Having looked through the “Independent specialists” thread I’m getting a little bit desperate. Are there no recommendations for Herts or the neighbourhood?
It seems like every recommendation is otherwise 2 hours away 
Hmm, maybe Alan of North Thames/Essex…
What do you need doing? We have a number of local garages that you can rely on, but what job needs doing will affect where to suggest.
Jack.
I’m looking for a full service:
Fluids
spark plugs
filters
rear pads (might do this myself)
Rear tyres, probably needed…
general inspection
etc…
Basically a standard MX5 full service.
I have contacted Alan (bling-king good) but he’s in Essex so someone good closer would be nice.
How about Sulston Hills near Leighton Buzzard? Not exactly in Herts but it’s not that far away from you and 10% discount for members available
Thanks!
That seems to be about an hours drive from me so currently I’m trying to arrange something with Allan in Essex, about the same distance.
I’d question whether you need a ‘specialist’ to do a service. Any competent mechanic will be able to do that blindfolded, so if you have a well regarded independent mechanic in your area, I’d use them and save the petrol.
I like the “warm fuzzy” feeling of having someone who knows it really well taking care of it. Rational, maybe not… 
Well, my in-laws use a Citroen/Peugeot specialists for the exact same reason…but allowed me to persuade them to use my favourite independent mechanic for the last service, saving them over half the price. After doing the service, he gave us back the old no-name sparks that had been charged as Bosch Iridum on the last service, the bin bag full of dead vegetation he pulled out of the airbox that had never been cleared out, despite 3 services by the specialist and had, free of charge, tightened up the EGR valve that they had failed to notice, but had instead charged £1400 and took a week to put a new turbo in that wasn’t needed.
It’s not the services they advertise, but the competence and care of the mechanic that matters. In the end a spanner is a spanner and a bolt is a bolt…no good mechanic would be even slightly fazed by an mx5.
Maybe I wasn’t very clear. I wasn’t thinking specialist as in “Main Dealer” or “Major chain” at all, rather perhaps like someone with a particular interest in these cars and perhaps member of the club or at least frequenting the forum.
The offer Skuzzle just made would have been perfect for me, if he was a bit closer
Finishline at Gravely, just north of Stevenage.
Great idea, only crux being that on their web site they don’t mention regular service as something that they offer. Instead it seems focused on more “advanced” stuff.
Have a chat to Chris Bray on the phone, I am fairly sure he will be able to help.