF ALL THE DISCOUNTS THAT YOU NEGOTIATE.
HOW LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING?
UNBELIEVABLY A RESTORER SAID THIS TO ME ONCE WHEN I ASKED FOR A PRICE FOR SOME WORK.THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS, "LONGER THAN YOU THINK". ALTERNATIVELY, "LET`S SIT DOWN AND PUT DOWN ON PAPER EXACTLY HOW LONG THAT PIECE OF STRING IS GOING TO BE".
SOME RESTORES WILL NOT GIVE OUT ESTIMATES BUT PREFER TO CHARGE BY THE HOUR ARGUING THAT IT`S CHEAPER FOR THE CUSTOMER IN THE LONG RUN. DON`T FALL FOR THIS ONE! IT`S VERY DIFFICULT TO MONITOR THE NUMBER OF HOURS USED BY A RESTORER AND EVEN IF THE HOURLY RATE CHARGED IS LOWER THAN OTHER RESTORERS, THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THE NUMBER OF HOURS CHARGED IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER, SO THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT ANY PRICE ADVANTAGE CAN BE CALCULATED.
ANY GOOD RESTORER WILL KNOW HOW LONG ANY JOB ON YOUR BENTLEY WILL TAKE AND BE ABLE TO GIVE AN ACCURATE ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THE WORK WILL COST. THERE ARE ALWAYS UNEXPECTED PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR DURING ANY RESTORATION AND THE WAY TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS IS TO NEGOTIATE AND AGREE AN ADDITIONAL SUM TO COVER THE EXTRA WORK AS IT OCCURS. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE RESTORER TO BULK OUT THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE TO COVER ANY UNEXPECTED WORK.
CLICK HERE FOR PART FIVE
IT`S PROBABLE THAT SOME OF YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT ALL OF THE BUILD YOURSELVES, SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO GET INVOLVED WITH A BENTLEY RESTORER. BELOW I WILL GIVE SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO SELECT ONE AND HOPEFULLY AVOID THE MANY PITFALLS THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES.
I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT OFFER RESTORATION SERVICES ARE HONEST AND ABOVE BOARD. THE HIGH VALUE OF PRESTIGE CARS LIKE THE VINTAGE BENTLEY MAKE IT EASY FOR THE LESS SCRUPULOUS TO INSTIGATE SHARP PRACTICES. HERE I MUST INCLUDE A DISCLAIMER THAT THE FOLLOWING DISCLOSURES DO NOT APPERTAIN TO ANY PARTICULAR COMPANY BUT ARE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE UNWARY. HONEST ESTABLISHMENTS WILL WELCOME THESE DISCLOSURES, AS THE SEEDY ACTIVITIES OF THE LESS SCRUPULOUS TEND TO GIVE EVERYBODY A BAD NAME. ONLY THE GUILTY WILL COMPLAIN.
A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE RESTORATION COMPANIES ARE CUSTOMERS THAT DO NOT, OR ARE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT AND THEN GO ON TO ACCUSE THE COMPANY OF NOT DOING THE WORK CORRECTLY. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS TO RESEARCH INTO EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND THEN PRODUCE A SET OF WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS TO PRESENT TO THE RESTORER AS A BASIS FOR DISCUSSION AND THEIR QUOTATION.
THE SCAMS
IT`S IRONIC THAT HARD HEADED BUSINESS FOLK CAN BECOME MISTY EYED AND EMOTIONAL WHEN IT CONCERNS A BOYHOOD AMBITION SUCH AS A VINTAGE BENTLEY AND BECOME PUTTY IN THE HANDS OF THE UNSCRUPULOUS. BEFORE GOING ANY FURTHER I WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SCAMS THAT ARE AROUND THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF.
UP FRONT DOSH
IT HAS BEEN KNOWN THAT RESTORERS OFFER TO PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS A DEAL, WHERE IF THE CUSTOMER PAYS THE FULL COST OF THE RESTORATION UP FRONT, THE CUSTOMER WILL BE SAVED ANY INCREASE IN LABOUR AND OTHER COSTS DURING THE RESTORATION. NEVER ACCEPT THIS TYPE OF DEAL AS YOUR CAR WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER TO COMPLETE COMPARED TO THE CARS OF THE MORE ASTUTE CUSTOMERS THAT PAY BY RESULTS. AS FAR AS A FIXED PRICE IS CONCERNED A REASON CAN ALWAYS BE FOUND TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL BILLS. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT A BUSINESS CAN ALWAYS CEASE TRADING FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS AND YOU COULD LOSE YOUR MONEY AND YOUR CAR AS WELL..
PAY CASH AND SAVE THE V.A.T
IF YOU DO A DEAL WITH THE RESTORER TO PAY CASH FOR THE WORK AND SAVE PAYING THE V.A.T, NOT ONLY IS THIS ILLEGAL, IF YOU HAVE A DISPUTE WITH THE RESTORER IT WILL BE HARD TO PROVE THAT THEY CARRIED OUT THE WORK AS THERE WILL BE NO OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION AVAILABLE. EVEN IF YOU CAN PROVE THAT THEY CARRIED OUT THIS WORK YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE COURT SYSTEM TO SOLVE THE DISPUTE AS YOU ARE AS GUILTY AS THEM IN AVOIDING PAYMENT OF V.A.T AND COULD BE LIABLE FOR A LARGE FINE, EVEN JAIL. THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL RESTORERS THAT KEEP THEIR TURNOVER BELOW THE THRESHOLD OF V.A.T AND TO USE THEM COULD SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY.
PAYING FULL PRICE FOR PARTS
WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR ITEMISED BILL FROM THE RESTORATION COMPANY, IF YOU BOTHER TO READ IT CAREFULLY YOU WILL SEE THAT ALL THE SMALL ITEMS SUCH AS BOLTS, SCREWS, WASHERS AND NUTS ARE AN INCREDIBLE PRICE. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE COMPANY BUYS THESE IN BULK AND THEN CHARGES YOU FOR SINGLE UNITS AT AN INFLATED PRICE. A TYPICAL EXAMPLE ARE THE WATER JACKETS WHICH NEED SEVERAL HUNDRED SCREWS TO FIX THEM TO THE CYLINDER BLOCK. IF THE COMPANY BUYS PARTS ON YOUR BEHALF THEY WILL CHARGE YOU THE BOOK PRICE EVEN IF THEY HAVE NEGOTIATED A DISCOUNT. EVEN IF THEY BUY THE PARTS V.A.T FREE THEY WILL HAVE TO CHARGE YOU V.A.T ON THEIR BILL TO YOU IF THEY ARE REGISTERED. THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO BUY ALL THE PARTS YOURSELF, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE BENEFIT OF ALL THE DISCOUNTS THAT YOU NEGOTIATE.
HOW LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING?
UNBELIEVABLY A RESTORER SAID THIS TO ME ONCE WHEN I ASKED FOR A PRICE FOR SOME WORK.THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS, "LONGER THAN YOU THINK". ALTERNATIVELY, "LET`S SIT DOWN AND PUT DOWN ON PAPER EXACTLY HOW LONG THAT PIECE OF STRING IS GOING TO BE".
SOME RESTORES WILL NOT GIVE OUT ESTIMATES BUT PREFER TO CHARGE BY THE HOUR ARGUING THAT IT`S CHEAPER FOR THE CUSTOMER IN THE LONG RUN. DON`T FALL FOR THIS ONE! IT`S VERY DIFFICULT TO MONITOR THE NUMBER OF HOURS USED BY A RESTORER AND EVEN IF THE HOURLY RATE CHARGED IS LOWER THAN OTHER RESTORERS, THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THE NUMBER OF HOURS CHARGED IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER, SO THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT ANY PRICE ADVANTAGE CAN BE CALCULATED.
ANY GOOD RESTORER WILL KNOW HOW LONG ANY JOB ON YOUR BENTLEY WILL TAKE AND BE ABLE TO GIVE AN ACCURATE ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THE WORK WILL COST. THERE ARE ALWAYS UNEXPECTED PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR DURING ANY RESTORATION AND THE WAY TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS IS TO NEGOTIATE AND AGREE AN ADDITIONAL SUM TO COVER THE EXTRA WORK AS IT OCCURS. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE RESTORER TO BULK OUT THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE TO COVER ANY UNEXPECTED WORK.
CLICK HERE FOR PART FIVE