45 replies to this topic

[deanymini]

Just returned from a tyre garage where I had a new tyre fitted to one of my 13x7 superlights. They took ages to fit it and there were three of them at one point trying to squeeze it on!
When it was finally fitted, the bloke balanced it and tried to hand it back to me with one of the weights stuck to the outside of the alloy on the 'dish'! I couldn't catch my breath!

On that note, has anyone visited a garage and tried to be fobbed off with a lame/bodged/shoddy piece of workmanship?

Edited by deanymini, 08 November 2012 - 06:50 PM.

[minidaves]

to be honest finding places that can fit tyres properly is getting difficult.

[blacktulip]

i took an old metro i had down to a certain place for an MOT as they were right by my old place of work. it failed (surprisingly lol) on a list which included too much bounce in the rear suspension. so i said i would take it away and get it done by my usual garage. i took it to see my mate at the other garage and he said it was fine and to take it back and say it has had the hydro-elastic repumped up. so... i took it back and said that and the tester came out and pushed the rear down and said "oh yes it wasnt like that before" lol. i got my ticket and never set foot there again!

[deanymini]

A technician at work once told me that his mate took his Hyundai for an MoT. The bloke who did the MoT had the same car with a knackered steering column. He took the decent steering column off the car being tested and fitted it to his own car. He then put his knackered part on the car being tested and failed it. He was caught, and needless to say, fired.

[blacktulip]

what a numpty. in the words of sir alan....... YOUR FIRED!!

[Twisty]

2 weeks ago took my 206 in for a new clutch, came back out with a total pig of a car that wouldnt change gear properly and squealed like a pig.

Took it straight back in and demanded that he re-done the job properly as it was not right, he told me my gearbox was knackered (it wasnt) he took it apart again and found that part of the old release bearing was still welded to the input shaft. Got the car back in the end and all is well now.

I hate garages they overcharge do a shoddy job then try and screw you for more money. hence why i love my mini and do all my own work on it where possible.

[1984mini25]

Collected a mini that had had some 'welding' done in the boot to find the boot and rear seat swimming in petrol that was apparently washing up liquid.

Also had a mate have a rear cylinder replaced for an mot (only thing it failed on) only they never bothered rebleeding the system after. There excuse was you didn't need to if you clamp the hose and minis are supposed to have crap brakes.

[Vulcan]

Hmmm..........

Mercedes set on fire.
Welding on top of filler.
Interior trim torn out
Chronic overspray
3-door wheelarches installed on 5-door cars

And, always makes me smile:

Patched patch on top of corroded cover sill which wasn't actually properly attached to the car anyway, which when removed exposed the original sills in far better condition.

[Noah]

The tyre story is typical,

Took my sisters clio to kwik-fit and because they couldn't get the hub cap off they resorted to a crow bar which didn't work and then to a mallet and broke two.

Whenever we need tyres now we either go to the place with the lovely russians who always offer a cup of tea and fit the tyres properly! and balance.

or I do it.

[ANON]

i'm just brilliant, can't remember the last time i did a job and didn't get a tip?? changed a breather hose on a focus for a regular customer the other day, he asked how much and i said freebie as i do a fair bit for him, he then made me take £20 off him!!!

you lot need to find some better garages

[Artful Dodger]

I agree, that is some horrific work being carried out there!! Find some smaller garages that are little indipendant ones.. Much more professional IMO. My dad runs a small (ish) garage but employs all up to or above dealership standards.. They get paid that too, because of the amount of work they churn out!

[M J W J]

Told one garage not to put my drivers window down as it wouldn't go back up. Guess what they did.

At the same time they set my mini's tracking so it was perfectly straight. When I asked them was it out they said 'yeah, about 1.5 mm toe out'. I then pointed out that it was supposed to toe out by about 1.5mm. I was told to come back in an hour. When I returned they handed me two bills. One for when the screwed it up the first time and another for when they put it back. They had advertised that a tracking check was free, they only charged for adjustment (which mine turned out not to need). After much complaining and kicking off in the office they didn't charge me.

When I took my astra for its mot last time it clocked up 74 miles from when I dropped it off to when I collected it the next day. I ran out of fuel on the way to the petrol station. It was running low when I dropped it off and they didn't put any back in for me. My family has used that garage for years so was a bit surprised. When I complained the guy told me to prove it was them.

Noah. A similar thing happened to my sisters Punto. You have to undo the wheel nuts to remove the cover on them.

[Noah]

Told one garage not to put my drivers window down as it wouldn't go back up. Guess what they did.

At the same time they set my mini's tracking so it was perfectly straight. When I asked them was it out they said 'yeah, about 1.5 mm toe out'. I then pointed out that it was supposed to toe out by about 1.5mm. I was told to come back in an hour. When I returned they handed me two bills. One for when the screwed it up the first time and another for when they put it back. They had advertised that a tracking check was free, they only charged for adjustment (which mine turned out not to need). After much complaining and kicking off in the office they didn't charge me.

When I took my astra for its mot last time it clocked up 74 miles from when I dropped it off to when I collected it the next day. I ran out of fuel on the way to the petrol station. It was running low when I dropped it off and they didn't put any back in for me. My family has used that garage for years so was a bit surprised. When I complained the guy told me to prove it was them.

Noah. A similar thing happened to my sisters Punto. You have to undo the wheel nuts to remove the cover on them.

Thats the thing, these are the cheapo halfords jobbie ones that just clip on. No cable ties or anything, last time I was at Kwik Fit the guy didn't even bother torque-ing up the wheels.

[old original]

On collection of my ERA after it's 60,000 mile service at a Rover dealership, I went through the bill and found that there wasn't an air filter mentioned. When I booked it in the week before I had actually advised them that they would need to order one in and gave them the part number.

Their reply...." that sort of mini doesn't need one.."

At this point, the phrase "lighting the blue touch paper" comes to mind

Edited by old original, 09 November 2012 - 05:18 AM.

[sam-wkd]

We're lucky now, we have a good friend who has a garage, another that does tyres and tracking and a very good local indie.

I do remember taking our 1275GT to Kwikfit years ago and catching a worker there spinning it up and down the road outside. Needless to say, we never went back.