Local Vendors
"Who can I get to fix my MG?"
A note from your Webmaster
At least once a week an e-mail message arrives at the club web site, something like this: “I just bought a MG (fill in favorite model), and I really like it a lot, but it needs to have a few things fixed. Can you tell me where I can take my MG in the Chicago area to have someone work on it, and where can I get parts for it?”
Well, there’s only one of me with limited knowledge on this subject, and in a lot of cases I have no idea where to refer these people, and it doesn’t seem right to tell them “Let me know when you find out”. This problem has been around for a long time, and I know it has been discussed periodically over the years. It seems the concensus is that as a service to the membership the club should have some sort of list of local shops that will service our favorite cars. Since I’m the guy getting hamnmered with this same question week after week, I finally decided it was time to do something about it, so here’s the skinny.
I have started a new web page on the club server entitled “Local Vendors”, which can be found here:
www.chicagolandmgclub.com/links/vendors_local.html
This is the beginnings of a list of local service shops and parts sources specifically catering to MGs, and also for British cars in general. Very few of these vendors are expected to be full service “restoration” shops. Many will be specialty shops catering to all any type of car, but experienced in and providing specific services for MGs and other British cars. Examples may be services for engine machining, radiators, exhaust systems, tires, tune ups, interiors and convertible tops, glass work, paint and body work, etc. For this list to be as complete and useful as possible it will need input and referals from lots of people in the area. Hopefully that word “Prefered” will be significant as the list grows, primarily because I have no intention of recreating the entire Chicago area yellow pages. So this list and the web page will have some official guidelines for content and operation.
Rules and Guidelines:
Listings are expected to have some interest for MG car enthusiasts.
Businesses listed will be within driving distance of the Chicago metropolitan area (within a few hours).
CMGC Club members may have their commercial listing posted here on request.
Non members may have their commercial listing posted here by referal of any member of our club or a member of any club associated with the British Car Union www.qth.com/bcu.
Referals from non-members may be accepted at the discression of the webmaster, but this is subject to change.
Individual listings will appear as a two-liner on the parent web page, and each will contain a link to another small individual web page containing additional information for that vendor.
Approved vendors are encouraged to submit pertinent commercial information.
Comments pro or con (judged to be well founded) from customers (by name - not annonomously) may be posted here.
At any time a vendor may request to have their listing removed, along with all associated comments, but if that vendor later requests to be reinstated to the list the prior comments will also be reinstated.
Any person posting a comment may at any time request to have their comment removed or changed.
Vendors may feel free to lobby the customers in private for referals or to settle disputes.
Comments may be removed when they are no longer judged to be “well founded”.
The CMGC as a whole and/or the management thereof will make no judgements or statements on behalf of the club other than to attempt to determine that any comments submitted for posting are well founded.
Officers of the club, being members as well, may submit referals and comments on their own behalf.
The intention is that this will be a living, growing and dynamic information resource powered by referals and comments from the membership. To get it off to a good start I am encouraging all members to visit this web page at your earliest convenience and seriously consider a referal for your favorite service shop. Please take a little time to help out -- we need your experience and information. And if you have any ideas for improvement of this list or the guidelines, do tell, as this is currently a work in early evolution. Send all comments via e-mail to webmaster@chicagolandmgclub.com, or by phone to Barney Gaylord 630.505.0866.
It is possible that in years to come some form of this list may be printed along with the club roster to be distributed to the membership. I thank you in advance for your personal involvement in this endeavour.
Best regards from your webmaster,
Barney Gaylord
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