Discussion
How much do you think you can read into the standard of a garage based on the quality of their courtesy cars?
I've just been handed the keys to a 12 year old Cinquecento that is barely roadworthy and is IMHO a bit on the dangerous side.... My favourite thing about it is that the washers don't work. Really useful in a salt spray/low sun environment.
Oh yeh, and try and get water at a garage. Assuming they have a supply then of the three garages I stopped at to clear the screen during my 20 mile journey one had a tap outside (just a tap mind, not watering can or other container type item and nothing in the shop to use either......yes I can park with the cap of my washer bottle, or windscreen, within 2 inches of your sodding wall.....er, no, actually I can't you
wits), one had nothing to offer at all as it was, somewhat predictably, "out of order" and the other relieved me of a pound for a splash of what must be premium aqua minerale..... .
I've just been handed the keys to a 12 year old Cinquecento that is barely roadworthy and is IMHO a bit on the dangerous side.... My favourite thing about it is that the washers don't work. Really useful in a salt spray/low sun environment.
Oh yeh, and try and get water at a garage. Assuming they have a supply then of the three garages I stopped at to clear the screen during my 20 mile journey one had a tap outside (just a tap mind, not watering can or other container type item and nothing in the shop to use either......yes I can park with the cap of my washer bottle, or windscreen, within 2 inches of your sodding wall.....er, no, actually I can't you
wits), one had nothing to offer at all as it was, somewhat predictably, "out of order" and the other relieved me of a pound for a splash of what must be premium aqua minerale..... . As long as the courtesy car gets you to work or the shop, and then back to the garage safely, does it really matter for a day or 2?
If they offer a Ferrari or TVR as a courtesy car they would just add the cost to your bill somewhere along the line.
Long term loaners should be "nice" cars though
If they offer a Ferrari or TVR as a courtesy car they would just add the cost to your bill somewhere along the line.
Long term loaners should be "nice" cars though
mcflurry said:
As long as the courtesy car gets you to work or the shop, and then back to the garage safely, does it really matter for a day or 2?
If they offer a Ferrari or TVR as a courtesy car they would just add the cost to your bill somewhere along the line.
Long term loaners should be "nice" cars though
If I was offered a Ferrari or TVR as a courtesy car, I wouldn't bother going back to get my car.
mcflurry said:
As long as the courtesy car gets you to work or the shop, and then back to the garage safely, does it really matter for a day or 2?
If they offer a Ferrari or TVR as a courtesy car they would just add the cost to your bill somewhere along the line.
Long term loaners should be "nice" cars though
I agree. I wouldn't want anything particularly flash - something bad is bound to happen to it. Not saying I'd be happy with a 12 year old Cinq with no washers but a newish Ford Ka would be great.
when i used to own my alfa, i used to end up in coutesy cars quite a lot, quite often they were puntos. i was goint to complain about the lack of washer fluid, but when i read all the small print, it turns out you more or less have to do a major inspection of the car before you sign for it, and once you've signed for it, its your resposibility.
after that i used to give the car a once over, and make sure everything worked, quite often asking them to put screen wash in (not popular with the mechanics at 5.30pm ), or top the oil up.
at the end of the day , yes, its easy just to jump in and drive off, but if you crash because you can't see where you're going due to lack of screen wash, you'll be the one the police nick for it!
after that i used to give the car a once over, and make sure everything worked, quite often asking them to put screen wash in (not popular with the mechanics at 5.30pm ), or top the oil up.
at the end of the day , yes, its easy just to jump in and drive off, but if you crash because you can't see where you're going due to lack of screen wash, you'll be the one the police nick for it!
I was once given an old, old TVR engined Range Rover (What was the name of that company again? Not Lichfield....doh...can't remember) which was super-powerful and pretty fast. It had uprated suspension too, but I think the whole thing was a bit worn out. Given that it was in exchange for a 968 Sport, it felt massive and wallowing in comparison. Anyway, I was quite enjoying the huge torque until I realised that I was geting about 5 mpg! It sat on my drive for the rest of the week as I could barely afford to use it....
My Dad's best mate owns a spray shop. He now deliberately provides crap courtesy cars due to the fact that when he had a nice fleet of brand new Focuses (or Foci, how the hell do you put the plural for Focus?) he got fed up chasing people to bring them back pay the bill and take their own cars away. Now he has old Rover 100’s the customers are waiting at the door to hand them back!!
Took the Smart to be serviced at the Bristol (Cribbs Causeway) Merc./Smart dealership & after being kept waiting for 20 mins. in reception, the service liason officer or what ever they are called, handed over the keys to a new 320cdi.
On a £ value basis not a bad loaner! On a fun to drive basis, I'd take the Smart everyday.
On a £ value basis not a bad loaner! On a fun to drive basis, I'd take the Smart everyday.
A57 HSV said:
Took the Smart to be serviced at the Bristol (Cribbs Causeway) Merc./Smart dealership & after being kept waiting for 20 mins. in reception, the service liason officer or what ever they are called, handed over the keys to a new 320cdi.
On a £ value basis not a bad loaner! On a fun to drive basis, I'd take the Smart everyday.
No fair, I took my forfour BRABUS in for its new gearbox and got a forfour 1.3 in its place.
I used to work at a Vauxhall dealer, we had all sorts of courtesy cars. Senator, Astra convertible, Calibra and plenty of Nova SR's. People used to complain they were getting a Nova then not want to hand them back!
Renault want the gf's car for at least a week, it went in today. But of course, because she's under 21, they can't offer her a car! The only reason she did get anything was because she used to work for the dealer and she's still technically employed, and gets on really well with the manager. Off course, I lose out as I couldn't be insured on either courtesy car. Right in the middle of my IAM...
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