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Sept 7, 2006 21:12:51 GMT
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so, there i was, back in JUNE, getting a quote of £3-400 for a nice wee 'put the engine and gearbox in that back of that thar yoke fer I'm too lazy' job. Thats from one of the best known garages around for doing work on odd machinery, anything and everything, and personally the owner who I was talkign to was the man himself that worked on my fathers bedford van and cadillac coupe de ville et al. I, today, thats is myself, this morning, ring to find out how the weber crb i left up 12 days ago is working on her. 'I told you she wouldn't fit' 'really?' i reply. 'how is it that it had one on before then?' whilst talking over this strange and wondrous spectacle that is a trained mechanic of many years vintage confuddle himself as to the correct fitting of a carburettor, i enquire as to how much this current job will stand my poor bank account. vague sums and I'm surprised to hear a figure near twice that of the starting quote. Now that DOES include a replacement clutch £96, coil £20, radiator £69, and various other bits totalling £225 before VAT, which i found out later. 20 hours charged so far and my car does still not go. so i exclaim in abject horror to cease and desist and i will collect this evening, and agreed a fee not totalling the entire amount. arrive in evening with ex-employee of said garage who now works with me and drives a real car since meeting me (a rapid!) to collect said my car. deal is reneged upon and mild threats on my part of solicting actions are laughed at and do not have the desire 'crumble and burn' effect. i am forced to part with more cash but eventually recieve the glorious to hold and see keys with a little skoda badge  please note car at this point DOES NOT RUN and gets towed home. various kingpin/carb/timing/old car cannae fix cuz I'm a tool/misfire reasons. so, i works out what i paid (including non-aforementioned previously paid part deposit) and finds that the total of parts inc vat and the charged-at-the-time hours amount to a full total of £820. needless to say, WOW! also, having worked out the vat on the hours, including the non-charged hours i made sure wern't charged before collection, the job total would have been in the projected grey regions of £1260.33 (roughly). although i paid as little as possible I'm still out the huge best part of a whole months pay. considering i just got paid too  it stings like hell. AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE AND MORE ANNOYING I GUESS, i don't suppose anyone can take a guess themselves as to how long it took my good self, in rapidly fading light, to turn the carb around, connect the unconnected accelerator cable, adjust the wrongly connected choke cable and start the car? i'll give you a clue. the number of minutes is somewhere in between 28, and 30. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGH!! car in question is:   |
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bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Sept 7, 2006 21:17:22 GMT
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That sucks the fattest one!
I don't suppose you took any pictures before you started the remedial work? Might be worth a call to trading standards, they're hot as hell on shonky garages. Either that or an old kipper through the post box on a saturday afternoon, and a letter written in crayon with a fish finger inside pronouncing your love for them...
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Last Edit: Sept 7, 2006 21:17:40 GMT by bryn
Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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Sept 7, 2006 21:20:02 GMT
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Hey, do you know 'raymanboy' off Ebay by any chance?
Bad story though. I think YOU need to tell US if you were ripped off, my initial feeling is yes you were. What did the £800 cover if it was not getting the car going?
That will teach you for being lazy at least!!!!
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1972 Fiat 130 1985 Talbot Alpine 1974 Lancia Beta Saloon 1975 + 1986 Mazda 929 Koop + Wagon 1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica 1977 Toyota Carina TA14 BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!!! 1979 Datsun B310 Sunny 4-dr 1984 Audi 200 Quattro Turbo 1983 Honda Accord 1.6 DX GONE1989 Alfa 75 2.0 TS Mr T says: TREAT YO MOTHER RIGHT! |
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Sept 7, 2006 21:57:03 GMT
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lol mr_scrote!
nah don't know him, should i?
i feel ripped off and SEVERELY let down by this 'reputable' garage. the £3-400 originally quoted was for puttin the box and block in and getting her going. lots of curse word of how there were added bits that had to be replaced etc.
this was due to
a) they claim the radiator i gave them was bust (taken from another going car!)
b) the clutch i gave them (NOS) was no good they say
c) the coil they replaced was because he couldnt figure out how to wire the OE part up.
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Sept 7, 2006 22:34:06 GMT
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sound like muppets - or else someone at the garage has been stealing bits off your car
ive had this before - put my MK3 escort into a maindealer for an mot - went back two hours later - wouldnt start - an employee had swapped my starter motor and spare wheel
i kicked off and all of a sudden - weve found them out the back - sorry about that - free MOT
needless to say the 'employee' got the sack - and 'someone' keyed his car
i wonder who that was?
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Last Edit: Sept 7, 2006 22:35:08 GMT by Autofive
Someone just shot the elephant in the room. |
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Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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Absolute shocker-Sound like complete w*nkers  Wouldn't have got jack sh*t out of me,'part from a hiding How do these people think they can get away with this sort of thing  |
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Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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give trading standards a call, see what they have to say about it.
you've just reminded me why i stopped taking my cars to garages!
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I woudnt have payed more than the quote, and agreed that if they felt it was to go over that to contact me first and explain why. Yes you have been ripped off, a garage that takes your car in and cant even get the job completed yet still charges you a fortune for the labour sounds like a joke! Id have payed them the agreed quote grudgingly and demanded my keys back. Or else!
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Sept 8, 2006 10:22:46 GMT
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Doesn't sound good at all!  I agree with the trading standards bit, the kipper is good but is a waste of a fish. something equally stinky will do. I'm very lucky, my mechanic is a mate and does an honest great job and a lot of these horror stories i have heard from him. the only good thing is the mean machine is now going |
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 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts  |
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Sept 8, 2006 12:47:06 GMT
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thats a ridiculas (sp?) for all that!
Rich
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1974 Fiat 130 Coupe
1987 Saab 900 turbo
1988 Mercedes 300ce coupe
1988 Skoda Classic Trials Car
1988 Skoda road rally rapid
1990 Saab 9000 Carlsson
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Davenger
Club Retro Rides Member
It's only metal
Posts: 7,272
Club RR Member Number: 140
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Sept 8, 2006 13:49:25 GMT
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You got ripped off mate
Nail thier balls to the wall!
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,628
Club RR Member Number: 1
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Sept 8, 2006 14:29:46 GMT
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This is one reason why I try my hardest to do all the work myself, However I have had my fair few dodgy MOT guys saying things are wrong when they clearly aint.
I think they were trying their hardest to rip you off bud.
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,917
Club RR Member Number: 71
Member is Online
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Sept 8, 2006 15:09:29 GMT
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you've just reminded me why i stopped taking my cars to garages! I am reminded of that all the time........ Only time I get twitchy is when the MOT comes round cos then you are in their hands again and it's not a nice feeling I think they took the curse word and what I'd do is get a small claims information leaflet and blow £15 on a claim based on what you've said I think they would't have a leg to stand on |
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Davenger
Club Retro Rides Member
It's only metal
Posts: 7,272
Club RR Member Number: 140
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Sept 8, 2006 15:17:19 GMT
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Did you get the original quote in writing?
You're gonna need proof of the original quote otherwise it's your word against thiers
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Sept 8, 2006 18:37:19 GMT
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no proof, no, although it wasnt disputed. basically it boiled down to paying the original quote plus most of the money 'owed' for parts they'd put on the car, although they wouldnt have needed them if they'd been decent (read my follow up post above!)
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Sept 8, 2006 19:21:55 GMT
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i'd be very wary of any garage that can give a firm price for "getting it going" as they have no idea how much work is involved.... either they're quadrupling the first number that comes to mind and will charge you that even if it's a 10 minute job, or they're desperate for business and don't want you shopping around.
If i take my car to the garage (which i still do, as it's my wife's daily and i'm not confident enough that it'll always be running in the morning!) they always always give me a rough price, then either get me to give an upper limit where they'll ring me if it's gonna cost more, or just give me the worst case price. Even on simple stuff like wheel bearings, i get the "well, it will hopefully be £40 but last time we did one of these we had to do xxxxx too and it cost him £yyyy, just so you know"
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mr K
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,993
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Sept 8, 2006 19:33:38 GMT
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ripped off.... no, shafted... yes!
that sucks, havent sent a car to a garage for a long long time, but i hate MOT time, as its all in their hands, even if you know its going to pass!
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mercmad
Posted a lot
Flush Hard,it's a long way to McDonalds.
Posts: 1,740
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Sept 8, 2006 21:56:59 GMT
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no proof, no, although it wasnt disputed. basically it boiled down to paying the original quote plus most of the money 'owed' for parts they'd put on the car, although they wouldnt have needed them if they'd been decent (read my follow up post above!) I ran a garage for 5 years ands I live in an area surrounded by them...so I hear your story every day from different people,such as an ex girl friend who had a Honda NSX,it was squeeking in the front,so I offered to look and repair it for free,( parts at her cost)...No.. she took it to dealer who charged her $1800 to fix it,....by painting the front end with a black spay can, it still squeeked of course.So I replaced one innner arm bush for $100 and that fixed it,and I could quote you dozens of stories like that.Your best bet is to get a either some big mates to take a car in for repair and see if he does it to them,then if he does smash his head in..or get some "suit" to write a viscious legal letter explaining that he is a prick ( in legal language of course) and that you intend to sue for damages ,pain and suffering and that his name is now up on various websites explaining in clear language what he did to you. or phone "security" and inform them of the islamist bomb factory operating there.... The main message I hope you recieved is..."NEVER ,EVER GET A JOB DONE AT A GARAGE WITHOUT A WRITTEN QUOTE!!!" |
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Last Edit: Sept 8, 2006 22:00:38 GMT by mercmad
Many years ago I changed my driving style to cope with rising fuel prices; I have now reached the stage where I am contemplating keeping my eyes shut in order to lower wind resistance.
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Sept 8, 2006 22:19:48 GMT
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*further footnote: distributor was not bolted into place. ie the single 10mm retaining bolt was not tightened.* how they did the timing i wonder...
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Sept 9, 2006 16:43:41 GMT
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My boss charged a customer £600 for replacing 1 exhaust vlave on a ford fiesta. I got paid £25 for a days work, i was only a trainee, parts cost about £40. Easy money. The invoice said "cylinder head repair".
Lots of our customers tell me how nice it is to be able to trust a garage not to rip them off, if only they knew.
Paul
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it stings like hell.
I agree with the trading standards bit, the kipper is good but is a waste of a fish. something equally stinky will do.
