Tried Me New Toy

[Mickyboy]

Originally Posted by sworks

Why do most people think that garages rip them off?
The majority of technical knowledge within this site has came from people involved within the MGR network, ex factory workers and trade specialists. All posted free of charge to help others and then repeated over the years many times to the point it’s forgotten where it came from......

I couldn’t agree more mate, unfortunately tho as we both know, there are some charlatans in the industry, who are only interested in profit and taking customers for a ride, funny enough I did a T4 session for a member on here, a female member who had some slight concerns regarding her vehicle, I did a full in-depth T4 health check and analysed several factors in some depth, whilst doing this complying with social distancing regs, I also explained slowly and carefully exactly what information I was showing her & how the information related to the vehicle, and the two issues with the vehicle, I then informed her and her partner exactly how to resolve these issues without any more expenditure.

It is really annoying when I hear of charlatans within our industry, I think most mechanics and technicians that I have worked with in the industry are honest reliable and trustworthy, and it’s terrible when I hear of somebody taking advantage of a customer, it does really irritate me and cheese me off.

A simple rule in this industry that I live by is if you treat your customers right they will look after you. Simples
Mick

[bl52krz]

You mean:- look after the customer, and the customer will look after you, and also recommend you. Been using the same garage to do a few and far between jobs on my cars over the last 30 odd years. Never had a problem with them.They moved to more than twice the distance away in 2019, and I still would use them. They always do my MOT for me.

[tourer]

Originally Posted by bl52krz

You mean:- look after the customer, and the customer will look after you, and also recommend you. Been using the same garage to do a few and far between jobs on my cars over the last 30 odd years. Never had a problem with them.They moved to more than twice the distance away in 2019, and I still would use them. They always do my MOT for me.

Trust is a big factor.
That is why I have driven Nottm to Colwyn Bay to see Jules and Nottm to Stourbridge to see Terry.

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by mh007

I'm intrigued about a couple of things:

You say the new brake pads fitted were a couple of mm longer top to bottom. How did they ever fit into the brake caliper housing & mounting bracket?

Also, the woman that had 'new brakes' fitted. Are you saying that the garage charged her for new brake discs & didn't fit them or fitted new brake pads to her existing brake discs?

The pad not the backing plate was bigger. I cannot recall what the woman said she had had done

macafee2

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by trikey

Could be the friction material that is a greater surface area rather than the metal on the pad.

spot on, yes

macafee2

[clf]

Originally Posted by Mickyboy

I couldn’t agree more mate, unfortunately tho as we both know, there are some charlatans in the industry, who are only interested in profit and taking customers for a ride,

Mick

this is the problem with any retail environment. A rule of thumb (apparently based upon recent research at the time) I was told when I first started working in retail was;

give good service, and your customer will tell 4 people, give bad, they will tell 11 people. (why 11? )

When you think of it, it has a lot of truth. Think of a company/shop, and then think if you have heard good or bad things of it. I would bet that most will have heard bad things about places, rather than good places.

With car maintenance, most people do not understand or realise the effort or background involved (tools, equipment, which is becoming more and more specialised on top of rent rates etc). Then when they get their car back, in most instances, you cannot feel any difference. So therefore perceived little or no value for money - £100-200 to change oil and filters, and the car feels no different, therefore feels like you have been ripped off (just one example). The charlatans unfortunately both exploit and exaggerate this situation.

There is a guy my mother uses, local to me. I will do basic servicing of her car, but for anything more than that, I get her to get him to do it, because I do not know her car - know mine because of those involved in this forum! He is not as particular as I would be, but is cheap, and does get the job done, which makes her happy. But ultimately, the other thing that people forget or cannot see, is if it goes wrong, you have some kind of recourse.