Mega bill 5 weeks after major service and MOT

ArsenalFC

Your complaint are really no use as you have paid for the replacements already. The garage could be lying about parts need replacing. . Last year I paid about £35-40 for a set of rear disc of my bmw 323 Ci coupe, £122 is a lot but then the garage are out to make money from you.

In the future if you find it cost too much from the first garage then get another to look at it thats my best advise.

jeannieblue

Sounds like the wonderful due care and attention that stealerships are giving cars these days. Sloppy servicing. We see plenty of cars that have had 'said' fsh from them. Means nothing.

Sorry you have had this experience. Doubt you can do anything apart from ring the dealership concerned, but that will probably not get you any money back, but it may give you some satisfaction to give them a bit of a rollicking.
I would also think that it is worth mentioning to the manufacturers of car, Ford or whoever. Tell them that you don't think the dealership serviced your car properly, state why... and enclose a copy of the bill from the garage that repaired the car and replaced brakes etc.

ALL services SHOULD include wheels being removed and brakes thoroughly checked, cleaned and adjusted if necessary.

Good luck

ariba10

Just out of curiosity was the garage that did the repair one of a national chain of repairers?

ZootHornRollo

another point is that an MOT inspector is meant ot feed back anything which is not a failure but is very close to being a failure. eg. tyre tread down to less than 2mm but still legal, recommend replacement.

i usually get at least one recommendation when iget my tested... fair enough it is 10 years old but theres always at least one!

so it seems to me that this was a failure on behalf of both the MOT and the service. Both seem to have let you down.

as suggested above, phone the dealer and give them an earful - might make you feel a bit better if nothing else? phone back another time and enquire what is involved in the MOT/service package you had done - that way you'll have a record of what they say they do, maybe they will have a leaflet or something you could pick up? write to the manufacturer with detail of when your car was serviced, photocopies of all the paperwork you got back from the MOT/service and a copy of the bill from the garage who repaired you car. May be worth copying in trading standards too.

Backbiter

ariba10 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity was the garage that did the repair one of a national chain of repairers?

No - an independent who I've known for years and trust. 100% definitely not a rip-off merchant. The only reason we used the main dealer for the service - even though it's a 50 mile round trip - was because it was still under warranty (only just). Very ironic, in the circs.

jeannieblue

Backbiter wrote: »

No - an independent who I've known for years and trust. 100% definitely not a rip-off merchant. The only reason we used the main dealer for the service - even though it's a 50 mile round trip - was because it was still under warranty (only just). Very ironic, in the circs.

Your independent could've serviced your car under warranty - if he is VAT registered etc and used genuine parts.... anyway, that is the past.

I really think it is worth a good moan to the manufacturers.

I did this a couple of years ago about the dealership which was totally incapable for two years to sort out a problem that I had with the car whilst it was under warranty. (Sadly you have to go to them for a warranty problem).

I wrote to Fords.. and basically I told them that their dealerships were letting them down (I'd been to several). Naturally they weren't happy about that and naturally they wanted to put things right for me. Unfortunately, when they rang me, I'd had the fault repaired previously (took an independent to find the fault!), and about two days before they called, I'd thrown the blasted faulty part away - for which they would've reimbursed me!! (Even tho the car was by then 3 months out of warranty).

I'm not saying that you will get any money back, but I really do think that you should complain.

Your independent garage, how long ago did they do the brakes?? If only recently, they may still have those parts - you have to dispose of them correctly (hazardous waste etc), if they have not had it removed - you could get them to keep the parts should you wish to complain and take it further.

I think it is worth a call or even better, a well written letter with copies etc.

Backbiter

The brakes were done 3 days ago. I'll ring in the morning, but I'm sure they've been disposed of.
I'll write to the dealer and complain - nothing to lose, is there? To be honest, they are an excellent dealership, which is why I've not named and shamed them on this thread - we've bought our last three cars from them, which could work in our favour, as they'll be keen to keep our business. Mishandling our servicing and not addressing our complaints would be a costly error on their part.

Conor_3

AdrianHi wrote: »

I don't see how the callipers could be damaged either.
My wife foolishly kept driving her car recently when the brakes were "a bit noisy".

I have seen it however I've only seen it once. Basically, the metal on the back of the pads had worn down so much that they actually parted company with the car and the caliper pistons were braking against the disc. I have no idea how long they'd been driving with shot pads for but I doubt the amount of time your missus has been driving with worn pads would be anywhere near long enough for that to happen.

Conor_3

markelock wrote: »

the dealer will check the brakes in the service,

You'd think so wouldn't you but I was surprised to learn that many of the minor services nowadays don't involve taking the wheels off to check. Came as a shock I can tell you because when I worked in garages, every service had the wheels off to check pad and shoe wear.

photome

Who was the dealer