Garages dont you just love them

[S2red]

Has cause to put car into a well know chancer chain in Glasgow yesterday to reprogram a key(the garage was handy) Did one of their safety health checks on car everything OK except brakes 60% left on front pads 70% left on rear pads

Car has done 35K miles and front pads were replaced on Tuesday in another garage and rears are original

Arnold's mechanics dont you just love them - NOT!

[offshorematt2]

Had a similar experience in Aberdeen (different chain though). Put my car in to have a tyre resealed and when I returned, they told me that they'd thoughtfully done a brake test and wheel alignment check. Showed me a piece of paper with four printed squares with some handwritten numbers in them. Car was waaaay off, in every respect. I led him on and he was very generously prepared to sort it out there and then.

So I explained the car had had new shocks, springs, pads and discs a fortnight before at a 'proper' garage. Did he mind if I took a copy of his 'report' as I was going to go back and kick off? Funny how he quickly advised that it really wasn't that bad, would be safe enough and if he were me he would just let it go...

I work on the assumption they are always trying to steal from me and it generally works.

[Craigie]

S2red said:

Has cause to put car into a well know chancer chain in Glasgow yesterday to reprogram a key(the garage was handy) Did one of their safety health checks on car everything OK except brakes 60% left on front pads 70% left on rear pads

Car has done 35K miles and front pads were replaced on Tuesday in another garage and rears are original

Arnold's mechanics dont you just love them - NOT!

S2, what did you do about it though? I know one part of you will be "why waste my time" etc but if I was you I would have kicked up such a complete humungous fuss in their service reception that they would have been running for cover!

[MoreSteam]

I once kicked off about service charges in a well known Subaru garage in Aberdeen. I accused them of employing Paul Daniels for filling the windscreen washers. They also had the cheek to provide some top-up oil at a very inflated price, for an engine that didn't use any oil.

Unfortunately for them they had just moved their service desk to the same area as sales. There were prospective customers leaving in droves.

[AndyAudi]

MoreSteam said:

I once kicked off about service charges in a well known Subaru garage in Aberdeen. I accused them of employing Paul Daniels for filling the windscreen washers. They also had the cheek to provide some top-up oil at a very inflated price, for an engine that didn't use any oil.

Unfortunately for them they had just moved their service desk to the same area as sales. There were prospective customers leaving in droves.

I was exactly the same with them too!
After finding their litre of oil and paper funnel a few times, they were told it was not required when car was booked in after that.

However they still managed to charge me for it and the lassie on reception wouldn't give me the keys until she'd recovered the oil from the car. However there was no embarrasment or apology when she was unable to find it!

(There was also the anomoly if i remember correctly, the litre bottle top up pack was charged at £11, however the same stuff put into the engine from bulk was £12.50 litre!)

[S2red]

Craigie

Its Arnold Clark, only used them because I had to, would walk before buying anything from them gave up years ago complaining to them/about them

Check out the Arnold sucks site if it still exists

[ViperScot]

I once had a perfectly functioning battery replaced WITHOUT my consent. My girlfriend at the time dropped the car off and I came back to pick it up. Got a free battery out of their chancery though (kept their one and didn't pay for it, took my own one back).

[Monaro5.7]

You guys do know about the guy who dropped off his Monaro down south. And the garage took it for a joy rid and was caught on camera doing 125mph.

It has been in the papers and Sky News.

There is a link 2 the video but i think it has been removed as its in the hands of the police

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[klimakool]

my girlfriends car came out of kwik fit about 4 months ago, handy for a tyre as she kept moaning of a puncture, after parking the car at the house i asked her why the car was stinking of wd40 at the back? thought it was a front tyre you got fixed? she replied i did, but they said i need to get new rear shocks, can you do them at the weekend for me. one peak and the leak they claimed to have seem has evaporated.

shocking.............

[OlberJ]

Lad i had in with a Focus for me to repair was telling me of the last time he was in a garage.

The car was running on 2 cylinders, as it was again, they replaced the coilpack for him, and when he went to pick the car up they informed him he owed an extra £150 as his steering rack was bust and they had already replaced it.

They showed him the bust rack, with "too much play in it" and the numpty paid up!

I'll bet 1000-1 that they didn't even touch his steering rack.

[Famous Graham]

Problem is, we're a minority - the average punter just wants to keep their motor running so they can get to work or wherever. The car is "just" a tool, but an invaluable one, nonetheless.

And when I say "we", I don't necessarily mean people with mechanical knowledge either, just the nouse to know that there are places such as PH or owners' clubs to ask questions before blindly handing over cash. I count myself in the latter, not the former group (I know how to replace oil, flush a radiator - thanks Olly! - and change a wheel, but that's about it).