Garages Ripping off the Mrs
Discussion
I thought I had seen it all when it comes to blatant p!ss taking by Garages. The Mrs popped her car into a well know main dealer, whos badges were quite popular with the public enemy fans a few years back. This was to get an incredibly slow diesel leak fixed where a pipe attaches to the fuel filter.
As the car is under warranty from the manufactured what was to be a 20p clip replacement was fobbed off as a £517 fuel filter, cannister and pipework replacement!!!! even with a lovely video clip to show how dangerous the situation was and that the metal filter cannister was "split!" which having inspected it the night before was total bull.
They then also went to town suggesting that a car we bought from them just under 6 months ago and which has now done 2500 miles since purchase (40k total) needed new shocks, tyres all for the bargain price of £2516 or children would die.
Being of sound mind I called them up and suggested they quickly change the clip for 20p and all would be good in the world. Today the Mrs just had a call to say that all is done and there is no charge.
I cant help thinking that had she been alone and told that this all needed replaxing immediately without understanding she/we would be out of pocket for £500+ pounds. What also amazing is that the car was purchasd with the manufacturers 10,000 point check and sailiing through an MOT and full Service a few months back and now it appears after 2500 miles of slow female driving its knackered?!?!
So any other stories of companies creating blatant profeteering oppertunities from your Mrs, where youve managed to hold on to the cash just in the nick of time??
As the car is under warranty from the manufactured what was to be a 20p clip replacement was fobbed off as a £517 fuel filter, cannister and pipework replacement!!!! even with a lovely video clip to show how dangerous the situation was and that the metal filter cannister was "split!" which having inspected it the night before was total bull.
They then also went to town suggesting that a car we bought from them just under 6 months ago and which has now done 2500 miles since purchase (40k total) needed new shocks, tyres all for the bargain price of £2516 or children would die.
Being of sound mind I called them up and suggested they quickly change the clip for 20p and all would be good in the world. Today the Mrs just had a call to say that all is done and there is no charge.
I cant help thinking that had she been alone and told that this all needed replaxing immediately without understanding she/we would be out of pocket for £500+ pounds. What also amazing is that the car was purchasd with the manufacturers 10,000 point check and sailiing through an MOT and full Service a few months back and now it appears after 2500 miles of slow female driving its knackered?!?!
So any other stories of companies creating blatant profeteering oppertunities from your Mrs, where youve managed to hold on to the cash just in the nick of time??
makes you wonder how many people just hand their card over to pay for scary, mysterious things that apparently need doing but in actual fact are nothing.
It really does pay to understand a bit about cars, trouble is, I do, but it means I then bit of more than I can chew and buy some old pain in the arse rather than something five years old I could keep runnign for every for £200 a year or so.
It really does pay to understand a bit about cars, trouble is, I do, but it means I then bit of more than I can chew and buy some old pain in the arse rather than something five years old I could keep runnign for every for £200 a year or so.
You have done what all people with the capacity to be easily ripped-off at the drop of a hat stupidly do. Why, oh why, oh why, do you insist on dealing with main franchised dealers. All you goolies that wander into main dealers with your eyes shut and waving your credit/debit card around deserve all you get. Particularly if your gender is not of the masculine persuasion. They, mostly, see you as putty in their hands. And you all fall for it.
If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
Mates wife had her car in for a puncture, they told her it needed new dampers as they were leaking,the brakes were bad,oh and the exhaust needed swapping too,
she didnt want to drive it and had only enough for the puncture repair,
I took him down to collect it, they showed him the problems, er the exhaust is nearly new, nothing wrong with the brakes, and when did dampers leak WD40?
tossers
she didnt want to drive it and had only enough for the puncture repair,
I took him down to collect it, they showed him the problems, er the exhaust is nearly new, nothing wrong with the brakes, and when did dampers leak WD40?
tossers
datum77 said:
You have done what all people with the capacity to be easily ripped-off at the drop of a hat stupidly do. Why, oh why, oh why, do you insist on dealing with main franchised dealers. All you goolies that wander into main dealers with your eyes shut and waving your credit/debit card around deserve all you get. Particularly if your gender is not of the masculine persuasion. They, mostly, see you as putty in their hands. And you all fall for it.
If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
My mate under the arches doesn't like doing warranty work on cars he hasn't supplied... If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
TEKNOPUG said:
Every time I have ever been to a main dealer for anything, the car in question has always, without fail, urgently required new brake pads....
Ha, yes. My main dealer told me that my brake pads were 60% worn and need to be replaced. FFS! There is still almost half their life left in themdatum77 said:
You have done what all people with the capacity to be easily ripped-off at the drop of a hat stupidly do. Why, oh why, oh why, do you insist on dealing with main franchised dealers. All you goolies that wander into main dealers with your eyes shut and waving your credit/debit card around deserve all you get. Particularly if your gender is not of the masculine persuasion. They, mostly, see you as putty in their hands. And you all fall for it.
If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
Utterly predictable as ever.If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
OP, I would be straight back down to the dealer, and have a serious word with the Dealer Principal. Depending on his reaction, I would consider escalating it further, social media just loves stuff like this.
Please do not think that ALL dealers are rip off merchants though, despite what you see in here.
I had this recently - Mrs took her car for a service at the main dealer she likes to use and came back having been advised that all the brake pipes were corroded and needed replacing for its next MOT (£500), and that it needed a new radiator as that was leaking (£300). Thinking that seemed a bit steep I took it to a local garage for them (and me) to have a look at the brakes and they were not concerned about them in the slightest, but if we did want them doing anyway it would be about £200. Since the service I've also kept a more frequent eye on the coolant level and in 2000 miles it has not lost a drop. So the main dealer was clearly talking s
te, but if it were down to the Mrs alone I don't doubt she would be £800 worse off by now.
te, but if it were down to the Mrs alone I don't doubt she would be £800 worse off by now.a number of years ago my sister took her car to a vw main dealer for a service.
Somehow the car required a full set of discs and pads even though they had been checked only a few hundred miles previously when she was up her visiting the week before.
She didnt argue or call me and simply had the work done. They rang her to tell her she had a rear brake light bulb out - she asked them if they could just replace it for her as she didnt have a clue how to fit a new one or what kind of bulb to get.
All was fine until she came to pay for the additional work - removing the Ns rear boot trim, test electric ciruit and fit new bulb.... it was approximately £2.50 for the replacement bulb and £180! for labour to remove the trim test the circuit (WHY?? why not just fit the new bulb as there was nothing else wrong with it ffs) and fit the new bulb!!!
To say she was upset was an understatement, but it was too late at that stage as they had done the work and when she questioned it gave her a load of bull about how long it took to remove the boot trim to get to the light ( which incidentally takes about 60 seconds).... she just paid up and never went back.
Somehow the car required a full set of discs and pads even though they had been checked only a few hundred miles previously when she was up her visiting the week before.
She didnt argue or call me and simply had the work done. They rang her to tell her she had a rear brake light bulb out - she asked them if they could just replace it for her as she didnt have a clue how to fit a new one or what kind of bulb to get.
All was fine until she came to pay for the additional work - removing the Ns rear boot trim, test electric ciruit and fit new bulb.... it was approximately £2.50 for the replacement bulb and £180! for labour to remove the trim test the circuit (WHY?? why not just fit the new bulb as there was nothing else wrong with it ffs) and fit the new bulb!!!
To say she was upset was an understatement, but it was too late at that stage as they had done the work and when she questioned it gave her a load of bull about how long it took to remove the boot trim to get to the light ( which incidentally takes about 60 seconds).... she just paid up and never went back.
Edited by hedgefinder on Wednesday 20th May 16:35
furtive said:
Ha, yes. My main dealer told me that my brake pads were 60% worn and need to be replaced. FFS! There is still almost half their life left in them
That's uncanny - at the weekend I was talking to my sister-in-law who said she needed to get her brake pads replaced as they were (according to the garage) 60% worn. I tried to point out that if it had taken 26,000 miles/three years to get to that point then they were still prefectly good for at least one more year and probably two, but to no avail. When I knew nothing about cars I had an A3 that developed a knocking when letting off the accelerator. Took it to various 'specialists' who couldn't solve the problem but charged me for engine mounts etc. I took it to the main dealer where it lost all drive and tried to charge me £2.5k for a new gearbox. I took it to a local mechanic to knew within minutes it was the drive shaft splines shot. Complained and got some cheap wine sent to me?
Same place found £500 worth work that NEEDED doing when it was in for service. A service that didn't include air filter btw. I showed the list to a mechanic who after checking just laughed and said I shouldn't go back. I also wasn't best pleased returning days later to pick up my under tray.
Same place found £500 worth work that NEEDED doing when it was in for service. A service that didn't include air filter btw. I showed the list to a mechanic who after checking just laughed and said I shouldn't go back. I also wasn't best pleased returning days later to pick up my under tray.
A while ago but my missus went into Gilbert Lawton (VW Dealer) to get a new foglight lens for her then new MK3 Golf, was £20 or so for the lens. At the time she was heavily pregnant with our first baby and the chap on the parts counter remarked on this and said he would pop the lens on for her, she thought how nice he was, it was two screws, a 2 minute job, bit of kudos for the customer service, well it was until he charged her twenty quid labour !
She objected and they took it off but it was 30 mins labour he charged, apparently was the lowest he could bill, but he hadn't said it would cost, he just gave every indication he was doing it gratis due to her condition.
I think it is one of those many situations where our money suddenly loses value and you instinctively bend over ready, feeling helpless, not wanting to look cheap or poor, wishing it to be over so you can go and lick your financial wounds, you suck it up and try not to whimper and hand over your card.
For example, booking weddings, funerals, hotel bills, going to the vets, paying anyone in the legal profession, going to the dentists, settling the bill in posh restaurants and many others.
She objected and they took it off but it was 30 mins labour he charged, apparently was the lowest he could bill, but he hadn't said it would cost, he just gave every indication he was doing it gratis due to her condition.
I think it is one of those many situations where our money suddenly loses value and you instinctively bend over ready, feeling helpless, not wanting to look cheap or poor, wishing it to be over so you can go and lick your financial wounds, you suck it up and try not to whimper and hand over your card.
For example, booking weddings, funerals, hotel bills, going to the vets, paying anyone in the legal profession, going to the dentists, settling the bill in posh restaurants and many others.
ThanksFew years back a mate of mine sent his missus down to a fitting centre to get a couple tyres for his Cavalier SRi (that dates it!).
Anyway, she came and told him that the brakes were shot and the exhaust was knackered… so he pops down there, demands to see the manager and orders them to put the car up the ramps (he's a wee fellow but can be quite fearsome when he is pissed off). He then asked them to point out the defects in the exhaust and brakes he'd fitted himself the previous weekend.
According to him, the manager promised to 'discipline' the member of staff concerned and refunded the price of the tyres he'd had fitted as "a gesture of goodwill".
You probably won't be surprised to hear that the name of the 'garage' concerned relates to how quickly they can fit.
Anyway, she came and told him that the brakes were shot and the exhaust was knackered… so he pops down there, demands to see the manager and orders them to put the car up the ramps (he's a wee fellow but can be quite fearsome when he is pissed off). He then asked them to point out the defects in the exhaust and brakes he'd fitted himself the previous weekend.
According to him, the manager promised to 'discipline' the member of staff concerned and refunded the price of the tyres he'd had fitted as "a gesture of goodwill".
You probably won't be surprised to hear that the name of the 'garage' concerned relates to how quickly they can fit.
datum77 said:
You have done what all people with the capacity to be easily ripped-off at the drop of a hat stupidly do. Why, oh why, oh why, do you insist on dealing with main franchised dealers. All you goolies that wander into main dealers with your eyes shut and waving your credit/debit card around deserve all you get. Particularly if your gender is not of the masculine persuasion. They, mostly, see you as putty in their hands. And you all fall for it.
If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
Were you touched inappropriately at a main dealer once?If you bother to do your research, (most people can't be bothered, and then complain that they've been taken for a ride), you CAN find other, non-affiliated garages that will give you much better attention than all the computer controlled divvies that work for the big boys.
They are NOT in the least interested in you, but ARE interested in getting you to part with the maximum amount of wedge.
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!
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