Disappointing service from garage - what to do?
Discussion
Two weeks ago today, my van broke down on the M74. I limped it to a garage in Beattock, who agreed the head gasket had failed. Following some discussion, including the fact that it was my main means of making a living, I agreed to leave it there for about a week.
Last Friday, I was told it might be ready on Saturday morning. On Saturday morning, I was told it might be Monday. This morning, I was told it would almost definitely be today. I said that I would come up this afternoon. The owners son said I shouldn't until I heard from him.
I decided to make the 300 mile trip, to be met by a barrage of abuse. The head is off the van, which is sitting where I left it in the yard. I've been hiring a van for the last fortnight, and I can't justify the expense while I wait for this guy. He's effing and blinding about me "sitting and watching him" now.
I need it done tomorrow morning at the latest. What can I do, other than keep winding him up?
Last Friday, I was told it might be ready on Saturday morning. On Saturday morning, I was told it might be Monday. This morning, I was told it would almost definitely be today. I said that I would come up this afternoon. The owners son said I shouldn't until I heard from him.
I decided to make the 300 mile trip, to be met by a barrage of abuse. The head is off the van, which is sitting where I left it in the yard. I've been hiring a van for the last fortnight, and I can't justify the expense while I wait for this guy. He's effing and blinding about me "sitting and watching him" now.
I need it done tomorrow morning at the latest. What can I do, other than keep winding him up?
I know, but if I don't, I'll never get it back. They dragged it into the workshop at 6, then locked up. As they left, I spoke to the owner, who apologised and said he'd had a terrible couple of days. I reminded him he'd had the van a fortnight, and he started stamping about and telling me I shouldn't fall out with him.
If I'm not here, I'm sure it'll get dragged back outside again. I can't afford for it to be off the road any longer, but I can't afford to sit around in the arse end of nowhere in Dumfries and Galloway either.
If I'm not here, I'm sure it'll get dragged back outside again. I can't afford for it to be off the road any longer, but I can't afford to sit around in the arse end of nowhere in Dumfries and Galloway either.
I had a similar thing once.
I first rang round some other places nearby to the original garage. Found one willing to take the mess on, about 20 miles away.
I politely and calmly (this part is important - be cool, no raised voices or temper tantrums) explained to the original garage that I understood they were busy, and that my vehicle was a 'surprise entry' for them.
And that the timeframe that I had required my vehicle back, working, had now passed, and so because their workload couldn't furnish me with that, that I had found someone else who could - and it was no reflection on them professionally, or anything, and no hard feelings and all that - and that mate, you can appreciate my position, yeah right?
I also offered to pay them for the work they'd done so far, too (admittedly through gritted teeth) but luckily, maybe because I'd been all polite and nice, the Gorilla owner seemed to soften up, be cool, and say 'hmm, yeah - I get you mate, and sorry we couldn't do it in time - and look, don't worry about it, you don't owe me anything...'
Truck swiftly deployed, and car and bits quickly loaded on and moved out of there to garage number 2 before he changed his mind!
Garage number 2 came up trumps, quickly and on budget I'm pleased to say
I first rang round some other places nearby to the original garage. Found one willing to take the mess on, about 20 miles away.
I politely and calmly (this part is important - be cool, no raised voices or temper tantrums) explained to the original garage that I understood they were busy, and that my vehicle was a 'surprise entry' for them.
And that the timeframe that I had required my vehicle back, working, had now passed, and so because their workload couldn't furnish me with that, that I had found someone else who could - and it was no reflection on them professionally, or anything, and no hard feelings and all that - and that mate, you can appreciate my position, yeah right?
I also offered to pay them for the work they'd done so far, too (admittedly through gritted teeth) but luckily, maybe because I'd been all polite and nice, the Gorilla owner seemed to soften up, be cool, and say 'hmm, yeah - I get you mate, and sorry we couldn't do it in time - and look, don't worry about it, you don't owe me anything...'
Truck swiftly deployed, and car and bits quickly loaded on and moved out of there to garage number 2 before he changed his mind!
Garage number 2 came up trumps, quickly and on budget I'm pleased to say
Matthen said:
Could you get it recovered to a known reputable garage? Maybe ask around on the relevant local forum for a company that PHers trust.
Sounds like that guys having a giraffe.
Sorry, didn't see this reply for some reason. It might be an idea. However:Sounds like that guys having a giraffe.
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
I had a similar thing once.
I first rang round some other places nearby to the original garage. Found one willing to take the mess on, about 20 miles away.
I politely and calmly (this part is important - be cool, no raised voices or temper tantrums) explained to the original garage that I understood they were busy, and that my vehicle was a 'surprise entry' for them.
And that the timeframe that I had required my vehicle back, working, had now passed, and so because their workload couldn't furnish me with that, that I had found someone else who could - and it was no reflection on them professionally, or anything, and no hard feelings and all that - and that mate, you can appreciate my position, yeah right?
I also offered to pay them for the work they'd done so far, too (admittedly through gritted teeth) but luckily, maybe because I'd been all polite and nice, the Gorilla owner seemed to soften up, be cool, and say 'hmm, yeah - I get you mate, and sorry we couldn't do it in time - and look, don't worry about it, you don't owe me anything...'
Truck swiftly deployed, and car and bits quickly loaded on and moved out of there to garage number 2 before he changed his mind!
Garage number 2 came up trumps, quickly and on budget I'm pleased to say
He's done the majority of the work. The head's been stripped, pressure tested and skimmed. The valves have been lapped, since there was a slight vacuum leak. It just needs reassembly - I reckon 4 hours work.I first rang round some other places nearby to the original garage. Found one willing to take the mess on, about 20 miles away.
I politely and calmly (this part is important - be cool, no raised voices or temper tantrums) explained to the original garage that I understood they were busy, and that my vehicle was a 'surprise entry' for them.
And that the timeframe that I had required my vehicle back, working, had now passed, and so because their workload couldn't furnish me with that, that I had found someone else who could - and it was no reflection on them professionally, or anything, and no hard feelings and all that - and that mate, you can appreciate my position, yeah right?
I also offered to pay them for the work they'd done so far, too (admittedly through gritted teeth) but luckily, maybe because I'd been all polite and nice, the Gorilla owner seemed to soften up, be cool, and say 'hmm, yeah - I get you mate, and sorry we couldn't do it in time - and look, don't worry about it, you don't owe me anything...'
Truck swiftly deployed, and car and bits quickly loaded on and moved out of there to garage number 2 before he changed his mind!
Garage number 2 came up trumps, quickly and on budget I'm pleased to say
I think, as you say, he's just too busy, and doesn't want to put his local, bread and butter customers off. He's a decent bloke, and couldn't do enough to help me when it broke down. He's just over promised and under delivered. He knows I'm here, and I'm not going away without the van. It's a pain in the arse that it's really in the middle of nowhere, so I have to sit in the hire car in the yard.
I spoke to a garage today, about an urgent couple of jobs I want doing, and he was complaining to me (The customer) that he's really busy, but he can't take on extra staff, because they'll be standing around doing nothing next week. The guy is someone I've known quite a while.
But he can't see the wood for the forest.
If he puts his staff under pressure they make mistakes. If he tells the Customer the Truth, they go Elsewhere, and if he bulls
ts about the time, they get pissed off and he gets no repeat business.
He's planning his capacity on an average level load, and the customer demand is an unpredictable peak and trough.
What he needs is to invest in over capacity, and meet the peaks, so the customer gets his car in double quick time, which will drive repeat business, but I'd need to interview a few customers to know if they felt the same as me.
If he occasionally has people standing around, he could do some training, or let them go home early to thank them for working every Saturday for ever.
But he can't see the wood for the forest.
If he puts his staff under pressure they make mistakes. If he tells the Customer the Truth, they go Elsewhere, and if he bulls
ts about the time, they get pissed off and he gets no repeat business.He's planning his capacity on an average level load, and the customer demand is an unpredictable peak and trough.
What he needs is to invest in over capacity, and meet the peaks, so the customer gets his car in double quick time, which will drive repeat business, but I'd need to interview a few customers to know if they felt the same as me.
If he occasionally has people standing around, he could do some training, or let them go home early to thank them for working every Saturday for ever.
My then-girlfriend - now-wife - had her Punto's head gasket fail early one afternoon in 2006. She'd had problems, including a head gasket failure, on the thing before - but it overheated on the motorway and ground to a rattling, steaming halt on the hard shoulder (as they do)...
She called out her breakdown service, who (at her request) towed it to the garage in our village - probably 8 miles away as the crow flies (and 10 miles via the narrow country lanes) but nearer 15 by main road.
We called at the garage around lunchtime the next day. The head was away being skimmed, they said, but the car would be ready at 5PM.
And so it came to pass.
Not bad, for a breakdown 3 days before Christmas
.
Which goes to show that some garages can do it... otherwise the 'diplomatic' approach as detailed by others works well - no loss of face for the proprietor (who is admittely on the ropes) 'cos you're so bleedin' NICE, you see
.
She called out her breakdown service, who (at her request) towed it to the garage in our village - probably 8 miles away as the crow flies (and 10 miles via the narrow country lanes) but nearer 15 by main road.
We called at the garage around lunchtime the next day. The head was away being skimmed, they said, but the car would be ready at 5PM.
And so it came to pass.
Not bad, for a breakdown 3 days before Christmas
.Which goes to show that some garages can do it... otherwise the 'diplomatic' approach as detailed by others works well - no loss of face for the proprietor (who is admittely on the ropes) 'cos you're so bleedin' NICE, you see
.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff