It's unpleasant

[Abacist]

Just to add the the catalogue of why I don't trust garages - had 2 tyres fitted to the rear of the Smart Roadster last year. Great , they were nice black, round, sporty Dunlop jobbies. On to next MOT and it fails , - directional tyres on rear axle fitted the wrong way round . Nice MOT garage swapped the wheels over to the correct way round for free and passed it . Went for our first summer run today in anger and wheel bolts worked loose after about 40 miles so mustn't have been tightened properly by the MOT garage .

It should be a standard warning to check wheel bolts after driving 50 miles! I always get told to!

 

[gus-lopez]

It should be a standard warning to check wheel bolts after driving 50 miles! I always get told to!

He'd only gone 40.

 

[Reallyretired]

I have a very good independent garage that all our vehicles since the beginning of the world go to. They can fix anything as they are mechanics, not technicians. They aren't cheap but charges are reasonable.

 

[Odd-no-more]

I have never had a complaint as a pilot.....

.......but then I never give out my e-mail address

To get a complaint in that role you would have to arrive at the wrong airport or not arrive at any airport.

 

[eddie]

Well if it’s that easy and a big rip off all you have to do is DO IT YOUR SELF oh hold on a moment! You can’t.
As your time has been used for more important things such as - working in (whatever) for much more than a skilled mechanic!
Please don’t take this the wrong way but my hands use spanner’s like an office worker uses a pen

One of my favourites was

“it won‘t take you long, so it won’t cost me very much”

“Oh, in which case, why don’t you do it?”

”Oh, I’m not technical at all”

”So how do you do you know it “Won’t take us long”

”My mate said”

”Why not get your mate to do it? Is he in the trade?”

”No he’s a carpet fitter, but he converted his own van once! but my Wife won’t let him touch our van as she reckons he bodges everything he touches!”

”So, if we take the job and charge a penny more than your bodging carpet fitting mate (BCFM) thinks you ‘should’ pay, we’ll be reading about ourselves on Facebook (as you evidently don’t have any ball’s so won’t be having it out with us at the time)”

“If we try to work within the perceived time scale of your BCFM we’ll struggle probably to do the job properly and upset your wife (Who sounds like she ’does’ have the Ball‘s to moan at us )

“So here’s a third solution, despite being in business since 1990, despite the fact you’ve had to wait ages to get an appointment, despite the near perfect reviews on line, it’s obvious that you plainly don’t trust us so why don’t we give you the keys back and you take you business elsewhere, as we will charge you exactly the time it takes to fix the problem! as efficiently and professionally as we can, not a penny more not a penny less, despite what your mate who your wife knows bodges everything thinks”

Said in a petulant voice “I didn’t mean anything!”

So yes being in the trade so many people think your out to get them, rip them off, cut corners, fit used parts, steal from them, overcharge and then those same people wonder why dealer ‘A’ that didn’t sell them a van refuse their work

Lenny HB used to be in the trade, is a nice helpful guy, often tells us that he can get his warranty work done at any Hymer dealer, when others post they cannot , he got a good deal on a camper, fixed price, low deposit when others posted complaining they couldn’t

Why is this I wonder, actually I don’t wonder I know: Attitude!

When someone walked into reception unannounced, and when asked “Can we help” the very best thing they can say is

”Well, I don’t know if you can help us, it’s probably us doing something wrong, but we’re having problems with our TV/Inverter/Lithium set up (pick anyone you like) we’re really struggling with it”

Now immediately, you want to help these people,

”OK, we’re really busy at the moment but let’s go and have a quick look with you and try and see what’s what shall we?”

Opposed to the idiots opening gambit

”Since you fitted my reversing camera last year my cab door doesn’t fit properly, I know my rights, it’s not fit for purpose, I want compensation and my fuel money and my camp fee’s“

”Go away!”

So if you want good service be nice it helps, and you trap more Wasps with honey than you do vinegar

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[dunnah01]

It should be a standard warning to check wheel bolts after driving 50 miles! I always get told to!

Thought it might be my fault for not assuming the garage's incompetence and checking
I've fitted hundreds of wheels and never had the bolt work loose

 

[Tony50]

Thought it might be my fault for not assuming the garage's incompetence and checking
I've fitted hundreds of wheels and never had the bolt work loose

I belonged to Group of Brewery Engineer's when Bass Charrington was about, the done a exercise choosing a certain amount of groups of vehicles and trailers as a exercise , checked wheel nuts daily, and found slight difference on some wheel tightness every day, from day before, ( no explanation for it.) ps. As soon as you drive on the highway you are responsible for the vehicle's condition , that's including leaving a garage !

 

[dunnah01]

I belonged to Group of Brewery Engineer's when Bass Charrington was about, the done a exercise choosing a certain amount of groups of vehicles and trailers as a exercise , checked wheel nuts daily, and found slight difference on some wheel tightness every day, from day before, ( no explanation for it.) ps. As soon as you drive on the highway you are responsible for the vehicle's condition , that's including leaving a garage !

I'm sure that would go down well with the garage - can I borrow your torque wrenches to check that you've done everything up properly, now where's your table of torques values for this make and specific model of car. This one is a bit high so I'm not paying the bill.

 

[Tony50]

I'm sure that would go down well with the garage - can I borrow your torque wrenches to check that you've done everything up properly, now where's your table of torques values for this make and specific model of car. This one is a bit high so I'm not paying the bill.

No I'm saying you are responsible to check " your nuts"

 

[haganap]

I'm very lucky to have an brilliant garage that I visit once a year or in the rare occasion when something goes wrong (for the motorhome). Sadly though I have many occasions whereby I have been "bent over and had my pants pulled down" offensive or not, it's a fact. I am lucky to have found my guy for the last 20 years to look after my MH mechanics.

With regards the actual caravan side of the van. Whenever I have allowed anyone to attempt to fix it I have left in despair and always carry things out myself. The shoddy workmanship of some of these people is beyond belief yet somehow they stay in business. I'm sure there are decent workshops out there but my recent experience of using Travelworld to fix a problem another dealer should have done was a tad short of shocking.
Ended up doing it myself.

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[PaddyM]

I have had some absolute nightmares with dealers and garages across a whole range of vehicles , ranging from ineptitude to negligence .
I’ve had some brilliant service across a range of vehicle related matters also .
Two things stand out that is across the board , all garages and dealers are absolutely appalling at customer communication which borders on rudeness and disrespectfulness .
If any non returned call was penalized with a 10 % reduction in the bill that may focus the mind and secondly no garage or dealership ever appreciates the investment ( both financially and emotionally) that customers invest in their vehicles .
My current habitation and vehicle motor home garages are in in my estimation good or very good but fall below excellent because of the two matters I raised above .
For every EddieVanBitz tale of woe I can match with my own from the other side of the customer service fence .

 

[Jim]

Dishonest people are in every trade. I bought myself a new pushbike last week, mail order but from a pucker cycle shop up North from me. Prior to the sale, they insisted they were not box shifters and I was assured that the bike was opened and assembled, PDI'd and checked over by them, before being repacked for delivery to me.

I was clear that apart from opening the box to throw a leaflet in they had done nothing and it took me a whole afternoon, to get it up and running, among other things brake and gear cables needed routing and setting. On the phone he swore the bike had been set up, and just kept lying, When I thew a bit of London vernacular at him he eventually said that he would pay for the time to put it right. I said I wanted £150, we agreed on 100 which I got into my account yesterday.

 

[Tony50]

I'm very lucky to have an brilliant garage that I visit once a year or in the rare occasion when something goes wrong (for the motorhome). Sadly though I have many occasions whereby I have been "bent over and had my pants pulled down" offensive or not, it's a fact. I am lucky to have found my guy for the last 20 years to look after my MH mechanics.

With regards the actual caravan side of the van. Whenever I have allowed anyone to attempt to fix it I have left in despair and always carry things out myself. The shoddy workmanship of some of these people is beyond belief yet somehow they stay in business. I'm sure there are decent workshops out there but my recent experience of using Travelworld to fix a problem another dealer should have done was a tad short of shocking.
Ended up doing it myself.

Our experience also was when some Punters walks into a garage/ accessories place they try to turn us over, perhaps you have never been on the other side of the counter , believe me it's a experience and a laugh.

 

[eddie]

For every EddieVanBitz tale of woe I can match with my own from the other side of the customer service fence .

You get me wrong, mine aren't tales of woe

I started a business 33 years ago that has a fantastic reputation for customer service, always has a waiting list, doesn't advertise, didn't until recently attend shows, yet still people try to treat us like shit and expect happy smiley faces and excellent service, when in fact we'll probably turn their money away.

So many people squeeze the last drop of blood from a deal and then wonder why the dealer has fitted the cheapest solar panel or the crappiest camera, or bought a van 600 miles away from where they live and then moan about the drive!

If you have crap service stop using that business, put a review on here on anywhere, but the same culprits turn up time and time again and people still buy vans from them and are then surprised that they get crap service Duh! Hello! Did you read the reviews

Also, so many times we read that someone has an issue with their van and when asked how they got one they say that they part exchanged it for a newer motorhome! How many of people tell the dealer that the wheel wobble is awful at 70 mph or that when the cassette toilet is nearly full it leaks pee out of the seam, or that when its really hot in the South of France the condensation from the Air Con is like a torrent?

Things that only the users would know, yet the dealer then is slagged off because they sold a van to the public that had an issue the dealer was unaware of, the van that the dealer bought, in ignorance from a member of the public!

The solution is easy, get good service post on the review pages here, get shit service post it on the review pages here!

 

[Charlie57]

Avoid the 'chains' you have a much better chance with an independant

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[Janine]

I have used a variety of garages over the years when I was in business and never had a problem.

Earlier this year I bought a used car from a local garage, a 6 year old, £15k VW Passat. One of the owners has been a friend and neighbour for over 30 years. He is also a Baptist minister.

I got shafted big time!

They sold me a car which, I subsequently found out, they knew needed a new engine and were hoping that the extended warranty that they sold me would pay for it.

They persistently refused a refund insisting they could fix it or fit a new engine, although I quoted chapter and verse of consumer law. It took weeks of hassle to get my money back. They even wanted to keep the £600 I paid for the warranty!

It was a complete nightmare and am now faced with buying a replacement and risking getting scammed again.

 

[Charlie57]

I was with you up to ’good double glazing salesmen’

I'm thinking of taking out my bedroom window and putting in a french door so I have access to the garden as its a little suntrap, I was online looking for ideas and an ad came up for a multi national for a quote so I filled in, phone rang within 30 minutes and an appointment was booked little chap in an ill fitting suit came round I showed him and explained what I wanted, he said 'you don't want that' and quoted for a single inwards opening door I wanted two outward opening doors, price 3800.00 'how does that sound we can fit before the end of the month?' Explained I was waiting for a property sale to go through and would not be committing myself, he said 'no problem 1000.00 deposit and they take 2 months to manufacture anyway'
Afte being offered 100.00 depost and pay balance next year, price then came down to 2600.00.
Before going (leaving empty handed) he said he could do a factory 'special order' 100.00 deposit pay balance in 12 months 1800.00 all in.
They will not be coming back.

 

[haganap]

Our experience also was when some Punters walks into a garage/ accessories place they try to turn us over, perhaps you have never been on the other side of the counter , believe me it's a experience and a laugh.

Trust me. Im on the other side of the counter in the most regulated industry in the world..

I feel your pain. But it is reality for many of us that just want an honest job done, not about trying to put one over the garage.

 

[Tony50]

Trust me. Im on the other side of the counter in the most regulated industry in the world..

I feel your pain. But it is reality for many of us that just want an honest job done, not about trying to put one over the garage.

You're right when you said many, I would say majority just want a good job at a reasonable cost , but, I have on occasions when someone has tried to beat the quote down said " there is no sweetness in nothing " ps. I never done estimates for the Public ( could lead to disagreements) especially if you found something else wrong not on a estimate. but I did do estimates for Insurance companies

 

[Steve and Denise]

You're right when you said many, I would say majority just want a good job at a reasonable cost , but, I have on occasions when someone has tried to beat the quote down said " there is no sweetness in nothing " ps. I never done estimates for the Public ( could lead to disagreements) especially if you found something else wrong not on a estimate. but I did do estimates for Insurance companies

I think a lot of people don’t realise just how much knowledge a good mechanic/motor engineer has, they are not just fitters they have enough skill and experience to repair and refurbish things such as engines diffs and gearboxes plus all the little shity things joe soap can not fix them selves,
they are not paying for the hour but for the hour plus 20 years experience

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[The Wino]

I think a lot of people don’t realise just how much knowledge a good mechanic/motor engineer has, they are not just fitters they have enough skill and experience to repair and refurbish things such as engines diffs and gearboxes plus all the little shity things joe soap can not fix them selves,
they are not paying for the hour but for the hour plus 20 years experience

Isn't that the case when the same highly experienced fitter quibblies the bill from the vet or solicitor or any other profession. In my experience most think they are underpaid but others seem to have a magical profession or trade that's dead easy and a good way to make money.

 

[Abacist]

Local family law firm have announced hourly rates from 1st July! Senior solicitor with more than 8 years experience £380 plus 20% VAT per hour! That clocks up at an alarming rate but its even more for overtime or weekend working!

 

[Steve and Denise]

Isn't that the case when the same highly experienced fitter quibblies the bill from the vet or solicitor or any other profession. In my experience most think they are underpaid but others seem to have a magical profession or trade that's dead easy and a good way to make money.

It was never really a problem for myself as I worked out at the age of 23 I needed to be one of the people who was paid the amount of money I thought I was worth it was quite simple, if you did not want to pay for my knowledge then you have a choice

 

[eddie]

Isn't that the case when the same highly experienced fitter quibblies the bill from the vet or solicitor or any other profession. In my experience most think they are underpaid but others seem to have a magical profession or trade that's dead easy and a good way to make money.

I only ever argue with opticians, as the look at life through Rose tinted spectacles

 

[Beltie]

Local family law firm have announced hourly rates from 1st July! Senior solicitor with more than 8 years experience £380 plus 20% VAT per hour! That clocks up at an alarming rate but its even more for overtime or weekend working!

You did well there. Fifteen years ago in
my professional role, I was paying well over £400 per hour for a senior partner.

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