Crap garages

theowl_2

Hi.

I was trawling through this forum to see if there's a thread where users can report bad/good repair work. I can't find one, but I think it would be a good idea. Someone (can't remember who - might have been Martin) ran an article on garages a couple of years ago and found them to be completely unregulated and in a shambles in terms of customer care and accountability.
I used a cheap, local garage in Kingston upon Thames a while ago and the service was abysmal. Their repair work caused an oil leak which they failed to fix on three separate occasions. Also, they would never keep to repair timings and the manager would always be uncontactable when you wanted to speak to him. His receptionist told me he doesn't carry his mobile phone with him and so wouldn't give me his number. I mean who, in business, doesn't carry a mobile phone with them! In the end, I decided to pay more and use the vehicle manufacturer's garage. They were excellent and I've had no problems since.
Anyway, if this naming and shaming thing is a good idea, I'll go ahead and name them!

djheath

Its a difficult one really. I agree something like this could be very beneficial. But some peoples experiences of garages are very different and could cause bad data. For example, my girlfriend took her car in for an MOT and it failed on a split CV boot. The garage said it would cost £80 to replace plus the £50 for the MOT, my girlfriend was fuming saying she was being ripped off and the garage were just charging her cos she is girl. I had to explain that £80 is a reasonable cost to replace the CV joint which I had told here before was split.
You see the majority of people dont understand about cars and are wary of being ripped off. A lot of people would happily bad mouth a garage for no reason other than they dont know what is involved in a job or the dangers of not having it done.

Take all the Cambelt threads on here. People seem to be really angry that the job can cost around £300 yet that is pretty cheap for a pig of a job that HAS to be done properly. I could see it now:
"Marjory from London - garage X charged me £250 for a new cambelt and tensioners and then had the audacity to say it will need replacing again in 50,000 miles! I will not be using them again! Harrumph!"

But, saying that it would still be beneficial!!

Conor_3

It is very hard to keep to repair times because there is so much that can go wrong. I once got a job in to change a clutch and it ended up taking 3 days instead of 2 hours because the spigot bearing had collapsed wedging the input shaft in the crankshaft so the gearbox had to be cut off the car. Also when doing exhausts, the manifold bolts can sheer and then the whole manifold needs to be taken out, the remnants extracted and it all rethreaded etc.

If a job goes striaght forward, you'll get it when you expect to but if yours or any of the jobs the mechanic is doing beforehand go wrong, then it'll be late.

People who complain should spend a week shadowing a mechanic in a garage and then they'd find the reason for most of their complaints.

anewman

There was a website that tried to have a list of garages and reviews of them. I think it disappeared though (can't remember the name). There is the good garages scheme website. http://www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk/ However, I wonder if many of the reviews are faked by the garages who are obviously intent on making a good impression of themselves. Also consider the legal ramifications of bad reviews. You can't say anything bad about any company unless you have real justifiable reason, or you face court.

@Conor - there are some people with genuine cause for complaints with some garages doing unnecessary work. I think Kwikfit is probably most mentioned for this and they love doing pads, discs, shock absorbers. Known of stories of kwikfit spraying oil onto shock absorbers and caught intentionally damaging brake discs to try drum up business.

Although I do agree there will be some people who will say a garage is bad when they have done all they can to get the job done properly.

The best way to avoid being ripped off IMO is to buy a Haynes manual. If nothing else it will give you an idea what needs doing and how often, and also how to check brake pad thickness etc. If you can check some things yourself, then when they come back with this needs doing, that needs doing - you can thank them for their concern and leave (no point getting into an argument about whether your brakes are about to kill you and are illegal).

jeannieblue

Conor wrote: »

It is very hard to keep to repair times because there is so much that can go wrong. I once got a job in to change a clutch and it ended up taking 3 days instead of 2 hours because the spigot bearing had collapsed wedging the input shaft in the crankshaft so the gearbox had to be cut off the car. Also when doing exhausts, the manifold bolts can sheer and then the whole manifold needs to be taken out, the remnants extracted and it all rethreaded etc.

If a job goes striaght forward, you'll get it when you expect to but if yours or any of the jobs the mechanic is doing beforehand go wrong, then it'll be late.

People who complain should spend a week shadowing a mechanic in a garage and then they'd find the reason for most of their complaints.

Well said!!!

And I would've been one of those complaining once upon a time - until I worked in a garage and saw the hassle some of the guys come up against.

We try and warn people, it'll take this long to do this - but, if such and such happens etc. But there is always the unknown......

vwjo

What a refreshing thread! I work in the industry, and we have a terrific team of advisors - it saddens and angers me that so many of our customers feel they have the right to treat our staff like pieces of sh*t for simply doing their job. To do your absolute utmost to try to HELP a customer by being honest and open with them, without giving false promises, and to be told you are bullsh*tting is an appalling way to be treated.
'Customer Service' standards are being slated across the board, but has anybody actually thought that this may be because a lot of very decent staff simply don't need to be treated by dog dirt on a daily basis, for just doing their job. ?
Work on a 3 quote basis, and only compare like-for-like (genuine parts etc). Then you will be able to make an informed choice, and treat your fellow human beings in a more acceptable manner. Thanks for listening!

anewman

vwjo and other people in the industry - unfortunately there are some cowboys out there that give the industry a bad name. It's not the customers fault, and hopefully usually no the garage's, that they feel they're being done - it's places like Kwikfit that try to tell you your shock absorbers, exhaust, discs, and pads all need replacing and won't release your vehicle as they claim it's illegal to drive it away, one of their blackmail money making tactics.

It is good there are some good garages around, but please don't ignore the fact there are bad ones out there! Ignoring them will only legitimize their practices if you don't stand up to be counted against them!

jeannieblue

vwjo wrote: »

What a refreshing thread! I work in the industry, and we have a terrific team of advisors - it saddens and angers me that so many of our customers feel they have the right to treat our staff like pieces of sh*t for simply doing their job. To do your absolute utmost to try to HELP a customer by being honest and open with them, without giving false promises, and to be told you are bullsh*tting is an appalling way to be treated.
'Customer Service' standards are being slated across the board, but has anybody actually thought that this may be because a lot of very decent staff simply don't need to be treated by dog dirt on a daily basis, for just doing their job. ?
Work on a 3 quote basis, and only compare like-for-like (genuine parts etc). Then you will be able to make an informed choice, and treat your fellow human beings in a more acceptable manner. Thanks for listening!

As an independent, and because of our informal approach, our customers end up like part of the family - the trust has built up over the years. Also - and I know it's not pc and not good re health and safety, but alot of our regular diehards, end up wandering in to the work shop and having a nose! Probably not a good idea in some ways but great in another, as they can see for themselves what is going on.

We will often show people the problems and they are welcome to discuss with the guys (we refrain from using the word 'technician' - although they object to 'grease monkey' and try and run me over).

If we quote a job, I try and 'over quote' - and if it comes out less, then the customer is delighted, if its bang on, then there are no shocks or surprises. We also stand by our quotes unless there is an extreme problem. There have been times when we have qoted 3 hours on a job and it has taken a day. But that is the way that we work, the customers get to know that - and they come back, and then their children come back - and worringly for my bosses, the grandchildren are now coming in (makes them feel old)

Not all of us are bad

Lord_Lardington

Wherever I've lived there always seems to be a good honest, down to earth local garage doing good work.

Its franchised dealerships that have attempted to remove the shirt from my back. I'm not just talking about their labour rates either; I'm talking straightforward dishonesty.

Example: One dealer attempted to tell me that I needed 4 new brake disks ... brake disks they themselves had already replaced a mere 4 months earlier.

They hadn't even checked to see if I'd been booked in before. Since I hadn't been rallying in the 4 months since the replacement I queried the need for more new disks and they immediately backed off. It made me wonder if the disks had really needed replacing the first time around.

anewman

Lord_Lardington wrote: »

They hadn't even checked to see if I'd been booked in before. Since I hadn't been rallying in the 4 months since the replacement I queried the need for more new disks and they immediately backed off. It made me wonder if the disks had really needed replacing the first time around.

The response should have been "how long a warranty can you give on the new disks?" - their response "certainly sir, x years" (eager to sell) - your reply "well you can fit me some new one's free then, they were only done here 4 months ago". :rotfl: Then you can pressure them into doing it free since they "needed" doing. Would have loved to see their faces.

millymollymandy2K7

I normaly use a small local garage which is fairly cheap as no big show rooms etc and minimal overheads. I recently had the misfortune to have car problems while in another town on a Sunday. in order to get car home (I only have roadside break down cover) I had no option but to go to Kwik Fit. although this was - as I expected - rather overpriced, my main complaint about it was I couldn't get a break down of parts and labour costs on invoice. This is seemingly down to the fact that when the part is selected the computer automatically adds labour cost. So I have no idea how much they charged for the parts and how much for labour - just a combined cost.
Surely if I requested the labour charges to be listed they are obliged to do so??