Brian Downie Cars

[craig mac]

I referenced a price comparision only to a an 05 sti 9 he was selling at the same time.

Nothing demeaning

What rates does Brian charge?

[bigal024]

I referenced a price comparision only to a an 05 sti 9 he was selling at the same time.

Nothing demeaning

What rates does Brian charge?

Craig, PM'd you.

Probably looking for a Newage - Youngest car I can afford really. Although a very late, low miles Classic would be tempting.

My only snag at the moment, would be getting rid of my Mk 5 Golf GTi - Finance etc.

Al

[callum]

What rates does Brian charge?

Brian charges £40 excl VAT/hour on all general servicing work & £35excl VAT/hr on bigger jobs such as engine swaps / tuning projects where there are lots of hours involved.

Great value for money imo when you know a/ who's doing the work & b/ that every hour you are charged is a genuine hour on the job. Brian doesn't have predetermined prices for jobs so you don't get charged two hours for a job that just takes one. I understand that some car dealerships may charge a rate for the job whether it's completed in half the time or not.

Al, good luck in your search for a car! Just keep in mind that there's more to it than the price on the window

Cheers,

Callum

[Binzer]

He might sell more cars if he wasn't such a grumpy cant ! His attitude was poor when I dealt with him on two occasions but i have heard he is different if he knows you ?

Brian might have dealt with you if you had a decent car yourself!!!!

[Binzer]

aye, they are just down the road frae me. they don't seem bad like and he does seem to specialise in performance cars. Thats said, bear in mind that he is originally, and first and foremost, a Landrover specialist which he is brillant at, but whether his expertise extends to the scooby I wouldnt like to say

What Downie from Kemnay do you know that was a landrover specialist????,

You must be on a different planet from me!!!!

[~ ~ Cal ~~]

Brian might have dealt with you if you had a decent car yourself!!!!

At the time I was seriously looking to trade an "as good as new" one year old Civic Type R. A car worth about £14k back then. Hardly a dodgy trade-in. Do you even know anything about me ? So what's your point caller.......you need a £20k car to trade in for a £20k purchase.

I know people who have been loyal customers who stopped using him. I don't doubt his workmanship but it's just as well he has a loyal fan base as his attitude

towards NEW potential customers is pretty poor.

Cal

[scuba dou]

As has been mentioned earlier everyone is entitled to an opinion so here is mine. Like many other I have owned and driven Subaru's for many years. During that period I have spent much more money that I would ever like to admit at some of the best know names we associate with modifying Japanese cars, specifically Subarus.

I have driven and trailer transported my car/s the length and breadth of the UK having work done at Falkland Performance, TSL, PowerStation and Roger Clark Motorsport (RCM) to mention but a few. Then a few years ago I was recommended by one of the best (and aforementioned) names in the Subaru business to have my ongoing modifications done locally right on my doorstep by BDCS. You simply do not get a better recommendation than that and this was on the back of the high quality and reliable work BD was and still is involved in.

Regarding being grumpy....well it’s all been said already. Brian is man of few words and has a no nonsense approach to life. He does not suffer fools gladly, and believe me....as I have witnessed many times while being at his place, he has more than his fare share to deal with! His philosophy is very simple, if you are interested in buying a car let him know, but don’t expect him to pander to every swinging dick that come in past his place to look at some very fine examples of performance cars. He does not deal with cheap or nasty cars. If you are looking for smiling faces and have the need to feel special then you know where to go for that kind of patter and salesmanship; of course you could also go visit the ladies of the night down town Abz...

If you want to buy a high quality motor or receive high quality service from someone who is extremely knowledgeable, someone who is recommended by the likes of RCM and Bob Rawle, someone of the highest personal integrity, someone who is very reliable, someone who is a fellow enthusiast and someone who drives a modified (and very capable) Subaru himself, then I can only suggest you go visit BDCS and let him know you are seriously interested.

He does what it says on the tin. This post is my pennies worth and is not written to contradict the views or opinions already posted. Like Callum I don’t post on here very much anymore, second time this year in fact, but I felt obliged to share my experiences with the wider audience.

Jools.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=48...86704&hl=en

PS, Callum, soon as you get finished up with the black beast we will start of the blue one thereafter....so flee on

Edited September 27, 2007 by JAC

[iain_ogston]

I phoned Brian Downie 4 years ago to enquire about getting my newly purchased subaru serviced. The first thing he asked was "did you buy it from me". When the answer was "no" it ended up being a very short conversation. Haven't tried again and went elsewhere for all my servicing and upgrades/rebuilds.

However I know of some people who did buy their car from him and say that they are great cars, they get great service and that he really knows his stuff.

35 quid an hour for big jobs is reasonable, that's about what I've been paying for all my rebuild work elsewhere locally.

Edited September 29, 2007 by RA95