Car (lack of) servicing

italiastar

Had my car serviced at the Main dealer I've been using for the last 3 years. Last year they tried to charge me £18 for various bolts and washer's they'd lost whilst they carried out a (free of charge) manufacturer's recall.

This year they screwed up my booking - I booked it in 3 weeks ago, re-confirmed the booking, but when I turned up it wasn't booked in. Anyway they finally sorted this out, giving me a demonstrator which according to the dealer was brand new, but had 4.5K miles on it and a large screw throgh the middle tread of 1 tyre - any way onto my problem.

When I checked the car, the Air filter housing was loose - a bolt holding it to the bulkhead was missing an as a consiquence the housing had come away from the inlet, so the car was taking in unfiltered air. They'd re-filled the aircon gas, and would have had to remove the housing to re-fill it.

For once in my life I was left speechless today. I spoke to the service manager who said that the car came in with the bolt missing. When I asked him whether they replaced missing bolts when a car was serviced, he replied with "we don't replace any missing bolts" I pushed him further by asking Wouldn't you replace it if it was essential for the running of the car and he replied that I hadn't asked for it to be replaced, however if I asked them to do it, they would do it .................................. I was so shocked I just put the phone down on him before I said something which I'd regret later.

I just hope there isn't any bolts missing from my brakes !

Any views, please ?

Dave_Brooker

italiastar wrote: »

Had my car serviced at the Main dealer I've been using for the last 3 years. Last year they tried to charge me £18 for various bolts and washer's they'd lost whilst they carried out a (free of charge) manufacturer's recall.

This year they screwed up my booking - I booked it in 3 weeks ago, re-confirmed the booking, but when I turned up it wasn't booked in. Anyway they finally sorted this out, giving me a demonstrator which according to the dealer was brand new, but had 4.5K miles on it and a large screw throgh the middle tread of 1 tyre - any way onto my problem.

When I checked the car, the Air filter housing was loose - a bolt holding it to the bulkhead was missing an as a consiquence the housing had come away from the inlet, so the car was taking in unfiltered air. They'd re-filled the aircon gas, and would have had to remove the housing to re-fill it.

For once in my life I was left speechless today. I spoke to the service manager who said that the car came in with the bolt missing. When I asked him whether they replaced missing bolts when a car was serviced, he replied with "we don't replace any missing bolts" I pushed him further by asking Wouldn't you replace it if it was essential for the running of the car and he replied that I hadn't asked for it to be replaced, however if I asked them to do it, they would do it .................................. I was so shocked I just put the phone down on him before I said something which I'd regret later.

I just hope there isn't any bolts missing from my brakes !

Any views, please ?

If you're not happy with them take it somewhere else for servicing.

Dave_Brooker

italiastar wrote: »

Yep - I'd worked that one out myself - I was hoping someone could give me some advice on getting them for this issue.

This issue being them not doing something you didn't ask them to do?

podiluska

Will you name and shame, or shall we take bets on who it was?

Dave_Brooker

podiluska wrote: »

Will you name and shame, or shall we take bets on who it was?

What do they have to be ashamed of?

Tiggy23

i work for a motor factors as a van driver, so i know and deliver to all the garages in my local area, say over 200..... NEVER EVER GO MAIN DEALER for servicing or repairs, speak to your friends, people from work see where they go.... main dealers charge way to much, usually [EMAIL="cr@ppy"]cr@ppy[/EMAIL] work done by college students and dont give you the personal service that a smaller private garage would.....

my fav garage charged me 30 quid for a basic service for me if i get the parts. which cost me £24 (staff discount woo hoo)

i asked one of my local dealerships who i deliver to also.... 120 quid if i supplied my own parts too

MADNESS

bigbulldog

Dave_Brooker wrote: »

What do they have to be ashamed of?

I would of thought they should of noted that the bolt was missing and informed the customer.

looby75

Go direct to the car manufacture. A couple of years ago FIL had similar problems with the Toyota dealership he bought his car/servicing from. Toyota sorted it all out for him.

looby75

Please don't feed the troll everyone.

Take a look at Daves past posting history to see what kind of poster he is.

italiastar

podiluska wrote: »

Will you name and shame, or shall we take bets on who it was?

Is there any point naming and shaming - they're all the same. I'll let you guys (and gals) have a go a guessing though.

Unfortunately. I've not faired much better with independants - they're cheaper but still mess up. H highly recommended one changed the cambelt on my wife's golf - apparently the easiest one to do. When we started if after bringingh it home it sounded awful - the belt had slipped. I contacted the garage and they refused to come and pick the car up - insisting I drove it to them. I called my breakdown who towed it to them, adding that it would have caused serious damage to the engine if I'd driven it. They fixed it, but not without breaking the cambelt cover in the process - the obviuosly couldn't be bothered to take it off when the re-tightened it. A DIY mechanic later told me that it is one of the simplest cambelts to change - you have to be really stupid to get it wrong.

Dave_Brooker

bigbulldog wrote: »

I would of thought they should of noted that the bolt was missing and informed the customer.

If it's only there for a service they won't check all the trivial things.