Originally Posted by fat-thomas

also your new website mentions you do bodywork but your garbled long post says you dont.
which is it?

Originally Posted by JGlanzaV

Oh dear.

It's not going well for the Subaru slayer....

Originally Posted by rickybobby

I'm about to attempt to read that reply, does anyone have any tips or possibly an abbreviated version?

Originally Posted by jayallen

There should be a mechanics "list" like there is for sex offenders where if added you can't go anywhere near cars....This clown would be top of that list!

Originally Posted by fat-thomas

Hold on you can fit any old head to any old block remember

Originally Posted by ZANY

Sorry dude didn't have the full picture you must be pretty laid back if that was me he wouldn't be found never mind work on another scooby, but I hear horror stories all the time when people go for the cheaper option and cry after, you can never educate arrogance my freind so just watch them suffer and they still won't learn regardless

Originally Posted by tyler120706

Firstly can I say Dan dukes (aka STIg whatever which is actually a wrx )constant assaults it takes time and a genuine personal grudge to do what he’s doing also messaging anyone who wants to use anyone other than his preferred garage quizzes them why and then starts with the threatening behaviour all screenshot by these people for if he should every make good of his threats

Originally Posted by fat-thomas

i love tony houghs comedy work, it does make me think anybody can be a mechanic

Originally Posted by Tidgy

Don't forget hes now a certified mapping expert as well has a certificate from ESL and everything,,,,,,,

Originally Posted by rickybobby

I'm about to attempt to read that reply, does anyone have any tips or possibly an abbreviated version?

Originally Posted by fat-thomas

Please write your response using paragraphs...

Originally Posted by Forged Asbo

Does any1 stay on here that has maybe had good service from tony hough.....?????

Originally Posted by Forged Asbo

Does any1 stay on here that has maybe had good service from tony hough.....?????

Originally Posted by BoozyDave

I asked him how he got the car back from Wales..........he towed it on a straight bar

Originally Posted by BoozyDave

The question you are asking is 'has anyone had good service from tony hough?'

I've not seen any positive comments about his work

Originally Posted by rb5 stu

Its fine to tow an impreza with a bar or rope.

Originally Posted by Tidgy

We'll given your car is on his website and you havnt made any comments you must be one of the few haha

Originally Posted by tyler120706

Hi everyone it’s the guy that can’t do anything right here not often I use Scooby net in all honesty I prefer other forums and media but I think it’s time to come on and say my piece seen as Dan obv wants to make everything public but funnily enough only since the Scooby clinic pot hole saga one or two other have a personal vendetta too which is fine everyone is entitled to their opinions.

Firstly can I say Dan dukes (aka STIg whatever which is actually a wrx )constant assaults it takes time and a genuine personal grudge to do what he’s doing also messaging anyone who wants to use anyone other than his preferred garage quizzes them why and then starts with the threatening behaviour all screenshot by these people for if he should every make good of his threats but let’s go through this anyway if anything to set the record straight. I’m going to try to stick to abit of a timeline here so please bear with and the grammar police can comment later
This will be a long one
Firstly as from this original post yes I’ve done a ESL mapping course a great insight to into the dark arts or remapping and that’s exactly what it was an insight and I really enjoyed the day but it’s been used by me to spot a problem with my own can after having several bad mapping experiences either running massively rich cold start issues thing of that nature. BUT that’s what I see it has an insight, I do not consider myself a Subaru remapper and nor do I touch a customer’s car with anything other than a diagnostics tools I that fashion to find faults. However I am also qualified by the IMI in professional vehicle remapping which is a completely different qualification for something totally different just making that clear to everyone so not to be confused.
Next the pictured car in this thread.
This is my old car bought by me in 2011 bit of a project of mine over time doing allsorts of bits a bobs forged 2.5 18g 6 speed ect mapped and the clinic early 2013 at 400/450 but it carried my private plate back then, was then sold as a standard car stand version 5 engine refitted and 5 speed alactek removed ect this was October 2013 it was only sold to pay for my wife’s funeral otherwise I would of stayed with me only sold due to hard times
The Pics show massive holes under the bonnet to fit some aero catches that’s true they are there I can’t deny it the car was bought from me like that in 2013 by the current owner fitted (not fitted by me but again yes they are there) due the common bonnet catch failure problem with Subaru’s after a new bonnet was sourced the one that went over the roof wasn’t repairable The only time they have been touch since is one had become brittle with 4 years of weathering and snapped whilst the car was in the garage the same style and sort was sourced brand new parts and fitted free of charge in to the existing holes as a courtesy by my company to the customer as I felt it was the right thing to do.
This car came to us just before xmas 2014 with a 4k budget with the following, snapped cam belt clutch worn to the rivets gearbox about shot rear bumper hanging off due to rusted rear end bent front end from previous crash damage whilst in their ownership was on its second interior in 2 years the current been again seriously soiled no front pads massively lipped front discs seized rear calliper’s one sticking front calliper (which I wasn’t of at the time) non-working fuel gauge incorrect wheels fitted rubbing on the body work 2 large gashes on the inner side walls of the front tyres. And bodywork in a very bad state of repair basically it had been clearly ran into the ground until it literary wouldn’t run anymore.

Customers wish list was get the above sorted making it road worthy again but also with wide arch kit fmic and it and remap it to over 300 bhp with new silicone hoses sti rear lights catch can system gauges interior and harnesses all with a 4k budget. That’s right a new engine box clutch bigger turbo fmic remap the wish list and sort everything else out for it to be safe again. BEAR IN MIND THIS CAR WENT THROUGH A MOT LIKE THIS 3 WEEKS BEFORE IT CAME TO THE GARAGE BUT WE LL COME BACK TO THAT due to the owner been a friend and my sentimental attachment to the car I agreed to do it all at 4k if it was in my time and it would take a couple of months minimum to complete seen as with a wish list like that the labour was going to be for free which I was happy to do if it was in my own time the parts price alone outweighed the 4k budget when u start including a much needed ecutek remap and licence to £650 min price plus RR time leaving us with £3350 to play with . It was stated at the time to make this car right it needs a full repaint and some panels replacing to sort it due to creased and many dings and the front end damage. I would of preferred not to cut the arches as we are NOT a bodyshop and don’t have the expertise to do that sort of thing but the budget didn’t allow for cutting out all the rust on the rear end welding new panels in and repainting TO BE DONE BY A THIRD PARTY so the bumper had somewhere to hang and restore the car to its former glory. But that’s what the customer wanted either way and The customer was made aware of this although they already knew so it was more reiterated that’s not what we do but was fine with it do it her plans for a full body restore when funds allowed. So ok I’ll give that one bad judgement on my part.
The first couple week was fine as the owner would come in and the more it was worked on the more problems was found as with any car really (The owner even bought my daily from me to use whilst the car was been sorted a astra a believe it was for around £400 to put her on we ll come back to that later though) including the underneath desperate for a clean and under sealing treatment because rust wwas setting in which the owner came in and did the rear of the car themselves with abit of help more pointing what to do ect, the front end was worse than originally thought but again we continued to do our promise and sort it within budget.
After that started the impatience constantly calling messaging texting and hurling abuse at me to get it sorted NOW, “ I want my car back” calling me every name you can think of, cos they had managed to blow the Astra’s engine after a month or so maybe two then causing it of been a ringer lol enough though I bought it from a guy in chesterfield that had it for years and works at the rolls Royce plant off gumtree or ebay couple months prior to selling it
The engine had a full top end rebuild and including tested version 5/6 uk heads head gaskets bolts timing kit water pump the works on to the original bottom end that came in the car and ran beautifully quiet as a mouse drove fine as a car that required a remap and was ran up for hours in the garage for hours and hours without a single fault
We got the car done as quick as possible around everything else we had on at the time due to the the increasing hassle and abuse from the owner we went for a remap session it for along with afew other cars I had booked in to be mapped by a third party all ran fine producing expected numbers the owner drove the car personally and loved it apart from obv boost issues due it having a bigger 16g fitted and a fmic with other bits fitted which when the car was setup properly would all be cured anyway. But to drive there under 3k rpm and follow me.
The remap session didn’t go well for this car due to conrod failure midway through a pull obviously causing serious damage although we wasn’t at fault with us not touching the bottom end at all, the budget gone long ago I felt I was my duty of care to the car and the owner to sort it, (sourcing replacement from a well-known breaker I’ve dealt with many times) engine at my cost and sorting it out for the customer at no cost to them. Again booking another remapping session again at my cost including fuel another remap fee and more rr time I took it myself and pulled a healthly 310 bhp job done or so I thought !!!!
I informed the customer via text everything what was happening as it happened and informed them of the results they was over the moon. I didn’t get back from the remap till gone 7pm dropped the car at the garage and went home for the night and informed the customer all was great the car has done as it should be and they can collect the following day as I wanted to check the car over first before releasing it. I was met with threats was told I am collecting the car now and that is it you ve had it long enough. I said at the time of collection I wasn’t happy this and made it clear I wanted to check it over but was pushed into handing it over, even stopping the car out of the industrial estate to tell them they had a rear light out and replaced he bulb for them at the side the road as I carry a spare in my own car.
Then a couple of weeks later the troubles started first of a late night text and phone calls with threats and everything else that there’s a front caliper which was hadn’t changed (sticking drivers front I believe) wanted me to come out right now at night to sort it cos they wanted to go out cruising with their friends, having company worked 60 hours and been on a weekend I had had a drink obviously couldn’t drive this wasn’t good enough and the threats of personal and company blackmail started cos I had refused to do it. I offered them to bring the car in the Monday and ill see if we have a used caliper to fit to sort it on arrival I got some abuse but sorted it for the customer and didn’t charge a penny for the work and off they went.
Couple of weeks after that whilst away for the weekend I get a call from the same customer very angry saying their rear brake line had blown (the steel line) they nearly crashed and it was all our fault. We didn’t touch the underneath of rear of the car when we had it there was no need to at the time the car had been dry stored all the time we had it had only done 50 miles including rr time when she got the car back we had not touched the rear brakes in anyway shape or form nor the brake lines apart from painting the calipers to match the rest that was it. AGAIN BEAR IN MIND THIS CAR HAS DONE LESS THAN A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES SINCE ITS MOT AND HAD BEEN DRY STORED for all but 2 weeks but yet these pipes had rotten through surprisingly and not even been advised at the time of mot only time this car been outside was awaiting room in the garage max of 2 weeks which was xmas break . now this was getting me thinking with how the car came in bumpers hanging off Sharpe edges is a sure mot failure however not my business really to consider the legitimacy of a mot this wasn’t repaired by us it went to the first of many from my knowledge whos had a hand in it since our build but again we was slated to heaven all over facebook by the customer for it even though we wasn’t at fault and wanted me personally to pay for it which I obviously refused due to been no fault of ours And the threats continued.
By this time my names been dragged through the mud on here facebook and wherever else with this that and the other but there’s a pattern emerging here I’m breaking my back to save my name for faults that are not mine but yet I’m getting the flack for it but fair enough the industry is dog eat dog I can live with that that’s life just have to deal with it thankfully not all customers are like this.
A couple months of nothing then a message saying their car is overheating its all your garages fault ect ect again tried to help they brought it in and it as determined as a radiator fault was flushed re bled the system and sent on its way running fine.
A couple of overheats from the radiator kept clogging up later and constant threats of violence and blackmail (professional and psychical) id had enough and said bring it in and ill replace the engine again at my cost so that’s the 2nd time for free but you need to replace the rad asap the damage had been done and cooked the head gaskets. And I wasn’t paying for a what the customer wanted, which was a alloy rad as well I offered to fit a standard replacement but this wasn’t good enough as replacing the engine out of a donor we had in at the time which I only lose the labour time as it paid for itself already. I simply said ill replace the engine then I’m washing my hands of it all this is getting too much now.
Job done send it away running rest isn’t a problem of ours a few people have had their hand in messing with the car since until it came till mot time in beginning of December 2015
I was called again can u help by now I was getting abit annoyed with been blackmailed and losing money hand over fist through no fault my own I agreed to do we took it to a mot it failed on bottom ball joints full braking system worn to death from the sticky caliper no horn and a few other bits . it if the customer fronted the required parts namely the 2 front 4 pot calipers required and pay us the cash upfront for the discs pads ball joints ect and we ll order the right ones due to previous experiences with this customer (if there was an issue with parts supplied to you it would be down to them not us that’s how bad things have got cos we have never done that for any customer until then but it seemed the time to start) discs and pads all around rear shoes worn to nothing but dust and rear calipers seized solid ball joint and horn off memory.
The car was repaired we supplied the rear calipers from a donor car and the bill came up to £350 including 2 mot tests and fuel . £50 WAS PAID and told the rest would be paid in a week then a personal matter caused the next stage of threats because their niece is my god daughter so I written it off I knew I wasn’t getting the moneys owed to us, and I left it be id of rather write it off then have the hassle I was getting from this customer I told them we wasn’t working on the car again enough is enough.
Again heard nothing until this week its started blowing fuses bear in mind its been 12 months since we wired anything in this car and other people working on it constantly someone’s ripped half the dash rewired the gauges ect trying to find faults with it and rewiring whatever before its gone to the specialist it has gone to now (whom I have spoken and explained the situation and hes told me how the car came to him ) so who’s actually to blame one of the many who’s messed until the latest specialist or us. A customer can’t have a car done take it wherever they like and a year later blame a certain place for X Y or Z when everyone else as messed with it since
No longer was I been held to ransom to threats so I called it a day with the customer and the car running up going on 5k of labour sorting the car out and constant issues that really wasn’t anything to do with anything what we had done to the car after 12 month it starts having electrical issues never seen a fault take that long to surface ever but the only reason we haven’t sorted it is due to the non payment and constant threats I’m willing to take the loss of work and reputation on the chin to no have anything else to do with the customer and the car.
NOW all this comes out to slate me coincidence I think NOT .

Now the OP
ALL THIS Coming from a guy after 3 YEARS of abusive ownership god know how many miles of use without even oil service it only topping it up when low on oil with the best budget oil (ALL I FOUND OUT LATER ) to bring it to me with a misfire and a cracked de cat which had been blowing for a long while to be repaired blew his turbo (ONLY 20 mins after it running right in god knows how long) later you guessed it due to abuse. To be repaired a sc38 billet from my own car refusing him any further help until we serviced the car due to the oil been like black water and the plugs not even any tips left he was there where this was done and THE LACK OF SERVICING was stated to him that’s when it all came out from him the last time it was done (some 3 years prior)this car was serviced with the best millers nano tech oils and ngk irdium plugs the gearbox and diff was also done due to the state of the engine service and I was physically sick from the burnt stagnate smell from the oil removed from both showing the age of it only way I can only describe it is burnt cat urine. We also advised his uppipe was beyond repair sealed with some exhaust paste as a temp measure and to buy a hks one we recommend highly upto 450 bhp WE USE THEM ON OUR CARS ALL THE TIME then was singing our praises wearing our sticker in his rear window when we fixed his car GOT IT MAPPED TO 340 BHP driving excellent although a small blow from the exhaust up pipe but the engine was classed at spot on and clean bill of health to later come with another used pipe from a breaker which I saw in a picture on Facebook and tagged him it and suggesting it until I saw it in person and said buy new one as its worse than the one been removed not even having any studs and I had to go soruce them when he came for fitting to be fitted but under protest as it was in a bad state probably worse that the one already on the car then accussed us or swapping his hks dv for another hks dv cos he fitted it a year ago and it was shinier and now its now and 3 months later from what I understand the engine eats a ring land from and the vendetta starts and it was ran until it couldn’t anymore destroying the rest the engine including the sc38 billet id sold him if he would of rang me at the time id of told him to recover the car not drive it but he continued and when I saw the post of him on the hard shoulder I instantly messaged him asked if every was ok but that came to no reply. I knew something was afoot as he had ask local garages to repair it for him and ended up with the clinc cos he got a free hire car . Then the accusations started whilst still owing us money for the works done he still not paid for and for a car bought for his partner still unpaid for later claimed to be unsafe funnily enough even though I was getting speeding tickets in it two months later????
Even with all this I offered to help him sourcing replacement engine and fitting it at a faction of the cost of what he was quoted finding out from other parties and garages. but he was determined to go elsewhere where he could get a free hire car and expect me to foot the bill. Sending me a cut and paste facebook message apparently from the clinic expecting me to pay 5k for a engine rebuild without a explanation of what we had done wrong or even on headed paper from who stripped his engine and built the replacement engine. Rightfully I said no chance without headed paper and a explanation of what we had done wrong if anything to learn from what we had apparently done wrong this nearly 2 years on still hasn’t arrived in my post box and I also the engine as I wanted to pay for an independent engine builder to access it which I have a right to if im paying for it due to it been my fault allegedly but again none of this happened. This is what i believe is DAN DUKES main reasoning for trying to name and shame anything that comes out of my garage as rubbish to make me look like a a idiot and to try to claim I’m incompetent but yet since that built an vast array of Subaru’s standard forged even one offs without a single half valid complaint EVEN ONE THATS A FIRST IN THE UK THAT’S TO COME LATER THIS YEAR.
I don’t claim to be the best, I don’t claim I don’t make mistakes but I wouldn’t turn my back on a customer on reasonable circumstances in 5 years I have only ever refused one car and that’s the above blue classic due to the threats of blackmail physical and mental strain I can do without it as most could I imagine.
After all the comments I’ve received from the above classic owner like go join your dead wife YOU SHOULD BE F@@KING DEAD and ill f@@@ing destroy you and drop dead you wa@@er or don’t do it now and ill destroy your business and ill wreck your home life cos I’m not willing to come out when I’ve had a drink one night and drive over the limit or fix cars when were still owed money from the Last time. Don’t worry all are recorded as are Dans SLATES and SLANDERS his master will be laughing using you as a little puppet.
There has to be a limit to what a person can take and if the above car hadn’t gone through so many hands since and there wasn’t any blackmail or abuse involved personal mental or physical anyone that knows me and my business knows id be there in a flash to help. God sakes I went to their house late one Friday evening on my way to London to fix a faulty fuel pump so they could take their kids on holiday the next day I didn’t need to do that either Just seens funny to me its kicked into to high gear since the pot hole incident happened and im the closest to them isn’t it Dan been a massive clinic fan now even though once upon a time slated them to hell and back online
This week posted on my wall on Facebook wall asking customers make yourself known and nothing but good comments on over 130 vehicles so is all them people wrong ? Doubtful with that amount that’s anything from a forged build to a oil change. The only people I block on my facebook is the users the spy’s and the people who only friend me to see what I’m up to with no intention of using my company that’s my right to do so but will slate me on here using a alias
To the People who don’t know me or my business don’t take for granted what u see on here from the same monkey every time according to him I used to be a tattoo artist I can’t draw a stick man that’s any good so shows what this fool actually knows but yet I run a 500 bhp blob eye daily that I built hmmmmmmm.
btw i have never been band from any facebook groups bar one for simply calling the admins bull@@@t bluff certianly not selling anything cos i very rarely do dont really seen the point in selling something id need at somepoint
Anyway I’ve said my bit everyone will have to make their own minds up or listen to the few who unsuccessfully blackmail me or the many that’s had nothing but good experiences I’m sure I’ll be slated either way but I’m not hiding from no body

Originally Posted by shepbomb

I promised myself I wasn't going to get dragged into this thread as Im tired of reading about the tuner in question..
All i'm going to say is that their is enough horror stories out there and people dont seem to listen or believe, If the car which this thread concerns belongs to who I think it does I don't have much sympathy as she was one of the 'Fans/ex-lovers' calling everybody else a liar with what happened to their cars. So much so that she started abusing a lot of people over facebook (the kind of customers this garage seems to attract).

PEOPLE WHO DONT HAVE A TRUSTED GARAGE NEED TO DO THEIR RESEARCH AND GO GIVE THE GARAGE THEY INTEND ON USING A VISIT BEFORE COMMITTING, I HAD MY BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS GARAGE AS I FOOLISHLY TRUSTED HIM WITH BEEN OLD FRIENDS.... MAYBE IF I HAD HAVE SERIOUSLY QUESTIONED HIS QUALS/CREDENTIALS/EXPERIENCE/INTEGRITY BEFORE HAND I WOULDNT HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF
LESSON LEARNED..