I don't trust them! Would you? (1 Viewer)

normanandsue

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But am I being too harsh?
Took motorhome for an annual service and asked for brake fluid to be renewed.
Collected vehicle and bill. There was no mention of any charge for brake fluid or labour for the work.
Also noticed charge for replacement air filter; when the vehicle is (Was) fitted with a washable air filter.
Returned asking for an explanation was told brake fluid had been done but the charge was included in the 2 hour labour charge for the service.
Asked about the unnecessary replacement of the air filter and was told "You should have told us it did not need replacing!"
My response was you are the engineer not me, my previous garage didn't need telling.
As I rely on motor mechanics to know what they are doing, I need to feel I can trust them, this response causes me to have no confidence in them - or am I being too harsh?

The reason why I could not use my previous garage is because I have moved and am some 200 miles away from them (Must admit the thought of taking my mh back to them has occurred to me)
 

Shuggy68

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harsh

I don't think your being harsh wat I do is mark the fuel filter and air filter with a pen so I know if they have changed it.but your right to think wat your thinking as it does happen.
 

motorhomer

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But am I being too harsh?
Took motorhome for an annual service and asked for brake fluid to be renewed.
Collected vehicle and bill. There was no mention of any charge for brake fluid or labour for the work.
Also noticed charge for replacement air filter; when the vehicle is (Was) fitted with a washable air filter.
Returned asking for an explanation was told brake fluid had been done but the charge was included in the 2 hour labour charge for the service.
Asked about the unnecessary replacement of the air filter and was told "You should have told us it did not need replacing!"
My response was you are the engineer not me, my previous garage didn't need telling.
As I rely on motor mechanics to know what they are doing, I need to feel I can trust them, this response causes me to have no confidence in them - or am I being too harsh?

The reason why I could not use my previous garage is because I have moved and am some 200 miles away from them (Must admit the thought of taking my mh back to them has occurred to me)

Perhaps a tad harsh. If the manufacturer's service schedule says the air cleaner needs replacing every year then it is reasonable for them to do it. If you have had a different type fitted that does not need replacing then maybe mentioning it is not a bad idea (unless it is very visibly marked "wash don't replace") - and given that there would presumably have been labour involved in washing it perhaps the difference in cost was not too great.

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Nov 6, 2008
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I had a car serviced once at a garage (couldn't do it myself because of work) and would you believe they changed the oil, but not the filter! They hadn't got one in stock (main dealer). I refused to pay as the oil would have been contaminated by the old filter. Never again, i do my own. Even if it has to wait a while.

Craig
 

DuxDeluxe

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Fair comment about the filter; I would be more concerned about the brake fluid. I would guess that it had not been charged for (and what garage does not charge for a "consumable" when they are able to do so?? - rhetorical question) because it simply not been done. Brake fluid change? Ker-ching!

I would not get any more work done there again........!
 

pappajohn

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brakefluid change shouldn't be hard to confirm if you're fit and able to crawl underneath the van.

The fluid has to be bled from the brake calipers via the bleed nipples and a bleeding tube.
They should show slight signs of spilt fluid when the bleed tube has been removed,

there may be fresh spanner Mark's in the dirt on the nipple hexagon or at least they would have been wiped dry.(very unlikely)...all obvious signs the brakes have been touched.

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normanandsue

normanandsue

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Fair comment about the filter; I would be more concerned about the brake fluid. I would guess that it had not been charged for (and what garage does not charge for a "consumable" when they are able to do so?? - rhetorical question) because it simply not been done. Brake fluid change? Ker-ching!

I would not get any more work done there again........!

When questioned about it he assured me it had been done although it did not appear on the bill, however why lie? Wouldn't it have been easier to say he had forgotten and ask for it to come back and charge me for the work.
 

WynandJean

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Reminds me of the time I returned home from having my car serviced. I took a look through the itemised bill and thought, "Hang on a minute" phoned the service department and asked if they could explain item 6 on the list. "Certainly sir," in his most condescending voice, "Filtre Huile" is French for oil filter. (It was a Renault)
"Ah, I see," said I, "and is that in addition to item 2 which is an English oil filter?"

"Ahem, terribly sorry sir" not so condescending now, "must have been a computer error. Don't worry, we'll knock it off your bill".

"While you are on," I asked, "Did you have any difficulty fitting item 4, the rear windscreen wiper blade?"

"Er, no, not that I can recall, why?"

"Well maybe you could explain the process to me?", I asked.

"I could do, yes, but why are you asking?"

"Well," I replied, "I've had the car for quite a while and in all that time it never had a rear wiper, I was curious as to how you changed it" Again it was just a case of, "Oh don't worry we'll refund your charge for the wiper"

There was a third similar item that had been charged that shouldn't have been but I can't remember what it was now.

Would you trust these back street garages? Well actually it was the Renault Main Dealer!

I wrote a letter of complaint but they remained unconcerned.

What can you say?

Wyn
 

Jaws

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When questioned about it he assured me it had been done although it did not appear on the bill, however why lie? Wouldn't it have been easier to say he had forgotten and ask for it to come back and charge me for the work.

Believe me, as someone who follows up Honda dealers 'servicing' I would not trust a single one of them
Also, if the idiot cannot tell the difference between a washable filter and a standard one they certainly would not be less loose with a spanner anywhere near any vehicle of mine

Considering the cost of re-usable filters I do hope you asked for it back ?


Mind you, given the grief they are to maintain he proly done you a favour !!

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aba

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Had one in the garage the other week fiat panda 4x4 on a 59 plate dealer serviced from new well they may have changed the oil and filter but I could tell the wheels had never been off.

Funnily enough it had been serviced 6000 miles previously about 8 months.
ended up needing all 4 brake discs and pads as the pads had been sticking in the calipers just through not being maintained correctly.

90% of dealers at service will just look through the wheels for worn brakes and if they look ok they will be just left alone and the wheels won't come off.
 
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normanandsue

normanandsue

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Believe me, as someone who follows up Honda dealers 'servicing' I would not trust a single one of them
Also, if the idiot cannot tell the difference between a washable filter and a standard one they certainly would not be less loose with a spanner anywhere near any vehicle of mine

Considering the cost of re-usable filters I do hope you asked for it back ?


Mind you, given the grief they are to maintain he proly done you a favour !!

This is exactly my feeling, I couldn't tell an oil filter from a coffee filter but I expect a "motor mechanic" to know the difference between a washable filter and a disposable one without me having to tell him.

As it is unlikely I shall be using a garage again before the next annual service I have decided to stick with them and earnestly look for another garage capable of servicing my motorhome.
For me and I suppose many others it is hard to know if garages have done what they we have paid them for; it boils down to a matter of trust; these two errors by the garage failed to create a feeling of trust.
If I can't trust someone I employ then it seems sense to me not to employ them again.

Thanks everyone for your feedback

Norman
 
Jun 17, 2012
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Today my girl had new oil & filter, fuel and air filters, cam-belt and belt rollers and ancillary belt. Fiat 2.8 JTD
All parts were at trade price and definitely fitted and there was no labour charge either.
How can I be sure? done the lot myself.
Such satisfaction that another dealer was deprived................

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Jan 4, 2012
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Took a car in to a Vauxhall main dealer for a service --to keep the warranty running.
Found out later that they had replenished the engine oil--BUT had not drained off the old oil,it was 2" up the dip stick !

Did not change the air cleaner element.
Not changed the oil filter,--lower engine cowling still covered in mud on the bolts

Never again just to get a main dealer stamp in the book for warranty, they do more harm than good.


Then someone has to pay for huge glass buildings with countless staff running around with bits of paper in their hand looking busy:ROFLMAO:

Fixed it all my self, I won`t waste my time again with them
 

Jaws

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Actually, the 'must be serviced by main dealer to cover warranty' thing has not been legal for many years under the restrictive practice rules and regs .. The only restriction is that the person doing the servicing has used genuine OEM parts ( filters, recommended oil, OEM brake pads etc )

They will SAY you have invalidated your warranty but .. They have to prove the work done by non-main dealer place ( or indeed your self ) has caused the fault you want fixed under warranty

Daft scenario but you will get the idea

A door lock fails.. Unless you have replaced the duff lock with something odd the warranty is valid

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Jaws

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Oops.. just reread the above..
The warranty on the rest of the vehicle is not invalidated just because you had a lock changed to something else.. :Smile:
 
Dec 23, 2007
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Motor mechanics are an endangered species,especially good ones who know what they are doing! They have been replaced by the new breed called 'motor vehicle technicians' who are just new parts swappers until the fault has gone. A short time ago the garage I went to on a friend's recommendation,it was his brothers, changed the back box on my van and chucked the stainless steel extension pipe fitted to clear the bodywork. They said they didn't realise it was stainless,a short comparison test,rust no rust,would have sussed that. Last time I help a mate out!
 
Dec 23, 2007
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started when I was 11 with my parents-forgot to stop!been real one since 1980!
Motor mechanics are an endangered species,especially good ones who know what they are doing! They have been replaced by the new breed called 'motor vehicle technicians' who are just new parts swappers until the fault has gone. A short time ago the garage I went to on a friend's recommendation,it was his brothers, changed the back box on my van and chucked the stainless steel extension pipe fitted to clear the bodywork. They said they didn't realise it was stainless,a short comparison test,rust no rust,would have sussed that,so much for helping a mate out!
BTW I was running over 15 minibuses then and was willing to pass the servicing business to him.we then decided to employ our own Mechanic and labourer.

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Stephen & Jeannie

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Thank the Lord !!!!

That Dave (Diamond Dave !) is only 15 miles down the road !!:thumb::thumb::thumb:

Piece of mind that the job has been done properly !!:Blush::Blush::Blush:

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WynandJean

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That Dave (Diamond Dave !) is only 15 miles down the road !!:thumb::thumb::thumb:

Piece of mind that the job has been done properly !!:Blush::Blush::Blush:


Hear, hear - we're not much further than that and feel perfectly safe in his hands.:thumb:

Wyn
 

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