Main Dealer Woes - Read for a laugh...

[marshallman05]

Guys,

This is not so much of a rant, but more a light hearted poke at the expense of my local Vospers Ford dealer.

Took my MK2 Focus ST to them yesterday to remove the locking nuts which I couldn't do due to their crappy key rounding off. They proceed to give me a call later that day saying they cannot remove the last one as it 'Won't budge'. I nearly laughed at them but though better of it. They wanted to get a third party in and charge in excess of £45 to remove the last bolt...

Im sure you are already laughing at this point, but I told them to do one and they proceeded to charge me £37 for removing 3 bolts. Am I the only one that thinks they have ripped me off?

Eventually took the car to an independent place round the corner who removed it in 5 minutes for a tenner.

I suppose I am looking for your views as to whether I complain and try to get the £37 back, after all, they didn't fulfil their end of the bargain? These bolts where put on by myself with a hand wrench lubricated by copper grease just so you are aware!

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

You bought a Ford... Is that the funny bit?











Says I who drives a mini

 

[DogsBody]

Why the hell did you take it to Ford for something so trivial.
Yes you got ripped off but that is your fault for taking it to a main dealer

 

[bledd]

These bolts where put on by myself with a hand wrench lubricated by copper grease just so you are aware!

Torque wrench?

 

[tom_e]

If you weren't happy with the standard of the work then you should have taken that up with them before parting with the cash surely

 

[marshallman05]

Torque wrench?

Yes, a torque wrench was also used to check it was correct

If you weren't happy with the standard of the work then you should have taken that up with them before parting with the cash surely

Well this is the thing, I did say that to them but they were basically saying it was my fault and that they wouldn't give my key back until I paid.

 

[oap]

That money for removing 3 of them bloody things sounds like a bargain to me tbh.

 

[GinG]

You took it to a main dealer...you pay the price.

For something so trivial I would always take it to an independant and always pay cash!

 

[Gambisk]

Why did you take it to a main dealer to remove the locking nuts? You could have had a stab yourself for nothing or failing that take it to any local tyre fitter and have them swapped for a few quid?

Only yourself to blame imo

 

[marshallman05]

I failed to mention that I took it to them in the first instance as they hold the master key for all nuts plus any third party removal tool would ruin my wheels as there is only a very small gap between nut and wheel itself.

The independent place had a Dynomec system which I believed the main dealer would also have, how wrong could I have been....

 

[Janesy B]

Why didn't you ask rather than assuming they would have this system? It's only £37 and they actually did the job, it's not like they've charged you for something they haven't done. It was you that rounded the nuts off in the first place

 

[marshallman05]

Why didn't you ask rather than assuming they would have this system? It's only £37 and they actually did the job, it's not like they've charged you for something they haven't done. It was you that rounded the nuts off in the first place

Well I would have expected it to have been discounted as they couldn't remove all four, plus I didn't round off the nuts, it was the locking key that rounded off after 4 uses. The key isn't even forged steel so how they can expect it to last is beyond me...

 

[Gambisk]

Fair enough I didn't realise the key was bust, the first thing I do now to all my cars is remove the locking nuts and replace them with standard ones. More hassle than they are worth and generally end up breaking when your stranded with a flat.

 

[Building Candy]

Well I would have expected it to have been discounted as they couldn't remove all four, plus I didn't round off the nuts, it was the locking key that rounded off after 4 uses. The key isn't even forged steel so how they can expect it to last is beyond me...

If you had the old key why not order a new one and take them off yourself, presumably you need to order a new one anyway incase you get a puncture?

 

[mattyg]

I've had this happen a few time and we just bang a smaller socket over the nut and remove. Takes less than a minute.

Main dealers pfft

Vospers pppffffttttt

One of my contracts use them for their fleet. Last van they repaired lasted 60 miles before dying at 2am.

 

[Mucky_Pup]

I had two stuck on my Focus I couldnt budge, main dealer got them off for free.

 

[HeX]

I had two stuck on my Focus I couldnt budge, main dealer got them off for free.

This. Had a couple stuck on my Zafira, took it into Kwik Fit (as its on the way home) and they did it for nothing.

 

[unrealrocks]

I was amazed by the variation in process for not having the alloy key when I had my Megane coupe all those years ago. I rang up Birmingham Renault and they wanted to charge some hilarious amount for drilling the nuts and possibly re-threading and all kinds of rubbish, so I thought I'd ring around a few others. Eventually I tried Loughborough Renault (my Mrs is from there) and they said they'd do it for £30 and rather than some crazily complicated processes everyone else seemed to be quoting they just said they'd weld a bit of metal bar onto the nut and just twist off - sure enough £30 later I was locking nut free!

 

[Fuzz]

Could have bought a locking key removal set for less!

Dealers for locking wheel nut removal?? You mad Bro!

 

[Begbie]

Hence why I don't use locking nuts, too much hassle before and if someone wants to steal my wheels I'm pretty sure a locking nut is not going to stop them.