Ever felt like your car has been ragged

Ever felt like your car has been ragged

Author
Discussion

MrJuice

Original Poster:

3,325 posts

156 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
While at service?

I had my car serviced by one of the supposed good guys recently. The MPG meter was showing 21 prior to service. After service it was reading 16. I didn't think much of it

I know how many miles I get from my tank. I gave the car in for service with x amount of fuel which would give me y amount of miles from the remainder of the tank. I know a garage drives your car as part of the service process. That particular tank was a normal tank ie I hadn't driven the car hard or on a motorway and up to the point of giving it in for service it had given me the expected number of miles for the fuel used.

After service, as mentioned, the MPG meter read 16. I thought this might be because they reset something. Then I ended up getting approx 10% more miles than expected from that tank. Again, strange. I put it down to the engine being more efficient post servicing.

But subsequent tanks are back to returning the normal pre service number of miles. I suspect my car was driven hard and to mask this, they put some fuel in. Which accounts for the extra miles I got.

I didn't take an odometer reading. And nor do I have a tracker.

Obviously there's nothing I can do and no way of proving my theory.

This was a £600+ service. I feel they have taken the piss.

Anyone felt this had happened to them?

Wilmslowboy

4,208 posts

206 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
Might have been run on the ramp to warm up the engine, to make the oil service easier to be carried out (this will play havoc with the MPG).

It's rare for technicians to rag cars ...it's too easy to get caught and the story to explode on social media.

MrJuice

Original Poster:

3,325 posts

156 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
Fair enough. But would that result in +10% miles? Genuine question, not rhetorical question

alcatraz236

197 posts

152 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
I've watched my car being serviced quite a bit. They often idle it for quite a while, this can really tick down the fuel consumption if you reset it regularly.

Edited by alcatraz236 on Sunday 26th February 13:33

TOV!E

2,016 posts

234 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
MrJuice said:
While at service?

I had my car serviced by one of the supposed good guys recently. The MPG meter was showing 21 prior to service. After service it was reading 16. I didn't think much of it

I know how many miles I get from my tank. I gave the car in for service with x amount of fuel which would give me y amount of miles from the remainder of the tank. I know a garage drives your car as part of the service process. That particular tank was a normal tank ie I hadn't driven the car hard or on a motorway and up to the point of giving it in for service it had given me the expected number of miles for the fuel used.

After service, as mentioned, the MPG meter read 16. I thought this might be because they reset something. Then I ended up getting approx 10% more miles than expected from that tank. Again, strange. I put it down to the engine being more efficient post servicing.

But subsequent tanks are back to returning the normal pre service number of miles. I suspect my car was driven hard and to mask this, they put some fuel in. Which accounts for the extra miles I got.

I didn't take an odometer reading. And nor do I have a tracker.

Obviously there's nothing I can do and no way of proving my theory.

This was a £600+ service. I feel they have taken the piss.

Anyone felt this had happened to them?
Get a life mate and grow a pair of balls

MrJuice

Original Poster:

3,325 posts

156 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
TOV!E said:
Get a life mate and grow a pair of balls
I'm glad I don't have to say this to your face cos you seem well 'ard rolleyes

But genuinely, what possessed you to say that?

Discombobulate

4,824 posts

186 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
TOV!E said:
Get a life mate and grow a pair of balls
laugh

SRT Hellcat

7,027 posts

217 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
I would not worry. Most probably idling a fare bit that dropped the average mpg. It boils down to whether you trust the company or you not.

chriscoates81

482 posts

132 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
Surely these cars are designed to be ragged? (Assuming 911/Cayman/boxster).

Moosh

1,122 posts

221 months

Monday 27th February 2017
quotequote all
I get great pleasure in raging mine smile

IMI A

9,410 posts

201 months

Monday 27th February 2017
quotequote all
Moosh said:
I get great pleasure in raging mine smile
I hope you're ragging yours at VMAX or TV this year?!

ooid

4,079 posts

100 months

Monday 27th February 2017
quotequote all
alcatraz236 said:
I've watched my car being serviced quite a bit. They often idle it for quite a while, this can really tick down the fuel consumption if you reset it regularly.

Edited by alcatraz236 on Sunday 26th February 13:33
Yup, seen this on my both cars. They idle for a while, mainly checking cooling & exhaust performance. Depends on the idle-process the mpg might have dropped.

h_____

684 posts

224 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all
Easy fix.

Take photo of odometer when you put the car in for service. Then stick a small GPS tracker unit into the car, so you know where its gone, and at what speeds its driven. You can get them for about 50 quid these days.

That way you will know. and can have a conversation with them if its wrong.

Evolved

3,562 posts

187 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all
It might have been, hardly the end of the world though. If it was really well ragged I'd expect single digit figures.

paua

5,700 posts

143 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all
Large, evolving thread - look what can go pear-shaped...http://rennlist.com/forums/991-gt3-gt3rs-and-911r/977386-991-gt3-rs-wrecked-while-at-speed-shop.html

hondansx

4,569 posts

225 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all
What distance is your average MPG over? I would only be pissed if i saw that used all my fuel up.

Otherwise, what can you do? You either trust them, or you don't. If your car is otherwise fine, i don't really see the problem.

That Rennlist thread is an interesting one. There are people saying they would never let a 'shop' drive their car. However, if i was getting manifolds and a tune fitted, i'd find it very unprofessional if they did not do a thorough road test rather than risk me coming back with a complaint because of a noise/smell/leak/whatever. Makes you think about insurance though when you've in the fortunate position to have a car that is worth more than what you paid.

paul789

3,681 posts

104 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all
As long as your wife doesn't feel like she's been ragged, all is well.

IknowJoseph

542 posts

140 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all
My Porsche indie gives me an ECU read out from the start of the service & at the end, so I can tell how far it's been driven, and how long for. I could also see if it's been over-revved whilst in there. A service isn't cheap, but it's a nice touch - perhaps it's something to ask about next time?

arcticGT

977 posts

212 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all

Moosh

1,122 posts

221 months

Wednesday 1st March 2017
quotequote all
IMI A said:
Moosh said:
I get great pleasure in raging mine smile
I hope you're ragging yours at VMAX or TV this year?!
When she's ready I think that sounds like a good idea biglaugh