Ianb Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Hi guys, I'm a bit unsure whether to unleash my fury or remain a meek and gentile person when emailing this local garage... I am on a small island in the Channel islands, 9x5 miles at the moment (so bear in mind word spreads like fire, reputations can be easily damaged!), I bought a 'package' off this local garage which included a full service and valet. It was carried out in March. The car looked good when I got it back, cost me a fair bit as they recommended a tyre change (I agree with that) but they got me decent tyres at a good price so I went for it... Anyway, 2 weeks or so ago I was washing the car (first time in a long time) when I came across two nasty dents on the passenger side skirt, I basically concluded that some useless sphincter had jacked up my car using the body work rather than the correct jack points.... I emailed them telling them I was pretty miffed about this and that I would have been a lot less angry had they told me at the time - also mentioned that they could have at least done it the whole way round to make it symmetrical!... I told them this was the last time the car was jacked up, so that is why I KNOW it was them. I got an email back from their managing director (she actually has a couple businesses over here, so she has her reputation to keep perhaps?) saying she would investigate... that was now 2 weeks ago (just over)... So now do I reply saying 'I guess your investigation has proved inconclusive' and kick up a fuss, or should I remain humble and meek.... Also part of the service was to 'check cabin filter' (check...what a bunch of gits!), I've 'checked' it now myself and it's filthy and dated 2012!! I was going to write in that 'perhaps I am being cynical if I say I doubt it was checked as there is no way it could get that filthy in the 5 months between the service and now' or whether being calm might get me a better result?? Sorry for the life story ^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexp999 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 I'd still keep it friendly. Just chase them up and say you were dissapointed the cabin filter was not done when it clearly needed doing. They haven't said they won't do anything so just find out what is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianb Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Probably right, no point raving and screaming.....yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stef123 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Probably right, no point raving and screaming.....yet... Give them a gentle reminder that your still on the case, ask what had been done.If all else fails, like I did in evans halshaw on a few occasions.. Go in and let rip. Don't let them throw you out, just keep shouting and swearing at the manager lol. Offer the person in charge a 'square go'. I got my car fixed though, perhaps going in armed with my old man was enough. Given the comment he later made against me saying I intimidated him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianb Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Lol, manager is a woman... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stef123 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Lol, manager is a woman... They still fight back 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marks12 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 They still fight back there worse than men. they make you feel bad you know i'd find it harder to have an argument with a woman then a man simply because i do not understand women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodkat Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Finding two dents that were allegedly caused in March, that weren't nasty enough to be spotted when the car was originally collected. I am sorry to play devil's advocate here but if I ran that garage I would tell you to do one, as that should have been picked up within the past six months and there is plenty of opportunity for it to have been caused elsewhere. I believe you when you say they caused it, but I do doubt there is a court anywhere that would support you, unless you had exceptional evidence. As for the cabin filter, was it written anywhere in the service paperwork that it would be changed? They may have checked it but found it to be within their tolerances. Again, I hate to be the one to urinate on your chips but on the info you have given, the best you can hope for is a goodwill gesture to put right the damage, but they are within their rights to claim that they are not responsible and do nothing about it. Sent from my telegraph using Ford OC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianb Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 Finding two dents that were allegedly caused in March, that weren't nasty enough to be spotted when the car was originally collected. I am sorry to play devil's advocate here but if I ran that garage I would tell you to do one, as that should have been picked up within the past six months and there is plenty of opportunity for it to have been caused elsewhere. I believe you when you say they caused it, but I do doubt there is a court anywhere that would support you, unless you had exceptional evidence. As for the cabin filter, was it written anywhere in the service paperwork that it would be changed? They may have checked it but found it to be within their tolerances. Again, I hate to be the one to urinate on your chips but on the info you have given, the best you can hope for is a goodwill gesture to put right the damage, but they are within their rights to claim that they are not responsible and do nothing about it. Sent from my telegraph using Ford OC Oldish thread, but damage was found earlier than 6 months... caused in late March, found in early August so talking about 4 months and a few days... I agree with your sentiments, I was not in a great position (I believe 'pants pulled down' would be appropriate...), however I was just more angry that someone could be so ignorant in their techniques... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodkat Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Sorry I didn't see the date of the original post. Personally, I would have gone nuclear, partly at them and partly at myself for not noticing in the first place. I used to be in the mechanic/bodywork trade in a previous life and it never failed to amaze me how many would pull a stunt, on both sides of the fence. Some cars would go out borked still and others would claim for damage that was not the fault of the garage. Sent from my telegraph using Ford OC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianb Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 Sorry I didn't see the date of the original post. Personally, I would have gone nuclear, partly at them and partly at myself for not noticing in the first place. I used to be in the mechanic/bodywork trade in a previous life and it never failed to amaze me how many would pull a stunt, on both sides of the fence. Some cars would go out borked still and others would claim for damage that was not the fault of the garage. Sent from my telegraph using Ford OC I was pretty damn livid..as you said, I was just as angry at myself... and again, in a weird sort of way, I almost feel that I would be more inclined to go down the "yeh, I understand you messed up, don't worry about it, you can't see it" sort of route, but the fact they hid it, lied, etc I was more down the 'mental' sort of route... Anyway, nothing has come of anything, so I've passed round the word, left nasty reviews here and there and basically just done my part as an unhappy customer... But as you say, I can see it from their point of view... even if I'd noticed it 1 day later.. there is still an argument to be made that I could have done it and I'm blaming them.. C'est la vie.. as they say.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodkat Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Indeed. And bad press will hurt a firm so they have lost custom from yourself and others. What they should have done from the get-go is own up to it and offer to repair the damage, not sneak it out and hope it wasn't noticed! Simple, beyond the call of duty things like that guarantees a customer for life. Anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B13 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 there worse than men. they make you feel bad you know i'd find it harder to have an argument with a woman then a man simply because i do not understand women. This isn't gonna help, but we wimmen don't understand wimmen either!! :D Sent from my iPad using Ford OC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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