Main dealer V Indy servicing

[Peter101]

Up until my latest service, my car has had a full Lambo Main dealer service history. This time around I decided to take it to an Indy that have got a good reputation and I have used in the past on another car. Anyway I picked the car up today and was quite shocked at what they told me. Apparently the gear box filter had bonded itself to the gear box, requiring 3 hours labour to remove it, and once it was removed was full of gunge, apparently it cant ever of been been cleaned out ever. and for it to have bonded like that it was further proof that it had never been removed. Cleaning it out should allways be done when the gearbox oil is changed. Next was the pollen filters, they didn't think that they had been replaced ever either, or if they had, a long long time ago. I was shown them, they were falling apart! Finally one of the belts that should have been changed just over a year ago in a previous major service was so old, it was rotting. I was shown all the effected parts. I wont name the main dealer who did the previous services, but I think it is disgraceful.

Edited by Peter101 on Friday 27th August 16:18

[Soovy]

Go to the main dealer and tear them a new one.


Mention fraud.

[topjay]

They really do take the piss, quite unbelievable, i'm angry on your behalf.

I think i'm going to ask to see all the old parts that have been changed next time mine is done. They could still just show you some parts but they would have to be a little keener to collect them for the purpose.

[Jasandjules]

Soovy said:

Go to the main dealer and tear them a new one.


Mention fraud.

^ This. A LOT. And with your invoices and the knackered parts in your hands.

[Peter101]

The Indy I take my car to, photographs every stage of work they carry out.



Gear box oil filter, never been removed before

[

Edited by Peter101 on Friday 27th August 17:44

[Peter101]

Pollen filters old and new

[Soovy]

Nice photos.

Make an appointment to see the Dealer Principal at Lambo.

Talk him through your photos and evidence. Mention fraud a lot.


Collect a full refund on the work they say they did.


Buy me a bottle of Pomerol

[BPD]

Would Martin, or the mechanic that did the work, be prepared to confirm to the main that the pics are of the parts that have been removed from the car and give a statement about their findings if the main disputes what you say? Would probably help a lot if they were willing to.

[matc]

Peter, are you using Emblem to do the work now? I popped in to see them at their new place a couple of weeks ago, although they were in the middle of moving they seemed very knowledgeable/helpful.

Hope you get these issues sorted out, I run a prestige main dealership and I couldn't imagine them even trying to get away with this, but I'll be interested to hear their defence.

Still a little concerned about having the Ferrari Main Dealer stamp for resale though.

[Peter101]

Yes I am using Emblem for all the work from now on. Not just because they offer a better value service but also I have a huge amount of confidence in their ability and dedication to do a job correctly. I have used them in the past to work on my Maserati and now that they have started to take in Lamborghini it is perfect. When you take your car into them for work, photographs are taken every step of the way to show what they have done, and parts that they have replaced. On collection of the car all used parts are presented to you to take away if you so wish to do so.

The work that I had done and have now found to be very dubious from the main dealer was confirmed to me by Emblem. I dont intend to take it any further I just shall not be using a main dealer again. My whole experience of using Lambo main dealers has not been great, what with dodgy paint work and bad services. My car has had to go back to the main dealer twice for paint work that should have been done correctly in the first instance.
My latest discovery is peeling and bubbling laquer on the front of the car that the previous owner had resprayed last year. I shall not be letting the dealer fix this.
Where alot of Lamborghini owners are fairly wealthy (Me excluded!) they just ship their cars off to the dealer and trust that all work will be correctly carried out. When the car at a later date may develop a problem due to it not being serviced properly the customer may not even realise that poor servicing is the cause and so will send the car back to the dealer get it fixed and pay the bill, without a second thought.
I know the previous owner (Who had the car from new) looked after it incredibly well, no expense spared. Looking at some of the bills that he payed in the past, if he knew that certain parts of the service's he had payed for had not been done, I think he would be shocked.
I am not saying all the work carried out by these dealers is shoddy, but from what I have seen from the results of my service it doesn't look good.
Thankfully Emblem have told me that my car is a very good example and only found problems with the pollen filter, a belt and gearbox filter. But makes you wonder what else has been skipped in the past.

[Peter101]

BPD said:

Would Martin, or the mechanic that did the work, be prepared to confirm to the main that the pics are of the parts that have been removed from the car and give a statement about their findings if the main disputes what you say? Would probably help a lot if they were willing to.

I think it was Tim and Miles who did the service between them. It was Tim who managed to remove the old oil filter, he actually manufactured a tool to try and remove it, it was so corroded it had welded itself to the gear box.

As I said on my other post, I dont think I will take things further, I really really could do without the grief.

I just thought that people should know that just because some dealers have flashy show rooms and charge an arm and a leg does not mean they are getting what they think in terms of service.

[BPD]

Peter101 said:

BPD said:

Would Martin, or the mechanic that did the work, be prepared to confirm to the main that the pics are of the parts that have been removed from the car and give a statement about their findings if the main disputes what you say? Would probably help a lot if they were willing to.

I think it was Tim and Miles who did the service between them. It was Tim who managed to remove the old oil filter, he actually manufactured a tool to try and remove it, it was so corroded it had welded itself to the gear box.

As I said on my other post, I dont think I will take things further, I really really could do without the grief.

I just thought that people should know that just because some dealers have flashy show rooms and charge an arm and a leg does not mean they are getting what they think in terms of service.

It was Tim, Envy Valeting, that told me about Emblem and now it will always go there after the service they provided when they had the car. I didn't know they did the pics until I picked the car up, forgot to download them within the 30 days though. I also like the way they want to show you all of the parts they have removed too.

Still at least you now know the car is as it should be.

[Peter101]

BPD said:

Peter101 said:

BPD said:

Would Martin, or the mechanic that did the work, be prepared to confirm to the main that the pics are of the parts that have been removed from the car and give a statement about their findings if the main disputes what you say? Would probably help a lot if they were willing to.

I think it was Tim and Miles who did the service between them. It was Tim who managed to remove the old oil filter, he actually manufactured a tool to try and remove it, it was so corroded it had welded itself to the gear box.

As I said on my other post, I dont think I will take things further, I really really could do without the grief.

I just thought that people should know that just because some dealers have flashy show rooms and charge an arm and a leg does not mean they are getting what they think in terms of service.

It was Tim, Envy Valeting, that told me about Emblem and now it will always go there after the service they provided when they had the car. I didn't know they did the pics until I picked the car up, forgot to download them within the 30 days though. I also like the way they want to show you all of the parts they have removed too.

Still at least you now know the car is as it should be.

If you want the pics, give Martin a call, he keeps them archived, he could e-mail you them.

[BPD]

Peter101 said:

BPD said:

Peter101 said:

BPD said:

Would Martin, or the mechanic that did the work, be prepared to confirm to the main that the pics are of the parts that have been removed from the car and give a statement about their findings if the main disputes what you say? Would probably help a lot if they were willing to.

I think it was Tim and Miles who did the service between them. It was Tim who managed to remove the old oil filter, he actually manufactured a tool to try and remove it, it was so corroded it had welded itself to the gear box.

As I said on my other post, I dont think I will take things further, I really really could do without the grief.

I just thought that people should know that just because some dealers have flashy show rooms and charge an arm and a leg does not mean they are getting what they think in terms of service.

It was Tim, Envy Valeting, that told me about Emblem and now it will always go there after the service they provided when they had the car. I didn't know they did the pics until I picked the car up, forgot to download them within the 30 days though. I also like the way they want to show you all of the parts they have removed too.

Still at least you now know the car is as it should be.

If you want the pics, give Martin a call, he keeps them archived, he could e-mail you them.

Now you mention it I remember him saying that now. Thanks.

[tony993]

OP doesn't surprise me at all. They have youngsters who are being trained up & being paid next to nothing doing the work at these main dealers & the bloke in the suit who presents you with the bill & gives you your keys back hasn't worked on a car for years - if ever. What useful information is he going to be able to tell you about your car? There's no relationship between the mechanic & the customer so it's no surprise that corners are cut.

You're much better off with an indie. To me, a car with a history of services with specialists is far more attractive than one that's been bodged by a main dealer for years & years. When you pay all that extra money for a main dealer service, you're not paying for more expertise or a better service, you're paying for expensive premises, bonsai trees & the bloke in the suit.

[Peter101]

tony993 said:

OP doesn't surprise me at all. They have youngsters who are being trained up & being paid next to nothing doing the work at these main dealers & the bloke in the suit who presents you with the bill & gives you your keys back hasn't worked on a car for years - if ever. What useful information is he going to be able to tell you about your car? There's no relationship between the mechanic & the customer so it's no surprise that corners are cut.

You're much better off with an indie. To me, a car with a history of services with specialists is far more attractive than one that's been bodged by a main dealer for years & years. When you pay all that extra money for a main dealer service, you're not paying for more expertise or a better service, you're paying for expensive premises, bonsai trees & the bloke in the suit.

I agree 100% when I took my car there, although it is a Lamborghini, compared to some of the other stuff they had, it felt like a cheap runaround in comparison. It is quite nice going to an Indy where you feel like you have one of the better cars and they are not going to let a trainee do the work.

Edited by Peter101 on Wednesday 1st September 10:50

[Mario149]

I agree on the indie v main dealer comments. While I'm sure that some indies are as bad as main dealers, the fact that I could at least talk to the bloke(s) and watch them prepare my car when buying it did give me more confidence.

But peter101, while I feel sorry for the fact you seem to have been taken for a ride for some years, you do actually make me quite angry by saying you're not going to pursue this - it will just perpetuate this happening again with this dealer and others as they know they can get away with it. You should pursuethis to the fullest extent so you are able to not only get your money back, but raise awareness about it. Hell, if it was me, I'd be penning a letter to evo magazine or similar as we speak.

Edited by Mario149 on Thursday 2nd September 07:47

[Peter101]

Mario149 said:

I agree on the indie v main dealer comments. While I'm sure that some indies are as bad as main dealers, the fact that I could at least talk to the bloke(s) and watch them prepare my car when buying it did give me more confidence.

But peter101, while I feel sorry for the fact you seem to have been taken for a ride for some years, you do actually make me quite angry by saying you're not going to pursue this - it will just perpetuate this happening again with this dealer and others as they know they can get away with it. You should pursuethis to the fullest extent so you are able to not only get your money back, but raise awareness about it. Hell, if it was me, I'd be penning a letter to evo magazine or similar as we speak.

Edited by Mario149 on Thursday 2nd September 07:47

I have owned the car for only 1 year. Since I have owned it I have put it through 2 services, a minor at a main dealer and a major at an Indy. The previous owner had the car serviced four times at the same dealer prior to me being the owner. So the problems I have found relate to costs paid for by the previous owner. The point of me posting this, is just to pre-warn that you don't necessarily get what you pay for from a main dealer. I have had a couple of e-mails from people who have read this, who have also had similar issues. I am also not saying that all Indy's are great either, as I know through bitter experience that they are not.
As for pursuing this, I only have proof from what I have been told and what I have been shown. What would I be hoping to gain? A refund for a service that I never paid for?

[Mario149]

Peter101 said:

Mario149 said:

I agree on the indie v main dealer comments. While I'm sure that some indies are as bad as main dealers, the fact that I could at least talk to the bloke(s) and watch them prepare my car when buying it did give me more confidence.

But peter101, while I feel sorry for the fact you seem to have been taken for a ride for some years, you do actually make me quite angry by saying you're not going to pursue this - it will just perpetuate this happening again with this dealer and others as they know they can get away with it. You should pursuethis to the fullest extent so you are able to not only get your money back, but raise awareness about it. Hell, if it was me, I'd be penning a letter to evo magazine or similar as we speak.

Edited by Mario149 on Thursday 2nd September 07:47

I have owned the car for only 1 year. Since I have owned it I have put it through 2 services, a minor at a main dealer and a major at an Indy. The previous owner had the car serviced four times at the same dealer prior to me being the owner. So the problems I have found relate to costs paid for by the previous owner. The point of me posting this, is just to pre-warn that you don't necessarily get what you pay for from a main dealer. I have had a couple of e-mails from people who have read this, who have also had similar issues. I am also not saying that all Indy's are great either, as I know through bitter experience that they are not.
As for pursuing this, I only have proof from what I have been told and what I have been shown. What would I be hoping to gain? A refund for a service that I never paid for?

Apologies, I must have misread/missed one of your posts or something, I was under the impression it was all servicing you had paid for! So I guess there is less to claim back. I still believe that you (and others who may have had similar experiences) should give hell to the dealer to the best of your ability (hey, it can even be fun as well as cathartic venting anger ). Even a minor at a Lambo main dealer must be of the order of £1k or maybe more I don't know, so not a small amount of money to potentially get back. As Soovy said, a sit down with the dealer principal to make him aware would be good. I'd also make contact with say Lambo in Italy with your concerns.

If everyone did this every time they discovered work not done, you can guarantee it would improve the situation for us all. Dealers (main or otherwise) read PH and will know that customers know. People may not be allowed to name and shame here, but I'm guessing you've had half a dozen PMs by people asking who they have to avoid, and the Lambo/Ferrari world is reasonably small, so word will get around whatever.

Personally, I'm rapidly running out of reasons in my head as to why I should even take my car to any of the typically well known Indies for routine servicing. If it conks out on the road, fair enough, I'd get it taken to a specialist. But for routine servicing, even engine out stuff for 348s/355s, it's not rocket science according to amateurs who've done it themselves. And hey, maybe once in a while the non-specialist mechanic might miss a little trick which requires an extra garage visit, or take a little longer to diagnose a problem, but you'd probably already be better off to the tune of thousands of pounds saved by that point, so I know I'd probably not care too much

[Peter101]

Mario149 said:

Peter101 said:

Mario149 said:

I agree on the indie v main dealer comments. While I'm sure that some indies are as bad as main dealers, the fact that I could at least talk to the bloke(s) and watch them prepare my car when buying it did give me more confidence.

But peter101, while I feel sorry for the fact you seem to have been taken for a ride for some years, you do actually make me quite angry by saying you're not going to pursue this - it will just perpetuate this happening again with this dealer and others as they know they can get away with it. You should pursuethis to the fullest extent so you are able to not only get your money back, but raise awareness about it. Hell, if it was me, I'd be penning a letter to evo magazine or similar as we speak.

Edited by Mario149 on Thursday 2nd September 07:47

I have owned the car for only 1 year. Since I have owned it I have put it through 2 services, a minor at a main dealer and a major at an Indy. The previous owner had the car serviced four times at the same dealer prior to me being the owner. So the problems I have found relate to costs paid for by the previous owner. The point of me posting this, is just to pre-warn that you don't necessarily get what you pay for from a main dealer. I have had a couple of e-mails from people who have read this, who have also had similar issues. I am also not saying that all Indy's are great either, as I know through bitter experience that they are not.
As for pursuing this, I only have proof from what I have been told and what I have been shown. What would I be hoping to gain? A refund for a service that I never paid for?

Apologies, I must have misread/missed one of your posts or something, I was under the impression it was all servicing you had paid for! So I guess there is less to claim back. I still believe that you (and others who may have had similar experiences) should give hell to the dealer to the best of your ability (hey, it can even be fun as well as cathartic venting anger ). Even a minor at a Lambo main dealer must be of the order of £1k or maybe more I don't know, so not a small amount of money to potentially get back. As Soovy said, a sit down with the dealer principal to make him aware would be good. I'd also make contact with say Lambo in Italy with your concerns.

If everyone did this every time they discovered work not done, you can guarantee it would improve the situation for us all. Dealers (main or otherwise) read PH and will know that customers know. People may not be allowed to name and shame here, but I'm guessing you've had half a dozen PMs by people asking who they have to avoid, and the Lambo/Ferrari world is reasonably small, so word will get around whatever.

Personally, I'm rapidly running out of reasons in my head as to why I should even take my car to any of the typically well known Indies for routine servicing. If it conks out on the road, fair enough, I'd get it taken to a specialist. But for routine servicing, even engine out stuff for 348s/355s, it's not rocket science according to amateurs who've done it themselves. And hey, maybe once in a while the non-specialist mechanic might miss a little trick which requires an extra garage visit, or take a little longer to diagnose a problem, but you'd probably already be better off to the tune of thousands of pounds saved by that point, so I know I'd probably not care too much

No need to apologise, the problem I have is knowing what should be changed at what service, I dont really have the facts to confront anyone with, I am not mechanically minded at all. All I know is the alternator belt??? was rotting, the pollen filters as you can see in the picture were in a terrible state, and the gearbox filter was bonded to the gearbox. I dont know if these things are checked in a minor service, if so it had a minor in January of this year. I am sure they are checked/changed in a Major and it had its last one in Jan 09. According to the Indy, the pollen filter had not been changed for years, as apparently they normally come out in much, much better condition, and this one was on the brink of falling apart. The oil filter in their opinion, and also by looking at the crap that had been caught in it, and it's overall condition, had never been removed. I was told that when a car goes in for a service, it is routine that these are cleaned out.
Maybe I will speak to the dealer about this, just not sure at the moment how to approach it.