Garage rip off???

huntcliff

Hi I would be grateful if anyone can give me some advice about some recent problems I have had with a couple of garages.

Took my car to a garage for MOT (never used them previously) Car failed one emissions. They said they would have to conduct diagnostic testing to find out what the problem was - cut a very long story short they ended up having the car for 8 working days (testing it inbetween other jobs) fitted new Lambda sensor but after 8 days still had not reduced the emissions, said on a number of occasions that may have to scrap the car. Wanted to keep it and carry out more tests but I said no going to take to main dealer.
They said not to go to main dealer as would be ripped off etc etc. Anyway paid their bill of £280 which included MOT test cost. Paid by credit card. So left with a car with no MOT and no idea why failing emissions.

A friend suggested a garage where a member of their family worked, so I took it there. They had for 4 day. They tested to find why high readings. Said 90% certain needed a new CAT and that would solve it. Fitted new CAT and hey ho didnt solve it. Payment by cash or cheque. Paid by cheque £180.

Took car to main dealer. After 30 mins testing said that there was a build up of carbon in the C02 cannister and that all that needed doing was it had to be cleaned out. They cleaned it out, did a MOT - total cost £104!!! Why didnt I go in the first place??!!

Anyway have had a call from friend who recommended second garage to say that her family member has called her to say that I had not signed the cheque (genuine error). Why garage not called me I dont know.

Where do I stand. Because I really feel like I have been ripped off.

Advice appreciated.

Strider590

I don't know if it's a case of being ripped off, you see when it comes to emission and engine running problems, the main dealer can run an ECU diagnostic and 9 times in 10 find the problem very quickly. It's the ONLY thing I would go to a main dealer for, they're good for this because they just have to plug it into a machine to find out what's wrong, it doesn't take any technical ability whatsoever.

My story is very similar, car (Pug 306) was running very poorly, first garage (friend of my father) thought it needed a blast of fuel additives, the second (friend of the friend) said the exhaust was blocked, the exhaust place (picked at random) said it was an exhaust bracket but also said the CAT was rattling and quoted £300 to change it.
I took it to main dealer and had an ECU diagnostic, found it was the lambda sensor, I went away bought one and had it fitted.... Problem solved!

Afterwards the car was making some odd noises, so we removed the CAT and found it was smashed to pieces on the inside with score marks in the exhaust wall down into it, so we think the tyre/exhaust place deliberately destroyed the CAT with long screwdriver or something, in the hope of selling me a new one :mad: :mad:

The whole episode resulted in paying two garages a total of £60, the exhaust place £25, the main dealer £40, lambda sensor £90 (i think) and a new CAT at £90-£110.

While they were changing the CAT I decided I might as well just change the lot, so it was £380 for the full system fitted by a Toyota main dealership where a friend works.

Total £595 for a job that really only needed to be £130.
(Although really the exhaust was going to need changing within 12 months anyway)

So as you can see, my fatal costly move was going to the tyre/exhaust place.

Im not saying to always go to the main dealer, avoid avoid avoid, but if it's an engine running or emissions issue, they're your best bet for the diagnosis.

huntcliff

Thats awful about the damage to your CAT. It makes me so angry.

Both the garages I took mine to had the diagnostic machines the first also brought in an electrical diagnostic guy to test the electrics. He looked at it for an hour and paid him in cash for that £50 and they then said that he would probably need a further 4-5 hours testing. That was what pushed me to say no way and remove the car. Could be me but I think they thought ha silly girl here lets get some beer money, cash in hand.

Strider590

^^ I doubt they'd have the official diagnostics machines for every make of car.

skiddlydiddly

Some you can do yourself too.On my 2nd car there is a plug for this and you connect to of the pins together with a paper clip and then get fault codes flashing on the dashboard, a certain number slow, then the rest fast and these correspond to a list i can check on the owners club website.Its not foolproof but has helped plenty of people tracing problems save money.

Strider590

^^ That's been slowly phased out now though, being able to do this stuff at home doesn't bring any benefit to dealers

The new systems communicate via the cars CAN bus, it's a fully digital system requiring memory location reading/writing.

Rolandtheroadie

The vauxhall paper clip method stopped working around 2000 I think.

cyclonebri1

scotsman4th wrote: »

The vauxhall paper clip method stopped working around 2000 I think.

It was effective tho' and certainly worked to the end of the 1st Vectra model.

I'm getting a bit rusty now but wasn't there some recent euro directive or similar that "dictated" that all new cars used a similar diagnostic system to ensure the main stealer did not run a monopoly on their brands servicing and stuff??