Great service next door to appaling service
Discussion
The brake pads on the car needed changing as the warning light came on, so i ordered them and the replacement sensor wire. One of those jobs you keep meaning to get around to do, and since I have never done it I wanted to wait til I had a afternoon free to do it.
Skip forward a week, front tyre has a flat, whip it off, take it down to the local "fast fitters", ask them how much to repair the tyre, without looking they say £22, I asked about brake pads out of curiosity, they said £5 fitting, £80 for the brake pads and lifetime free replacement.
I thought £5 ! sorted, get the little monkeys back there to do it, tell him I have my own pads, he says we dont fit other brake pads, only unipart ones, company policy, I am in luck, I say as mine are unipart, show him the box. He said they would get sacked if they did that as the area managers check round, they are only allowed to fit pads they have sold ( I can see why when I only paid £24 for them ! ). I ask if he felt over three time the price that I could buy the pads at was expensive, he just looked sheepish ( lots of people in the office ).
I didn;t hold him over the coals, said thanks and I would be back about the puncture.
Right next door there is a Just Tyres, literally next door, went in there, two blokes smoking a fag out front, proper grease monkeys, ask him about the tyre, he said worst case they dont; charge more than £19, could be less if it is easy, great, tick number one. Ask him if they do brake pads, he said no. Asked him if he could do brake pads, he said yeap, he could do them in his lunch break, ask him how much, he said "give me a drink".
I said I would give him £20 if he would let me watch and showed me what he was doing, as I wanted to learn. Get the wheels off, shows me the where and whats, shows me the actual pads are in great condition and it was just the faulty wire, we change the wire, job done. He feels bad that he hasn't earnt his money so proceeds to show me how to take the brake disks off as they will need replacing with the next set of pads. He then goes on to show me how to do the repair on the tyre, lets me have a play on the tyre machines etc, loved it proper workshop big hair arse machines.
At the end of it he tells me to take the pads back as I should get a refund, sweet, and when I ask him how much for the tyre repair he just said give the £20 and call it quits ! I gave him £40 and left wiser, with a car that is running perfect again and didn't worry I have been bent over by a large Company.
Not earth shattering but it has made my dad ( sad isn't it )
Skip forward a week, front tyre has a flat, whip it off, take it down to the local "fast fitters", ask them how much to repair the tyre, without looking they say £22, I asked about brake pads out of curiosity, they said £5 fitting, £80 for the brake pads and lifetime free replacement.
I thought £5 ! sorted, get the little monkeys back there to do it, tell him I have my own pads, he says we dont fit other brake pads, only unipart ones, company policy, I am in luck, I say as mine are unipart, show him the box. He said they would get sacked if they did that as the area managers check round, they are only allowed to fit pads they have sold ( I can see why when I only paid £24 for them ! ). I ask if he felt over three time the price that I could buy the pads at was expensive, he just looked sheepish ( lots of people in the office ).
I didn;t hold him over the coals, said thanks and I would be back about the puncture.
Right next door there is a Just Tyres, literally next door, went in there, two blokes smoking a fag out front, proper grease monkeys, ask him about the tyre, he said worst case they dont; charge more than £19, could be less if it is easy, great, tick number one. Ask him if they do brake pads, he said no. Asked him if he could do brake pads, he said yeap, he could do them in his lunch break, ask him how much, he said "give me a drink".
I said I would give him £20 if he would let me watch and showed me what he was doing, as I wanted to learn. Get the wheels off, shows me the where and whats, shows me the actual pads are in great condition and it was just the faulty wire, we change the wire, job done. He feels bad that he hasn't earnt his money so proceeds to show me how to take the brake disks off as they will need replacing with the next set of pads. He then goes on to show me how to do the repair on the tyre, lets me have a play on the tyre machines etc, loved it proper workshop big hair arse machines.
At the end of it he tells me to take the pads back as I should get a refund, sweet, and when I ask him how much for the tyre repair he just said give the £20 and call it quits ! I gave him £40 and left wiser, with a car that is running perfect again and didn't worry I have been bent over by a large Company.
Not earth shattering but it has made my dad ( sad isn't it )
Nice to hear that good independents like that still exist! What with all the health and safety crap it's refreshing that you could just walk into a garage that didn't know you and get exactly the service I'd look for. Nice story 
Though I'm sure you can see why the chain garage guys couldn't exactly do much about the company policy, and weren't going to be able to change the pads for £5!
Though I'm sure you can see why the chain garage guys couldn't exactly do much about the company policy, and weren't going to be able to change the pads for £5!
McSam said:
Nice to hear that good independents like that still exist! What with all the health and safety crap it's refreshing that you could just walk into a garage that didn't know you and get exactly the service I'd look for. Nice story
Though I'm sure you can see why the chain garage guys couldn't exactly do much about the company policy, and weren't going to be able to change the pads for £5!
I understand why they dont; do it for £5, just fecks me off the say its only "£5 fitting, honest guv, cheapest around" and then poke a massive thick one up you for the pads. You can actually get them for well under £20 so god knows what they pay for them.Though I'm sure you can see why the chain garage guys couldn't exactly do much about the company policy, and weren't going to be able to change the pads for £5!
Like advertising a steak sandwich for 10p and they charge you £5 for the bread.
tercelgold said:
I honestly didn't know you could repair tyres.
Yeah just make sure you don't drive on them at all, whip them off straight away and stick the gimpy spare on, nip them round and they take them off plug it and then patch on the inside ( look at me now knowing all this stuff ! ).Found out that a straight plug repair ( as I have done on a motorbike before ) is not that good, needs a patch on the inside as well.
Tampon said:
I understand why they dont; do it for £5, just fecks me off the say its only "£5 fitting, honest guv, cheapest around" and then poke a massive thick one up you for the pads. You can actually get them for well under £20 so god knows what they pay for them.
Like advertising a steak sandwich for 10p and they charge you £5 for the bread.
Like advertising a steak sandwich for 10p and they charge you £5 for the bread.
If they're advertising £5 to fit pads, then yeah, it's pretty grim. But if he just said pads £80 and £5 to fit them, fair enough. Similarly, we fit batteries for £5, but will only do ones that were bought from us because it helps promote the idea of being a one-stop place, which means you get away with higher margins. Obviously it is cynical business rather than giving the best price you can, but hey, what big company isn't that way these days?
It's the indies like the one you found that save the day for guys like us!
Tampon said:
Yeah just make sure you don't drive on them at all, whip them off straight away and stick the gimpy spare on, nip them round and they take them off plug it and then patch on the inside ( look at me now knowing all this stuff ! ).
Found out that a straight plug repair ( as I have done on a motorbike before ) is not that good, needs a patch on the inside as well.
Yep, a proper repair uses a "Mushroom" with the "Head" on the inside of the tyre and the "Stalk" in the hole.Found out that a straight plug repair ( as I have done on a motorbike before ) is not that good, needs a patch on the inside as well.
They can't (or shouldn't) do it in, or near, the sidewall though...
McSam said:
hehe:
If they're advertising £5 to fit pads, then yeah, it's pretty grim. But if he just said pads £80 and £5 to fit them, fair enough. Similarly, we fit batteries for £5, but will only do ones that were bought from us because it helps promote the idea of being a one-stop place, which means you get away with higher margins. Obviously it is cynical business rather than giving the best price you can, but hey, what big company isn't that way these days?
It's the indies like the one you found that save the day for guys like us!
There is nothing commercially wrong with what they do, they provide a easy service for people who don;t know about cars and are scared of mechanics. It is when you actually learn a tiny amount about cars and or can be bothered to google a part number you see what they are doing.If they're advertising £5 to fit pads, then yeah, it's pretty grim. But if he just said pads £80 and £5 to fit them, fair enough. Similarly, we fit batteries for £5, but will only do ones that were bought from us because it helps promote the idea of being a one-stop place, which means you get away with higher margins. Obviously it is cynical business rather than giving the best price you can, but hey, what big company isn't that way these days?
It's the indies like the one you found that save the day for guys like us!
I just feel they take full advantage ( and then some ) of people not in the know.
It wasn't really a downer on fast fitters ( name and shame, name and shame, must not name and shame ) more how much something so simple as a bloke with time on his hands showing me something new, made me feel like I was a little boy being accepted by the cool gang.
V8mate said:
Whilst the second business certainly offered great service, I wouldn't say the first place offered poor service.
If I ran a multiple, I certainly wouldn't be too happy if my employees were doing 'foreigners' using company equipment.
Your right it wasn't poor service, it wasn't great either, and compared to the company next door no where near, I actually offer him more to fit my pads. He was hamstrung by the company policy, shame as he could have let on one the underpaid lads earn 1/3 days wages in his lunch hour, out in the car park. How many people go to that type of place with there own parts? doubt they would be inundated.If I ran a multiple, I certainly wouldn't be too happy if my employees were doing 'foreigners' using company equipment.
V8mate said:
Whilst the second business certainly offered great service, I wouldn't say the first place offered poor service.
If I ran a multiple, I certainly wouldn't be too happy if my employees were doing 'foreigners' using company equipment.
If I ran a multiple, I certainly wouldn't be too happy if my employees were doing 'foreigners' using company equipment.
Tampon said:
...£80 for the brake pads and lifetime free replacement.
The £80 was for pads that they'll replace free of charge for as long as you own the car aren't they?Not such a bad deal if you keep your cars ages or do big miles... Although I'm guessing they bank on most people changing their cars more often then their brake pads
Edited to add Sounds like cracking service from the independent though, glad to hear there are still places like that about.
Van needs two tyres soon, guess which place I will be going without checking next door.Fatboy said:
The £80 was for pads that they'll replace free of charge for as long as you own the car aren't they?
Not such a bad deal if you keep your cars ages or do big miles... Although I'm guessing they bank on most people changing their cars more often then their brake pads
Yeap, but considering you can buy 4 sets of pads for £80, I think you will come away better off buying your own.Not such a bad deal if you keep your cars ages or do big miles... Although I'm guessing they bank on most people changing their cars more often then their brake pads
Good advertising plan though, I did ask if they did any performance pads, then it would be value, track day anyone ? They don't
Tampon said:
There is nothing commercially wrong with what they do, they provide a easy service for people who don;t know about cars and are scared of mechanics. It is when you actually learn a tiny amount about cars and or can be bothered to google a part number you see what they are doing.
I just feel they take full advantage ( and then some ) of people not in the know.
It wasn't really a downer on fast fitters ( name and shame, name and shame, must not name and shame ) more how much something so simple as a bloke with time on his hands showing me something new, made me feel like I was a little boy being accepted by the cool gang.
Absolutely, especially to the last bit I just feel they take full advantage ( and then some ) of people not in the know.
It wasn't really a downer on fast fitters ( name and shame, name and shame, must not name and shame ) more how much something so simple as a bloke with time on his hands showing me something new, made me feel like I was a little boy being accepted by the cool gang.
Tampon said:
It wasn't really a downer on fast fitters ( name and shame, name and shame, must not name and shame ) more how much something so simple as a bloke with time on his hands showing me something new, made me feel like I was a little boy being accepted by the dirty hand gang.
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