mixmasterlooney Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 I don't trust any garages apart from my old tech and someone ben recently introduce me to, i stand next to my car and watch them work, on my old polo i had an argument with a manager at a garage because he kept telling me i'm not allowed in the working area i told him am i not allowed to inspect my vehicle? he then went on to say i'm making his mechanic nervous, i asked nervous for what? he should be a competent tech, needless to say i stood there the entire time and told him that if he wont let me watch i'll take my business elsewhere. Now on my focus ford main dealer did a right number, i didn't inspect or expected it to be of any problem and with all honestly i believe it was just a matter of human error however it caused me a lot of stress and time mean while they tried to charge me for fixing what they cocked up and i wasn't having any of it, breaking my bonnet lock and not bolting up the gearbox mounts properly. Uniforms cleans hands and qualifications don't dictate work ethics top of the line or low end garage can all have that nut job that doesn't give a crap about people's pride and joy. My old tech, good guy runs a small garage reliable guy i can trust, always got dirty hands and overalls but always took great care, he's a true mechanic/technician, know his wheel nut torque values without question for pretty much any car unlike my local tyre shop that goes at each nut with an air gun till the nut slips. luckily for me with my car history i've not had many problems that i needed a mechanic to do something i couldn't do myself apart from the clutch done on my focus, therefore i feel pretty confident taking my car to these garages, i inspect the car there and then and i will jack it up if i need to before i drive away overall though i have very little trust for garages, main dealers and small garages 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney871 Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 One of my Brother's in law owns his own garage and is ex Formula 1 pit crew and I wouldn't trust him to boil an egg. Sent from my SM-G900F using Ford OC mobile app 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Ive got two pairs of ford blue overalls, Ive also got a red tool chest with fake "Snap-On" decals from eBay simply to annoy the neighbors (how can he afford snap-on) I occasionally have latex gloves when i was able to work on the car, Still im no mechanic yall 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stef123 Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 I don't trust any garages or mechanics. That said, I'm the sort who goes round any work on any part of my property to ensure it's done correctly! I have always been of the opinion no one is out there to do you a favour but rather take your money! I have had bad experiences with both dealers and independents, a few of the cars were not even mine! Don't get me wrong I don't make all mechanics or garages out to be rip of merchants but we do know there are plenty of them. I have a guy who fits tyres for me and a guy who does my mot. I do everything else myself and have done for years due to a few bad experiences. Why should I pay money to someone who does a substandard job that I'm well capable of doing? It's always good when you can stand back from a job and say.. That's just saved me X amount of money in labour! These days getting parts online and at discounted prices for top brands is easy so your making saving there for a start, sometime getting parts quicker than a local factors. I'm by no means tight with my money or miserable, I have spent an absolute fortune over the years on tools and equipment and quite regularly rent out bits and peices to save others the hassle of using garages! Any money I make from renting out tools all gets invested back into buying more! To add to the point of ppe and health and safety, I have to 'comply' with a lot at work (as a tradesman), most of which is absolutely pointless which is where I fear things are going in this country. At home unless I'm welding/grinding you will very rarely see me wearing any form of ppe, so to the comment about those who don't wear it what else don't they do? It doesn't affect any work I do, why would it? I'm not perfect in any way but I will always do the best I can. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night otherwise or knowing I've ripped someone off. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterlooney Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Guy leaves his mustang at ford and tech drives around in it red lining the engine http://www.carthrottle.com/every-petrolheads-nightmare-realised-watch-a-mechanic-mistreat-a-customers-mustang/ Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stef123 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I think about the situation with James and his Mondeo.. How many other cars does that happen to on a daily basis and no one notices? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterlooney Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I must have missed something but what happened to mindle? Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I must have missed something but what happened to mindle? Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app boyracer mechanic was servicing jeebo's car. Before/after servicing decided to use jeebo's car to take himself around town and to a tesco cash machine, then to a mates house, curbing one of jeebo's alloys aswell as labouring the engine, Thanfully jeebo had a dash cam fitted has the whole thing on video including the guy's face when he got out to use the cash machine at tesco lol currently in court and mechanic allegedly got sacked or eh a finger wagging from the boss, 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterlooney Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 How did I miss this lol where is the video? Good job on the cam James certainly earned his cash on the cam Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 How did I miss this lol where is the video? Good job on the cam James certainly earned his cash on the cam Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app Video has been taken as evidence no viewable since the law has taken on the case, His incident has got me planning to fit a front an( rear system before Christmas as soon as im able to manouver again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterlooney Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Sorry to hear that about mindle James that's any car guy nightmare and he kerbed your rims that is just not acceptable!! Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Sorry to hear that about mindle James that's any car guy nightmare and he kerbed your rims that is just not acceptable!! Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app might aswell have married your wife, wore your slippers and wiped his nose in your pillow, pity the fool who kerbs my rims on camera 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRookie Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 The worst garage experience EVER I had when my company forced me to take Renault Megane as a company car (I worked as field engineer back then). First of all, the car itself was an utter scheiss as Germans say. The first fault happened on my way home from dealership after I collected brand new car .- the radio decided it doesn't like me and therefore went silent... forever. Then, a couple of months later the motor in sunroof (that car had two sunroofs - one in the front, another one at the back) seized. Garage's solution? You won't believe this - they chopped the roof off the car and put a new one. On a couple of months old car! The leasing company went ballistic over this, needless to say. Then there were some other problems with the car - leaking radiator, failed aircon (twice), complete failure of braking system, self-disassembling plastics in cabin and whatsnot. Every time the car went to Renault dealer and spent there weeks as "ya know, we have to get parts from overseas, mate!". I would understand if France was on some other planet (and, judging by their politicians it is!) but come on... Anyway, I didn't protest much as a replacement car (supplied and paid by leasing company) was Subaru Impreza WRX and I didn't have to pay BIK for it :) Three months before the lease was over (the car was just below 3 years old) the front sunroof failed again. After a month's wait they called me and "engineer" proudly demonstrated to me that the sunroof was fixed and operating perfectly. Only it was the rear sunroof, not the front one! At this moment I thanked them for being prized idiots and drove my Impreza away. But the real SNAFU was when two weeks before lease end the dashboard failed. They replaced it but haven't adjusted mileage and didn't notify DVLA about this. As a result, our company got in serious legal trouble with leasing company as no one in sound mind would believe that 3 year old car used by field service engineer can have less that 1000 miles on a clock. Needless to say, this Renault garage went bankrupt. And then other dealership chain bought the busines, service centre and the rest. They even kept same people in there. Guess what is the name of the new dealership? A clue: it starts with 'Fo' and ends with 'rd' :( 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney871 Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Sounds about right. The Renault card keys were notorious for breaking and took ages to replace and cost a bomb. My mate had a Laguna for years then decided on a AMG Mercedes C class instead, (bit of a jump :)) Sent from my SM-G900F using Ford OC mobile app 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Sounds about right. The Renault card keys were notorious for breaking and took ages to replace and cost a bomb. My mate had a Laguna for years +1 There was the odd guy whom could solder the connections following a tutorial online Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Sorry guys, been away for a little while!On that front, I have made a statement to the police but there is radio silence from the investigating officer. Long story short, I spoke to the garage and without giving too much away at this stage, the guy was eventually dismissed.Still waiting to hear on the legal action, but the video will be back online for your viewing pleasures when the process is done.I sympathise with the mustang owner though, mine aint a mustang but it was driven like one.I can safely say I will never again own a car without a dashcam fitted.As to the renailt story, crikey! cutting the roof off is a fantastic answer though :DDo you have any photos? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianb Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Sorry guys, been away for a little while! On that front, I have made a statement to the police but there is radio silence from the investigating officer. Long story short, I spoke to the garage and without giving too much away at this stage, the guy was eventually dismissed. Still waiting to hear on the legal action, but the video will be back online for your viewing pleasures when the process is done. I sympathise with the mustang owner though, mine aint a mustang but it was driven like one. I can safely say I will never again own a car without a dashcam fitted. As to the renailt story, crikey! cutting the roof off is a fantastic answer though :D Do you have any photos? Well, it's somewhat like a vet really, you take your animal there and hope that when they take it behind the scenes that they treat it with as much care and love as you show it. You don't expect them to knock it out for an operation using a mallet and then still charge you for a general anaesthetic, or kick an old dog in the backside to get it to hurry up along the corridor because it's walking a bit too slow... our animals can't tell us they've been mistreated (especially mine, they hate the vets anyway!!! ) The only way we could tell is if we found a mallet shaped lump on the top of the dogs head! ..our cars get 'sick' they require what we believe is 'specialist attention'... I know there will be much cursing and swearing and probably some unconventional tools used when something is well and truly seized on, but overall, you don't expect it to come out worse than it went in... They can't tell us either, unless we notice the damage they've done instantly! Dash cams for dogs... that's the next step.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 haha, dashcams for dogs! that is an awesome idea! - Collar Cam! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRookie Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 As to the renailt story, crikey! cutting the roof off is a fantastic answer though :D Do you have any photos? I don't, sorry. The whole story happened in 2001 and I didn't think of taking picture of 'before' and 'after', They also used some sort of paint or a primer that was extremely stinky - the whole car stank for for months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 oh you have to love their ingenuity! "my toe nail is growing too long - what should I do?" "Well, we can amputate from the left of your genetalia all the way down, provide you with a robotic leg and you wont have to worry any more?" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney871 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 haha, dashcams for dogs! that is an awesome idea! - Collar Cam! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 that your pooch Clive? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney871 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Not mine, just a stock piccie. This is mine- And this one too- 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 I think you should give them action cams for their days on duty! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney871 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 They are already available for use by my AES dog (Jed the Springer) so he can search in enclosed spaces when necessary. I tried fitting one to Willow and she managed to crack the lens within 5 minutes (I reckon on purpose tbh). :d Sent from my SM-G900F using Ford OC mobile app 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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