C&R are still in Notts and going strong by all accounts, but I wont be calling them. Had a couple of quotes from them recently for various things and the prices they want to charge are ridicious! Put me off for good!
You had a lucky escape.
It's one thing quoting steep prices but quite another thing being charged hundreds for them to claim an obvious problem doesn't exist and replace perfectly functioning parts that had nothing to do with the issue.
Never again.
They were good in the early days before the VW scene got all a bit too retail and cut throat. I liked Steve Creswell's knowledge and attention to detail. I think he still posts on many VW forums as 'crasher' and he certainly has a ton of knowledge.
I think it all went a bit shat when Steve's partner (the 'R' part of C&R) left or something. Was 1998 when I was there last, so hard to remember. At that point they became more sales and mail order focused. At around that time they also earned a reputation for claiming peoples (perfectly fine) big ends needed replacing. Their 'professional' diagnosis was telling people their engines sounded 'gruff' when revved.
In my experience, VW big ends never go unless they are starved of oil on a track day or something, but that didn't stop them spouting lies that VW big ends are made of cheese and are known to fail.
I thought that practice would have died off long ago but clearly not, so endorsement swiftly retracted!!
