*** Warning ... Rant ahead ***
Well I took my car into Evans Halshaw in Stockport this morning after booking it in for them to investigate the high fuel consumption and check for any software updates for the car.
Arrived at the desk and told the woman my car had been booked in ... she asked me to wait and continued typing for several minutes until a man arrived next to her and asked if I had booked my car in ... great start I though ... kind of mimics their phone system ... can never get through ... tried three times yesterday and each time after 5 minutes on hold between reception and service I was simply cut off
Anyway I gave him my details and asked if he could also check if the car was affected by the alternator recall ... the woman butted in and said she had checked for recalls yesterday and it wasn't. Fine ... sounds like some organisation going on ... a slightly better sign.
Anyway next he asks if I had my service book ... I said I didn't have it with me and had mislaid it at present (had the house upside down yesterday ) ... he goes on to explain that they may need it if they find a warranty fault and also states that if they don't there will be a £50 (woman buts in and says no £60) diagnostic fee!!! Errrrr NO! I thought ... I stated that I have had Vauxhalls all my driving life and have never, ever had to pay or been told about a diagnostic fee even when garages haven't been able to find faults ... in addition, nothing was mentioned about this fee on the phone when I booked it in! He stated several times that the other garages must have mis-informed me and he was doing the right thing in telling me (the woman eventually butted in again to contradict him and stated that it is a franchise thing ... and is an Evans Halshaw specific charge so it is likely the other garages don't charge this).
During the controlled but slightly heated exchange he also tried to tell me that as my car had not been serviced by a VAT registered garage (I stated I had the receipt for my parts for the first and only service which my uncle carried out) the warranty would be void ... I quoted the Block 4 EU exemption rule and after some more arguing the woman butted in to correct him and agreed with me that as long as OEM parts were used then the warranty is fine.
Anyway I asked him for my key back and said I would take it into one of the other garages I have used in the past where they will not charge me a fee. After cutting the tag off my key, he then had the cheek to say ..."let us know how you get on and call us if you want to book it in for us to look at it"...!!! Yeah sounds like a plan to me I thought!
Ho hum another stealership bites the dust from my OK to use list!
Dave
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