Main Dealers - Still As Useless As Ever
Discussion
NRG1976 said:
Took my GRY to a dealer for its interim oil service, great service and auto extended for free my warranty for another year. Turned a blind eye to the exhaust mod. As ever, Toyota dealers experience has been top notch again.
My local one took my Crown for a 3mile rag around when doing the aux belt service, nice thank you for spending over £1,000. Others within a similar vicinity have been helpful when finding parts which considering it's an import is abit above when they could be saying "Crown not sold here go away". Sn1ckers said:
They had been removed by the local dealer and not replaced!! When I went to see the local dealers service manager (I had to go to them as no one returned my calls) he brought the parts into his office in a wheelbarrow and asked me to arrange for their delivery to the supplying dealer. I told him to f
k off naturally.
[footnote]
Only at BMW!! k off naturally.[footnote]
My worst service experiences have also been at BMW/Mini main dealers.
My first proper new-ish car was an F56 Mini Cooper S, from the day I picked it up there was a rattle from the front end over rough surfaces that went away if you touched the brakes. The dealer had the car back 5 times to try and resolve. They replaced the steering rack, front shocks, discs, pads and some other components which I cant remember off the top of my head. Eventually when I tried to book it in for a 6th time said they didn't have any other options and as such they wouldn't be able to prioritize the job (go away basically!) I complained to the service manager but he couldn't be less fussed.
Took it to an indie who stripped and reassembled one of the front callipers, problem solved in an hour while I waited.
My current car - an M5 - has ambient lighting strips in the door cards. It's standard equipment and not something that was optioned. One of the ambient lighting strips started to bubble, phoned the dealer and they asked to see it so they could order parts etc. Took the car in, technician approved the work and ordered the parts. Dropped the car off a couple of weeks later, was called to collect the next day:
"We have not been able to perform the repair, the parts currently fitted to your car are retrofitted and thus not standard equipment - BMW UK will not perform warranty work to non standard equipment."
I explained that you literally cannot get an M5 of this generation without the multicolour ambient lighting, as well as showing them that the strip in question is literally part of the door card - they weren't interested - "Our decision is final, we've waived the diagnostic fee as a goodwill gesture." f
k OFF. Left in a stinker of a mood, got in the car and spotted the door card leather was marred where they'd tried to remove it. They must have realised its a pig of a job and thought f
k that. Lost a morning taking the car in for the initial diag, then the full day when it was in for repair as no courtesy cars were available. Needless to say I didn't extend my warranty as planned and my cars are now maintained at specialists.Oh! and they washed it with a brick after I'd asked them not to when I dropped it off...
Edited by Hammy98 on Wednesday 14th February 10:27
chopper602 said:
Bathroom_Security said:
My GR86 can have a 10 year warranty on its engine provided I service via the main dealers.
It's going in for its first service soon with an independent.
Same experiences as others I don't trust them to not damage my car or actually service the car.
Did the same with my GR86 on Friday - the independent was also happy for me to supply the OEM consumables and a whole lot cheaper. VAT registered and therefore the warranty is still intact.It's going in for its first service soon with an independent.
Same experiences as others I don't trust them to not damage my car or actually service the car.
Edited by chopper602 on Tuesday 13th February 11:18
if you want to see the contrast, compare the prestigious dealership in Hatfield (I think you can guess who) vs my local garage in Finchley
Hatfield
Dollybirds at the counter, coffee machines, don't return calls, can't book a service
Local
Mostly guys in their 50s with grime covered hands, garage is bustling. Owner been there for 20 years, runs an SL55 as a daily, real car nut also had a GTR before.
Tracking done on phone and pen and paper, no laptops but they make a better job of it
I booked a service for 7am, turned up early at 6.30 and they were already open!
Always call back as soon as car is done
When you pay for main dealer you are paying for all the frilly stuff but half the time they can't do the basics correctly
Hatfield
Dollybirds at the counter, coffee machines, don't return calls, can't book a service
Local
Mostly guys in their 50s with grime covered hands, garage is bustling. Owner been there for 20 years, runs an SL55 as a daily, real car nut also had a GTR before.
Tracking done on phone and pen and paper, no laptops but they make a better job of it
I booked a service for 7am, turned up early at 6.30 and they were already open!
Always call back as soon as car is done
When you pay for main dealer you are paying for all the frilly stuff but half the time they can't do the basics correctly
The biggest issue with main dealers is the inconsistency of the technicians ability. At a decent independent, the quality of work is likely to be more consistent due to far lower staff turnover and generally employing more experienced technicians. At a main dealer that has higher staff turnover, you could have anyone from an apprentice to a very experienced and knowledgeable person working on your car.
CoolHands said:
I don’t see why the garage has to be vat registered anyway. How is that some measure of quality? Is it enforceable? it sounds like absolute bks (as a criteria)
Who says they have to be VAT registered?ks (as a criteria)VAT registration is only required if the business turnover is above a certain level, and can be useful if you only/mainly sell to businesses who themselves are VAT registered.
Dacia:
Dealer one. Yes your car has a vibration. No idea if it’s normal as we’ve never seen another the same. 1.3 petrol, auto box….
Dealer two. There is something wrong. We’ve reset the gearbox and it’s not fixed the issue. Can you bring it back so we can strip it and diagnose the issue.
Dealer two (a month later). We’ve done nothing apart from reset the gearbox (again) and can you drive it for 500 miles to see if it’s fixed. Err, why did you ask me to book it in again for a strip down? I’ve never said the gearbox is as fault. I said there is a heavy vibration when changing heat around 30 mph.
Dealer three is 27 Feb!
This is all warranty but only after I’ve got quite cross. I know it’s a cheap car but why sell it with a three year warranty if there are only chimps to look at it and who only understand fault codes and nothing else.
Dealer one. Yes your car has a vibration. No idea if it’s normal as we’ve never seen another the same. 1.3 petrol, auto box….
Dealer two. There is something wrong. We’ve reset the gearbox and it’s not fixed the issue. Can you bring it back so we can strip it and diagnose the issue.
Dealer two (a month later). We’ve done nothing apart from reset the gearbox (again) and can you drive it for 500 miles to see if it’s fixed. Err, why did you ask me to book it in again for a strip down? I’ve never said the gearbox is as fault. I said there is a heavy vibration when changing heat around 30 mph.
Dealer three is 27 Feb!
This is all warranty but only after I’ve got quite cross. I know it’s a cheap car but why sell it with a three year warranty if there are only chimps to look at it and who only understand fault codes and nothing else.
Once had discs and pads done at a BMW main dealer. About a week later I looked in the boot and realised the locking wheel nut key was missing.
Rang them up and they insisted it wasn’t them as they hadn’t removed the wheels when they had my car in. Interesting I said, you managed to change the discs with the wheels still on?
Service manager eventually replaced the key as a “goodwill gesture” ??
Rang them up and they insisted it wasn’t them as they hadn’t removed the wheels when they had my car in. Interesting I said, you managed to change the discs with the wheels still on?
Service manager eventually replaced the key as a “goodwill gesture” ??
CoolHands said:
I don’t see why the garage has to be vat registered anyway. How is that some measure of quality? Is it enforceable? it sounds like absolute bks (as a criteria)
To stop your mate knocking up a fake receiptks (as a criteria)VAT reg is £85k - a single guy at £50 an hour supplying NO parts would hit that in a year
This little gem appeared in my Facebook memories today... six years ago the local BMW/MINI main dealer serviced my JCW Convertible, and it came back with a very soft brake pedal... I can't believe he actually put that in writing 
In fairness on that occasion the service manager came out himself, collected the car and had it dropped back to me later that day.
In fairness on that occasion the service manager came out himself, collected the car and had it dropped back to me later that day.
Brought a Clio from my local Renault guys recently.
199 point check and a fresh mot before delivery.
Check incs service history and brake check.
Upon getting it home, no history, ( but honestly the car has been serviced by the previous owners mate)
250 miles later I start getting a juddering upon braking.
Check the front discs and pads, yep 2 mm lip all round the edge of the disc and some obvious pad marked in certain parts of the discs.
Called them to ask who had done the checks and MOT, Mr S Wonder?
As im having another service with them ( 8 weeks after buying the car because I have no idea what has and hasnt been done) theyll do the discs and pads foc.
Now its jerking when the engine is cold but ive read online that can be a characteristic of the TCE.
Ill report back what happens..
199 point check and a fresh mot before delivery.
Check incs service history and brake check.
Upon getting it home, no history, ( but honestly the car has been serviced by the previous owners mate)
250 miles later I start getting a juddering upon braking.
Check the front discs and pads, yep 2 mm lip all round the edge of the disc and some obvious pad marked in certain parts of the discs.
Called them to ask who had done the checks and MOT, Mr S Wonder?
As im having another service with them ( 8 weeks after buying the car because I have no idea what has and hasnt been done) theyll do the discs and pads foc.
Now its jerking when the engine is cold but ive read online that can be a characteristic of the TCE.
Ill report back what happens..
A500leroy said:
Brought a Clio from my local Renault guys recently.
Now its jerking when the engine is cold but ive read online that can be a characteristic of the TCE.
Ill report back what happens..
I can confirm it isn't a cold characteristic of the 0.9 TCe in the Renault Clio application, our daughter has one and it doesn't do this.Now its jerking when the engine is cold but ive read online that can be a characteristic of the TCE.
Ill report back what happens..
KTMsm said:
It took another 50 minutes for the two bolts and two connections to change the airbag
I could do it in approximately 5 minutes
Of course they didn't change it for another brown airbag but a black one but at this stage I just wanted to get out of there
In fairness. The Takata airbag recall world wide and multiple brands has meant stock levels are not good. (though the colour thing is indefensible!)I could do it in approximately 5 minutes
Of course they didn't change it for another brown airbag but a black one but at this stage I just wanted to get out of there
And also the person who actually fitted it, would only have taken 5 mins. You just had to deal with drivers, and valeters and receptionists for the other 45!
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