Anyone used Tim Stanford F-car Service in Ft. Lauderdale? | FerrariChat

Anyone used Tim Stanford F-car Service in Ft. Lauderdale?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Battman2, Dec 26, 2003.

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  1. Battman2

    Battman2 Rookie

    Dec 23, 2003
    19
    Milwaukee, WI, USA
    Full Name:
    Jeff Batt
    Hello All,

    Just curious if anyone has used Tim Stanford (I think it's Tim Stanford Imports) to have their F-car service done in the Ft. Lauderdale, FL area. I'm looking at a 1986 328 that has been worked on at this shop and I was just wondering if anyone has any experience using them. Many Thanks!

    Battman
     
  2. Cavallino Motors

    Cavallino Motors F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    May 31, 2001
    14,143
    Florida or Argentina
    Full Name:
    Martin W.
    Tim is one of the best independent shops in South Florida. Ther eis no doubt that he is super qualified to do the work.

    See my comment about the price though and think about my car in comparision.
     
  3. chefrobear

    chefrobear Formula Junior

    Mar 6, 2002
    463
    cravanzana, Italia
    Full Name:
    Robert Ginsberg
    Tim has been working on my car for over a year. I went to him after I became tired of paying Shelton. He is fantastic. Very honest. Will do the job right! He is very knowledgable and is very fare in pricing.
     
  4. AJS328

    AJS328 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Apr 23, 2003
    7,520
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Augustine Staino
    I have also heard only good things about Tim Stanford. In fact, he is featured in an early issue of Forza where they have an article spotlighting the South Florida Ferrari scene.
     
  5. labcars

    labcars Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 22, 2003
    1,589
    Phila. + Scottsdale
    Tim is currently working on my '74 246GTS. He is very knowledgable and very friendly. He came highly recommended by a variety of well regarded sources and has lived up to his press thus far. I particularly liked the fact that he's had his own 246 for close to 30 years. When I visited him last month, he had all kinds of wonderful sheetmetal in his shop, including my 246, a yellow 275GTB/4, an azzuro chiaro 365GTC, and the car I want next, a 365GTS - black on black.
     
  6. FL 355

    FL 355 Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2002
    1,665
    Ft Laud
    Full Name:
    Frank Lipinski
    Tim has to be the most respected independent in S. Florida...even the boys at Shelton praise him.

    He is factory trained, works ONLY on F cars. Very honest and his work is meticulous. He also writes tech articles for Redline, does tech inspections for events at Sebring and Moroso and is one hell of a nice guy.

    I was there last week just to chat and he was working on at 1966 500 Superfast that won the DuPont Trophy at Winterpark....

    If Tim worked on the car, your in good shape. Also if you want more info on the car, just call him and he can give you a background on the car you may be interested in....
     
  7. sindo308qv

    sindo308qv F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    3,575
    miami.fl.
    Full Name:
    sindo
    You've got nothing to worry about, your car is in great hands.I've been taking my car there for 2 years, he's a stand up guy.
     
  8. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
    4,363
    Maui
    Full Name:
    Allan
    When i was in Florida, i heard only good things about Tim.
     
  9. icars

    icars Formula Junior

    Mar 28, 2002
    855
    Plano Texas
    Full Name:
    Rodney Haas
    Stay far far far far far away!!!!!! I used him to do the prepurchase on my 365. My mechanic found another 10K worth of problems in 5 minutes. He said it had "no rust" oh accept for the big spot on the radiator and the rust underneath here and there. Took quite a bit of grinding welding etc. No it had to outer body rust but much underneath. Also he never noted items like the alternator making grinding noises and arcing etc.

    That being said he might be a fine mechanic just not good at doing a prepurchase.

    Basically he did not want to jinx the deal. I would rather have somebody tell me the good bad and ugly. I would have purchased it regardless, but would have rather known what the issue was.

    Motor Car Gallery actually ended up cutting me a check back for all the issues we found. They were gentlemen to say the least.
     
  10. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
    4,363
    Maui
    Full Name:
    Allan
    I know the guys from Motorcar Gallary. Very nice. Guys name was Ed something. I almost bought an 88 Jalpa from them.
     
  11. mondial86

    mondial86 Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    298
    MA
    Full Name:
    David Holmes
    I bought a 86 Mondial in s fla it had been serviced at tim.s for years ,in the first week the car had 3 differant coolant leaks ,the water pump was the first ,it had been rebuilt by tim.s shop a month or so before.The car leaked much oil like alot of oil all the time . the service records showed that the car was in for oil leaks but thay were never fixed ,evean after doing the major.I called and spoke to someone at the shop to ask about the car ,and they were yery nice and spent time on the phone with me ,but did not tell me that the door was painted and the paint was not a good match,they also did not mention that the seats were re dye's that looked like s..it ,they turned pinkish.
    It took me a few years to fix all the problems with this car and I am sure that if the car was decribed as it was I would not of bought it ,I did and learned an important lesson.
     
  12. Battman2

    Battman2 Rookie

    Dec 23, 2003
    19
    Milwaukee, WI, USA
    Full Name:
    Jeff Batt
    Just wanted to reply that I talked to Tim today concerning the 328 I'm thinking of making an offer on. He seemed like a great guy - certainly willing to spend 20 min with a stranger and discuss the car.

    He talked in length about the mechanics, and what had been done and still needed to be done. He then offered some high level advice about 328's and the price. When we talked about the car body/paint, he told me straight out that he really didn't have a paint shop and that he would suggest having a body shop look at the car if I was worried about it.

    Anyway, add another vote to "Tim's a great guy".

    If he reads this, Thanks for the help!
     
  13. Ira Schwartz

    Ira Schwartz Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    May 20, 2003
    1,961
    Brooklandville, MD
    Full Name:
    Ira Schwartz
    FYI, Tim's girlfriend has a 328 (her GT4 was totalled some time back), so he's especially familiar with them.
     
  14. icars

    icars Formula Junior

    Mar 28, 2002
    855
    Plano Texas
    Full Name:
    Rodney Haas
    I would take anything that Tim tells you with somewhat of a grain of salt. He seems to be a very nice guy indeed. He was always very nice when he did the prepurchase on my car.

    Okay here is the however, again look at my previous post. He left out many major issues. He is just the kind of guy who is to nice. I don't believe he deliberately left things out. I think it was more that he did not want to be a deal breaker.

    Overall when dealing with a mechanic I would rather deal with somebody who is very very very picky. My mechanic here in Dallas (actually Nevada Tx) basically figures the cars are his, "I just get to drive them" He is very picky, if something needs to be done he tells me far in advance. The next car I purchase in fact I am going to fly him out to the cars location and get him to do the prepurchase.
     
  15. Ksullender

    Ksullender Formula Junior

    Sep 3, 2003
    887
    USA
    Tim has been working on my 85QV and has done an excellent job. Extremely knowledgeable about Ferraris and I would trust his judgement on my next purchase.
     
  16. norm

    norm Karting

    May 30, 2003
    204
    Rochester, NY
    If potential conflict of interest, nothing stopping you from going to someone else for PPI. Perhaps another set of eyes may discover issues, or just confirm what's been told to you.
     

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