260 specialists in Sussex / South East?

[David111]

Hi, am looking to buy a 260 and would appreciate any recommendations for a garage or specialist that I could use for service and maintenance?
I am based on the East Sussex/ West Sussex border, but happy to travel.
Many thanks
David

[Nich]

Hi, am looking to buy a 260 and would appreciate any recommendations for a garage or specialist that I could use for service and maintenance?
I am based on the East Sussex/ West Sussex border, but happy to travel.
Many thanks
David

Peter Wayte in Woking is probably your closest specialist. Crawley Down Group may still have some specialist MG engineers on payroll, might be worth contacting them as well. MLT Autos in Dorking service my 260 but I have found their work a bit 'shoddy' recently so can't really recommend but OK as a last resort.

Nich.

[ColinE]

When I lived in Sussex I used Peter Wayte and latterly drove up to Austin Garages - left the car there and trained back and collected when ready

[Pete]

Not totally relevant to you David but I do my own maintenance and servicing. I know it's been done. I did use Austin Garages once to replace the diff seal and the diff and gearbox oils. Good service from them but a long way from you. Any reputable garage should be able to do basic servicing. It's the problem solving, parts changing, parts availability where the problems start.

[David]

Echo Pete's comments above, David. For anything big or complicated, I drive the 800km to Nick at Austin's. I have a local garage prepared to accept me sourcing any parts and just charging me an hourly rate (bit "enhanced"). Avoids them sourcing Chinese rubbish!
Good for service and reasonably easy jobs, up to but not including changing the Intake, as I discovered to my cost.

David

[Jez Marsh]

There is a Mobile mechanic based in Borough Green kent close to motorway who has a good name but blessed if I can find it now.

[David]

Are you nearer finding a 260, David? I recall you expressing an interest in #575, the S/C ZT-T from Member 'splingebucket (https://www.two-sixties.co.uk/mgoc260/html/f0rum/member.php?338-splingebucket)' in Devon, recently.

David

[colintf]

Hi, am looking to buy a 260 and would appreciate any recommendations for a garage or specialist that I could use for service and maintenance?
I am based on the East Sussex/ West Sussex border, but happy to travel.
Many thanks
David

hi David,
to be honest, if I was buying / just bought one then I would book it in for it's first service in my hands, and also ask them to go over it with a fine tooth combe to spot any other issues / potential issues / things to watch with one of the three that I know really know these cars like the back of their hands; The Luti's up in Scotland, Chris Flannigan (Retro Lifetyle I think) or Nick at Austin Garages. If it comes away from one of those three with a clean bill of health then you know you've bought well! You could then use someone more local or continue to use one of those three. But, that's just me and my opinion :)

There may be others in the same league as the 3 above, but I don't know them or have any experience of them :)

[David]

Agree entirely with that, Colin. Does need to be a specialist as you say though. I drove my 'Olive' over to Austin's shortly after purchase, and had a general check done and got a two page report. Not too much of consequence but it was detailed. I was there about 6 hours, but had my tranny fluid and air-filter changed in that period too. Very glad I had it done, as it highlighted some important items needing attention, and peace of mind on lots more!

David

[colintf]

Agree entirely with that, Colin. Does need to be a specialist as you say though. I drove my 'Olive' over to Austin's shortly after purchase, and had a general check done and got a two page report. Not too much of consequence but it was detailed. I was there about 6 hours, but had my tranny fluid and air-filter changed in that period too. Very glad I had it done, as it highlighted some important items needing attention, and peace of mind on lots more!

David

i learnt my my lesson early on David, and Nick found things that a well respected local to me MG Dealer (who looked after several 260's) missed. Nick 's attention to detail really impressed me. Nick looks after 4 MGs for us. I'm sure Brian/Paul/Clare and Chris are just as good though. Nick is the closest to me. :)

[David111]

Thank you all very much for your valuable advice, really appreciated.
(Have been cheeky and asked another question on the forum..... regarding potential 260 purchase)