Servicing Recommendations

[FirstTimer]

Hi,

Recently bought my first car, a '05' 1.6 Manual T-Spirit Corolla which I'm very happy with (except for the slighly rattly interior and the squeaky clutch pedal).

Eventually it will need servicing and I thought I'd get ahead and find out which are the most reliable garages in my area. I live in Wembley, NW London and I have identified Jemca Colindale, Currie Motors Twickenham and Twin Spark Hampstead as my nearest service Centres.

Having read around the forums, I spotted a few members who are unhappy with Jemca. Do people in this forum have any comments on Jemca?

Regarding Currie Motors Twickenham, I sent my car back within a week of purchase to get some window seals changed under warranty and the Squeaky clutch looked at. They fixed all the seals but failed to find the squeaking noise in the clutch even though I explained that it only made a noise as you slowly moved the clutch pedal around the biting point. I'm pretty sure that the clutch pedal noise may only be a lubrication problem, but it may also be a fault in the Master Cylinder. Anyhow, I had to go in again to demonstrate the noise and even after they claimed to have fixed it, it still made the noise. So... not too impressed with Currie Motors' abilities.

Twin Spark Hamstead seems to be a multi purpose garage. They don't sell toyota's, just service them along with other make of cars. Does anyone have experience of them? Are there any other garages around London that people can recommend?

Also, any idea on what the problem with the clutch could be and how I can get the dealership to correctly identify it and fix it?

Many Thanks!

FirstTimer

[MarcTS]

Hi and welcome to the club.

I actually bought my CTS from Jemca in collindale and to be honest I really haven't been impressed by them. Their after sales wasn't great and they consistently forgot about my phone calls and requests after I had bought the car. After a few attempts to get some help or so-operation out of them, I decided not to bother any more. A new dealership has opened up in Watford I believe which is much closer to me so I might head over and see what they are like.

[DaveSR]

Welcome to TOC and the -

Corolla Squeeky Clutch Club ;)

Mine to has a squeeky clutch and has been in many times (+5) and it still hasn't been sorted :(

I know this sounds bad of the garage but I am quite happy with their service and the way I am being treated. Just remember that cars have alot of parts and that it's just a squeek that you have wrong with your car ;)

[TheSpannerMonkey]

from memory there were a few things with corolla clutches that caused them to squeak, the most common was a lubrication problem that could be cured with spray grease on the pedal and duck oil on the release bearing, but i seem to remember changing a few masters cylinders for the same fault

also there was a warranty for the dash rattle, i think i was just some foam added to the locators at the back of the dash, but i cant remember any come backs while i worked there so it must have worked, tho check the gap above your radio before you have this done, because the dash has to come of and corolla radios are notorious for not fitting right once they have been taken out, ps if you get them to fix the dash rattle and they use the foam kit from toyota ask them if you can have the remaining foam, its almost as useful as duck tape and alot of the kit isnt used, i have fixed loads of rattles on my own car and trimmed the little pocket bits in my centre console and used a little bit for the top of my dash to protect my dvd screen