Afternoon folks,

I've just been to a local garage to have 4 winter tyres fitted, they were miserable when I got there and when I went back to pick the car up they were even worse.

Apparently, all of my wheels are severely buckled. I don't understand this as I've never had any wobble/vibration and its never been mentioned when I've had other sets of tyres fitted.

Furthermore... When I asked where my summer tyres were I was told 'normal people don't want old tyres back', obviously my reply was along the lines of 'are you serious? They're nigh on £400 worth of rubber that have covered about 1k miles of course I want the bloody tyres back'... He sent his monkey, I mean assistant, to go and pick my tyres off the part worn pile (to be resold).

Needless to say I will never be going back!

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Jeez, that's pretty bad. I find it hard not to be suspicious when I visit garages simply because of all the horror stories you hear. I've generally found it best to go to the more reputable/long established businesses.

I've been lucky but then I've stuck with the same places for years. I travel quite a distance to get the car serviced because I trust the guy who does it. Folks live close by so I can tie it with a visit.

I am lucky in that i have a mechanic in the family who is good and honest and go to a little back street guy who fits my tires. I tell him what i want, he orders them in a fits and balances. I do agree with you though: finding a good mechanic is rare these days :(

Friend of mine rectly re-shod his Superb with tyres direct from local Skoda dealership. Price was very competitive and service as you would expect.

I shall do the same when the fronts on my VRS need replacing.

http://www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk/

May be of some use when choosing where to take your car next time?

It's really hard these days ot find a "decent" "honest" garage - I know of a couple which I use, one near work and one near home.

Both run by their owners and are very friendly and accommodating.

'normal people don't want old tyres back'

Think my blood pressure raised a little when I read this, especially as you say almost new rubber. I'm not a violent person but that comment would've tested me.

You should name and shame these cretins.

http://www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk/

May be of some use when choosing where to take your car next time?

Ha - Says a lot for the garages around my area - Results below.

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I wonder if something is up with that site. They guys I use used to be on it but now aren't. You probably get on as long as you pay.

Is this good garages site really independent ? Do garages pay to be on the site? If so then I would still tread cautiously but on the other hand there's no fee by the garages and solely review by customers, well that's another matter

Very few garages I trust after being stung in the past. Only places that touch my cars now is Skoda whose prices are reasonable and work is spot on and a friend of mine who works for Audi. He's the most meticulous mechanic I know and has the tools for any job. Got to the point when the SnapOn van comes round and he can't sell him anything because he has it all

I would never use the dealers here

http://pantwaenskoda.com/

Very few garages I trust after being stung in the past. Only places that touch my cars now is Skoda whose prices are reasonable and work is spot on and a friend of mine who works for Audi. He's the most meticulous mechanic I know and has the tools for any job. Got to the point when the SnapOn van comes round and he can't sell him anything because he has it all

Haha this sounds like my friend! The only reason I didn't have him fit my new tyres is because mytyres.com reccomended the **** garage.

Haha this sounds like my friend! The only reason I didn't have him fit my new tyres is because mytyres.com reccomended the **** garage.

My friend is the senior MOT tester and in charge of the tyres too. Gone there with my last car to fit tyres as I know he takes care doing them. Funny thing is he knows more than the actual mechanics there and it's always him they come to when they want advice or tools. Shocking really for a main dealer

I had to use an untested local garage to replace brakes after they dismantled themselves just after setting off for work one morning. They dropped one of the alloys face down on concrete, put the wheels on the wrong way around, tightened them so tight I bent a 1m steel tube I put over the regular wrench taking the nuts off and on top claimed extra work needed doing. When we got it back, the car started making a strange noise which they said was the bearing.

Luckily, I have a (not local) great mechanic I've been using for 8 years. Never had anything odd or unexpected come up on an MOT with them in that time. Took it to him, he checked it over, said it wasn't the bearing. The noise was disturbing enough that I pleaded with him to change it just incase, but he insisted that no, nothing wrong with it, that it would be a waste of my money and that its something else. It turned out to be an old tyre had deformed.

I can't remember the exact details but the Good Garage Scheme is operated or owned by the Forte engine/fuel additive/cleaner company. The garages in the scheme are given incentives to sell Forte products to their cutomers.

http://www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk/

May be of some use when choosing where to take your car next time?

Typed in Aberdeen. One garage came up. Must all be robbing barstewards up here.

All our family tyre work goes through our local Hometyre franchise, Rob Barbour. Rob is excellent and cleans the wheels inside and out before starting work, and has a soft faced board to place the rims on. He comes to our house at a convenient time and takes a pride in what he does. He is also very competitive on price and will seek out the odd sized tyres when requested. We use our local family run garage for mech work, and being local their reputation is important. I wouldn't consider a multi national with no local accountability or reputation to protect to touch any of our cars.

Personal recommendation is the way to go, though we find that alot of people go by price alone. Had one customer imply that we were trying to rip him off on a cam belt quote for an Octavia diesel, he even phoned us up to tell us that he had got it done for a third of the price, 3 months later the car was towed into us with a snapped cam belt.