Worst rip off ever...
Discussion
Used to have a Honda Civic 1.5LSi (wifes car) which was reliable as hell. However, needed new pads as they were worn out. Wife went to 
and they said that it needed new disks and pads all round..... would charge £650 for this as it was a woman.... sexist git.
Well, wife calls me and relays the information and asks if it is OK to go ahead - I say NO, it doesnt have disks on the back, they are drums on the 1.5LSi model! Wife speaks to manager at and he says this - "oh, no you are mistaken there miss. It does have disks all round and you have to do all of them - they are illegal now and I shouldnt let you leave with them that bad!". Nice one.
Went to ATS and they replaced the front pads for £140.00. They also confirmed (not that you can see them) that it does have drums on the back and that were lying....
Anyone else got similar tales of "rip-off merchants from hell" like that?
Cheers,
Paul
(p.s. before anyone asks, dont have the Honda anymore - too dull)
and they said that it needed new disks and pads all round..... would charge £650 for this as it was a woman.... sexist git. Well, wife calls me and relays the information and asks if it is OK to go ahead - I say NO, it doesnt have disks on the back, they are drums on the 1.5LSi model! Wife speaks to manager at
and he says this - "oh, no you are mistaken there miss. It does have disks all round and you have to do all of them - they are illegal now and I shouldnt let you leave with them that bad!". Nice one. Went to ATS and they replaced the front pads for £140.00. They also confirmed (not that you can see them) that it does have drums on the back and that
were lying.... Anyone else got similar tales of "rip-off merchants from hell" like that?
Cheers,
Paul
(p.s. before anyone asks, dont have the Honda anymore - too dull)
Similiar Case
Went to an popular slow fit services to get the BM looked at, they were offering free checkups. I was looking for some tyres also.
Anyway they get the car on the ramp and proceed to tell me that the exhaust is on the way out and that I wil need a new one. Cost is 600 plus vat. Kindly ask for the manager who appears and the helpfull assistant repeats the above. I explain to the nice people that I have sports exhaust fitted and that is under a 3 year warranty and the reason that it sounds fruity is that its designed to do so. They then checked the brakes and commented on the groves in the disks and explained that I need to have them replaced at once as they were unsafe. Kindly pointed out to them they were the ATE power Brakes (which have groves ). At this stage I had enuff and left, these people are the greatest rip off merchants I have ever met.
Went to an popular slow fit services to get the BM looked at, they were offering free checkups. I was looking for some tyres also.
Anyway they get the car on the ramp and proceed to tell me that the exhaust is on the way out and that I wil need a new one. Cost is 600 plus vat. Kindly ask for the manager who appears and the helpfull assistant repeats the above. I explain to the nice people that I have sports exhaust fitted and that is under a 3 year warranty and the reason that it sounds fruity is that its designed to do so. They then checked the brakes and commented on the groves in the disks and explained that I need to have them replaced at once as they were unsafe. Kindly pointed out to them they were the ATE power Brakes (which have groves ). At this stage I had enuff and left, these people are the greatest rip off merchants I have ever met.
A friend on the Corrado group took his VR6 in for a service. When he got the car back he read the invoice and enquired as to the air filter they had allegedly fitted as part of the service.
"Is this the main panel filter that goes in the air box?" he asked them.
"Yes Sir, that's the one"
"Interesting.", he replied, "My airbox is currently in a sealed box in my garage at home. I have a K&N 57i induction kit on the car, as you'd have noticed if you'd opened the bonnet. Now, just talk me through how you managed to fit a panel filter to it."
Red faces all round.
"Is this the main panel filter that goes in the air box?" he asked them.
"Yes Sir, that's the one"
"Interesting.", he replied, "My airbox is currently in a sealed box in my garage at home. I have a K&N 57i induction kit on the car, as you'd have noticed if you'd opened the bonnet. Now, just talk me through how you managed to fit a panel filter to it."
Red faces all round.
Air bag warning light came on. Took car to garage, where they informed me that the 'relay circuits had failed', according to their diagnostics. Sounds serious (read how much are you going to rip me off for). 'Yes sir, seats will need to come out and that takes time, plus parts....' Decided to get second opinion, rang another garage and they informed me (over phone without seeing the car) that the most likely cause was a broken switch (common problem apparently). They sent the part in the post (£1.95), and it took me 5mins to fit.
I changed all 4 brake pads on my bosses car (car has same name as a game with a ball and sticks that rhymes with Rolf)he took it to a main dealer (the people who make the new Herbie) about 3,000 miles later who told him they had less than 200 miles left in them and need changing.
Took my everyday hack to tyre shop to have the tracking done, was told by spotty kid that all my tyres where worn and needed replacing - they had 3mm of tread!
Took my MG to a well known classic MG dealer for a tune, was told by this expert that my rear shocks needed replacing - They really were just adjusted up to high - which I knew beforehand. He also told me that the only cure for my overdrive not working was to replace the whole unit (£220 - Engine and 'box out job) I replaced the overdrive pump filter (£9, no engine/gearbox out)
Read the manuals and learn that's what I say.
Took my everyday hack to tyre shop to have the tracking done, was told by spotty kid that all my tyres where worn and needed replacing - they had 3mm of tread!
Took my MG to a well known classic MG dealer for a tune, was told by this expert that my rear shocks needed replacing - They really were just adjusted up to high - which I knew beforehand. He also told me that the only cure for my overdrive not working was to replace the whole unit (£220 - Engine and 'box out job) I replaced the overdrive pump filter (£9, no engine/gearbox out)
Read the manuals and learn that's what I say.
Went to a garage to have all my wheels aligned (had fitted wire wheels to my kit car) using their advanced technique (better than my piece of string).
Prior to fitting the wheels I had replaced the brake disks and pads. The garage did my wheel alignment then proceded to tell me that my brake pads looked low. I asked them to jack the car back up and I showed them that they were in fact brand new.
Very sheepish looks
Another incident (again kit car years). I went to have an MOT and it failed on suspension play on one of the front wheels. I was working hard at the time and didn't have time to do it myself. So I drove to a garage (MOT station did just MOTs), showed them the MOT fail and asked them to do the job. Picked the car up later that day, drove it straight back to the MOT station and it failed on a broken steering joint (yes the car felt odd going to the MOT). I took it straight back to the garage and the bloke swore that they couldn't possibly have broken it. After a brief "discussion" I pointed out that the joint in question was the same side as the fixed susupension, and that the only people that had touched the car was them and the MOT tester. I also explained exactly how the joint had been broken (ie ham fisted mechanic with hammer) that eventually they paid up for the repair and a re-test for the MOT.
My Current garage servicing the Lotus are superb and have no reservations in recommending them: Peter Smith Sports Car, Just goes to show, have people service the car that care as much as you do.
Prior to fitting the wheels I had replaced the brake disks and pads. The garage did my wheel alignment then proceded to tell me that my brake pads looked low. I asked them to jack the car back up and I showed them that they were in fact brand new.
Very sheepish looks
Another incident (again kit car years). I went to have an MOT and it failed on suspension play on one of the front wheels. I was working hard at the time and didn't have time to do it myself. So I drove to a garage (MOT station did just MOTs), showed them the MOT fail and asked them to do the job. Picked the car up later that day, drove it straight back to the MOT station and it failed on a broken steering joint (yes the car felt odd going to the MOT). I took it straight back to the garage and the bloke swore that they couldn't possibly have broken it. After a brief "discussion" I pointed out that the joint in question was the same side as the fixed susupension, and that the only people that had touched the car was them and the MOT tester. I also explained exactly how the joint had been broken (ie ham fisted mechanic with hammer) that eventually they paid up for the repair and a re-test for the MOT.
My Current garage servicing the Lotus are superb and have no reservations in recommending them: Peter Smith Sports Car, Just goes to show, have people service the car that care as much as you do.
Recently took my car (MK 2 Astra) to a dealership and enquired the cost of new Discs and Pads on the front. Easy? No! of course not! Was told they couldn't quote me as "they might find something else wrong!" After a brief argument with the service manager he reluctantly told me it would cost £180 parts and labour! Bloody expensive labour, did it myself for £40 and 30mins work!! A budget place down the road told me £90 and they would fit genuine vauxhall parts! Makes you wonder what these dealerships do during this 'labour' time!!! 
Once had my Golf serviced at a local garage, they replaced the exhaust (whole system from the manifold back) and a year later the back boxes went again, so I took the car to ATS, who asked what model it was, said they'd got the parts, put it up on the ramp, removed the rusted back boxes, went to put the new ones on, then came in to me and asked it I was sure it was a 1.8, I said yes, they said their part didn't fit the existing centre section, and showed me. So the technician measured the centre pipe width, went off to consult the exhaust manual, and came back to tell me some plonker (the local garage) had fitted the exhaust for a Jetta 1.8, and they must have cut the centre sectionm to make it fit!!
Nice bloke gave me a discount off a new centre section though
Nice bloke gave me a discount off a new centre section though
My wife had had a new exhaust fitted to our old VW Scirocco by a mainstream tyre/exhaust place .... couple of months later it started blowing badly from a joint, so she took it back (under guarantee). They fixed (bodged ?) it, but a week later it was blowing again. Repeat the above a couple of times, and Tess was starting to get REALLY fed up, and expressed this to the manager.
This is the funny bit .... the manager actually tried to persuade Tess that the blowing exhaust was a bonus "because it sounds sporty" and that she should keep it blowing like that !! He was serious too ...
(a new exhaust fixed it eventually)
(p.s. this post breaks my PistonHead Gassing virginity .... )
This is the funny bit .... the manager actually tried to persuade Tess that the blowing exhaust was a bonus "because it sounds sporty" and that she should keep it blowing like that !! He was serious too ...
(a new exhaust fixed it eventually)
(p.s. this post breaks my PistonHead Gassing virginity ....
)
Arrgh, this is so annoying for the unwary. I took my first car to ***** (well know nationwide tyre/exhauast/brake place at the time) because a week after I got it (second hand, but had been my Dads company car and had had a full check and service before I took it on) the rear brakes started grinding under braking. They put it up on the ramp and say, we'll check it over, be about an hour. Duly come back an hour later and the car is off the ramp with the diagnosis that there rear shoes are worn thru and the grinding noise is the rivets on the drum. Further the master cylinder and rearside slave are both leaking and need replacing. Cost £600 if we do it now for you. Of course they suggest I don't drive the car as it is dangerous.... So I take the car home, and a mate and I whip the rear wheels off and open the drums, where a small stone pops out and reveals nice new pads (which are bonded not rivited). Grinding gone. Cylinders not leaking.
Next day I called the AA and suggested they may want to do a random quality check on the establishment....fortunatley they closed down a couple of months later so hopefully not too mnay people got ripped off.
Next day I called the AA and suggested they may want to do a random quality check on the establishment....fortunatley they closed down a couple of months later so hopefully not too mnay people got ripped off.
My girlfriend was having problems with her 106gti (s-reg), when driving it would shudder now and then. I told her to go and get it sorted. She took it to her local main agent dealer where they proceeded to tell her that the crankshaft was damaged and the crankshaft pulley was moving due to a 'elongated' locating dowel key slot. I spoke to the garage immediately to get their explanation and didn't disagree with what they said - I wanted to, but I thought I'd go and do some homework first. Bring on the Haynes manual - hang on - there is no dowel locating key on the crankshaft. Coupling this with the fact I have owned 3 peugeots (one with the same TU series engine - which has been used on Pugs for ~12+years) and that I'm not totally stupid when it comes to engines I decided they were talking bollocks! When my Girlfriend took the car back to the dealer to have a more thorough inspection I sent them a nice note basically telling them how to do their jobs (as they appear incapable by themselves). I essentially said I have strong reason to believe that it is electrical and NOT related to the crank shaft. Also she dropped into the conversation that she worked for Thames valley police and suddenly the problem became a faulty temp. sensor - which was replaced and the car is now fine. Remmember this was a main agent dealer.
Still annoyed.
Tim.
Still annoyed.
Tim.
wont ever take my car to any of the high street places, made the mistake of asking them once to change my rear brake pads just before an MOT, Took them two days to get the right part, then they told me that it needed new disks as well (put them on with pads so they were less than a year old) the exhaust system was shot (again stainless steel throughout and only 3 months old) they then had the cheek to phone me two days later (at 7pm too) and ask if wanted to buy some insurance off them!! as for the ammount they wanted to charge me for checking the wheel alignment (its 4ws)!! I now always go to specialists i trust even if it means driving a 150m round trip to get the tracking done or a new tyre fitted, its always worth it.
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