Ariel.Club Forum

Drop off and pickup on sat with a week in between. I'd be tempted to still use the factory, given Saturday opening means I don't have to take time off work and wait.

My friend uses backdraft motorsport and is happy with the service.

I'd ask the factory - they recommended cpl racing to me in the past.

The main thing is the ability for said garage to get any customised Ariel parts as required and of course know the car.

I picked up a hire car from Yeovil, which the factory dropped me off to and then got the hire car company to collect the car from Ariel afterwards. Really easy to sort and not to expensive. Yeovil is only down the road from the Factory. Other times I have dropped the car off on a Saturday and left it for the week.

I don't live that far to be honest but my plan is to pick up a cheap hire car when I drop mine off and return it once it has been serviced. Not sure if anybody else does this but could be a nice little earner for a small hire company partnering with Ariel!

I also never normally comment on reputation but I have had experience of Mark and I will never be going back to BDM ever again.

I used to take the day off work to have my Atom serviced at the factory (London based). But like you, it was costing me too much having the time off work, with the guys needing the car all day to get everything done.
Now, I drive the car there on a Saturday morning, as I only work Monday-Friday. Then I get the train back to London. Then head back down the following Saturday, which gives the guys all week to get everything done. If you phone the factory one stop before Crewkerne, someone will come and pick you up from the station too. Win win.

I see Backdraft MOTORSPORT were recommended on the recent Pistonheads article, however the above comments don't match the Pistonheads recommendation. Has anyone any other comments to make since this original thread was started?

Cheers Glenn, will give that idea some thought if as it seems there is nobody closer

TDI north. right side of manchester not round the corner but surely no worse for you than Milton Keynes. They know their way round plenty of atoms and it's a nice drive there and back from your neck of the woods. I'm Mansfield in Nottinghamshire so have the same distance issue

wasp wrote: ↑Mon Nov 12, 2018 11:31 am I never normally comment on reputation but I have had very close experience of Mark and I could make this a very long story but simply put I wouldn't go near BDM....ever.

Cheers,
Stu

Thank you Stu, Pm sent

Can anyone possibly recommend an establishment in the Lincoln, Peterborough, Boston, Grantham area or within reasonable distance please.

If driving and waiting doesn't work, have you looked into the following two options:

1) Having it transported, last time I did this it cost £140 each way. I'm based in South Oxfordshire.

2) Driving it and leaving it for a week or two (depending on how busy they are)?

I never normally comment on reputation but I have had very close experience of Mark and I could make this a very long story but simply put I wouldn't go near BDM....ever.

Cheers,
Stu

Hi Guys

Has anyone any experience or knowledge about 'Backdraft Motorsport' based in Milton Keynes? My car is due its 4yr service, I'd planned to take it to Ariel, but they want it for two days. I just can't afford the time to take it all the way back to the factory (from far east mids) for them to have it for two days (whilst I kick my heals around in Somerset), to do the service. Hence I've had to look elsewhere, so am booking it in with Backdraft after a quick google search. Would be good though to know if anyone on here has had any experience or indeed knows Mark. Maybe the factory need to have a man-in-a-van touring the country servicing our cars
Cheers