National tyres Great Yarmouth poor experience.

[installer]

I had an oil/filter change booked today.

Here for fellow Wild Campers is a edited version of an email I have just sent to their Customer Services.


"Now as I have a long journey to make tomorrow I thought I would have a quick look under the bonnet, it's a good job I did because the turbo air-feed pipe which was removed in order to remove the air box (to access the oil filter) had not been tightened up at all, leaving the turbo fed with UNFILTERED air! Now if I had not noticed this the turbo would have been wrecked in short order. To say I am disappointed would be to put it mildly! Obviously I shall not be letting your technicians [sic] any where near my vehicles again. I don't suppose I shall receive any feedback from yourselves other than an automated reply. But maybe you will surprise me."

 

[Wooie1958]

Any work i have done particularly under the bonnet i always check before i start the engine.

Lift the bonnet and a quick scan of the engine compartment then a fluids check.

I've had them come out and ask what i'm doing.

I've found missing oil filler caps, no coolant and a bloody great pry bars left balanced on the engine.

Assume they are nob heads and you won't go far wrong.

 

[Byronic]

Not an unusual turn of events in my experience, it's pot luck
if you get the service carried out by someone with the modicum of a sense
of commitment. I' d never use them personally, "jacks of all trades
absolute masters of none" should be the epithet hung over the
door of these multi outlet fast food fitters or whatever they call themselves..

 

[yeoblade]

I had a oil and filter changed by them too in Yeovil. at the price it wasn't worth DIY.

When I got home and looked under bonnet there was a new oil filter 'O' ring on the radiator top.:scared:

Went back and showed them, they told me they always come with a spare O ring. And got quite funny when I insisted that they check it was fitted.

I done loads of oil changes and never had a filter with a spare O ring yet.

 

[Robmac]

I once had way too much engine oil put in during a full service.

The oil light kept coming on and when I dipped it it was far too high.

When I took it back, all they could say was "Oh well, better too much than too little".......... errm NO!

 

[izwozral]

I had an oil/filter change booked today.

Here for fellow Wild Campers is a edited version of an email I have just sent to their Customer Services.


"Now as I have a long journey to make tomorrow I thought I would have a quick look under the bonnet, it's a good job I did because the turbo air-feed pipe which was removed in order to remove the air box (to access the oil filter) had not been tightened up at all, leaving the turbo fed with UNFILTERED air! Now if I had not noticed this the turbo would have been wrecked in short order. To say I am disappointed would be to put it mildly! Obviously I shall not be letting your technicians [sic] any where near my vehicles again. I don't suppose I shall receive any feedback from yourselves other than an automated reply. But maybe you will surprise me."

Named and shamed! Well done you.

 

[Byronic]

Named and shamed! Well done you.

Do you think these businesses actually feel shamed?

Negative publicity with potential for profit loss and
I'm with you.

 

[izwozral]

Do you think these businesses actually feel shamed?

Negative publicity with potential for profit loss and
I'm with you.

Nah, probably not but at least I know where not to go to.

 

[Channa]

The clue is in tyres ,you don't visit a doctor when you need a dentist.

In our garage we ended up sorting more cars out than I can remember at the hands of large chains

Channa

 

[installer]

Thanks for the comments, I have used them before and been happy. I will post again when I get a reply.

 

[Byronic]

The clue is in tyres ,you don't visit a doctor when you need a dentist.

In our garage we ended up sorting more cars out than I can remember at the hands of large chains

Channa

But it becomes common public knowledge just what these large national chains
purport to be touting at any particular time. Usually a comprehensive advertising
campaign precedes their venture, but understandably they're obviously keen on
retaining the corporate identity. If they promise a service then they should be competent
at carrying it out, nothing should absolve them from that responsibility.

 

[yorkieowl]

Thanks for the comments, I have used them before and been happy. I will post again when I get a reply.

Shouldn't that read IF? I wouldn't hold my breath if I was you.

 

[Channa]

But it becomes common public knowledge just what these large national chains
purport to be touting at any particular time. Usually a comprehensive advertising
campaign precedes their venture, but understandably they're obviously keen on
retaining the corporate identity. If they promise a service then they should be competent
at carrying it out, nothing should absolve them from that responsibility.

I cant disagree with any of that but in my experience the staff carrying out the work are not apprentice trained nor familiar with the quirks on any given vehicle they are working on. Some skill sets are no better than dragging a lad off the street.

I don't blame the staff at all I blame the corporates always looking for incremental income but rarely having the skill set to do it properly some don't give a stuff about customer complaints providing money is at the bottom line'

Halfords at one stage were fitting towbars undercutting ourselves by some margin I don't think there was one we didn't end up sorting out ( and they gave up)

Perhaps its me, I just see it as short sighted perhaps I have different standards bit of a dinosaur and my crime do it right do it once Very few nowadays seem to think the lifetime value of a customer. Me cynical never

Channa



The best mechanics I have ever worked with without exception have always been properly trained and then when let loose on the shopfloor been supervised by the experienced lads

 

[Byronic]

I cant disagree with any of that but in my experience the staff carrying out the work are not apprentice trained nor familiar with the quirks on any given vehicle they are working on. Some skill sets are no better than dragging a lad off the street.

I don't blame the staff at all I blame the corporates always looking for incremental income but rarely having the skill set to do it properly some don't give a stuff about customer complaints providing money is at the bottom line'

Halfords at one stage were fitting towbars undercutting ourselves by some margin I don't think there was one we didn't end up sorting out ( and they gave up)

Perhaps its me, I just see it as short sighted perhaps I have different standards bit of a dinosaur and my crime do it right do it once Very few nowadays seem to think the lifetime value of a customer. Me cynical never

Channa



The best mechanics I have ever worked with without exception have always been properly trained and then when let loose on the shopfloor been supervised by the experienced lads

Can't disagree with any of that! I don't blame the bloke off the street, I blame the bloke
getting 147 times his wages. He's the one paid to get the right employees and make sure he
gets the training.
The only thing most of us can do, is to not use their services, the only way we know that'll rid us off the
second raters.

 

[Channa]

Can't disagree with any of that! I don't blame the bloke off the street, I blame the bloke
getting 147 times his wages. He's the one paid to get the right employees and make sure he
gets the training.
The only thing most of us can do, is to not use their services, the only way we know that'll rid us off the
second raters.

I probably sound like I am defending main dealers to an extent I am, but I am also realistic and they have issues.

We had a young apprentice at Jaguar , a talented lad ,his work ethics spot on my role was to encourage him no more than I would do with any youngster,

Anyway we put him forward for the Jaguar Apprentice of the year and he won national so we were proud of him a credit to himself and our garage which meant he won expensive spanners etc courtesy of Jaguar.and complemented two of our lads whoe were master technicians a special honour bestowed by Jag ( and they were good).a couple of months passed and handed is notice in ...He had only landed a job with the McLaren racing team we couldn't compete with that !!

We also had a lad at Mazda who after auditing customer complaints his name kept cropping up so sat him down etc anyway jumped before he was pushed now servicing Ferrari I wouldn't trust him checking tyre pressures on my daughters balance bike !

The conclusion not 100 % safe so someone you can trust is worth a premium sometimes. And your original point if you say you can do what it says on the tin ...make sure you can do it.

Channa