Credit where credit is due ...
Discussion
Most of us have owned (or will own) cars that have constantly been unreliable. Sometimes it's simply down to bad luck and others it's down to poor manufacture, quality or design.
I've had a couple of cars that fit that category. But not my present car.
My (second hand) Mitsubishi Galant VR4 has been an absolute gem. In the five years I've owned it I have only travelled about 30,000 miles including three holidays to mainland Europe, each of which accounted for roughly 3,000 miles. I have also 'tracked' the car regularly which obviously puts extra stress on the components. The few expenses have mostly been consumables - brake pads, tyres. oils etc.
As the car had now reached 70,000 miles I was expecting that maintenance bills would probably increase due to normal wear and tear. But I had underestimated quite how dramatically things were going to change.
I had had an overheating problem which only became apparent when tracking the car. The high speeds and multiple gear changes produced the overheating but on ordinary roads it was never and issue, although it did lose a small amount of coolant through the expansion tank after any spirited run. I had slowly been replacing various parts of the cooling system to try and get the problem sorted. Engine flush, new coolant, new radiator, new thermostats etc etc.
We finally had one last possibility - the water pump. But this was a big job which entailed a major engine strip down to get at it. On my particular car it's listed by the manufacturer as an 8 hour job. Whilst doing this job it's cost effective to change the cambelt and tensioners at the same time.
The job was done locally and all was sweet for about 100 miles - then..... I was in a traffic queue, taking my wife to work, when I heard a 'fluttering' noise. I turned the radio off to try and identify the sound just as the engine stalled. I coasted into a conveniently located side road and arranged for the car to be lifted onto a recovery truck and put on my drive (4 x 4 so can't be towed).
A simple check confirmed that the engine had seized up, but the reason was not clear. As it was highly likely that the engine would need replacing I decided that I would send the car to a specialist garage over 130 miles away from my location, but of which I had heard glowing reports. It turned out to be a very fortunate decision.
My car was subsequently transported to Eurospec 2000 near Guildford for a full report on the damage and suggestions as to what options were available to get the car back on the road.
It seems that a bolt which holds one of the cambelt tensioners in place had sheared with catastrophic consequences. The engine was a write off.
A low mileage second hand engine was sourced from a reliable person that I had personally known for five years - and three weeks after the seizure I collected my car from Eurospec. I couldn't have been happier - the engine purred nicely and performed perfectly. When collecting the car I had been pleasantly surprised that the car had been extensively valeted and was cleaner than any time I had owned it in the previous five years!
All in all my total outlay due to the failure of ONE bolt was £1,852.00. But I wasn't too unhappy as my previous costs over five years had been negligible and I now had a low mileage engine again.
And I guess you may all think that that is the end of my story ....... but unfortunately it isn't.
After I had collected my car and returned home I did a few short trips, but for the most part I stayed indoors for a few days as I was feeling unwell. When I ventured out again, the car had done some 200 miles in total since the replacement engine had been fitted, including the 130 miles from Surrey.
I was travelling across town to visit my mother when I heard a 'fluttering' sound! I pulled up just as the car stalled. Talk about deja vu!
I opened the bonnet to find that my power steering belt and alternator belt had shredded with various bits lying around the engine bay. What I couldn't see (because of the cambelt cover) was that the cambelt was also badly damaged. Can you imagine how I felt? I felt physically sick!
My local garage got the car up on their ramps and initially confirmed that the engine would only partially crank manually but not fully - presumably it had seized.
I rang the garage in Surrey to tell them the news, and being in a cynical mood, fully expected them to deny all responsibility. But I was very wrong.
They asked me for the contact details of my local garage so that they could discuss the technicalities of the damage but also told me that I wasn't to worry as they would repair everything at their cost, even if another engine was required!
They subsequently spoke with my garage and asked them to investigate further. My garage found that another bolt had sheared ...... this time, the one holding the power steering belt tensioner in place. The tensioner pulley itself had fallen off and was sitting on the engine undertray. Although it's hard to work out exactly what happened, and in what order, it seems that part of the belt had shredded and was whipping around the cambelt cover actually melting part of it due to the friction. The molten plastic globules dropped onto parts of the cambelt cogs (see photo), solidified and stopped them working! Whilst this was happening, or maybe subsequently, the power steering belt was flapping around and grabbed the alternator belt and ripped that off as well. Whereas the engine would partially crank manually, it was making weird and nasty sounds.
Eurospec 2000 called me back within an hour of our previous chat. I couldn't help being impressed even though my mood was very low. They had spoken with my local garage and ascertained more or less what had happened. They had arranged for a recovery truck to collect the car the very next day to take it back to Surrey. They had paid my local garage for his time and they confirmed that they would fix everything to my satisfaction at no further cost to me. Even though the issue was a faulty bolt (which had sheared) they insisted that as they, 'were last in there', they would fix everything. Furthermore, they told me that I would have priority on their limited number of car ramps so that I would get my car back in the shortest time possible. A courtesy car was also offered for the duration of the repair time.
Fortunately the engine internals hadn't been damaged this time and five days later two of the staff drove my car the 130 miles back to me, having replaced all the external belts, bolts, covers and ancillary parts which had been damaged. They also presented me with a full set of graphs from their brand new hi-tech state of the art rolling road, detailing the car's figures!
The main point of this story is to highlight how a garage SHOULD look after their customers. It's also to say a really big 'thankyou' to the guys at Eurospec for all their expertise dealing with higher performance engines and for looking after me so well. I'll be more than happy to pass on their contact details if anyone wants to get in touch with me via my profile details or email me at dubaiguy@ntlworld.com.
Oh! And finally ........ it's now done over a thousand miles since the repairs and so far, touch wood, all is OK
I've had a couple of cars that fit that category. But not my present car.
My (second hand) Mitsubishi Galant VR4 has been an absolute gem. In the five years I've owned it I have only travelled about 30,000 miles including three holidays to mainland Europe, each of which accounted for roughly 3,000 miles. I have also 'tracked' the car regularly which obviously puts extra stress on the components. The few expenses have mostly been consumables - brake pads, tyres. oils etc.
As the car had now reached 70,000 miles I was expecting that maintenance bills would probably increase due to normal wear and tear. But I had underestimated quite how dramatically things were going to change.
I had had an overheating problem which only became apparent when tracking the car. The high speeds and multiple gear changes produced the overheating but on ordinary roads it was never and issue, although it did lose a small amount of coolant through the expansion tank after any spirited run. I had slowly been replacing various parts of the cooling system to try and get the problem sorted. Engine flush, new coolant, new radiator, new thermostats etc etc.
We finally had one last possibility - the water pump. But this was a big job which entailed a major engine strip down to get at it. On my particular car it's listed by the manufacturer as an 8 hour job. Whilst doing this job it's cost effective to change the cambelt and tensioners at the same time.
The job was done locally and all was sweet for about 100 miles - then..... I was in a traffic queue, taking my wife to work, when I heard a 'fluttering' noise. I turned the radio off to try and identify the sound just as the engine stalled. I coasted into a conveniently located side road and arranged for the car to be lifted onto a recovery truck and put on my drive (4 x 4 so can't be towed).
A simple check confirmed that the engine had seized up, but the reason was not clear. As it was highly likely that the engine would need replacing I decided that I would send the car to a specialist garage over 130 miles away from my location, but of which I had heard glowing reports. It turned out to be a very fortunate decision.
My car was subsequently transported to Eurospec 2000 near Guildford for a full report on the damage and suggestions as to what options were available to get the car back on the road.
It seems that a bolt which holds one of the cambelt tensioners in place had sheared with catastrophic consequences. The engine was a write off.
A low mileage second hand engine was sourced from a reliable person that I had personally known for five years - and three weeks after the seizure I collected my car from Eurospec. I couldn't have been happier - the engine purred nicely and performed perfectly. When collecting the car I had been pleasantly surprised that the car had been extensively valeted and was cleaner than any time I had owned it in the previous five years!
All in all my total outlay due to the failure of ONE bolt was £1,852.00. But I wasn't too unhappy as my previous costs over five years had been negligible and I now had a low mileage engine again.
And I guess you may all think that that is the end of my story ....... but unfortunately it isn't.
After I had collected my car and returned home I did a few short trips, but for the most part I stayed indoors for a few days as I was feeling unwell. When I ventured out again, the car had done some 200 miles in total since the replacement engine had been fitted, including the 130 miles from Surrey.
I was travelling across town to visit my mother when I heard a 'fluttering' sound! I pulled up just as the car stalled. Talk about deja vu!
I opened the bonnet to find that my power steering belt and alternator belt had shredded with various bits lying around the engine bay. What I couldn't see (because of the cambelt cover) was that the cambelt was also badly damaged. Can you imagine how I felt? I felt physically sick!
My local garage got the car up on their ramps and initially confirmed that the engine would only partially crank manually but not fully - presumably it had seized.
I rang the garage in Surrey to tell them the news, and being in a cynical mood, fully expected them to deny all responsibility. But I was very wrong.
They asked me for the contact details of my local garage so that they could discuss the technicalities of the damage but also told me that I wasn't to worry as they would repair everything at their cost, even if another engine was required!
They subsequently spoke with my garage and asked them to investigate further. My garage found that another bolt had sheared ...... this time, the one holding the power steering belt tensioner in place. The tensioner pulley itself had fallen off and was sitting on the engine undertray. Although it's hard to work out exactly what happened, and in what order, it seems that part of the belt had shredded and was whipping around the cambelt cover actually melting part of it due to the friction. The molten plastic globules dropped onto parts of the cambelt cogs (see photo), solidified and stopped them working! Whilst this was happening, or maybe subsequently, the power steering belt was flapping around and grabbed the alternator belt and ripped that off as well. Whereas the engine would partially crank manually, it was making weird and nasty sounds.
Eurospec 2000 called me back within an hour of our previous chat. I couldn't help being impressed even though my mood was very low. They had spoken with my local garage and ascertained more or less what had happened. They had arranged for a recovery truck to collect the car the very next day to take it back to Surrey. They had paid my local garage for his time and they confirmed that they would fix everything to my satisfaction at no further cost to me. Even though the issue was a faulty bolt (which had sheared) they insisted that as they, 'were last in there', they would fix everything. Furthermore, they told me that I would have priority on their limited number of car ramps so that I would get my car back in the shortest time possible. A courtesy car was also offered for the duration of the repair time.
Fortunately the engine internals hadn't been damaged this time and five days later two of the staff drove my car the 130 miles back to me, having replaced all the external belts, bolts, covers and ancillary parts which had been damaged. They also presented me with a full set of graphs from their brand new hi-tech state of the art rolling road, detailing the car's figures!
The main point of this story is to highlight how a garage SHOULD look after their customers. It's also to say a really big 'thankyou' to the guys at Eurospec for all their expertise dealing with higher performance engines and for looking after me so well. I'll be more than happy to pass on their contact details if anyone wants to get in touch with me via my profile details or email me at dubaiguy@ntlworld.com.
Oh! And finally ........ it's now done over a thousand miles since the repairs and so far, touch wood, all is OK
I think thats what everyone would like to know if they took a car in for major repairs and thats what subsequently happened. Usually these scenarios fall into:
a. Garage - "Can't have been our spanned left in the engine guvnor, you must have done it, you deal with it, was working when it left the garage ". Genrally pita to deal with garages.
b. Or more commonly, customer - "You swapped the engine but I noticed a small mark on the steering wheel, I demand a new interior". Generally pita customers to deal with wanting everything for free.
But in this case seems like you were plesantly surprised, and if true, the garage will be over-loaded with work (just hope they don't get innundated with scenario 'b' customers)..
a. Garage - "Can't have been our spanned left in the engine guvnor, you must have done it, you deal with it, was working when it left the garage ". Genrally pita to deal with garages.
b. Or more commonly, customer - "You swapped the engine but I noticed a small mark on the steering wheel, I demand a new interior". Generally pita customers to deal with wanting everything for free.
But in this case seems like you were plesantly surprised, and if true, the garage will be over-loaded with work (just hope they don't get innundated with scenario 'b' customers)..
sounds like excellent customer service, and good luck to them in the future. Pity more garages were not like this, especially if they know they are going to cough up to fix a problem - make it a good experience out of a bad one. Think about it, you will now go out of your way to use them and you will be happy to recommend safe in the knowledge that they are unlikely to rip any one off.
More businesses should be like this shining example.
More businesses should be like this shining example.
Brilliant stuff!!
And do you know what? For the cost to repair the car, Eurospec couldn't have bought advertising as good as this - hundreds (if not thousands) of PHers in the South East who'll remember the fantastic way you were looked after and I've no doubt you'll be putting all future work through them as well..!
Great to hear about a company that looks after its customers - and it sounds like the guys there know their stuff too. Excellent work, Eurospec 2000!
And do you know what? For the cost to repair the car, Eurospec couldn't have bought advertising as good as this - hundreds (if not thousands) of PHers in the South East who'll remember the fantastic way you were looked after and I've no doubt you'll be putting all future work through them as well..!
Great to hear about a company that looks after its customers - and it sounds like the guys there know their stuff too. Excellent work, Eurospec 2000!
Such fundamental issues on a 70k mile car are a worry though....shearing bolts with catastrophic results....
At least they put it right though, but having had one bolt shear at 70k miles and a second hand motor fitted, if I were doing it, I would have replaced all the bolts on the cambelt end of the motor, (along with belt etc of course and probly a waterpump too!) when fitting the 2nd hand lump.
At least they put it right though, but having had one bolt shear at 70k miles and a second hand motor fitted, if I were doing it, I would have replaced all the bolts on the cambelt end of the motor, (along with belt etc of course and probly a waterpump too!) when fitting the 2nd hand lump.
Funk said:
Brilliant stuff!!
And do you know what? For the cost to repair the car, Eurospec couldn't have bought advertising as good as this - hundreds (if not thousands) of PHers in the South East who'll remember the fantastic way you were looked after and I've no doubt you'll be putting all future work through them as well..!
Great to hear about a company that looks after its customers - and it sounds like the guys there know their stuff too. Excellent work, Eurospec 2000!
My thoughts exactly.And do you know what? For the cost to repair the car, Eurospec couldn't have bought advertising as good as this - hundreds (if not thousands) of PHers in the South East who'll remember the fantastic way you were looked after and I've no doubt you'll be putting all future work through them as well..!
Great to hear about a company that looks after its customers - and it sounds like the guys there know their stuff too. Excellent work, Eurospec 2000!
I suspect there are going to be a few PHers who will now travel that bit further to get to Eurospec.....
What an unusual story.....I think the other posters were correct in saying that this is how all garages should be run.
I would quite happily transport my cars anywhere in the country for service like that; great job Eurothingy.....i suspect you may gain a fair few customers off the back of this!
Now why don't most garages understand the long term benefits to their business resulting from excellent customer service?? I just don't get it!!
I would quite happily transport my cars anywhere in the country for service like that; great job Eurothingy.....i suspect you may gain a fair few customers off the back of this!
Now why don't most garages understand the long term benefits to their business resulting from excellent customer service?? I just don't get it!!
This garage are going to need to expand now!
In all my years of driving (35) I have only used garages 5 times for work on my cars. Every time has reminded me why I do it myself! It's not so much the cost as the fact that if I do a job on a car, I know exactly what has and hasn't been done. I've had garages charge for work not done and new parts used when, in fact they had merely cleaned the existing part of fitted second hand. I've had wheels come off where they had forgotten to tighten the nuts, I've been charged for replacement of a fuel pump when the fault was just a leaky filter (which wasn't replaced). So this garage seem unique, they actually give the service which the customer is paying for!
Well done!
In all my years of driving (35) I have only used garages 5 times for work on my cars. Every time has reminded me why I do it myself! It's not so much the cost as the fact that if I do a job on a car, I know exactly what has and hasn't been done. I've had garages charge for work not done and new parts used when, in fact they had merely cleaned the existing part of fitted second hand. I've had wheels come off where they had forgotten to tighten the nuts, I've been charged for replacement of a fuel pump when the fault was just a leaky filter (which wasn't replaced). So this garage seem unique, they actually give the service which the customer is paying for!
Well done!
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