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Servicing Nightmare
#1588139
09/11/2016 00:32
09/11/2016 00:32
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,095 Berkshire
AnnieMac
OP
Enjoying the ride
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OP
Enjoying the ride
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,095
Berkshire
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Well, it's MOT time again and I kept getting adverts for a company called Servicing Stop who will do a full annual service plus an MOT, they said, for £118. They have a list of garages they use and they find the one most local to you. The main attraction was that they pick up and deliver the car. I should have smelled a rat when the pick-up guy stood around and let me de-ice the car for him, in my slippers, in the freezing cold. I mentioned that the tail pipe on the exhaust was missing. I only noticed this yesterday. Anyhow, the main company bloke phoned me at about 2pm and reeled off a list of extra things he thought needed doing, such as the fuel filter, brake fluid change, etc. I asked how much all of this would cost and he coolly announced that the total bill would come to £460!!!! Even new spark plugs were counted as an "extra". I declined all this extra work, and so all they have done is one new bulb, an oil change with new filter, and an MOT test, and the total was £135. They even charge a £1 admin fee if you pay with a debit card, a lot more for a credit card, when these are the ONLY ways you can pay, as it is an online bill you pay before they will return the car. And get this - they have passed the car for its MOT with the exhaust tail pipe totally missing, quoting it only as an advisory! So in theory I could drive it around for 12 months with the engine growling like a Maserati. I wouldn't be surprised if when I look at the oil tomorrow it's still as black as treacle. Why do people set up a new company with a new idea which could be really great if they got it right, and then just use it as a way to rip people off. They even ask you to pay a £25 "deposit" on next year's service, which is really difficult to delete from your final invoice. Complete and utter w**kers!
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588141
09/11/2016 00:40
09/11/2016 00:40
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RaumKlang
Unregistered
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RaumKlang
Unregistered
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Thank god for my local garage. Well, ok, I also do some work there, especially on the classic cars. But the boss is probably the most honest person I've ever met and we usually do loads of little things on top without charge (a bulb here, a little hose there). Customers are happy, always tip and keep coming back. Some of them ever since he opened his little garage back in 1989.
Last edited by RaumKlang; 09/11/2016 00:42.
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588146
09/11/2016 01:51
09/11/2016 01:51
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 199 UK doncaster
markopolo
On a journey
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On a journey
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 199
UK doncaster
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I've found that a good service center or garage never needs to advertise the way these have. Good ones are always busy from good reputation/word of mouth, I stay away from chain or corporate companies thay are there to make money,and most times customer service is crap,go to a small local or family one,how can they make any profit on £118 it's a price to tempt you in,mot is £50 oil say £30 filter £5 then they have to pay the bloke who picks car up.a lot of places pay staff commission for upselling other service items,I can understand a new fuel filter,but a brake fluid change! Now that is fishy,How often does anyone change brake fluid really not every year that's for sure,I've been driving 10 years and owned 4 cars in that time and never needed to change brake fluid. My mum always said if it's to cheap it's to good to be true,just learn from this and try not to get burned again.
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588182
09/11/2016 12:25
09/11/2016 12:25
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,524 Aldershot
PeteP
Hon Club Member 005, Membership Secretary
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Hon Club Member 005, Membership Secretary
Forum Fossil
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,524
Aldershot
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That's normal to change brake fluid every 2 years: Pretty well every manufacturers service schedule will show it.
It's hydroscopic so the water it absorbs will damage the insides of the brake cylinders and calipers and may boil with the heat generated under heavy braking. Steam is compressible - brake fluid is not.
16VT and X1/9 1500
We must all do our part for the planet. I unplugged a row of electric cars that nobody was using.
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588188
09/11/2016 13:15
09/11/2016 13:15
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RaumKlang
Unregistered
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RaumKlang
Unregistered
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On my cars I never had to change brake fluid as a seperate item. Pads are usually worn after two years anyway and I will bleed the system after a pad change - just in case. So brake fluid is basically fresh all the time anyway.
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588199
09/11/2016 15:08
09/11/2016 15:08
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Nello
Unregistered
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Nello
Unregistered
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On these cars if you can - I'd only use a specialist thats known on here. I'd never let anyone work on my car that didn't know what it was ..... (which has happened once before with something else!)
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588373
11/11/2016 16:50
11/11/2016 16:50
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,290 Staffs
Dazvr6
My job on the forum
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My job on the forum
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,290
Staffs
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: Dazvr6]
#1588419
12/11/2016 01:25
12/11/2016 01:25
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 23,307 North Wales
Theresa
Former Presidentessa Club member 58
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Former Presidentessa Club member 58
Forum Fossil
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 23,307
North Wales
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My mot station charges £50 too, but there's no retest fee if you bring it back within a certain time period. Cheap mot stations often charge a retest fee. My mot place only does mot's too, so nothing to gain from a failure
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588492
13/11/2016 10:43
13/11/2016 10:43
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 290 yorks
dibbers
Making a profit
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Making a profit
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 290
yorks
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I stumbled across servicing stop whilst looking for a cheap local garage near to my new-at-the-time house. I do a lot of miles in my weekday car (45k/year) and consequently, service it 3-4-5 times a year. I have read lots of bad things about them, but I have had nothing but excellent service from them, as you say, pick up / drop off, cleaned, and usually only around £80-100 for a full service and specialist oil.
there are a few horror stories out there if you search online, but I suppose the moral is that this nationwide brand is only as good as the individual member brands that sign up to it. I have had 2 different garages represent SS so far, and must just live in a lucky area as they've all been equally good.
during the week I drive a Laguna, albeit the 175GT model so not an everyday one. that said, I wouldn't trust them with anything remotely specialist such as my coupe.
sorry to learn of your experiences - they seem to have a decent complaint process (read into that what you will!) have you thought of this / got the energy for it?
Vinci LE189 / Barchetta LE923 (for sale)
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588613
14/11/2016 19:25
14/11/2016 19:25
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 754 The South of the West
JonH
Enjoying the ride
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Enjoying the ride
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 754
The South of the West
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they have passed the car for its MOT with the exhaust tail pipe totally missing, quoting it only as an advisory! So in theory I could drive it around for 12 months with the engine growling like a Maserati. My 20VT passed with a missing tailpipe (end tube) at my super strict garage that I used to use. I asked why it didnt fail (on this) and the examiner said that as the silencing effectiveness wasnt impaired he couldnt 'not pass it' under the regulations that examiners have to follow. I would have thought at the very least it would have brought up the issue of exhaust gasses leaching back into the car for the occupants to breath but apparently not?.
No.199
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: AnnieMac]
#1588683
15/11/2016 16:15
15/11/2016 16:15
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RaumKlang
Unregistered
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RaumKlang
Unregistered
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Nah, that's not a problem. My Iveco van's exhaust pipe ends half a meter or so behind the actual cabin underneath the floor (and the van is 7m long).
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Re: Servicing Nightmare
[Re: ]
#1588916
18/11/2016 16:26
18/11/2016 16:26
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 420 uk
OnlyItalian
Enjoying the ride
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Enjoying the ride
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 420
uk
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Thank god for my local garage. Well, ok, I also do some work there, especially on the classic cars. But the boss is probably the most honest person I've ever met and we usually do loads of little things on top without charge (a bulb here, a little hose there). Customers are happy, always tip and keep coming back. Some of them ever since he opened his little garage back in 1989. Unfortunately my local garage are numpties. When I asked how much they charge to change the coolant they asked "Why would you want to do that?" I replied "because it needs to be done periodically" to which they replied "no it doesn't, you never need to change the coolant".
"Proud owner of LE141 and a 99 VIS broomie "
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