Main dealers. The little tinkers!
Discussion
No naming and shaming, mainly as the overall work that the car went in for was done well and at a good price, but they have to go and spoil it dont they?!
List of extra work emailed to me whilst I was on hols. Some of it I don't mind them suggesting; we can retrofit cruise control etc. All fine for them to offer.
But 3 things irritated me:
1. Non Porsche wipers need changing as they smear. (£65).
Er no, they dont, they are Bosch brand new, I fitted them the day before I left the car with you. (£20).
2. The soft top isn't beading when wet and needs re-treatment. (£191.99)
Er no, I spent 2 hours treating it with Renovo cleaner and then waterproofer the day before I brought the car down.
I did think that perhaps it needed another coat, so after collecting the car I went to put another coat of Renovo on and it ran off the roof so fast I barely saw where it went!!! (£30).
3. Glovebox damper not working when you open the glovebox. (£131.39).
Glovebox damper reconnected. (£0)
All fun and games, and just a shame since the service and repaint of the rear bumper which was chippy was all excellent apart from that.
List of extra work emailed to me whilst I was on hols. Some of it I don't mind them suggesting; we can retrofit cruise control etc. All fine for them to offer.
But 3 things irritated me:
1. Non Porsche wipers need changing as they smear. (£65).
Er no, they dont, they are Bosch brand new, I fitted them the day before I left the car with you. (£20).
2. The soft top isn't beading when wet and needs re-treatment. (£191.99)
Er no, I spent 2 hours treating it with Renovo cleaner and then waterproofer the day before I brought the car down.
I did think that perhaps it needed another coat, so after collecting the car I went to put another coat of Renovo on and it ran off the roof so fast I barely saw where it went!!! (£30).
3. Glovebox damper not working when you open the glovebox. (£131.39).
Glovebox damper reconnected. (£0)
All fun and games, and just a shame since the service and repaint of the rear bumper which was chippy was all excellent apart from that.
edo said:
3. Glovebox damper not working when you open the glovebox. (£131.39).
Glovebox damper reconnected. (£0)
Glovebox damper reconnected. (£0)
Reminds me of that list of pilot aircraft maintenance complaint and the engineer responses.
Complaint: Test flight ok, except autoland very rough.
Engineer comment: Autoland not fitted to this aircraft.
Complaint: Something loose in cockpit
Comment: Something tightened in cockpit
hornetrider said:
edo said:
3. Glovebox damper not working when you open the glovebox. (£131.39).
Glovebox damper reconnected. (£0)
Glovebox damper reconnected. (£0)
Reminds me of that list of pilot aircraft maintenance complaint and the engineer responses.
Complaint: Test flight ok, except autoland very rough.
Engineer comment: Autoland not fitted to this aircraft.
Complaint: Something loose in cockpit
Comment: Something tightened in cockpit
I can relate to the OP- I fitted new aero wipers to my porker about 1 month before a service at the OPC- the f*ckers took them off, binned them and put on their own (Bosch) and of course charged for the privelege. I didn't notice until a few days afterwards when the bill arrived in the post.
This is the same OPC that swapped my summer wheels on for my winter wheels and remarked that the winter tyres were worn out and I needed new ones. That was 4 winters ago, and it's only now that they are down to 4-5 mm tread depth.
And this is the same OPC that carried out a large service and did not stamp the service book.
That was the last time I had my car serviced there- went across the border to another OPC who were far better and they actually asked about the condition of the serviceable parts first.
This is the same OPC that swapped my summer wheels on for my winter wheels and remarked that the winter tyres were worn out and I needed new ones. That was 4 winters ago, and it's only now that they are down to 4-5 mm tread depth.
And this is the same OPC that carried out a large service and did not stamp the service book.
That was the last time I had my car serviced there- went across the border to another OPC who were far better and they actually asked about the condition of the serviceable parts first.
ikarl said:
but how many owners would just say "fine, go ahead"... and the dealer ends up with an extra £388 through the books
I booked my car in for a service the other day, the woman on the phone suggested I take it to them for a 'major 40,000 mile service', as I was also having the cambelt done. I was pretty sure what I wanted would be covered on the basic service, so I checked, and lo and behold, the only real difference with the major service is a 'visual inspection' on several things and some fault code reading. Well, thats £100 saved over the major service!panholio said:
I reckon the vast majority of people they deal with just let them get on with it. I'm sure your average Cayenne owner isn't going to be arsed about £80 on wipers.
Just because people buy a relatively expensive car doesn't mean they are mugs. We also have a Cayenne, and would not spend £80 on wipers, and I know plenty of people with nice cars who wouldnt either..Which reminds me of my local Landrover dealer that rang my wife to say that the pads on here Disco 3 were down to nothing, and she shouldn't drive the car. I had an interesting talk with the service Manager as to why the wear indicators hadn't come on. When he said " Oh I forgot, they're faulty and need replacing," I told him they were new 10 days ago, along with the pads. I burst out laughing when he said "had I done any towing to wear them down?" 
In ten f
king days ???. I suggested he have a look and try to find a tow-bar anywhere on the car. They never had my work again, however...................a few days before last Xmas the alternator packed up, and unfortunately the only place to have one at short notice was the same companys' other reasonably local branch. Having no choice, they duly did the work and of course we get the the phone call "Your battery has failed as well" Knowing full well this wasn't the case, I made them aware of a simple test of overnight charge and how to check in the morning on the car during the starting procedure. Ten months later, we have still saved the £270ish they wanted for one. Utter s. I hate most Main Dealers with a passion.
On a more positive note, Lancaster Colchester Maserati have been utterly superb recently, as have Kerridges of Needham Market for the last 21 years with me.
In ten fking days ???. I suggested he have a look and try to find a tow-bar anywhere on the car. They never had my work again, however...................a few days before last Xmas the alternator packed up, and unfortunately the only place to have one at short notice was the same companys' other reasonably local branch. Having no choice, they duly did the work and of course we get the the phone call "Your battery has failed as well" Knowing full well this wasn't the case, I made them aware of a simple test of overnight charge and how to check in the morning on the car during the starting procedure. Ten months later, we have still saved the £270ish they wanted for one. Utter s. I hate most Main Dealers with a passion.On a more positive note, Lancaster Colchester Maserati have been utterly superb recently, as have Kerridges of Needham Market for the last 21 years with me.
sjc said:
Which reminds me of my local Landrover dealer that rang my wife to say that the pads on here Disco 3 were down to nothing, and she shouldn't drive the car. I had an interesting talk with the service Manager as to why the wear indicators hadn't come on. When he said " Oh I forgot, they're faulty and need replacing," I told him they were new 10 days ago, along with the pads. I burst out laughing when he said "had I done any towing to wear them down?" In ten fking days ???. I suggested he have a look and try to find a tow-bar anywhere on the car.
Not good. In ten fking days ???. I suggested he have a look and try to find a tow-bar anywhere on the car. edo said:
panholio said:
I reckon the vast majority of people they deal with just let them get on with it. I'm sure your average Cayenne owner isn't going to be arsed about £80 on wipers.
Just because people buy a relatively expensive car doesn't mean they are mugs. We also have a Cayenne, and would not spend £80 on wipers, and I know plenty of people with nice cars who wouldnt either..It is fraud. Pure and simple. It makes the dealer no better than a dodgy builder or plumber being caught on TV for overcharging.
A chap my wife works with has a son which works at a local Peugeot dealership, and they have targets to reach for selling extra work!
It would be interested to know how much extra work they get through this verses how much work it costs them with people not going back.
I bought a 3 year old Mondeo in Feruary 2012, when it needed a service 12.5k later as it was only 4 years old and only an oil change I let the local main stealer do it, it came back with a report saying the AC didn't work.
I thought this was odd, as I'd had a car with AC problems and have learnt to recognise the compressor tripping in and out, and hadn't noticed it with this car, so I left it.
Amazingly my broken AC has done a superb job this summer, and even kept use cool through France in August with temperatures nudging 40 degrees...
The car is due another service soon, which is an oil change only again, guess where it isn't going...
It would be interested to know how much extra work they get through this verses how much work it costs them with people not going back.
I bought a 3 year old Mondeo in Feruary 2012, when it needed a service 12.5k later as it was only 4 years old and only an oil change I let the local main stealer do it, it came back with a report saying the AC didn't work.
I thought this was odd, as I'd had a car with AC problems and have learnt to recognise the compressor tripping in and out, and hadn't noticed it with this car, so I left it.
Amazingly my broken AC has done a superb job this summer, and even kept use cool through France in August with temperatures nudging 40 degrees...
The car is due another service soon, which is an oil change only again, guess where it isn't going...
Not at the same level but a colleague of mine took his Alfa into the main dealer for a service. Every time previously they had managed to squeeze screenwash in and charge him for it so this time he filled it to the max and taped the top of the bottle shut with a label saying "do not fill".
The invoice came and sure enough, £10 for screen wash. Before he left it had been removed from the bill.
The invoice came and sure enough, £10 for screen wash. Before he left it had been removed from the bill.
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