keeping your classic on the road
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Everything for your classic or older car
I can undertake servicing, welding, repairs, engine rebuilding, modifications and advice. I can offer a personal service to suit your budget and timescale from small jobs right through to full restorations.
At all stages you will be kept informed of progress and full photographic records of the work can be requested if desired.
Some of my customers work with me on their cars while others simply leave me to get on with the work. Either way, I’m happy for you to be as much or as little involved in your project as you like.
Prices
As from January 1st 2024
For all servicing and repairs my hourly rate is £45 an hour.
For Existing long-term full restoration projects I charge £40 an hour.
Breaks in work. If you wish to pause work, please collect your vehicles and associated parts for the duration of the pause. Alternatively, you can store the vehicle at my workshop at a cost of £10.00 per day until you are ready to proceed.
Terms
Most of my restoration customers wish to pay for work on their vehicles in stages; that helps your cash-flow and mine.
There are often delays in car restorations due to parts or outside services, such as machining, not being available immediately. In those circumstances the work will not be considered to be paused, merely delayed. Due to my health issues and disabilities, sometimes work is delayed unexpectedly.
I usually have several customers’ vehicles in the workshop at any one time to allow me to earn while waiting for parts and outside services. That system allows me to keep my hourly rate lower than similar classic car workshops. If I’m not working on your car in a particular week it will because I’m working on another customer’s car or I’m unwell.
I tend to invoice for work done at the end of the week in which the work took place. I strongly encourage customers to pay on receipt of the invoice, preferably on the day or within three days. If payment is not received within three days, including weekends, I’ll assume you wish to pause the work and will charge £10 per day storage costs for your vehicle and associated parts until the bill is payed.
Payment by internet transfer is preferred though credit cards and debit cards can be accepted via a payment link on request. Cash payments are not usually accepted unless in very exceptional circumstances.
Most trades oriented micro-businesses can not survive if payments are late. See the article on my personal blog for details, here: https://nicknakorn.wordpress.com/2024/02/02/breadline-blues/
Modern cars
To date, all my work has been on classic and older cars, small classic commercial vehicles and the odd motorcycle. I do not have the facilities to work on ‘modern’ cars.
Generally, ‘modern’ means anything built after the year 2000: vehicles that are loaded with computers, multiple ECUs and dozens of sensors - I simply don’t have the required diagnostic equipment, experience or the special tools many vehicles now require.
Estimates and Guarantees
Many of the cars I work on are now 60 years old. Sometimes even simple tasks can escalate very quickly if fastenings snap or require a great deal of work to undue due to rust, corrosion, metal fatigue or previous sub-standard work by other workshops. I therefore do not offer quotes or firm estimates. I pay a lot of attention to prices in other workshops and, thus far, I’m massively cheaper than other classic car enterprises.
I’m also unable to offer guarantees. This is of great concern to me and my customers but, sadly, it’s unavoidable at the rates I charge - mostly because it’s very, very hard to know, in advance, if a new or reconditioned part is up to the correct standard. Sub-standard parts are becoming almost the norm for classic cars since the takeover of many historic brands and suppliers by investors and hedge funds who have no interest in quality. Added to that is the aforementioned age of most of the cars I work on. When one part is properly replaced or repaired, the next weakest part tends to fail.
If I were to offer firm estimates, quotes and guarantees, I’d have to double or treble my hourly rate.
From this beautiful Mercedes to the wonderful Morris Minor,
I share your enthusiasm for your old mechanical friend.
all classic and older cars are welcome
Parts and outside services.
In most cases I can obtain parts at trade prices and from January 1st 2024 I add 25% to cover my time, delivery and research. Sometimes, the cost to you is less than the retail price you might pay from a retail supplier. If you require genuine (often more expensive) O.E.M. (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts, let me know. Otherwise I will source pattern/reproduction parts from trusted suppliers if they are more readily available. Note that I’m not responsible for the quality, fit or suitability of parts you supply. In the last few years the quality of classic car parts has plummeted and is becoming problematic due to many reputable brands and companies being taken over by less reputable owners and investors.
There are some aspects of my work, such as machining, resprays and gearbox rebuilds that I farm out to specialists who are better equipped for the task.
Below are some videos showing the variety of work I undertake. For more see my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nagaraautomotive4827
