Today my car was booked in for a service, cambelt/water pump change and its first mot. It was done at a respected local independent garage (I won't name them).

I took it in at 8am this morning and due to the amount of work, I collected the car at 5.10pm. I paid the bill and promptly drove home into in the rush hour traffic. I got home and began to unplug all the seat belts from the mot and then I noticed that all my seats are covered iin stains!

Now I always keep my car clean, the outside had been polished yesterday and the interior hoovered and cleaned. My seats were immaculate in the front and I have never carried backseat passengers so that is as new.

I now have a drivers seat with a large brown patch, about 4-5 inches long, up the side bolster and another front edge. Marks down the sides of both front seats. A black patch on the top of the front passenger seat. And a black marks behind the rear seatbelts. That's what I have noticed so far in not particularly great light conditions.

I know I should have checked before I left the garage but it never crossed my mind that they would leave it this state. I am not best pleased to say the least. Especially after parting with £490!

I'm guessing it could be from the mot place as it was taken off site for this. But surely they should have checked the condition of the car when it left them and before they returned it to me.

Whats my best plan of action?

Cheers Luke

Find out who was responsible for wearing a manky boilersuit without using plastic seat covers and give them a bollacking...?

Find out who was responsible for wearing a manky boilersuit without using plastic seat covers and give them a bollacking...?

Thats what I will be doing tommorrow.

Just wondering if they will actually do anything about it as they didn't check the condition of the vehicle when I left it and I didn't mention it either.

From experience this is very common. Best thing to do is have a go at cleaning them (not good times but better than bad times). Or face the hassle of taking it back (bad times). The further i stay away from any garage the better. It`s very annoying when you look after your motor, but these things do happen.

Good excuse to get your leather soon

From experience this is very common. Best thing to do is have a go at cleaning them (not good times but better than bad times). Or face the hassle of taking it back (bad times). The further i stay away from any garage the better. It`s very annoying when you look after your motor, but these things do happen.

I did think about cleaning them myself but I think it could removed without a valet or professional products. I managed to remove a few minor stains from a recent holiday myself but I had a job to get them out. And they were very faint to say the least.

I wouldn't normally complain but I just think it shows a lack of customer service on the garage's part. It may not be a '50k' motor but I'm sure someone owning that sort of car would definately complain. It has put me off using there services again for sure.

Good excuse to get your leather soon

I was planning on waiting until after xmas now after the cost of this service!

Maybe they will contribute to the cost :P

I doubt it!

All is now well.

I sent the garage and email last night, they rang me this morning to apologise and said they would sort it out no problem. I took it to cleanmycar.com this afternoon and they valeted all my seats straight away. The garage are now reembersing me the cost

That's a surprisingly good and easy result

excellent result, top marks to the garage for sorting the problem straight away without a load of hassle, accidents happen, its how they are dealt with that creates a good/bad reputation

Well done to them for sorting it out quickly and painlessly