The most dangerous place to take your car?? F service booked

[jonny finance]

Have taken and driven my cars to endless exciting and where some might consider 'iffy' places for as long as I can remember...

Had some great experiences at the Ring, track days with tens of thousands of fast road work miles. Have left some lovely stuff parked (safely) at some supposed dodgy locations. Traveled up and down the country and covered much distance in Europe.. I guess maybe luckily but all my 30 year driving experience has been without incident, bash or scratch - giving me core confidence in all aspects and situations... Confidence that is if out there in the Wild West BUT show me a main dealer service bay and I'm left quaking in my boots...

Wondering if I'm not alone in thinking that the most dangerous place to ever take or leave your pride and joy is the very place that you'd hope and pray would be the safest... Your dealer.

Personally I've lost count of all the incidents, some minor some major, that have occurred when the car has been in for usually minor work/servicing - have genuinely been left heart broken and mad as hell when you've drooped off your maybe rare gem that's wearing factory first paint to get a call explaining that unfortunately 'there's been a mishap' resulting in your P&J now needs a visit to the body shop.. Minor stuff inc jacking car incorrectly, parking dings, filthy oil footprints, wheels damaged, interior damage. Then your naff basics inc just plain servicing errors and mistakes.

All the above now gives me the 'jitters' when it's service and MOT time. I appreciate not all garages and main dealers are the same but boy I sure seem to pick em!!

So with heart in mouth this week the 458 is going into what looks like the premier F service centre in the UK (Swindon)

Wish me luck

[red_duke]

Here's hoping they don't drive your 458 into my F430 which is there currently! Failing that I hope you have Rosso Corsa paint so the dings match.

Incidentally, have you noticed how a "cheap" annual service always turns into a multi thousand pound bill?

Edited by red_duke on Sunday 15th November 21:27

[topjay]

So true on the damage front, dealers undoubtedly the most dangerous place!

Ps like the pre emptive strike

[jonny finance]

red_duke said:

Here's hoping they don't drive your 458 into my F430 which is there currently! Failing that I hope you have Rosso Corsa paint so the dings match.

Incidentally, have you noticed how a "cheap" annual service always turns into a multi thousand pound bill?

Edited by red_duke on Sunday 15th November 21:25

Edited by red_duke on Sunday 15th November 21:26

HAHA - mines tri yellow so sure we should notice!! One reassuring reason for going to DL Swindon is the blinking size of the place. Hopefully more parking space to avoid contact...Another plus for me is that they MOT in house and not drive it and leave at a third party..

Thank God mines on service plan but I'm still somehow getting the air con gas changed as it seems a good idea this time of year!!!!

[HIS LM]

The most dangerous ? It must be here if you ever want to see it again

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greate...

Kind regards

[williamp]

Or verdi...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=108...

[Anjum]

I've had one of my cars in for a service (post running in - so the car was new) - ready for preparation for a Euro Tour - then received a phone call - Oh dear - there's been a problem - we damaged you car - it was the entire front bumper - no big deal on a mini or fiat500 - but this was a brand new Lambo.......to say that I was not happy was an understatement........

[topjay]

HIS LM said:

The most dangerous ? It must be here if you ever want to see it again

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greate...

Kind regards

Interesting, thought that was owned by a member here that used to come to all the meets.

[jonny finance]

Some might say overkill - for me no such thing!

[jonny finance]

[jonny finance]

[kbooker]

The last time I left my car with a main dealer I apologised to him first blaming previous bad experiences then I had him walk around the car with me inspecting it in detail and took a few photographs too for good measure, got the car back exactly as it was, no idea what would have happened if they had damaged it though?

[Ken Figenus]

I will be doing this from now on too - full walk around and pics.

I will also take it to the MOT place myself to minimise the chance of incidents and whilst there not take my beady eye off it. Never crossed my mind that a MD would get a 20yr old to take my car back the way it came from to a general MOT place.

We were not born paranoid...but...

[dang2407]

kbooker said:

The last time I left my car with a main dealer I apologised to him first blaming previous bad experiences then I had him walk around the car with me inspecting it in detail and took a few photographs too for good measure, got the car back exactly as it was, no idea what would have happened if they had damaged it though?

I heard of a case where a guy who knew of the damage only when he tried to sell the TVR and the buyer noticed the wheels on the left were different to the right. 1-owner car so he knew it wasn't him, but he used to leave the car with the dealer for a couple weeks while he went on trips overseas. They must have trashed the whole side of the car, but had enough time to repair it while keeping stumm....

[Impasse]

A year or two ago I left my car at well respected main dealer for its annual service. It took a few days longer than I was expecting, but no big deal really as I know that sometimes tech or parts supply issues can cause delay.

It was only a few months later when giving the car a session with the jet-wash and unicorn juice that I noticed some weird paint anomalies on the bonnet. Almost as if there was a very light dusting of overspray and it was more severe than I was able to eliminate by hand. So I whizzed it up the road to my painter chappie to sort out. He later showed me a shadow on the bonnet which coincided with an abandoned roll of masking tape and some drips of lacquer on the lower portion of the front bumper. All of which were new.

I would have preferred an honest "Whoops, we goofed but will fix it" phonecall rather than the attempt at deception as it's really soured my opinion of the dealership.

[HIS LM]

topjay said:

Interesting, thought that was owned by a member here that used to come to all the meets.

Really ? do you remember his name

[dang2407]

So, do we still think full service history performed annually is a good thing...??

[roygarth]

I always request 'car must not be washed under any circumstances!' and supply four carpet squares to be used when car is put on hoist.

[jonny finance]

Well I started this little thread just wondering if others felt the same trepidation and anxiety come service time... Sounds like I'm not alone I with this or my now obsessive weirdo precautionary approach thus hopefully reducing the chance of mishap... I now push to get the annual service and MOT done in a day so I too can hang about keeping an eye... I guess a royal PITA but as I keep preaching 'please be careful, I ain't paid for it yet' !!

Seeing as some have listed various shockers, here's my all time heart attack tale....

A chap I know sent his Diablo down south to a supposedly recommend and trusted specialist for some mechanical and body restoration.. The work load increased with the garage receiving periodic stage payments as things progressed. After about 40k and 6 months my mate wants his car back. After another month of little useful communication and progress reports from specialist my man takes a trip to visit.

You know what's coming - but consider this for your ultimate garage experience nightmare.

The car had disappeared with the garage breaking the complete Diablo up and selling 99% of the vehicle as spares. The crook had taken his car his money and then disappeared. To really round things off my mate was unable to recover a penny re his insurance - theft by trickery..

What a bummer..

Edited by jonny finance on Monday 16th November 20:45

[andy355]

It's a crazy situation that sending your car in for service has a fear factor relating to the way your car is treated

Ferrari should take note