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Thread: Dealers lying?

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    Regular Member parapaul's Avatar
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    confused Dealers lying?

    Had my car in again the other day to have the coolant expansion bottle replaced. When they handed the keys back they gave me a piece of paper and said the mechanic had given it a 'visual healthcheck', which i thought was nice. Pointless, but nice.

    I didn't look at the sheet properly till i got home, and it was pretty much as i expected, with tick boxes to say the lights and fluid levels etc were ok. The bottom section was interesting though, it was ticked to say the exhaust system was visually ok...

    Now, i'd seen them drive the car from the car park, into the service bay. It stayed firmly on the floor the whole time while they sorted my expansion tank, and then it was driven back outside and parked. So when exactly did they visually check the exhaust? unless they've got some clever mirror arrangement the only part of the exhaust they could see was the tailpipes...

    Just makes me think the guy looked at the car over his cup of tea and thought "yup, that looks ok" as he ticked all the boxes. Doesn't do much to inspire confidence, does it?

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    Forum Moderator soulman's Avatar
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    AHHHHHHH they must have one of those new micro mechanics ...they about 6 inches tall ...very usuful for changing headlight bulbs etc etc

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    Ex Vec-C Admin Stevel's Avatar
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    Dealers telling porkies? Surely not.

    The missus lease car was described as dirty on the Health check when it went in for it's first service despite the fact I'd cleaned and waxed it a few days before. They claim to have washed and valeted it. Yeah right.

    She refused to sign for that part of the "work". They got a bit twitchy at that point.

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    Regular Member Vauxhall Thru & Thru's Avatar
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    Took a car in for a service once, and they told me I needed my panel filter changing. I asked them three times over the phone whether they were sure?
    I had an induction kit at the time, no panel filter in sight.

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    Regular Member shan's Avatar
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    2 weeks after i picked up the veccy. "They had serviced it, it's first one" The oil light come's on, I stopped the car and checked it and it was below the min mark.
    Serviced it my @rse they did.
    I'll be using Midpoint only for service work etc.

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    Regular Member carpet's Avatar
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    Why do people still trust dealers to do a standard service, as having worked in the industry for most of my life I would NEVER TRUST a dealer to do any work unless I was standing next to the "mechanic". The cost of parts, oil, plugs and all filters (oil, pollen and air) can be obtained at a fraction of the cost you will be charged and then you have to a pay labour charge on top. This labour charge bears no relation to the effort expended. Any one, with the aid of a Haynes manual or similar or this site; should be able to complete a normal service in about 1 to 11/2 hours. The job satisfaction, cost saving and knowing that the job has been well done is a reward in itself.

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    Regular Member sy_uk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by carpet View Post
    Any one, with the aid of a Haynes manual or similar or this site; should be able to complete a normal service in about 1 to 11/2 hours.
    Yup 11 and a half hours for a service, that sure sounds like the time it would take a noob like me

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    Regular Member 67688c's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by carpet View Post
    Why do people still trust dealers to do a standard service, as having worked in the industry for most of my life I would NEVER TRUST a dealer to do any work unless I was standing next to the "mechanic". The cost of parts, oil, plugs and all filters (oil, pollen and air) can be obtained at a fraction of the cost you will be charged and then you have to a pay labour charge on top. This labour charge bears no relation to the effort expended. Any one, with the aid of a Haynes manual or similar or this site; should be able to complete a normal service in about 1 to 11/2 hours. The job satisfaction, cost saving and knowing that the job has been well done is a reward in itself.

    Absolutely agree, and years ago I would always do my own servicing, in my time I've changed clutches, fitted new syncro's to a Mk2 escort gearbox (no mean feat) and decoked and valve grind job on a few cars, when I was much younger. As you get older however (66) and the health is not so good you tend to do less tinkering, dont get me wrong I still love to have a go IYKWIM and have done a few minor mods on my Vec-c, but these days I prefer to pay someone else to do it for me.
    In fact mine goes in to a main VX dealer on the 1st December for its 2yr service, quote was £239 over the phone, but at least I dont have the messing about, and it is getting a little cold out there for us oldies to be tinkering. Thats the only reason mine goes in, Also in addition..., I've tended to find the dealer to be more responsive for warranty work even if just outside the warranty period when they were the one's doing the servicing, but that could be wishful thinking on my part..lol

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    Regular Member m8internet's Avatar
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    If you do have to use a main dealer, then you can catch them out AND prove it
    Before you put the car in, mark all the service parts ideally by writing the date they were last changed on them; which is quite easy on the paper filters or applying in permanent marker on the outside of can filters
    Put a box in the boot, lined with plastic, ask for all the non-oil parts back and to be put into this box
    When the service is completed ask for the keys back so that you can inspect the completed work BEFORE you make payment, also check the returned parts and that they still have the identifying dates on them
    I have caught three different dealerships out this way, and never had any problems since
    Once you get back home replace all the dates again, ready for next visit

    Challenge EVERYTHING they do, before you leave their premises

    The only one I don't trust them with is a brake fluid change
    As a result for this one I make sure I can remain on the premises and actually watch them do it
    For some reason they never seem to be able to do this along with the service, so I need to rebook the car in for a few days later

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    Regular Member Ste's Avatar
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    A very good friend of mine used to work in a BMW dealership.
    They employed a cleaner to tidy the work shop and outside the place. My mate has told me that this guy has also changed safety critical components on customers cars, eg brakes, when they have been very busy, and with no training. Does this instill confidence in dealers? NO, does it hell.

    I don't go anywhere near dealers, except for warranty work.

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