We'll call you when it's ready

[Tin Hat]

Rover (God rest), VW, Subaru, Renault, Mitsubishi, Audi, Lotus, Mercedes, BMW, Fiat.

To date, I have probably visited a garage 50 or 60 times for service or repair and I am always cheerfully promised that they will call me as soon as the vehicle is ready. I don't think that this has ever happened, unless they are running short on parking spaces. In my experience, service departments for 'premium' cars are some of the worst offenders, but maybe that is because they hype up their service so that my expectations are higher.

Unsurprisingly, the phone seems to work pretty well when they need to tap me up for authorisation for unexpected work.......

Is it because I live in London? am I clearly submissive? or is it just the standard box ticking tosh that the management boys demand that the service staff adhere to that 'doesn't really matter'.

Its such a pathetic issue to whine on about, but I am afraid that it leaves me feeling that most garages lack enthusiasm and don't value my custom!

[Jasandjules]

It's not just garages.....

[Tin Hat]

Jasandjules said:

It's not just garages.....

I know, Builders are even worse......

[Pig benis]

I HATE this saying so much. I don't think a garage has ever called me back after saying it, every time I have to call up only to be told "yes the car is ready sir, it's been waiting for you for a while"... So fkING call me then. So fustrating

[p4blo32]

VW Hedge End used to send an automated text when the car was ready - quite handy. Can't remember any other garages doing as they said though

[ewan221]

Where I get car serviced they not only call you but come and pick you up from the town center where you have been wandering around and overdosing on coffee !

[Welshbeef]

I nearly always only have a morning or afternoon so it has to be ready by x time so when I book I state this - reason being I physically need to be somewhere by x time no excuses or they will have to have a courtesy car or hire car insured for business use and multiple drivers.

This I have to say works and yes they once had to provide a hire car - they didn't think I was serious just going them a tighter time schedule for no particular reason but I had specifically noted this about a month on advance and had handed the car in first and the work was straight forwards.

This time I specifically needed the car as we were catching the ferry to the isle of man for the weekend...

[Alucidnation]

I have always been called when any of my cars are in and they are ready.

[PumpkinSteve]

They always call me at 5pm "we're closing in ten seconds and your car is ready. If you can't get here before the end of this phone call it will be locked in the compound overnight"

[Welshbeef]

I've had some times where they are supposed to be doing investigative work and ten the repair but when I call at lunchtime they have not started on it instead they always do the easy jobs first so it's my car wick stays in over night in these instances.

[Angry Sheep]

Our local garage are pretty good at phoning when it's ready.

The last time I used them I dropped the car off at 8am (I said I needed it urgently so agreed to drop it off first thing). Got a call just before lunch saying it had flown through its MOT and they'd replaced the cam belt. Even though I needed it back ASAP I wasn't really expecting it back before the evening.

[New POD]

Apparently they are short staffed, and this means they can make a vague promise, and not keep it.