Tyre and Exhaust Fast Fit grizzle...
Discussion
And not our usual friends at 'quickly fitting' places either...and the rant is probably completely pointless and worthless, and I guess I should have expected and anticipated what happened really. But anyway, I'm still gonna moan, because it will make me feel better! 
First off - I don't use our 'quickly fitting' friends at all, due to everyone else's strife and bleating about how bad they are on here!
So, to the issue. My friend gives me his VW T4 camper van to do a few jobs for him, as he's clueless, and I like to help my buddies.
Needs a mini service, an MOT and a new centre section to the exhaust.
MOT booked for last thing today.
I buy the service items and do the service. But before all that, first thing this morning, I make a phone call.
I call a local tyre and exhaust place. Can't name them - but they have centres 'Nationally.'
Me: 'Can you supply and fit etc. etc (exhaust as above)...today at some point?'
Them: 'Yep, should be no problem. But those T4's have a number of different exhausts, which we probably won't have in stock, so you'll need to bring it down first so we can see what one it is first. Then, once we know, we can order it in and fit it.'
Me:'And you can do that today, right?'
Them: 'Ah yes, no problem at all - our last van delivery run cutoff for ordering is 3pm, so as long as we order it by then, it will arrive by about 4pm, and then we can fit it.'
Me: 'Great. I'll see you before 3pm!'
I arrive at 2pm.
There is an abundance of cars on all the ramps, and a single fitter in attendence. Once I'd been in reception for 5 minutes, he comes in. I tell him the story, he says it must have been his boss I spoke to - and he's at the Bank at the moment, but will be back soon. Please take a seat.
I sit.
2:15pm - the boss arrives back. He floats around the fitting bays for a while. A supplier's van arrives - he helps to unload some exhausts. He completes the task, and stands at the delivery van, with the driver and the other fitter. They laugh and joke around until 2:30pm.
I look out of the reception area at him (well, I'm actually viewing him with a 'withering stare' - he catches my eye, finishes his chat, and comes in.
'Ah, you're the T4, right? Great. I'm just waiting for a ramp to become free, then we'll get it up and have a look and sort you out.'
Half an hour of f
king about. Then someone finally jumps in my van, and gets it on a ramp. He looks around. He comes into reception. He looks in a large exhaust parts book. He decides on the correct part. He taps some stuff into his computer.
He then triumphantly says 'ok - it's part number <whatever> I'll order it up, it will arrive tomorrow morning, and you can pop in anytime to get it fitted.
I remind him of our previous conversation of my necessity to have it done today for the MOT. 'Ah well' he says 'that was only if we ordered the part before 3pm! It's 3:15 now - so we can't do it until tomorrow!'
I attempt to discuss the fact that I'd been there since 2pm, and if he might have had half a brain cell - he would have either got underneath the van to have a look BEFORE 3pm - or kept an eye on the time, realised that he wouldn't have had a ramp free before 3pm, come and told me, and given me the chance to go to ATS which is 2 minutes down the road.
And then he looked shocked when I voiced my displeasure.
Was I expecting too much?
First off - I don't use our 'quickly fitting' friends at all, due to everyone else's strife and bleating about how bad they are on here!
So, to the issue. My friend gives me his VW T4 camper van to do a few jobs for him, as he's clueless, and I like to help my buddies.
Needs a mini service, an MOT and a new centre section to the exhaust.
MOT booked for last thing today.
I buy the service items and do the service. But before all that, first thing this morning, I make a phone call.
I call a local tyre and exhaust place. Can't name them - but they have centres 'Nationally.'
Me: 'Can you supply and fit etc. etc (exhaust as above)...today at some point?'
Them: 'Yep, should be no problem. But those T4's have a number of different exhausts, which we probably won't have in stock, so you'll need to bring it down first so we can see what one it is first. Then, once we know, we can order it in and fit it.'
Me:'And you can do that today, right?'
Them: 'Ah yes, no problem at all - our last van delivery run cutoff for ordering is 3pm, so as long as we order it by then, it will arrive by about 4pm, and then we can fit it.'
Me: 'Great. I'll see you before 3pm!'
I arrive at 2pm.
There is an abundance of cars on all the ramps, and a single fitter in attendence. Once I'd been in reception for 5 minutes, he comes in. I tell him the story, he says it must have been his boss I spoke to - and he's at the Bank at the moment, but will be back soon. Please take a seat.
I sit.
2:15pm - the boss arrives back. He floats around the fitting bays for a while. A supplier's van arrives - he helps to unload some exhausts. He completes the task, and stands at the delivery van, with the driver and the other fitter. They laugh and joke around until 2:30pm.
I look out of the reception area at him (well, I'm actually viewing him with a 'withering stare' - he catches my eye, finishes his chat, and comes in.
'Ah, you're the T4, right? Great. I'm just waiting for a ramp to become free, then we'll get it up and have a look and sort you out.'
Half an hour of f
king about. Then someone finally jumps in my van, and gets it on a ramp. He looks around. He comes into reception. He looks in a large exhaust parts book. He decides on the correct part. He taps some stuff into his computer.He then triumphantly says 'ok - it's part number <whatever> I'll order it up, it will arrive tomorrow morning, and you can pop in anytime to get it fitted.
I remind him of our previous conversation of my necessity to have it done today for the MOT. 'Ah well' he says 'that was only if we ordered the part before 3pm! It's 3:15 now - so we can't do it until tomorrow!'
I attempt to discuss the fact that I'd been there since 2pm, and if he might have had half a brain cell - he would have either got underneath the van to have a look BEFORE 3pm - or kept an eye on the time, realised that he wouldn't have had a ramp free before 3pm, come and told me, and given me the chance to go to ATS which is 2 minutes down the road.
And then he looked shocked when I voiced my displeasure.
Was I expecting too much?
matthias73 said:
4/10, needs more swearing.
Sounds like a ball ache, in seriousness. I think I'd have been very pissed off indeed.
Me too but you're being too generous with your marks. It's a 1/10 at best due to complete lack of vessel popping anger and rage, and only one piece of swearing. Poor effort Ray. And you should've put all that in a letter to their HQ - you may get some freebies out of them.Sounds like a ball ache, in seriousness. I think I'd have been very pissed off indeed.
MarJay said:
Should have got there earlier. An hour and 15 mins is not an unreasonable wait when you just 'turn up' IMO.
This. Sure they should have done better but you should have expected them not to. You ever try running one of those places? You know how hard it is to set specific times to do things? Sometimes you can just drop an exhaust section out easy, other times you need a grinder, a pry bar and a lot of swearing.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff