R & K Autos 30A Clovelly Road, Southbourne, Emsworth PO10 8PE

"Best garage I have ever used"

"Highly recommended - top quality work and always go above and beyond."

"They will always try to fit you in if an emergency. Such good workmanship. Friendly staff. Helpful. And reasonable prices."

"I was conerned about one of my tyres the day before making a long journey. The team at R & K Autos took my concerns seriously and replaced two tyres for me at very short notice! I can't thank them enough and will be using them again!"

"went in for heavy steering, a soft brake pedal and fit new wiper blades, came back still with heavy steering, soft brakes and the old wiper blades still fitted. I did receive a bill for £860 though! This was to replace the power steering pump, (not authorised by myself) and also replace a set of brake disks and pads because they were rusty. Apparently the pump had stored codes and needed replacement, I am aware of this issue but also that the pump is driven by an electric motor. There is a fan which cools the motor, all the parts in question are located close to the exhaust manifold. If the fan had failed it would of caused the steering to be heavy and even fail intermittently. A simple enough test to ensure is was simply not the fan could have been possible, as opposed to directly fitting a complete new pump assembly! I have since read up about failure of the power steering pump fan motor, which is quite common. More concerning is the car came back leaking power steering fluid and also very low of fluid! I have since fixed this, bled the system and the steering feels correct but at a far greater overall cost than expected. The brakes are laughable, the system was losing vacuum, meaning the pedal when under pressure simply sinks backwards. From the get go I had mentioned the matter to be servo related but again Mini’s are plagued with various brake issues apparently! R&K were adamant the brake disks and pads required replacement, because they were rusty and please note not because they were below minimum spec or worn out. Rusty brake discs reduce the effective braking area and dissipation of heat but for these to be an issue the brakes would need to be able to hold vacuum under pressure, these were not. The car was returned, with the same faults plus the later discovered fluid leak. After a conversation but with little positivity, I purchased a secondhand brake servo and R&K fitted it. The brakes held vacuum and worked, the secondhand brake servo cost £25! It’s the events afterwards that are even more concerning. R&K had assumed I was still connected with a business that provides them with a considerable about of work. The invoice was originally made out to that company, I assume R&K were later asked to change the invoice which probably setoff some alarm bells. Three weeks after the invoice had been changed to myself I was being chased for payment, it was then I took a closer look and what had been charged. The parts plus £300 labour for ineffective work. I felt aggrieved. I decided to accept the fitting of the power steering pump, as there was little way now in which to validate any diagnosis. Not much detail on the invoice. But as for the brake discs and pads, these were never going to solve the problem. Despite my initial thoughts from the outset, R&K decided to fit new brake discs and pads. I calculated the cost of the brake disks and pads plus fitting at £147.01 and deducted this sum from their total invoice and made payment within the week of being chased personally. I also sent a lengthy email explaining my reasons why. I received no reply, only to hear that R&K were withholding cars owned or in the custody of the business I used to be associated with. They were not even willing to accept the remainder they felt owed from the associated business. Short of holding goods as ransom for unsatisfactory work, I do struggle to find words to better describe R&K Autos actions over this matter. I waited till now to compose the matter in my mind and to also record the facts as faced with them. Safe to say communication is non effective and will leave me with little choice than to seek not just recovery of the exorbitant sum demanded but also justice over their actions and how the matter was handled."