Car service shock!

[sccsux]

is it good business practice to carry out expensive work on a car that has been booked in for a normal service before getting permission to undertake it?

 

No. It's p poor business practice.

 

Though they may have thought they had been authorised to do the work (you saying the missus needed it done "today").

 

The garage I use always tell me if the work is going to cost considerably more than the "quote" (anything £100 more). I've also had the luxury of having work done then returning a week later with payment (whilst still being able to take the car).

[matssundin13]

Why would anyone take their car to Hi Q for servicing? Surely no one actually does? they cant even compete on prices for tyres, never mind actually doing any type of mechanical work.

 

I do every single time, they are absolutely brilliant*

 

*Some or all of this may not be true

[matssundin13]

OP:

 

I take my car to the same place every time and when I ask for a service, he usually tells me in advance what should require doing and gives me a price.

 

He then rings me if he finds any additional work which requires immediate attention, or advises me when I pick my vehicle up.

 

Very poor approach if he didn't ring you to confirm it was ok to do the work.

 

I'm not sure you can do much now to be honest, apart from submit a claim as some have mentioned. Apart from this (and if you don't get any £ back), put it down to experience and go to a reputable / recommended garage in the future? I know of one - (and it ain't Hi Q), but it's in Rotherham.

[Harleyman]

Booked my girlfriends car in for a service at a local garage in Walkley on monday. She had the day off work (for which she needs her car) and the garage is within walking distance to my house which seemed ideal.

The garage website is impressive and contained a page of testimonials from satisfied customers extolling the service (no pun) they received.

The proprietor told me that the required service for the car would be around £87 ... oil filter, oil change, air filter, brake check, diagnostics etc etc (just the standard stuff) It was impossible for him to give a definitive quote as there may be some extras such as light bulbs and screen wipers (which were fine as the car's just been MOT'd) I fully understood his point and the car was delivered to him.

My GF was chuffed with me as I'd sorted stuff out for her which she didn't have the time to do (at a good price too)

We went to collect the car in the afternoon and were told that everything was fine and presented with the bill ... £327!!

We were gobsmacked! The proprietor explained he'd had to replace a timing belt tensioner (jockey wheel?) as it was worn and could cause damage to the engine at a future date.

Be this as it may (I've no reason to doubt him), considering he had my phone number, do you think it was right for him to do the work without him asking before carrying out the work? He knew the car was required for the next day to enable my GF to go to work (visiting doctors surgeries to see clients)

She had no option but to pay as without the car she'd miss all her appointments.

Is this standard practice from a garage or am I just being stupid?

 

 

87 pounds for an oil and filter change and a diagnostics check? Your service shops in the Uk must be run by gangsters. I pay 27 dollars for the same (About 20 pounds at very most in your money)

It appears also that there are no laws to protect customers in the UK either.

It's against the law in my part of the world for any mechanic to carry out additional mechanical work without authorisation from the customer.

[RootsBooster]

I don't know whether or not it's against the law, but as far as I'm aware you don't have to pay for something you haven't given authority for.

 

If somebody knocked on your door and told you they had just cut your hedges and your lawn without you asking, would you pay them?

[Alcoblog]

I'd just like to say 'THANKS' to everbody who's posted on this thread (and PM's).

I've been away all weekend so was unable to comment any further.

Seems to me though that everyone thinks my GF was badly treated.

I'll make the proprietor of the garage aware of this thread and hopefully he won't treat anyone else the same again. Some people have stated I should take the matter further ... let's see what happens. I'll keep you informed.

It seems SF is a powerful tool!

[Amaranthus]

I'm FUMING! I phoned this same garage two weeks ago as I needed a new bonnet. I asked how much it would cost me. I was told that the part was £180 and that he'd spray it and fit it for £130. By MY maths that would equal £310. I thought it was pretty expensive but seeing how I have promised to give the car away to a friend in a couple weeks I couldn't just hand it over with no bonnet.

 

A couple days later I get a phone call saying the scuttle needs repairing as when the bonnet flew up it was damaged and that it would look awful if left. This would cost an extra £100. I said I'd phone back and let him know if I wanted him to go ahead with this but, seeing as it was only cosmetic and had no effect on the running of the car, I never authorised that repair as the price was becoming ridiculous.

 

Queue another few days and I phone to check the status. He says the car is almost ready and that he fixed the scuttle anyway but would only charge me £20.

 

Great I thought, and asked for the total, which should now be £330, yes? Uh... NO. He wanted £515 for the bonnet + £20 for the scuttle + VAT. My head nearly exploded. I phoned him and had a very heated discussion to which he said that the original quote didn't include an extra £100 for the paint. To which I said hang on a minute, you said you'd paint it and fit it for £130, did you not? When you tell someone you will charge them £130 to paint something and fit it, how can you then, AFTER the repairs have been completed, say Oh yeah and it's an extra £100 on top of the price I gave you for the paint. ????? Surely if you tell someone you'll charge them £130 to paint and fit a part, that price INCLUDES the cost of the paint? And if not then you should DEFINITELY make them aware of this ESPECIALLY if it's going to cost them an extra £100.

 

I told him it's not right what he's doing to people and you can't quote somebody a price and then almost double it when they come to pick the car up! I told him how much business he's going to lose if he carries on treating people this way and trying to rip people off and try to take the **** with what he sees as easy targets. I asked him if he thought he could have my pants down just because I'm a female and so presumably I don't know anything about cars and will just pay anything.

 

He kept repeating he has everything written down in front of him until I told him I don't care what you've written down! I can write down a load of rubbish right now, it doesn't mean anything! Then he claimed he told me about the £100 for the paint. LIAR. My husband was right next to me when I spoke to him. He said £180 for the part, £130 to paint it and fit it. NO mention of the miscellaneous £200 that has suddenly been added to the total. I told him that if he HAD said to me it would cost £550 in the first place I would have told him to leave it as the car is barely worth that much!!

 

In the end he told me to come in tomorrow and sort it out so we'll see what happens, but what I do know is that I'm not paying him a penny over the original quote and it's in his best interests to hand me my car over.

[Magilla]

It appears also that there are no laws to protect customers in the UK either.

 

Actually we have far far more consumer protection than in the U.S.

 

I read The Consumerist quite regularly and some of the practices of retailers in the US simply couldn't fly here.

[Alcoblog]

I'm FUMING! I phoned this same garage two weeks ago as I needed a new bonnet. I asked how much it would cost me. I was told that the part was £180 and that he'd spray it and fit it for £130. By MY maths that would equal £310. I thought it was pretty expensive but seeing how I have promised to give the car away to a friend in a couple weeks I couldn't just hand it over with no bonnet.

 

A couple days later I get a phone call saying the scuttle needs repairing as when the bonnet flew up it was damaged and that it would look awful if left. This would cost an extra £100. I said I'd phone back and let him know if I wanted him to go ahead with this but, seeing as it was only cosmetic and had no effect on the running of the car, I never authorised that repair as the price was becoming ridiculous.

 

Queue another few days and I phone to check the status. He says the car is almost ready and that he fixed the scuttle anyway but would only charge me £20.

 

Great I thought, and asked for the total, which should now be £330, yes? Uh... NO. He wanted £515 for the bonnet + £20 for the scuttle + VAT. My head nearly exploded. I phoned him and had a very heated discussion to which he said that the original quote didn't include an extra £100 for the paint. To which I said hang on a minute, you said you'd paint it and fit it for £130, did you not? When you tell someone you will charge them £130 to paint something and fit it, how can you then, AFTER the repairs have been completed, say Oh yeah and it's an extra £100 on top of the price I gave you for the paint. ????? Surely if you tell someone you'll charge them £130 to paint and fit a part, that price INCLUDES the cost of the paint? And if not then you should DEFINITELY make them aware of this ESPECIALLY if it's going to cost them an extra £100.

 

I told him it's not right what he's doing to people and you can't quote somebody a price and then almost double it when they come to pick the car up! I told him how much business he's going to lose if he carries on treating people this way and trying to rip people off and try to take the **** with what he sees as easy targets. I asked him if he thought he could have my pants down just because I'm a female and so presumably I don't know anything about cars and will just pay anything.

 

He kept repeating he has everything written down in front of him until I told him I don't care what you've written down! I can write down a load of rubbish right now, it doesn't mean anything! Then he claimed he told me about the £100 for the paint. LIAR. My husband was right next to me when I spoke to him. He said £180 for the part, £130 to paint it and fit it. NO mention of the miscellaneous £200 that has suddenly been added to the total. I told him that if he HAD said to me it would cost £550 in the first place I would have told him to leave it as the car is barely worth that much!!

 

In the end he told me to come in tomorrow and sort it out so we'll see what happens, but what I do know is that I'm not paying him a penny over the original quote and it's in his best interests to hand me my car over.

Think this garage needs reporting Shaz!

Either CAB or, (as in post 80) The Institute of the Motor Industry.

I think I'll do the same now after reading your post.

Seems this guy's not adhering to any kind of business practise!

Have you read their website? It plainly states they give a quote and there are no hidden costs ... Yeah like quoting £80 odd quid for a service and then knocking it up to £330!

I wrote to the proprietor explaining this point (and the fact he was on the Forum) but have heard nothing.

If the guy quoted you for supplying and fitting a colour matched bonnet ... where's the extra £100 paint cost come in? Also you didn't want the scuttle repairing but he still did it and charged you. Plus there's around another £100 that's not explained!

Tell us how you get on with him tomorrow please.

[Amaranthus]

Think this garage needs reporting Shaz!

Either CAB or, (as in post 80) The Institute of the Motor Industry.

I think I'll do the same now after reading your post.

Seems this guy's not adhering to any kind of business practise!

Have you read their website? It plainly states they give a quote and there are no hidden costs ... Yeah like quoting £80 odd quid for a service and then knocking it up to £330!

I wrote to the proprietor explaining this point (and the fact he was on the Forum) but have heard nothing.

If the guy quoted you for supplying and fitting a colour matched bonnet ... where's the extra £100 paint cost come in? Also you didn't want the scuttle repairing but he still did it and charged you. Plus there's around another £100 that's not explained!

Tell us how you get on with him tomorrow please.

 

Exactly. I will definitely let you know what happens tomorrow. Something is going to come to a head because I'm not paying that obscene amount of money, it's ridiculous. And I want my car back because I've promised it to someone and I like to keep my word, unlike some.