Garages not getting the basics right
Discussion
There always seem to be problems with the basics in recent years when I or my wife take cars in for service repairs:
Forgetting to stamp the service book
Forgetting to reset the service indicator
Presenting with a bill without first showing the car and checking customer is happy with the work done.
Doing a service and then at pick up time being given a long list of things that need doing. (If you had phoned me I would have said hang on to the car and fix the issues whilst it it there.)
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
Having to tell them what needs doing when I phone up and when I drop the car off only to find they have not done the thing I took it in for but have found a load of other issues.
This is a very common theme over recent years.
Forgetting to stamp the service book
Forgetting to reset the service indicator
Presenting with a bill without first showing the car and checking customer is happy with the work done.
Doing a service and then at pick up time being given a long list of things that need doing. (If you had phoned me I would have said hang on to the car and fix the issues whilst it it there.)
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
Having to tell them what needs doing when I phone up and when I drop the car off only to find they have not done the thing I took it in for but have found a load of other issues.
This is a very common theme over recent years.
Just picking these two out:
Doing a service and then at pick up time being given a long list of things that need doing. (If you had phoned me I would have said hang on to the car and fix the issues whilst it it there.)
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
I suspect the former is because customers are a pain in the arse to get hold of and for fibbing about authorised work, and the latter helps them with VOSA as it shows them picking up faults and sorting for the retest, regardless of how it looks to the next buyer of your car.
Doing a service and then at pick up time being given a long list of things that need doing. (If you had phoned me I would have said hang on to the car and fix the issues whilst it it there.)
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
I suspect the former is because customers are a pain in the arse to get hold of and for fibbing about authorised work, and the latter helps them with VOSA as it shows them picking up faults and sorting for the retest, regardless of how it looks to the next buyer of your car.
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
I had this last year, my number plates light wasn't working at MOT time and told my mechanic
He did MOT and then the work and retested.
I suspect he does the MOT, then if there are other failing, gets permission to rectify replaces and then does retest
Bit of a PITA for a failure!
I had this last year, my number plates light wasn't working at MOT time and told my mechanic
He did MOT and then the work and retested.
I suspect he does the MOT, then if there are other failing, gets permission to rectify replaces and then does retest
Bit of a PITA for a failure!
If they are capable of fixing faults in a timely fashion, doesn't mess your car up, doesn't keep it for weeks, and doesn't rob you then these are easy faults to overlook. People running garages are often mechanics themselves and not really steeped in customer service, and are often spinning a lot of plates at once.
Worst one for me in recent times was a service at a main dealer.
I knew the tyres were getting low so I had them all replaced with OEM rubber on the Saturday. About 4 mile drive from tyre shop to home.
Monday morning, with car not having moved since returning from tyre shop, dealer collected the car for an 8 mile drive to their workshop.
Later that afternoon, get a phone call saying tyres are 60% worn and would I like them replaced - 'we'll send you a video', they said.
Video arrives which clearly shows the tyres are brand new as the coloured bands within the treads are all still very apparent.
Pointed this out to the service manager who said he'd speak with the technician and call me back.
He never did.
I knew the tyres were getting low so I had them all replaced with OEM rubber on the Saturday. About 4 mile drive from tyre shop to home.
Monday morning, with car not having moved since returning from tyre shop, dealer collected the car for an 8 mile drive to their workshop.
Later that afternoon, get a phone call saying tyres are 60% worn and would I like them replaced - 'we'll send you a video', they said.
Video arrives which clearly shows the tyres are brand new as the coloured bands within the treads are all still very apparent.
Pointed this out to the service manager who said he'd speak with the technician and call me back.
He never did.
Agent57 said:
Doing a service and then at pick up time being given a long list of things that need doing. (If you had phoned me I would have said hang on to the car and fix the issues whilst it it there.)
This one was the final straw that stopped me using a local 'specialist', car was in for some repairs, picked it up, drove down the road and had a horrible suspension knock that wasn't there before, turned right back around to the garage to be told 'oh yes, we noticed the top mounts had gone and thought you were aware', well I wasn't as they had not gone before the car was dropped off. Really annoyed me as I had taken the afternoon off work and got a lift over to the garage to pick up the car and the top mounts are an hour and a half job at best, so if they had just mentioned it when they told me the car was ready I would have had them do it!Agent57 said:
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
I've had that out twice with different service managers and both times they told it's because VOSA requires them to test cars as presented to the garage, so as to give a true indication of the state of cars on the road. Which seemed fair enough.However an MOT tester on here told me there is an "as presented" phrase, but it means as presented for the test itself. There's nothing to stop a garage working on a car first. As it happens I've noticed that the last few MOTs cars in the familiy have had done have been done pretty late in the day, so probably after the service has been done.
I used our village garage once for convenience and they told me all good, clean pass. Turned out they'd failed it on headlight aim and said they tweaked them up and passed it. I can't say that's a a lie, but there wasn't a mark on the grimy plastic headlight adjusters.
Agent57 said:
There always seem to be problems with the basics in recent years when I or my wife take cars in for service repairs:
Forgetting to stamp the service book
Forgetting to reset the service indicator
Presenting with a bill without first showing the car and checking customer is happy with the work done.
Doing a service and then at pick up time being given a long list of things that need doing. (If you had phoned me I would have said hang on to the car and fix the issues whilst it it there.)
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
Having to tell them what needs doing when I phone up and when I drop the car off only to find they have not done the thing I took it in for but have found a load of other issues.
This is a very common theme over recent years.
When are you opening your own garage then? Fix these thigns and you'll make a fortune! Forgetting to stamp the service book
Forgetting to reset the service indicator
Presenting with a bill without first showing the car and checking customer is happy with the work done.
Doing a service and then at pick up time being given a long list of things that need doing. (If you had phoned me I would have said hang on to the car and fix the issues whilst it it there.)
Doing the MOT so it comes back with advisories on things I wanted fixed during the service.
Having to tell them what needs doing when I phone up and when I drop the car off only to find they have not done the thing I took it in for but have found a load of other issues.
This is a very common theme over recent years.
Reason for my moan is that when the car looks and runs fine, I allocate once a year for getting stuff done.
Book it in, drive down in convoy with the wife, drop the car off so they can do whatever needs doing. Servicing, MOT whatever.
Within reason if it needs doing or will need doing in the near future then get it done whilst you have the car and I am 'in the zone'. I do not want to make multiple journeys.
Luckily my wife and I both drive and both work from home with flexible employers. Otherwise it would be a real pain negotiating time when we are both free and the garage is open.
Book it in, drive down in convoy with the wife, drop the car off so they can do whatever needs doing. Servicing, MOT whatever.
Within reason if it needs doing or will need doing in the near future then get it done whilst you have the car and I am 'in the zone'. I do not want to make multiple journeys.
Luckily my wife and I both drive and both work from home with flexible employers. Otherwise it would be a real pain negotiating time when we are both free and the garage is open.
eltax91 said:
When are you opening your own garage then? Fix these thigns and you'll make a fortune!
Indeed. If they called me and told ,e stuff needed doing then I would have said OK and they would have had the work.
But if I drive the car away and it feels OK and has a new MOT, I am not going to take it back for the other little bits. They can wait until next time.
Agent57 said:
Reason for my moan is that when the car looks and runs fine, I allocate once a year for getting stuff done.
Book it in, drive down in convoy with the wife, drop the car off so they can do whatever needs doing. Servicing, MOT whatever.
Within reason if it needs doing or will need doing in the near future then get it done whilst you have the car and I am 'in the zone'. I do not want to make multiple journeys.
Luckily my wife and I both drive and both work from home with flexible employers. Otherwise it would be a real pain negotiating time when we are both free and the garage is open.
I used to have mine collected, they call if anything needs doing, pay over the phone and then delivered back later in the dayBook it in, drive down in convoy with the wife, drop the car off so they can do whatever needs doing. Servicing, MOT whatever.
Within reason if it needs doing or will need doing in the near future then get it done whilst you have the car and I am 'in the zone'. I do not want to make multiple journeys.
Luckily my wife and I both drive and both work from home with flexible employers. Otherwise it would be a real pain negotiating time when we are both free and the garage is open.
I had a pretty poor experience at VW this week too. The car went in for its service and for the air-con to be re-gassed, which they did with no issues. Service was free too as it had a 2 year plan when we bought it. So far so good.
However, they phoned me mid-service to say that we need two new rear tyres on the car as there was some cracking and they were past their best. I knew about this and was going to get them done but they gave me a good price so I agreed they could change them.
Picked the car up and 10 mins in to my drive home, down the motorway, there's an almighty wobble coming from the rear and through my seat. They obviously hadn't balanced them properly.
So another trip was needed the next day, 30 mile round trip and an hours wait so they could sort them out. I mean FFS, it surely can't be that hard to balance two wheels properly first time. What a waste of time.
However, they phoned me mid-service to say that we need two new rear tyres on the car as there was some cracking and they were past their best. I knew about this and was going to get them done but they gave me a good price so I agreed they could change them.
Picked the car up and 10 mins in to my drive home, down the motorway, there's an almighty wobble coming from the rear and through my seat. They obviously hadn't balanced them properly.
So another trip was needed the next day, 30 mile round trip and an hours wait so they could sort them out. I mean FFS, it surely can't be that hard to balance two wheels properly first time. What a waste of time.
Garages have a time slot and other jobs before and after yours.
They probably don't have time to fix all the things and would still tell you to book it in when they have time to do it.
Mazda forgot to reset my service indicator. I had reset it, a month before, after buying the car, pending getting it serviced. After the service, I checked and it had 10 months to the next service. Maybe that is normal because there was no message on the dash, though.
They probably don't have time to fix all the things and would still tell you to book it in when they have time to do it.
Mazda forgot to reset my service indicator. I had reset it, a month before, after buying the car, pending getting it serviced. After the service, I checked and it had 10 months to the next service. Maybe that is normal because there was no message on the dash, though.
SS2. said:
Worst one for me in recent times was a service at a main dealer.
I knew the tyres were getting low so I had them all replaced with OEM rubber on the Saturday. About 4 mile drive from tyre shop to home.
Monday morning, with car not having moved since returning from tyre shop, dealer collected the car for an 8 mile drive to their workshop.
Later that afternoon, get a phone call saying tyres are 60% worn and would I like them replaced - 'we'll send you a video', they said.
Video arrives which clearly shows the tyres are brand new as the coloured bands within the treads are all still very apparent.
Pointed this out to the service manager who said he'd speak with the technician and call me back.
He never did.
I'd take that to trading standards. It's the only way that this sI knew the tyres were getting low so I had them all replaced with OEM rubber on the Saturday. About 4 mile drive from tyre shop to home.
Monday morning, with car not having moved since returning from tyre shop, dealer collected the car for an 8 mile drive to their workshop.
Later that afternoon, get a phone call saying tyres are 60% worn and would I like them replaced - 'we'll send you a video', they said.
Video arrives which clearly shows the tyres are brand new as the coloured bands within the treads are all still very apparent.
Pointed this out to the service manager who said he'd speak with the technician and call me back.
He never did.
te will ever change - and it's rare they provide such clear evidence of fraudulent sales practices. the-norseman said:
Over tight wheel bolts, all 4 of my wheels have been over tightened by a garage, took quite an effort to get them off.
Over tight wheel bolts/studs are a bug bear of mine.They dont hold the weight of the car, the spigot does, the bolts just stop the wheel from rotating on the hub or coming off the spigot when you corner/hit a kerb/pothole.
Over tightening can also take the nubs off the stud heads so they now spin and it's a pain in my arse fixing that, it is a fairly common job in my place.
Undertorqued wheel studs =50 miles of rumbling and banging you cant possibly miss,
Overtorqued wheel studs = lost wheel in 1 second and loads of damage/an accident.
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