Morning all. 

 

I am just trying to gauge response to this... 

 

I booked my car in to the local garage on Wednesday for the timing to be set. I dropped the car off with them at 0830 as agreed and was told they'd call back in the afternoon. They didn't, so I ended up calling at 1630 to be told the car wasn't done so call back late tomorrow (today/Thursday) morning. I've just driven past the garage and the car is in exactly the same spot that I left it in on Wednesday morning. I have to ring up at lunchtime apparently to find out when it'll be finished.  

 

The thing is, I'm now without a car so I am having to take my wife into work and doing at least double our usual mileage. It isn't a one-off either, it seems to me that almost every time I take my car to a garage (not just this one) it is never ready when they say it will be. 

 

Do I need to be more patient or is this something that anyone else suffers from? 

I think you need to be less patient!

 

Seriously... give them a call and let them know you're not happy and without a car.

 

I have always put the pressure on with garages when they don't do what they say they will or within the timescales they say and it usually gets a result.

 

They will think that if you're not bothered they can priorotise they're other work for customers who are bothered.

 

Phil

Come on Norman, you have to remember that you are now working in Ceredigion Time, so everything is slower and more gentle.

 

I took the Yeti in for new rear springs on Tuesday and got told to come back next week for the bill!! Imagine that happening elsewhere?

Come on Norman, you have to remember that you are now working in Ceredigion Time, so everything is slower and more gentle.

 

I took the Yeti in for new rear springs on Tuesday and got told to come back next week for the bill!! Imagine that happening elsewhere?

 

Fair point. It is quite frustrating though - next time I'll make sure I have a stand-in vehicle. 

Be reasonable.

 

You got to allow time for all the techies to have a night out  with their missus in your vehicle.

 

If it was a group garage, or one with an affilation to a particular marque, I'd say let them dig a hole for themselves then complain over their heads.

 

Totally, independent garage, find the owner and have a go at him.

 

UK - low wages, poor training, treated like **** labour and then they're expected to treat the customer well - Warning, equality disconnect.

 

Equally, how can a job, which in the book is only 6 hours to complete, take a week. Unless your workshop scheduling is so poor, or are being compelled by the owner to take on too much work, or you are giving priority to mates.

 

Nick

Edited 13 March, 201412 yr by Clunkclick

I'd be having a right go and finding another independent.

 

Have used decent indies for years, sometimes brand/group focussed and sometimes just a general one. Maybe because i've shopped around a bit but always courtious, job done on time and at a fair price.

 

Never experienced what you've described!

To the above 2 threads; that is fine in your busy urban areas, but out here in the sticks things are a bit different.

Why should decent courtesy, customer satisfaction and valuing your customers be any different wherever you are in the country?! I've had the odd job take a little longer than it should, sometimes things go wrong out of the garages control but when it did happen they were very apologetic and bent over backwards to help me. In this case they sound like they havent even looked at it let along something then going wrong. 

I'm not saying they should be different.

What I was pointing out was some of the misconceptions in Nick and kiscix's posts. Chain garages or make specific garages are rare around here, hell even main dealers are only small and not prolific. Most independents are small, often family run, cover any make that comes through the door, and actually from my experience put themselves out far more than the places I used to use when we lived in Worcester.

How many garages do you know who will release the car without even raising an invoice to a customer who has never been there before, as mine has just done?

Why not book it in, then take it in a couple of days after?  :sun:

 

My local Skoda main dealer can't even put the correct fixings back in my engine undertray, so they won't be seeing me again.

 

Gaz 

How many garages do you know who will release the car without even raising an invoice to a customer who has never been there before, as mine has just done?

 

My local garage does the same. I get the bill in the post a good few weeks later. Sometimes I have to remind them.

 

That doesn't prevent them from carrying out the work on the car in a timely manner.

 

It's the very fact they are well priced, the mechanic's are all a good bunch and they are realistic with the time quoted to finish the work that earns my loyalty.

I wouldn't put up with that tbh. I've used indy garages for year and they've all been very professional. No mucking around like that. They also tend to be more honest and give straight answers.

 

My old indy used to take weeks to raise an invoice so I could pay him. When he did the timing belt he apologised for the bill and offered to let me pay it in installments (wasn't an issue but a nice gesture).

Edited 14 March, 201412 yr by Aspman

Any update from the OP.

 

Its often to do with you are getting a good rate for a job, the size of the Independent etc.

But as long as you are not like 'Tommy', Deaf Dumb & Blind, you just ask 'Whats the Story with my car ?'.

 

& they can tell you the truth or make up a story, and you can say,

"If the Jobs not started, i will just take it away,"   Thanks for nothing!

& if its in bits, and they have broken it, Your Stuffed,.

Is the garage OK with the old technology on your car? Setting the points gap, timing ect... Do they have a timing light?

Those diagnostic sockets can sometimes be a pig to find

You were told when you were to take the car in, that is when it should be taken into the garage and done. When I went for new tyres I booked it in, got told when, went and drove it onto the ramps my self (yeah, I know the owner, but that's not the point)  and waited until it was done. Would you go to the doctors and wait a week to get your arm looked at?