My Designa Dubs experience

[Dizzie]

This is my first hand experience with Designa Dubs. Although this has happened the car is now running right after I had a fiddle myself.

 

I had my mk2 converted by designa dubs last year over a 6 month period. I paid them their deposit back in feb and waited to hear from them when they'd found me an engine. that was 3 months wait. then I finally dropped the car off to them in may. I was told it would be 2 weeks to get the conversion done. I also wanted my engine bay sprayed as it was white and my car is bluey green so supplied the paint to do this. After lots of phone calls and emails my dad gave me a lift down there to collect it. Here's a list of the problems with it after they'd had it for 6 weeks.

-Trackrod end loose - paid to have fixed when Kwik fit did the tracking.
-Intercooler practically thrown in
-Starter motor/engine mount bolt missing
-lock nut on the clutch cable missing
-no grommet on the boost gauge pipe.
-Barewires around the ECU
-Bad locating of wires leading to ECU
-Top hose is resting on the edge of the radiator cowl
-offside antiroll bar not fitted correctly - half out on 1 side.
-long travel on the brakes. almost to the floor. no more judder after Tracking's done. Twisted hose on front brakes.
-unknown loud clonk/bang - mainly when braking
-munchy gears. 1st/reverse are impossible to engage sometimes. 3rd is notchy to get in. should be smooth.
-Loose wires everywhere
-Kinked pipes near dump valve
-Rubbing Jubilee clips
-PAS leaking fluid - off pump
-Water leak - near cam belt
-PAS reservoir amateurish
-Radiator loose
-Lower panel missing. The wings loose because of it. Please put this back on.
-Starting problems - acts like flat battery. Then starts.
-leaking brake reservoir
-strut covers missing
-ECU not secure.
-Main lead to starter motor loose
-wires loose and dangerous under the scuttle panel. could be caught by the wipers
-no oil light on gauges
-no oil temp on MFA - rest works apart from MPG obv.

plus after I said I wanted a TT engine they installed a AGU engine and changed the turbo, etc to make it the same. I specifically said I wanted a TT engine on day 1.

I originally asked for TT clocks to be installed to match the engine. DD said they didn't have them, but had mk4 ones. I said put them in then. they then went on about bits not working on them. I said well if they couldn't put mk4 ones in then put mk3 ones in as I have a mk3 dash in my mk2. when I got there there were my original mk2 clocks still in there. I was told if I wanted mk3 ones I'd have to pay extra even though I was told I could have whatever clocks I wanted by matt when I dropped it off for the first time.

After we discovered all this I cancelled the remainder of the balance as this was paid with a cheque and left them a msg on their answer machine and waited for a phone call... Between myself and my parents we agreed their work was pooe and they would collect the car and leave my a car to use while they were fixing mine and then return the car as well as source a TT engine and install it at no extra cost. This was completed. The TT engine was installed better than before, but still there was little things I tidied up myself after running out of patience with designa dubs. I have since corrected many more of the problems on the engine and wouldn't touch them again with a barge pole!

Here are the pics:

http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1486.JPG - pooe locating
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1487.JPG - bare wire on plug by ecu
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1488.JPG - leaking from here (water)
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1489.JPG - split boot, dd installed PAS for me
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1490.JPG - complete mess of kinks
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1491.JPG - not tied down
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1492.JPG - very close to wiper arm
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1493.JPG - LOL
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1494.JPG - more mess. scrapyard quality parts used.
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1495.JPG - my rad cowl wasn't rusty before
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1496.JPG - bit of a squeeze there
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1497.JPG - nice bracket
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1498.JPG - rad wasn't bolted in
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1499.JPG - neither was intercooler. moved about 2 inches up and down.
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1500.JPG - clutch could of undone anytime
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1501.JPG - hose would of cut in time.
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1502.JPG - rubbing on the nice paint job!
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1503.JPG - squeeze again
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/IMG_1504.JPG - and again.

Here are some videos I took showing how much of a bodge it was:
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/filter.avi (288k) - shouldn't this be bolted down?
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/rad.avi (240k) - wiggly rad
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/intercooler.avi (590k) - loose intercooler
http://www.dizzie.biz/golf/engine/starting.avi (352k) - starting problems. not the worst it was.

feel free to email me Dizzie@tripwyre.co.uk or MSN with the same address.

[mrwotto]

I can not believe the poor workmanship you have encountered mate, totally unacceptable.

Paul

[AudiA8Quattro]

Hello Gareth.
Some of that is actually quite dangerous, you should of reported them to trading standards.
If you still have evidence, then you may still be able to do so.

[mrwotto]

I think the photo's are pretty good evidence.

[Stu.750]

Ouch , im a mechanic myself and looking at it with a bit of thought and time spent most thos problems could have been avoided, Specially the jubilee clip rubbing on the body , thats just lazy ,i know your based in cardiff , im just down the road in swansea so its good who i know to avoid n who not to

[madsingh]

dizzie i feel sorry for u, hard cash gone on ur car n they do a sh!t job. i was gona ask for a quote on a conversion time back it took them 2 reply 2 months lol. so u could see why i was put off it n kept the same engine in mine lol

[Dizzie]

I couldn't really give a sh!t about anything to do with them now. They fixed their work in a fashion and what was left I did myself. I wasn't going to waste anymore time or money with them. You've seen the latest pics of my engine so you can see I've sorted their mess out. There's just a couple more things I'd like to swap over or fixed and it'll be fine. cheers for your support guys.

[mrwotto]

They do need reporting tho, as some of the things they bodged was dangerous.

[...joe]

thats awefull! how come you've only just mentioned this on here? if that was my car i'd be screaming it from the roof how sh!te they've done it!!!

[Dizzie]

there was a 6 month warrenty I might of had to make use of if I didn't know my stuff. It snapped an engine mount not so long ago, but other than that it's been ok.