Does this sound dodgy? Can I do anything?

[domster]

Well if you think that's bad, one of the few remaining official Lotus Carlton vauxhall dealers in the country (in London for those who know or care) wanted to investigate a running fault by removing the head off the engine.

This would be OK if:

a) There were parts available to pu the head back on, but gaskets and head bolts were n/a with no forseeable stock date
b) it didn't cost £9000 - as it did the last poor sod

Guess what? Got a second opinion (at the only Lotus Carlton specialist that know their onions, in Shoreham) and they confirmed my original plugs/leads/wategate/sensors suspicions - and had it fixed for 300 quid. Been running fine (under new ownership, hi Damon!) ever since.

So that was 8700 notes I could have been fleeced...and they still wouldn't have fixed it as they discounted the plugs/leads/etc theory early on!

Imagine. 9k NOT to fix your car! Death would have been too lenient

[deltaf]

Once had the privelige??? of working on a v6 mivec engined FTO.
Had the tiptronic gearbox fitted and paddles if i remember correctly.
Anyway it had a problem as it wouldnt shift out of 1st wouldnt go into 1st or any other gears.
Well the "expert" geezer running the shop at that time had decided it was the gearbox at fault....yeah right.
So i had a look at the operating parameters after connecting up the diagnosis equipment, checked everything i could think.
There was one thing that got my attention, the engine was running, but the gearbox oil temperature stayed at 34 deg c no matter what.
£25 later and a replaced gearbox oil temp sensor, a car that had been in for repair for 6 weeks was up and running and back with its owner.
Moral? Beleive non of what you hear and only half of what you see.

[DanH]

Well the thing is, cars are pretty complex, and a lot of people who work on them aren't necessarily the sharpest tools in the box.

Its not surprising there is so much mis-diagnosis.

[ultimapaul]

DanH said:
Well the thing is, cars are pretty complex, and a lot of people who work on them aren't necessarily the sharpest tools in the box.

Its not surprising there is so much mis-diagnosis.

Spot on Dan ..... and when you question them they look at you like you're some dumb **** who should go back and get on with cutting hair.

The service managers are the worst.

[Buffalo]

What is it with modern dealerships, that won't let you speak to themechanic - you have to speak to the dumbass counterperon instead!!

A year or so ago i had the misfortune to be looking after my mothers car when it went wrong and after thinking it might be engine management system related i took it to the dealer. It went back three times and each time i had to speak to the most bitchy accusing munter of a woman behind the counter who knew nothing about cars in general let alone the dignostics of a faulty one... all i wanted to do was discuss what i felt when driving the thing, directly to the person who might have the answer - but no "we don't allow customers to speak to the mechnics sir"

After it came back the second time, i caused such sh1t that i eventully got the head mechanic ring me personlly (who did not get off lightly cos i whipped his ass too) and the car fixed parts only, no labour....

It would be so much easier, if you could talk to the guy in the know and make sure between the two of you, you have thought of everything...

In the name of progress n' all!!

[moleamol]

ultimapaul said:

DanH said:
Well the thing is, cars are pretty complex, and a lot of people who work on them aren't necessarily the sharpest tools in the box.

Its not surprising there is so much mis-diagnosis.

Spot on Dan ..... and when you question them they look at you like you're some dumb **** who should go back and get on with cutting hair.

The service managers are the worst.

Given my experience today, it is the owners that are worse After going on at him, trying to figure out what the was going on. I was forced to hand over £3080 to the smug at which point he asked me for the ing 73p. I now have my car back and luckily the engine seems to be very good and the spec is returned to how it was, if anything it's a little better. It's just a shame I can't really enjoy seeing as I now have NO 3rd gear at all . I am going to let all the grale owners know about this though, I'm not ing happy at all.

I'm taking the car to another garage on Monday and getting the gearbox rebuilt at half the price they quoted for the new gear. Which of course they failed to fix when they had the engine and gearbox out of the car They really are class A fcukwits.

So I ing edited it, anybody got a ing problem

>> Edited by moleamol on Saturday 29th March 19:32

[ultimapaul]

You sound like a prime candidate for a Red Bull, Pro Plus and Coke cocktail.

That should calm you down.

[deltaf]

I could give you lessons on how to chill mate?

[moleamol]

deltaf said: I could give you lessons on how to chill mate?

That sounds unlikely from you fella

I must say, I've had the car out and as much of a as the owner is, it's bleeding rapid. The mechanic has done a good job, it's better than it was before, and that's with no 3rd. Ah well, in another 2 weeks and after another £1500 (bodywork and gear) I will have my car back, rapid and mint.

It's at this point I'm going to wrap it up in bubble wrap and place it in a vault

Edited because I post it and then read it

>> Edited by moleamol on Sunday 30th March 17:53

[deltaf]

Yeah your most probably right there Geeza.
Its funny, that when i was working at the main dealers, id always try and give a full, thorough and honest appraisal of what i thought/knew to be wrong with a particular car.
Why is it that so many dont?
I didnt mind explaining to customers what was wrong and why, and i never tried to bullshit them, i used to make the effort to go talk to them if i could...it makes it so much easier on both them and the garage.
I cant get my feeble mind around that....maybe im wired differently...oh crap i am! Somebody said i was "hardwired"......dunno what that means...