My latest Garage experience

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easyrider

easyrider

easyrider

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I really need to get this off my chest.

I emailed a HUGE UK Tyre and service centre asking them if I could book my MX5 for fitting of 2 x Michelin PS5 Sport tyres.

They had amazing reviews BTW.

They emailed back saying they could not get stock of this tyre for another 8 weeks but they could fit similar.

I then rang them an explained I wanted the same tyre that was on the rears now and that 8 weeks was no good as the fronts would fail the MOT ending end of this month.

They said they had no issue with me ordering the tyres online myself and them fitting them. I also asked if they would swap the rear wheels to the front and put the new tyres on the rears They said this was fine.

Anyway I ordered the tyres for mytyres.com and they came a week later form Germany. All was good.

Once I had the tyres I rang them and booked them into fit. I pass this Garage everyday for work so I thought I might as well get a full service done too...and MOT...Garage said they can't do MOT themselves but usually use another Garage 3 mins drive away to do it.

I dropped my car off at 5.15pm on the Monday got a lift from the garage from a friend and left MX5 there overnight so they could start first thing in the morning. All was good.

I could then drive my CX5 to work...after work drive to the Garage meet my friend who would drive the CX5 home and I would pick up my MX5 with a passed MOT, full service and two new tyres on the rears and the older rear tyres moved to the fronts.

No issue here all went to plan. I paid £325 for the service when I went to collect and the garage told me me to pay the MOT garage £50 direct. Which I thought was a bit odd, But anyway I thought its only around the corner so I drove around told them my Reg and paid for the MOT.

I drove home and arrived around 4PM. Parked the car in the car port and chilled out ready for work next day.

At 7AM got ready for work. packed the MX5 and reversed out the car port and couldn't see any rear lights...I looked at the speedo and saw no lights. I instantly thought WTF?

I had no rear lights and no speedo light...All the other lights worked. Fronts, beam indicators reverse light all working. I couldn't believe it.

I thought ****, I'll have to drive the CX5 as it was dark but didn't really want to as I wanted to drive to the garage and get them to explain why my car was illegal after spending nearly £400 on a MOT and service.

I went back in the house. And decided to ring in work to tell them I was going to be in a bit later than usual and waited until it was light enough to drive...The brakes lights worked and indicators and the fronts lights and I had the MOT and service docs on the front seat should I get pulled over by the police and I would explain

I was driving to the Garage to get it sorted.

I then set off for the Garage. I pulled into and Parked in front of the reception window. The Garage was just opening up.

I went it and explained to the person in charge that I had no rear lights and no Speedo light on my dashboard.

I was met with utter indifference...he said we picked up the car from the MOT centre with a passed certificate and parked it up. Its nothing to do with us...I said I paid for a service and MOT and expect a car I can use legally driving to work the next day. You haven't delivered the service I paid for.

He looked at me and said " I'm not an electrical engineer it could be anything that's casing the malfunction."

I said "your joking right?" He said no..."nothing I can do..you need to take it to the MOT garage to sort."

I said " I need to get to work, I'm already late...someone has to take responsibility and get my car roadworthy...He just said take it to the MOT garage.

I said " No, I haven't got time..I need to get to work...I asked him to ring the MOT garage explain the situation and work it out amongst yourselves who was going to fix it. He said OK i'll ring the MOT garage and we will sort it.

I said thanks. Can you ring me later once you have sorted it. I will be driving past at 3.45 PM and I want it fixed. Either by you or the MOT Garage.

I left utterly ****** off and angry at this BS and waited for the call...No call came.
 
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At around 2.30pm I had a break and had no missed call on my phone so I just came to the conclusion the Garage had washed their hands of it...They had my money and now it was left to me to sort.

I then rang the MOT Garage..explained the situation and they told me it was the Garage I had the service done at that needed to sort it.

They said " Your car left our MOT centre fully tested and Passed"

I just thought this is a ******* nightmare...I was blazing and didn't want to have to deal with this BS of two Garages playing ping pong with accountability.

I explained I needed to get the car fixed...I didn't care who did or who was to blame I just want a legal car I car use.

MOT guy said...drop it off on the way home and "i'll take a look"

Finished work...drove to the MOT Garage MOT pass certificate in hand and said I'm no mechanic...But how can my car pass and MOT..get driven back to the service Garage 3 mins drive away and then all of a sudden have no real lights and no speedo light?

I said it's either really bad luck and the odds super high for this to happen or something else has happened I couldn't find a logical explanation.

Anyway, he drove the Car in...popped the bonnet and took a look. I was standing out front of the UNIT door of the Garage and he called me over.....He said one of the side light wires had come loose and looked to be just pushed back in without a permanent fix.

I said It came loose from driving 3 mins down the road after it passed its MOT?

He reckoned the wire was dislodged during the service by a dropped spanner or something. The service guy popped it back in drove it to the MOT garage where it passed and then popped out when they went to collect it.

I said please can you just fix it...He said sure...He replaced the blown fuse...spent 20 mins sorting and drove out front with every light working as it should.

He charged me £24

I drove home.
 
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Lesson Learnt..I will never take my car to Garage again that doesn't do MOT in house.

I never want to be in a position of having to Garages pass blame.

I'm actually in two minds whether to issue a Credit card Charge back from the service Garage for basically letting me leave their Garage with an Illegal car.

what would you do?
 
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Garage #1 should take full responsibility for any remediation work or repair. They did get the car MOT'd for you, right? If they have outsourced the work to someone else, the onus is still on them to make it right. Palming you off is BS as I bet they probably slammed £10-20 on the MOT cost to drive it down the road and have it done.

Imagine a builder gets in his own plumber/electrician/whatever, and you have paid him for those services, including those he outsourced to others. When you have an issue, the builder tells you to go directly to the other trade. Absolutely not.

However, if they have "done you a favour" and just driven the car there, that's not quite the same thing.
 
What would I do? Nothing.

I can see why you are unhappy but the likelihood is it left the MOT garage in a fit state and as you say a wire became dislodged whilst it was serviced.

Would I use the garage again? No.

Would I waste any more energy on something that cost you £24 to fix? Also No.

Can you honestly say you've never made a mistake or broke something and just sort of semi fixed it at work? I know I have and I wouldn't say I'm proud of that but that's real life and in the moment you think the fix is good enough to get away with as you got X,Y,Z to be getting on with.
 
easyrider said:
what would you do?
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Be happy that you have a fresh MOT for another year.

Someone else right now is probably having a worse time than you, so pick your battles and appreciate your current win, despite the hassle :) You've ended up still winning overall, so leave it at that dude and enjoy your weekend.
Don't use the garage or MOT place again.

/Thread
 
Deleted member 280263 said:
Be happy that you have a fresh MOT for another year.

Someone else right now is probably having a worse time than you, so pick your battles and appreciate your current win, despite the hassle :) You've ended up still winning overall, so leave it at that dude and enjoy your weekend.
Don't use the garage or MOT place again.

/Thread
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I was going to say complain usual thing, having read your reply, you’re completely right. Pick your battles and save your energy for something that really matters.
 
easyrider said:
what would you do?
Click to expand...
Honestly? Move on with my life.

Even more honestly? I think you were pretty unreasonable if your description of the dialogue between you is accurate.

Look at it from garage 1's perspective. They did a service (I assume filters, oil change, maybe spark plugs etc.) and fitted some tyres. The next day you bring the car back ranting about your lights. They never touched the electrics.

Look at it from garage 2's perspective. The car passed at that moment in time and they gave you a certificate. Next day you are ranting about your lights not working. The only reasonable response they have is "well, they did".

The "dropped spanner" is an assumption on the other garages part. That connection could have been dodgy for years. Most likely from a ham fisted bulb change.

I've found absolutely bodgetastic stuff on cars that I've owned for years and that bodge is still going strong.

I've even had a similar situation with my car. Fresh MOT on my MX5, was driving a few days later at night and spotted I had no brake lights. Swapped out the brake light switch and all was good. Out of interest I continuity tested the switch and it was very intermittent. So do I believe the brake lights worked when it was MOT'd? Sure. Is it possible they just didn't check it properly? It's possible but I'd be more inclined to give the benefit of the doubt.

I'm actually in two minds whether to issue a Credit card Charge back from the service Garage for basically letting me leave their Garage with an Illegal car.
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That would be a very harsh thing to do. Unless you are willing to return the car and get it back minus any tyres on the rims, oil in the sump or filters fitted. They did the service you paid for.
 
lordrobs said:
That would be a very harsh thing to do. Unless you are willing to return the car and get it back minus any tyres on the rims, oil in the sump or filters fitted. They did the service you paid for.
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Thats like saying car valet cleaned my car but left a window open and soaked my seats

I expect a clean car that’s it.

I expect a car I can drive home when I visit a garage.

It’s like chef sending out uncooked food. There is a basic fulfilment of contract.
 
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I took my BMW 3 series for a tyre change years ago on all corners.

They fitted the tyres but damaged two wheels as they clearly didn’t give a ****

Good job I took pictures beforehand to prove how inept they were at their job.

You don’t go and get tyres fitted and shrug off damaged alloys.

Maybe you do as they fitted the tyres right…?
 
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TBF damaging a mans alloys, is an offense punishable by death...
iu
 
easyrider said:
Thats like saying car valet cleaned my car but left a window open and soaked my seats

I expect a clean car that’s it.

I expect a car I can drive home when I visit a garage.

It’s like chef sending out uncooked food. There is a basic fulfilment of contract.
Click to expand...

easyrider said:
I took my BMW 3 series for a tyre change years ago on all corners.

They fitted the tyres but damaged two wheels as they clearly didn’t give a ****

Good job I took pictures beforehand to prove how inept they were at their job.

You don’t go and get tyres fitted and shrug off damaged alloys.

Maybe you do as they fitted the tyres right…?
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It's pretty clear you are looking for people to simply agree with you and you clearly didn't read the rest of my post.

Your two other examples are negligence related to the task at hand.

What part of a service and tyre change directly impacts the lights of your car?
 
lordrobs said:
It's pretty clear you are looking for people to simply agree with you and you clearly didn't read the rest of my post.

Your two other examples are negligence related to the task at hand.

What part of a service and tyre change directly impacts the lights of your car?
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Lights worked when I drove the car in…

Lights didn’t when I drove the car out.

I don’t expect a garage to break my lights.


What does a full car service include?​

A car service can involve system checks, analysis of up to 50 or more components, and various adjustments including:

  • An engine oil change and/or filter replacement
  • Checking lights, tyres, exhaust and operation of brakes and steering
  • Ensuring your engine is ‘tuned’ to deliver peak performance
  • Checking hydraulic fluid and coolant levels
  • Checking the cooling system (from radiators in your car to pumps and hoses)
  • Suspension checks
  • Steering alignment
  • Testing the car’s battery condition
 
easyrider said:
Lights worked when I drove the car in…

Lights didn’t when I drove the car out.

I don’t expect a garage to break my lights.


What does a full car service include?​

A car service can involve system checks, analysis of up to 50 or more components, and various adjustments including:

  • An engine oil change and/or filter replacement
  • Checking lights, tyres, exhaust and operation of brakes and steering
  • Ensuring your engine is ‘tuned’ to deliver peak performance
  • Checking hydraulic fluid and coolant levels
  • Checking the cooling system (from radiators in your car to pumps and hoses)
  • Suspension checks
  • Steering alignment
  • Testing the car’s battery condition
Click to expand...
Ok ChatGPT.

Yeah you are right mate, I'd be "blazing".

Happy now? :rolleyes:
 
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lordrobs said:
Ok ChatGPT.

Yeah you are right mate, I'd be "blazing".

Happy now? :rolleyes:
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Wasn’t ChatGPT

Was a copy and paste from google..think it was from the RAC site…

Regardless lights are checked during a service that’s the whole point

I don’t care if you agree with me or not…

I expect to pick up a car in drivable condition when just being serviced.
 
First garage is responsible as your business/contract is with them. If they want to blame someone else it's between them and the other garage.
 
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