Charles Ware, what are they like

Post by **rich-legg** » Thu May 21, 2009 9:47 am

A lot of the time, the only way to keep a restoration within a customers budget is to either use lots of filler, or have lower hourly rates. When I do a resto for someone, I always go for the latter.

I would say a lot of older style of companies would go with the former, mainly because they can get away with high labour rates, and because filler was an easier & more acceptable 'back in the day'.

Post by **moggie-tom** » Thu May 21, 2009 10:23 am

£13000 for a full rebuild

well if I was stupidly rich...

Post by **Blaketon** » Sun May 24, 2009 2:59 pm

Speaking as a former customer, they have some competent enough welders. I wish I could say the same of their fitters and of the communications between customer and workshop.

moggie-tom wrote:£13000 for a full rebuild well if I was stupidly rich...

I wouldn't call that excessive provided the job is done properly!!!

Post by **monty55** » Sun May 24, 2009 9:36 pm

alfabob wrote:many thanks, does anyone know of any bodyshops in the South Wales area? Not being in the trade anymore i only know about the big shops who would not be interested

I've used Seawall MOT (Seawall Road behind tremorfa steelworks) for the past couple of years (found through the Fiat Coupe forum). I've never had body work done, but they are a genuine bunch. If you take your Moggie down there and say them were recommended, they will know I recommended them

Ask to look at some of their work - if you go on a sat morning, I can pop down - I need a price on a rusty bootlid repair.

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:16 pm

I recently did a full resto of my van, which had been restored at Charles Ware's a few years before. I was quite surprised at what I found, and would be happy to share my observations (off the forum, to avoid transgressing against the rule about saying negative things about traders).

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:36 pm

Cunningly put Wibble!

Post by **lynda** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 9:47 pm

You can pm pskipper as well, if you want to hear a tale of terror and torched minors

Post by **bigginger** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:15 am

This thread is raising alarm bells among the Mods - could we drop the threat of horror stories now? I think PLENTY has been said, and enough offers of more provided, and it would be wise not to sail any closer to the legal wind, or the thred will be modified/locked.