Is this normal garage behaviour?

ceebeeby

I took my car in for its MOT today. I've used the garage a couple of times before many years ago.

I called the garage at 12.00 and was told it had failed because of a gator something or another, and that it would cost £60 to repair. That information is all okay, however, what wasn't okay was the down-right stroppyness of the girl telling me this. She told me it could be fixed on Wednesday.

I asked my husband to phone the garage as to me, they could have been saying there were pink bananas growing in the engine tank, and I'd have paid. He phoned them, spoke to the same lady, and was told the same but with a bit more detail about what exactly was wrong. However, he was told it could be fixed on Thursday. He agreed she was one of the 'straightest' people he'd spoken to on the phone

I picked the car up at 5pm, and in the course of the conversation was told I could bring the car in on Friday for repair. I said to the man - hang on, first it was Wednesday, then Thursday and now Friday. He said "well, we're busy" (fair enough!) anyway, my MOT runs out tomorrow - I asked him about the legality of driving between now and Friday - he said it would be perfectly legal. I asked again, if it could be done any sooner and he just smirked and said no, although I could take it elsewhere if I wanted (ehhhh, to pay again for another MOT??)

The car had been parked outside ... about 1/4 mile away from the garage. To be fair, one of the garage men came out with me to show me roughly where it was (it was kind of parked in a cul de sac type area) and then said it's up that street somewhere ... and just pointed. So, I set off up this street, and to my absolute horror, found it parked FULLY on a pavement (both wheels off the road) at the entrance to a turning. It looked like it had been abandoned!

Anyway, my irritation was rising by the second, and the final straw came when I opened up the car door and the inside of my flippin' ages to valet yesterday car was FILTHY! It looked like someone had deliberately wiped their feet on my brand new mat. Sat on the seat in dirty clothes (I'm wearing work clothes btw) - I just stood there and felt like howling with rage.

I nearly ran back to the garage in disgust, but was so cross, I thought I'd better calm down first.

Is this normal garage behaviour, or have I just found the tosspottiest garage in Glasgow, and if I have - what do I do ... the car's going back on Friday?

I'm tempted to get a friend to phone the garage tomorrow and ask for an MOT / repair or something and see if they can do it before then and see what they say.:(

mountainofdebt

I think if your car failed it's MOT then you should have been issued with a VT30 which should give details of why it failed, so there's be no need to have another MOT.

MX5huggy

It will need an MOT once the problem is fixed. I think MOD knows that but it does read funny.

I would take your business elsewhere, even to the point of having to pay for a whole new MOT elsewhere.

There is no need to accept such rubbish service my cheep back street mechanic always puts a cover on the seats. But sometimes leaves muddy foot prints!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

a good garage will put seat protectors and stearing wheel protectors in and a paper mat not to dirty the car.

if their attitude is we'll fix it when we get round to it were busy at the moment then take the car else where. as for parking the car 1/4 mile down the road on a pavement, why! is there not a yard or legal street parking you could of been issued a ticket! for that. do yourself a favour and not go back and find another good garage. and no it would not be fine to ride around in a unroad worthy car this is why it failed mot!!! because its not roadworthy regardless if its a cv gaitor! if you bump the car between now and getting repaired it may affect the insurance!

mountainofdebt

MX5huggy wrote: »

It will need an MOT once the problem is fixed. I think MOD knows that but it does read funny.

I would take your business elsewhere, even to the point of having to pay for a whole new MOT elsewhere.

I'm glad someone knew what I meant:rotfl::rotfl:

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Go elsewhere. FYI, a Gaiter is a protective cover over a sensitive piece of equipment. When they fail, water and dirt can enter, and damage surfaces/seals etc.

Think of a leg-warmer, guarding against the cold and rain.

Also, its illegal to drive a car without a valid MOT certificate, unless you're driving to a pre-booked MOT. If stopped by the police, you need proof of that booking.

CHR15

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

is a protective cover over a sensitive piece of equipment.

Think of a leg-warmer, guarding against the cold and rain.

Not the example I was thinking of!!:p:p

goldspanners

ceebeeby wrote: »

Is this normal garage behaviour, or have I just found the tosspottiest garage in Glasgow, and if I have - what do I do ... the car's going back on Friday?

what garage was it in glasgow?

it was very poor customer service from start to finish.
i hate it when my work van even goes for a service and i find the mechanic sitting on my seat with manky overalls on, ive got seat covers but even i don't wear dirty overalls in my van,they just see it as another work van,but i don't.
if my car has to go for repair i use a guy i know well and know he always uses disposable seat covers.
i doubt there is much that will be done if you take it back,they will make a poor attempt at cleaning it up and you will be left in the end wasting your time when you will have to clean it again anyway.

ceebeeby

Thanks so much everyone for all the replies!

I'm a bit calmer today about it all. My friend is going to call today and try and book her vehicle in for a minor repair between today and Thursday to see what happens.

Sorry, you're right - my tale was a bit all over the place. They did issue me with a fail certificate (the red one), but to be really honest, I'm not bothered about the fail so much, as to the stinky attitude and lack of respect for what was my very clean and well looked after car.

I'm not taking any chances, regardless of what the guy said about it's okay to drive - I've arranged to borrow DH's car Wed and Thurs to get to work, just to keep myself right.

Ha-ha, have you seen how much debt I have (signature below) - I can't afford to repay for the MOT.

No matter how much it galls me, I think I'm going to have to go back for the repair and retest. Should I pre-tell the manager how upset I was. Should I provide some old bed sheets to put over the car and insist they sit on them? Should I ask them to try to clean my brand new mat (it was only the driver one to be fair) that they'd rubbished.

Maybe I'm best off not naming the garage at this stage, after all I really will need to go back this one last time.

LandyAndy

ceebeeby wrote: »

I took my car in for its MOT today. I've used the garage a couple of times before many years ago.



I picked the car up at 5pm, and in the course of the conversation was told I could bring the car in on Friday for repair. I said to the man - hang on, first it was Wednesday, then Thursday and now Friday. He said "well, we're busy" (fair enough!) anyway, my MOT runs out tomorrow - I asked him about the legality of driving between now and Friday - he said it would be perfectly legal. I asked again, if it could be done any sooner and he just smirked and said no, although I could take it elsewhere if I wanted (ehhhh, to pay again for another MOT??)

If your MoT has run out (today - Tuesday) why would it be legal to drive the car until Friday because it has failed an MoT?

Dick_Van_Dyke

It may not be great service but I do think your being slightly OTT

A few points
Who valets a car the day before an MOT?
If you leave your MOT to last minute you cant expect repairs done before the MOT runs out?
Yes they may have forgot seat protectors but then I'm sure a main dealer wouldnt have and then charged you £200 for the work.

Overall I dont think a 3 day wait for a repair, a bit of dirt and the car being parked in a cul de sac is the end of the world and whilst not common isnt unheard of for a small garage.