Main dealer- Christ alive!!

[hunt_the_fox]

This is a cautionary tale more than anything else.

I have always taken my DB9 to a authorised main dealer, let's call them Aston Martin.

Upon buying the car I noticed a wheel wobble under heavy braking. The next time I took it for a service I asked them to have a look- they said the front disks were warped- solution- new disks and pads all round. OK I had driven it quite enthusiastically when I first bought it so I went with it.

The solution didn't work, soon after it was happening again. I lived with it for a while and then took it in again and they said that the front disks were warped again. I said impossible- they said it could be because of the very cold weather and the fact I kept it outside?!

Anyway, I thought that as I had just got new disks I might be able to get them skimmed, AM wouldn't do it so I called an independent guy who after 2 mins with the car diagnosed that one wheel had been badly refurbed before I bought it and alloy had got behind the wheel causing the vibration- solution- £75. As you can imagine if I had stuck with AM it would have been v.expensive let alone the cost of the new (not at all needed) disks and pads.

I then took it in for services for the stamps in the book for 6 more years, problems needed fixing but weren't and then they would just not be needed the next year if the dealership were busy then would turn up again the year after and not the year after...

Then this year took the biscuit. Car was running sweet as a nut. Took in for an annual stamp in the book service. Get phone call- there is a misfire, you need new coils and plugs- £2k + VAT. I thought this was odd as it had been FINE before taking it in. I said no, there was a fair amount of insistence that I needed it done but I stuck to my guns and took the car.

Picked it up and noticed that the engine was not running smoothly. Took it into my local Indy and they plugged it in and said there is no misfire showing up on the diagnostic. They did a couple of other tests and said that there may be a problem with the fuel. I always run it full to empty and there was half a tank left so I told them that I doubted that would be the problem as I had not noticed a problem prior to taking it into the AD. They persuaded me to run it to empty and then fill it up. Approaching empty it was pinging a lot but then miraculously the problem totally resolved itself within 100 yards of the petrol station and has not recurred.

I am struggling to find a charitable explanation for this... how did they diagnose a misfire? No engine management light ever came on which I am told normally happens when a plug or coil goes. I checked the service record and it says 'misfire plug 8' so presumably they must have got it from diagnostics but the Indy ruled it out almost immediately (and correctly). How did the petrol get contaminated? I run it full to empty and it had done half a tank with Zero problems only to suddenly and miraculously become lumpy immediately after the service.

Anyway, sorry about the rant, not sure there is even a purpose to it other than to say that I'm not sure the stamps in the book are worth the utterly inept service.

ETA

No names by association please.

Edited by Big Al. on Tuesday 3rd May 20:22