Hows this for nearly being ripped off

[IThurts]

I think everyone is out to make a quik buck where they can, as long as there are people who have no clue about something or the other, in this case cars, you will always get the odd **** that decides to charge or *find* something wrong with your car that wasnt there in the first place

i agree with the smaller franchise type businesses, but even then i wouldnt be surprised if they found your exhaust needs changing and you went to ask how to fix your new cd player...

[nugget]

Originally Posted by greenbrucelee

A guy at work has just looked at it and found a wire loose which he put back in and now its fine.

I could have been well and truly ripped off.

Anyone else been ripped off by a garage?

Well, the apprentice *might* have missed it.

I know when I just had my motorcycle serviced there were a couple of little things that didn't work, the high beam flash switch, the horn wasn't reconnected and the rear indicator didn't work. It seems that the apprentices missed these little things after the qualified mechanic did the service on the motor.

It shouldn't have happened but it does.

[simongrahamuk]

My car has no service history. I recently considered part-ex ing it but when I told them that it had no service history they suddenly seemed a lot less interested.

I'm not bothered about the service history, I know my car works and I know its been serviced. I always take it to the same back street garage because I trust the guy (cash payments only!).

It's never had any problems.

[greenbrucelee]

Originally Posted by nugget

Well, the apprentice *might* have missed it.

I know when I just had my motorcycle serviced there were a couple of little things that didn't work, the high beam flash switch, the horn wasn't reconnected and the rear indicator didn't work. It seems that the apprentices missed these little things after the qualified mechanic did the service on the motor.

It shouldn't have happened but it does.

The guy who apparently checked my car was the head mechanic personally I don't think they looked at it at all because if they did that shows some gross incompetence.

[Boyce]

As someone who followed a Manufacturers scheme of Apprentice > Technician > Advanced Technician, I can confrim cars are no longer "nuts and bolts". If you want a car that has very little electronics to it, then you need to get something Pre '80's, although depending on the car/model, it will have some even at this age.

Having lots of wires, sensitive electronic parts and computers provide long service in the home - under a bonnet in all the weather thrown at it is a different matter!
Also be careful of the "steam clean" in the engine bay - these can cause serious problems!

It is always difficult for the customer to believe one fault has nothing to do with another. This is partly due to not understanding how things work and all the cowboys out there. Bare in mind, someone might discover a fault on looking for a symptom of something else.

I am not sure why the head gasket was replaced, but the fault itself is highly unlikey to have any relevance to the heated rear screen/alternator fault. If this developed after the head was replaced, it *could* be that the wire was disturbed/not re-fitted after the head was re-fitted.

Simon

[greenbrucelee]

Originally Posted by Boyce

I am not sure why the head gasket was replaced, but the fault itself is highly unlikey to have any relevance to the heated rear screen/alternator fault. If this developed after the head was replaced, it *could* be that the wire was disturbed/not re-fitted after the head was re-fitted.Simon

The coolent was always being used up rapidly and the engine was overheating and after replacing the coolent pump twice it was discovered the head gasket was warped and about to blow. So I got it changed.

As for the alternator it was my asumption that the wire hadn't been replaced after the mechanics had replaced the engine. But I didn't know where this wire might be so the guy at work who checked my car fitted it back into where it should go.

[Boyce]

Sounds like they haven't fitted it back correctly - the alternator would have almost definately been disturbed removing the cylinder head on most cars.

Simon

[greenbrucelee]

Originally Posted by Boyce

Sounds like they haven't fitted it back correctly - the alternator would have almost definately been disturbed removing the cylinder head on most cars.

Simon

I'm just pissed of they said they had rechecked it and there was no wire loose so the altenator needed replacing.

[Boyce]

Don't blame you.

I would say the end result would depend on the garages integrity.

You have paid them to sort the head problem out. You take it back, and someone diagnoses an alternator problem. You agree, they order one and make a booking in the diary.

The car comes in and the technician begins his job on replacing the alternator. He discovers the wire is not connected, but his workmate has diagnosed an alternator fault. Does he continue with the job, or re-fit the wire?

[greenbrucelee]

Originally Posted by Boyce

Don't blame you.

I would say the end result would depend on the garages integrity.

You have paid them to sort the head problem out. You take it back, and someone diagnoses an alternator problem. You agree, they order one and make a booking in the diary.

The car comes in and the technician begins his job on replacing the alternator. He discovers the wire is not connected, but his workmate has diagnosed an alternator fault. Does he continue with the job, or re-fit the wire?

I am not going back thats for sure.

[Crito]

At risk of stating the obvious, did you test the battery when the battery light came on? Chances are that's the cable that was "loose" or more likely corroded. If the battery tests OK then you probably just need one of these:


EDIT: but if you have a battery gauge (not just a light) in the car keep an eye on your volts too. I had a bad voltage regulator that would actually drain the battery at higher RPMs, exact opposite of what you'd expect if alternator is going bad (drains battery while idling).

[vgarg]

I am lucky enough to have my next door neighbour who is a mechanic and has his own garage and car business!!! If it wasn't for him who knows how much I would be getting ripped off by now

[Cockles]

Years ago an old Rover Metro of mine failed an MOT due to rusted sills, a garage charged me £300 for welding them. Fast forward a few years, had exactly the same problem with a Ford Escort. Took it to another garage who charged me £50. Go figure!

Small independant garages are the way forward. They have little overheads so therefore charge less. I was recently getting quotes to get the cam belt and pulleys replaced on my current motor (Rover 414). First garage quoted me £296 all in. Garage about 10 minutes walk away quoted £180 inc VAT all in. Well worth shopping around

[greenbrucelee]

Originally Posted by Cockles

Years ago an old Rover Metro of mine failed an MOT due to rusted sills, a garage charged me £300 for welding them. Fast forward a few years, had exactly the same problem with a Ford Escort. Took it to another garage who charged me £50. Go figure!

Small independant garages are the way forward. They have little overheads so therefore charge less. I was recently getting quotes to get the cam belt and pulleys replaced on my current motor (Rover 414). First garage quoted me £296 all in. Garage about 10 minutes walk away quoted £180 inc VAT all in. Well worth shopping around

yeah I know what you mean, I think some people are under the impression that if their car is under warranty then they have to take it to a dealer that the car came from, as long as any garage uses parts specifically for that car e.g BMW parts then it doesn't matter where you take it.

If the car is out of warranty then it doesn't matter at all.

My mum was going to take her Nissan Micra to the Nissan garage for a service, they wanted £180 for a Micra she took it to a local independant garage (which used proper Nissan parts) and they charged he £120

[UCHEEKYMONKEY]

Originally Posted by Boyce

As someone who followed a Manufacturers scheme of Apprentice > Technician > Advanced Technician, I can confrim cars are no longer "nuts and bolts". If you want a car that has very little electronics to it, then you need to get something Pre '80's, although depending on the car/model, it will have some even at this age.


Simon

I agree with Simon there

I'm not sure what type of car Nightwalker is referring to?? But most cars today and the ones with the new number plates such 02 or 52 in the numberplate seemed to have microchips and circuit boards. Gone are the days of working on the car yourself. Because now when you look under the bonnet it's covered with plastic covers. Your feel as though you have to take half the engine out just to get at the oilf filter!

Originally I had a Mk2 Ford Capri which I serviced/fixed myself. But when I purchased a Vauxhall Astra 2002 I noticed I need special star head tools and the spark plug leads had been replaced by a Electronic Emission unit. The guy at the garage attached a cable to the car and the other end to a computer to tell him if there was a problem or not!

Everythings electronic and plastic, even the Haynes Book of lies recomended taking it to a dealer for replacement of the catalytic converter!

I think the garages have got us by the balls and can charge us what they like!