Garage wants to see me in person - car in for repair
Discussion
So I put my Infiniti into a local garage for dpf work. I have a thread on the dpf fault.
The garage said they would be able to repair the issue whilst I'm waiting for Nissan to get me an Infiniti dpf.
The garage carried out a regen which I was told wouldn't work. It didn't. So they took off a pipe which attaches to the front sensor for the dpf. It's blocked.
Ah so this is likely to be the cause of my dpf issue. But clearly caused by something else.
I asked for the car back in the condition I give it to them as a new dpf is the answer and it's pointless spending unnecessary money waiting for a replacement.
They then tell me the car is a fire hazard and I can't have it back.
They then call back to say they've now unblocked the pipe but snapped a banjo. It's ok they have a new banjo and will drill out the snapped bolt. Hoping they won't have to remove the turbo, they said.
So I get a call today, a week later, and they've asked me to come see them tomorrow. So I assume they've done more damage or what have you.
I'm trying to stay calm, but my personality usually involved nuclear reactions, bad reviews and legal action.
Hoping for the calming Influence of PH.
The garage said they would be able to repair the issue whilst I'm waiting for Nissan to get me an Infiniti dpf.
The garage carried out a regen which I was told wouldn't work. It didn't. So they took off a pipe which attaches to the front sensor for the dpf. It's blocked.
Ah so this is likely to be the cause of my dpf issue. But clearly caused by something else.
I asked for the car back in the condition I give it to them as a new dpf is the answer and it's pointless spending unnecessary money waiting for a replacement.
They then tell me the car is a fire hazard and I can't have it back.
They then call back to say they've now unblocked the pipe but snapped a banjo. It's ok they have a new banjo and will drill out the snapped bolt. Hoping they won't have to remove the turbo, they said.
So I get a call today, a week later, and they've asked me to come see them tomorrow. So I assume they've done more damage or what have you.
I'm trying to stay calm, but my personality usually involved nuclear reactions, bad reviews and legal action.
Hoping for the calming Influence of PH.
BlindedByTheLights said:
Sounds like they have totally broken something then. I suppose first step really is to listen to the issue, I’d then stay silent while they try to fill the conversation with what they’re then going to do about it. Silence is powerful!
Absolutely this. A customer silently listening and waiting for them to talk will be awkward for them.
Whilst the garage undertaking the work seem to have run into issues, which isn't unusual with any car, they appear to have been pretty open with their updates from the OPs description.
I'd be interested to know what their brief was when the car was left with them, with regards to how invasive their investigation into the problem was expected (specifically or implied) to be.
Have they gone above and beyond that remit (with best intentions, quite possibly) by removing parts and cleaning to try and fix??
Have they let their enthusiasm to solve the issue overtake their knowledge of the model and type of issue??
Why did the OP choose them as their first port of call for investigation, and what was the initial problem ...... poor running, or just a check engine light?
I'd be interested to know what their brief was when the car was left with them, with regards to how invasive their investigation into the problem was expected (specifically or implied) to be.
Have they gone above and beyond that remit (with best intentions, quite possibly) by removing parts and cleaning to try and fix??
Have they let their enthusiasm to solve the issue overtake their knowledge of the model and type of issue??
Why did the OP choose them as their first port of call for investigation, and what was the initial problem ...... poor running, or just a check engine light?
It's worth mentioning that virtually NO garage goes into these sorts of jobs with the cavalier attitude that they'll just snap things off and break stuff until they can replace enough bits to fix something..... These are the sorts of jobs that keep garage owners and mechanics awake at night as a nightmare job lurches from bad to worse to nightmare... it happens... it's very rarely a result of actual negligence on behalf of the spanner monkey.
Mechanics are human too and are generally always trying to do their best on the job they are working on... it's not in their interest to make jobs harder for themselves. Sometimes, no matter how hard they try, things don't go to plan.
It's worth remembering that!
I would try to go in calm, listen and fully understand what the problem is and then ask what they feel the best solution is, what else they could try and what other options are available. If you feel yourself starting to boil ask for a few moments to consider what you are being shown / told, walk away, take a deep breath and either go back to the discussion or make your excuses to leave with the understanding you'll pick it back up on the phone with them at a later date.
Money is also highly emotive, so discussions around bills and money will need careful navigation.... First off, you've engaged them to work on your car, which they have done - they're entitled to be paid for that work even if it hasn't produced a desirable outcome so far. They may have spent far more hours getting to the current point than you can imagine - dealing with seized and corroded fasteners can swallow hours of time and still result in it snapping off.... Negotiations over bills need a level head and pragmatic attitude. Don't expect to walk away with your (now broken) car without having to dip your hand in your pocket! That may sound harsh, but your car was already broken when it arrived, you've taken it somewhere on the understanding that you will pay to have them fix it - even if they haven't fixed it, they've tried and spent time and money doing so which they are entitled to be reimbursed for.
Good luck!
Mechanics are human too and are generally always trying to do their best on the job they are working on... it's not in their interest to make jobs harder for themselves. Sometimes, no matter how hard they try, things don't go to plan.
It's worth remembering that!
I would try to go in calm, listen and fully understand what the problem is and then ask what they feel the best solution is, what else they could try and what other options are available. If you feel yourself starting to boil ask for a few moments to consider what you are being shown / told, walk away, take a deep breath and either go back to the discussion or make your excuses to leave with the understanding you'll pick it back up on the phone with them at a later date.
Money is also highly emotive, so discussions around bills and money will need careful navigation.... First off, you've engaged them to work on your car, which they have done - they're entitled to be paid for that work even if it hasn't produced a desirable outcome so far. They may have spent far more hours getting to the current point than you can imagine - dealing with seized and corroded fasteners can swallow hours of time and still result in it snapping off.... Negotiations over bills need a level head and pragmatic attitude. Don't expect to walk away with your (now broken) car without having to dip your hand in your pocket! That may sound harsh, but your car was already broken when it arrived, you've taken it somewhere on the understanding that you will pay to have them fix it - even if they haven't fixed it, they've tried and spent time and money doing so which they are entitled to be reimbursed for.
Good luck!
larrylamb11 said:
It's worth mentioning that virtually NO garage goes into these sorts of jobs with the cavalier attitude that they'll just snap things off and break stuff until they can replace enough bits to fix something..... These are the sorts of jobs that keep garage owners and mechanics awake at night as a nightmare job lurches from bad to worse to nightmare... it happens... it's very rarely a result of actual negligence on behalf of the spanner monkey.
Mechanics are human too and are generally always trying to do their best on the job they are working on... it's not in their interest to make jobs harder for themselves. Sometimes, no matter how hard they try, things don't go to plan.
It's worth remembering that!
I would try to go in calm, listen and fully understand what the problem is and then ask what they feel the best solution is, what else they could try and what other options are available. If you feel yourself starting to boil ask for a few moments to consider what you are being shown / told, walk away, take a deep breath and either go back to the discussion or make your excuses to leave with the understanding you'll pick it back up on the phone with them at a later date.
Money is also highly emotive, so discussions around bills and money will need careful navigation.... First off, you've engaged them to work on your car, which they have done - they're entitled to be paid for that work even if it hasn't produced a desirable outcome so far. They may have spent far more hours getting to the current point than you can imagine - dealing with seized and corroded fasteners can swallow hours of time and still result in it snapping off.... Negotiations over bills need a level head and pragmatic attitude. Don't expect to walk away with your (now broken) car without having to dip your hand in your pocket! That may sound harsh, but your car was already broken when it arrived, you've taken it somewhere on the understanding that you will pay to have them fix it - even if they haven't fixed it, they've tried and spent time and money doing so which they are entitled to be reimbursed for.
Good luck!
Good post. They are trying to fix your broken car, not making it worse. Mechanics are human too and are generally always trying to do their best on the job they are working on... it's not in their interest to make jobs harder for themselves. Sometimes, no matter how hard they try, things don't go to plan.
It's worth remembering that!
I would try to go in calm, listen and fully understand what the problem is and then ask what they feel the best solution is, what else they could try and what other options are available. If you feel yourself starting to boil ask for a few moments to consider what you are being shown / told, walk away, take a deep breath and either go back to the discussion or make your excuses to leave with the understanding you'll pick it back up on the phone with them at a later date.
Money is also highly emotive, so discussions around bills and money will need careful navigation.... First off, you've engaged them to work on your car, which they have done - they're entitled to be paid for that work even if it hasn't produced a desirable outcome so far. They may have spent far more hours getting to the current point than you can imagine - dealing with seized and corroded fasteners can swallow hours of time and still result in it snapping off.... Negotiations over bills need a level head and pragmatic attitude. Don't expect to walk away with your (now broken) car without having to dip your hand in your pocket! That may sound harsh, but your car was already broken when it arrived, you've taken it somewhere on the understanding that you will pay to have them fix it - even if they haven't fixed it, they've tried and spent time and money doing so which they are entitled to be reimbursed for.
Good luck!
It's your car and your problem that you have taken to them. If things are more difficult through age, corrosion etc it's still your problem. They haven't taken on any responsibility for your problem.
The only time they're responsible is if they've been negligent, or if they took the work on a fixed price.
Arnold Cunningham said:
I work in the service industry. Number of times customer asks us to do something “simple”, which then due to years of poor maintenance by them turns out to be anything but simple, and then expects us to foot the bill, is astounding.
Maybe, but it sounds like in this instance the OP told them to put it back together and leave it alone and they decided not too. If they went against his wishes then they should be on the hook for it.Forums | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff