Beware Formula One Auto Centre Scam

roysterer

Just had daughters car serviced in the Gloucester
FORMULA ONE AUTO CENTRE
Received a phone call stating that loads of work needed doing to the value of over £450 including a new wiper blade that was replaced 8 WEEKS ago and 2 new tyres. The tyres looked good to me so I had the car inspected at an independent tyre specialist and guess what the tyres were good with a good twelve months wear at least of standard motoring.

These lying thieving bar stewards should be shut down. May be elsewhere around the country they may have a good reputation but my advice is give the Gloucester branch a miss. Perhaps they are taking on Quick Fit staff to boost their turnover.

Strider590

All these types of places are the same, I don't know why people use them.......

Oh yeah, because big neon signs and comfy waiting rooms = trustworthy

Techs don't usually work on commission and given the opportunity I think most just want to do a good job, the problems start with the bean counters at head office.

jobdone1

I agree they are sharks

lewishardwick

These places are fine if you only need the for a specific job.

I took my car in for a cam belt change. Came back with a list of things that needed attention asap, including weeping shock absorbers and front brake discs near the limit.

I politely pointed out that brake discs were replaced 6 months ago and the car sailed through its MOT just a month prior with no advisories.

Paid then my bill and left happy.

There are plenty of 'back street' mechanics that will equally suggest work that isn't easy. They're just harder to expose as they don't usually have swanky web pages or Twitter feeds foe people to breathe them on...

System

lewishardwick wrote: »

the car sailed through its MOT just a month prior with no advisories.

Meaningless for ascertaining the current condition of the vehicle. Shocks can go from pass to weeping and being a fail within days of passing a MOT.

worried_jim

I think F1 auto centres are family owned. Send them an email regarding your experience-

Careline@f1autocentres.com

Strider590

Tarambor wrote: »

Meaningless for ascertaining the current condition of the vehicle. Shocks can go from pass to weeping and being a fail within days of passing a MOT.

Yes, go to these tyre/exhaust chains and your shocks start weeping WD40 almost immediately. :rotfl:

ilikewatch

Strider590 wrote: »

Yes, go to these tyre/exhaust chains and your shocks start weeping WD40 almost immediately. :rotfl:

I heard a rumour that WD40 is actually produced by Kwik Fit, who keep a herd of old bangers and "milk" the WD40 from their shock absorbers.

stator

I've taken my old car to ETB twice for tyres and they've never suggested work needs doing, so I will go back there next time as well.

When I went to national (car broke down outside) their employees could tell I needed a new battery AND alternator without even testing either. They must employ amazing psychic staff. Would have cost £500. Won't be going back there again, I got my car towed to my usual garage and got it fixed for £80 instead.

datostar

You were lucky to get away with a quote of only £450. £6-700 is more par for their course. I used to use them for cheap MOT's but when they claimed I needed new front brake discs without even having measured the alleged wear and tried to tell me that a smearing rear wiper was an MOT fail (not even part of the MOT) that was the end and I haven't been near them since. It was also noticeable that they were very good at finding allegedly leaking brake wheel cylinders on every MOT even when they had replaced them the year before! Few people come out of there without big bills!

Strider590

stator wrote: »

I've taken my old car to ETB twice for tyres and they've never suggested work needs doing, so I will go back there next time as well. .

My local ETB was quite decent at one point, the guys used to do simple checks and under the counter work for beer money (like changing wheel sets over).

Then a year or so later I went there for an opinion on my exhaust when I thought another garage was trying to rip me off and far from honest they tried under cut the other garage AND also sell me a full exhaust system that I did not need.
All I actually needed was a flexi section for about £90 fitted, the rest of the system was original OEM, it was 12 years old and still in serviceable condition when the car got scrapped. If i'd paid for a full system I would have gotten pattern parts that didn't fit properly and would have needed replacing again 2 yeas later.

I guess it comes down to management and meeting targets.

I'd say if you stumble upon one that's actually ok, ask who the manager is and next time if the manager has changed, give em a wide birth.