Anyone had problems with M100hoods???

[m100hoods]

We rarely use LEC and prefer to let m100 hoods customers express their feelings freely without any kind of prompting from us!!!
However, we have this evening been made aware of the negativity that has been posted over the last few weeks and feel we must comment in order to make you all aware and certainly more informed.
There are several different issues to cover and this would not be a suitable platform from which to answer specific individual concerns and or cases.
To clear the air on some of the more general aspects we are happy to comment as follows:

M100 specialists / hoods is now the main business and has been for several months, it was initially a small affair but soon became, thanks to the large majority of satisfied customers, a larger more successful enterprise
We recognise that trying to keep all the balls in the air has caused a drop in service and thus customer satisfaction and that was / is regrettable.
The demand for our services has in the last year increased to an unprecedented extent and yes there have been occassions when we have struggled to do everything within satisfactory timescales.
With the new facilities being designed, planned and finally under construction it has been a challenging few months.
As for websites well We are not a PC expert or web designer and recently made a poor choices of web designer and host, therefore the websites and email for all businesses have experienced down time which is currently the case yet again!
Rest assured that the frustrations shown on LEC are shared by the team at M100 and we are working closely with new web personnel to bring the disruption of service to a close ASAP
Having the delivery trailer stolen and then the vehicle and new trailer accident damaged has caused a large head ache or two that is true
Currently we are not taking on any new restoration projects, hood fittings or orders, servicing or paintwork until 1st December 2016. This will enable the current workload to be completed, other warranty work to be addressed and for the new premises to be completed.
As for items sent via courier we have used several different companies and some have provided an awful service and some slightly better, we are currently discussing our requirements with several couriers to try to reduce the likelihood of future issues
As for a closing down sale that is certainly not the case and we hope that the last few months can be put behind us and look forward to a more positive customer service focused future.
Our absence at the Lotus Festival was purely due to the event not being economically viable in 2015 and when you couple that with a lack of resources it was clear it was better to not attend than attend with a less than 100% presence.

One final point to mention is that for those individuals who still feel that they have after sales / warranty issues with the hood fitted to their elan would you please contact m100 personally to discuss rectification works if indeed such works are necessary
With best regards to LEC
M100 01502 733501

[Elannewbie]

I have been using the services of Mark and his team at m100 hoods for the past 4 years now and have never had a problem.
To all those who feel they have been fobbed off with an excuse, there was 1 occasion where mark didn't return a call I made within a few hours, I found out a couple of days later that his truck and trailer had been side swiped by an articulated lorry (after later seeing the photos of the incident - damb lucky to be alive!)
I have had a lot of work done by Marks team, new hood and seals, full mechanical restoration, seats reupholstered, full body respray, wheels refurbished, wastegate porting and along with piper pce pipe gas flowing, problem solving coolant loss, clutch & gearbox replaced, etc, etc...
Mark has always been enthusiastic about any problems that I thought I had with the car, and has never been too busy to offer to come and pick my car up and get it sorted.
I use my car every day, and I mean every day. It's not garaged and it doesn't leak - not bad for a lotus!

The only gripe I have is that mobile phone reception in Norfolk is utterly terrible - hardly m100 hoods fault!

[lotusflasherman]

The only gripe I have is that mobile phone reception in Norfolk is utterly terrible - hardly m100 hoods fault!

but he's signed off M100 01502 733501 which is a landline so things are looking up ... nothing like being hard-wired for a reliable connection.

[quentin]

Hello there,

My name is Quentin, and I unfortunately did not see this thread before ordering mine this year. Tried several times to resolve the issue with Mark, but I Wonder if I'm the only one here waiting to be delivered, or at least not said 'delivered' when it's not, without bringing any evidence of either delivery or simple order of transportation, or usual tracking information.
I'm sorry not to be able to express myself as diplomatically as Chris and Paul Alexander did.. so for discussion purposes I will try to talk about facts only, and still hope we will find a way to outcome this.

June 9 : Out of stock, Mark tells me he should get new kits in August
Sept 13 : He writes to me for kits back in stock ready for dispatch
Then some exchanges about payment methods since Paypal payment refused (finally bank transfer) - Interesting, now considering Chris Experience)
Sept 27 : Payment done
Oct 4 : Confirmation that funds were received
Oct 11 : asking for delivery date and tracking information (#1), no answer
Oct 16 : asking for tracking information (#2), informing that I have an appointment at my local shop for Oct23 - no answer
Oct 24 : Phone call. Email received : tells that the hood is in transit and chasing the courier now for a tracking number and location.
Nov 7 : Phone call (polite but now firm) nice since kit still not received either kit or tracking information provided.
Email received :" the kit has been delivered somewhere and must me located", further investigation in the day and more information to follow..
Nov 9 : Still no email or answer so phone call. And "courier confirmed delivery".
Finally receives “info” : courier was Parcel Force UK and will provide tracking information.
Nov 14 : Back in the UK, promise to investigate.
Nov 20 : Still waiting, despite reminders on Nov 13, Nov 18

I must say that I have until now always tried to be nice and patient, and always hoped he would be able, like a fair professional would, to supply or refund.

If I decided today to post on the forum is just because :
1- It looks like the end of the story for him because he has the monies (Not said, obviously). Am I alone in this situation ?
2- Doing some research, I see that Trim Technologies (who confirmed in 2016 building and supplying the kits to him), and to whom some of you had some kits early this year), was liquidated this summer.
3- If some of you have some on-going Lotus relationship with him, give me some advice, because I never succeeded to talk to him when I call him, whatsoever the number.

I will let you know what happens next, but thought it would be interesting that people around (those uninformed I mean) know what to expect with delivery. So sorry about that.

Kind regards to all,
Quentin
French Elan M100 and +2 owner / lover

[clemo]

Back on the radar again via well respected long term LEC member.

[wayne]

Been watching this thread with a lot of interest since it started, and had already heard of his company a long time before this started and have a long email trail and many phone calls with Mark going back years.
But we have never met and have never been to his facilities.

I always have a lot of respect for people that ate doing something about keeping our cars on the road. And I have always tried to promote his (and other peoples) business to anyone that contacted me about hoods and seals.

I had seen links to Marks website and had read information from him years earlier, it looked like he was doing a great job, I think it started with his flyers being left on windscreens at a Donninton event, and I supported him.

I was so surprised to see that he was failing to send out parts and thought that it must have been a shipping problem. It happens, I know!

I am sorry to say that I am probably the one responsible for pointing this thread out to Mark back in Sept 2006, as I believed that he needed to know about the concerns that were being brought up about his company, and was hoping that he would rectify the problems and clear his name and get the people that had not received their parts, and to finally have their issues resolved, and for him not to make the same mistakes again.

My apologies to anyone concerned, if this was a mistake on my part.

Since then I have seen a different side to Mark’s company. And will no longer promote his business or deal with him in any way.
He ordered a LOT of parts from me about a year ago and has still not paid. Although he said he has done a bank transfer on more than 1 occasion. I still don’t see any funds. He still says send me details and I will get back to you.... Never happens.

He had asked me for help on seal reproduction, which after a few emails back and forward, I refused to help him.
His current information on this is that he has had them all remade but refuses to sell any of them or divulge any of his information about what seals he has about his stock or company....

I was trying to help a friend in Dubai to get hold of a new hood and seals. I was really shocked by his blunt replies.
I’m sorry, But I would not currently recommend him to anyone. Such a shame as I had always believed his company had the potential to help out every Elan owner.

I finally refused to answer his questions as he is currently taking Trim Technology to court for selling their remaining hoods and is also taking up court cases with a few others....
Not sure Who, He didn’t say. I’m probably going to be one of them.

[tb10]

Wayne et al,

I agree with the above post and I also know about M100 Hoods having dealt with his former supplier.

Steer clear!

Regards


John

[clemo]

Wayne and all
the situation that has arisen is on a sale basis . Similar to your own.
One of our long standing members has been bumped on a sale.
And since making this post 2 others have come forward to me via PM with similar stories.

Another member i met last week told me story of Mark trying to sue him for a failed purchase on his behalf .

So i will say no more but advise buyer / seller be protected .

[lotusrepair]

So the big question is who else can supply hoods?
Chris

[clemo]

Without looking to hard these 2 pop up :-

I have spoken to the first link and they offer a fitting service and are most accommodating.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-Se ... 1438.l2649

Not spoken to these guys but again they offer a fitting service.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-N ... 1438.l2649

[Elanlover]

And in North America these guys make a top as well. I believe LGM bought one from them a number of years ago.

[daveiow]

I had mine replaced by Car Hood Warehouse who were at Chessington at the time but if it is the same firm have moved to Sevenoaks now.( I think it is the same as they have the same BRG Elan in before and after pictures on their web site)
Good service,hood (S2 pattern) and webbing repaced.
£585 delivered, £665 fitted.
Not much help if you are in North America but you never know.......
David

[clemo]

I had mine replaced by Car Hood Warehouse who were at Chessington at the time but if it is the same firm have moved to Sevenoaks now.( I think it is the same as they have the same BRG Elan in before and after pictures on their web site)
Good service,hood (S2 pattern) and webbing repaced.
£585 delivered, £665 fitted.
Not much help if you are in North America but you never know.......
David

David
That is a very good price fitted. Did you have to leave your car or wait ?

[daveiow]

Hi Clemo
I had new fabric and webbing fitted in September 2013
I left the car with them, caught the train into central London and took SHMBO to Buck House and did the tour!
Got back about 5pm and all was done BUT they don’t have seals, mine are reasonable and they didn’t do any damage that I could see.
That is the price they are quoting on their web site currently.
I must repeat, the firm I used was at Chesington near the famous Theme Park and it is almost certainly the same one that is now at Sevenoaks (as I said same Elan in the pictures as I remember back then) BUT worth checking.
I was very pleased with mine and the price doesn’t seem to have gone up much in the past 5 years.
David

[wayne]

3 more places to buy them.

Allhoods S2 hood £325 ex VAT

carhoods direct S1 hood £412 ex vat

Allon White Hood and seals approx. £1825

I don't know any of the companies, and have not have seen any of their products.

[burble61]

Just re Allon White.....

had a service done there late last year on my S1, and enquired re replacement hood : the chap said they actually just got a specialist in to do it so cheaper for me to organise direct! IIRC it was carhood.com. Still thinking about it, as ever there are more urgent jobs...

Regards

[wayne]

I've been trying to get hold of anyone from Trim Technology for a while. All phone numbers I have for them have stopped working,
I believe that they have stopped trading.

I really need to speak to anyone that is / was involved with this company urgently.

If anyone has any contact info for any former employees, please let me know.

My request for info is not for my benefit. I want to be able to help them out in any future court case that Mark at M100 hoods is going to be trying to sue them for.
I've recently received some very nasty emails from M100Hoods and I want to make sure that Trim Technology is aware of all of the information, and my offer to help them out.

If anyone can help, please let me know via email or PM. I don't want to drag anyone else into this sh*t fight.

At the moment, I don't think he is taking me to court.... But not really sure.

I'll never trade with him again.

I don't think I've ever spoken to such a nasty person in my entire life.

God help anyone that deals with him.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Unfortunately, Trim Technology in Coventry has folded. They closed their doors and were liquidated on Sept 15, 2017

See this link for more details: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2867240

[wayne]

Cheers John, Yep, this confirms my fears....
I hope that this means that Mark can no longer sue them.

If not. I need to speak to someone at the company.

I just want to make sure that his court case fails.
And I throw my full support behind Trim Tech.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Maybe Mark's suit caused the closing?