Mechanics/garages messing you around-is this the 'norm' now?

[Noodge]

I know a lot of people have new cars and/or cars on finance where this may not be such an issue but I've always bought used cars that I can afford outright-and I am not rich!

I haven't had anything go terribly wrong with cars, but whenever there's a small issue, it seems to be a case of mechanics saying they'll look at it but then not. Or getting it in on the Monday but not ordering the part they need to fix it until the Wednesday. Or taking it in, but then telling you they're too busy after all, can you take it elsewhere.

The worst one happened to me a couple of years ago. Car wouldn't start, all of a sudden. It had passed and MOT and been serviced recently, nothing had gone wrong up until this point.

I had an auto electrician say he would come to look at it and repeatedly not turn up. Sometimes he'd call with a reason, sometimes he wouldn't bother. I worked nights at the time and would often keep awake after shift as he said he was coming and then he'd not turn up and not answer my calls, rendering me absolutely knackered for my next shift. Eventually I had it towed to a different garage who assured me that they thought they knew what was wrong and they'd look at it if I brought it in the following morning-this was a Tuesday but when I rang them on the Wednesday they said they wouldn't be able to fit it until the following Thursday-over a week later!

It was there for MONTHS with me ringing for updates constantly and been fobbed off. They didn't look at it for ages and when they did they said they couldn't work out what was wrong with it. Once they had, they didn't order the part-I eventually ordered it myself. And it took them five minutes to fix once they actually did their job (exaggeration, probably a couple of hours but still, not months)!

Recently, my car has failed its MOT. Took it to a garage recommended by a friend on Saturday just gone. It's a very simple fault, the mechanic says. Following day he's 'waiting for the part' when I called to check up on things.

Now, almost a week later and he STILL hasn't looked at it! He told me the day before yesterday, and the day before that that he'd 'try to get it up on the ramp today'. Yesterday I rang no answer, sent him a msg asking for an update-no reply.

Has anyone had anything similar or am I just very unlucky?

My car was around a year old when it broke down. The repair under warranty took 4 months. They didn’t even look at it for three of those months, it just sat in their car park. Then they had to wait for a month for a part.

They sound absolutely shit! Just take it to a Halfords Autocentre or similar next time - they won’t dick around like this as they have a lot of throughput and decent organisational systems

My son is a working mechanic that manages a two trained/one apprentice village garage. They’ll take more or less any vehicle with any fault and do try and fully communicate with all customers on what that fault might be or whether they haven’t at that time got a clue - that’s a reality vastly under-appreciated by many, especially as cars have got more and more complicated systems on board.
Too many customers are focussed on getting that vehicle back asap. Car in by 0830, seen that morning, part ordered with motor factor, delivered that afternoon, fitted, car ready for collection. But often cars won’t be brought in until after school run, not seen until lunch time or beyond, miss the delivery window, or parts not available, and it all goes awry.
Please consider that they’re delivering a service you cannot perform yourself. That time is always against them. That their charges are a true reflection of the costs involved. And it can be a shitty job in extremes of weather.
Finally, skipping from garage to garage isn’t going to find you better service. They’re always going to look after their regulars as would any business.

Halfords Autocentre?

No by the far the best option is a decent recommended independent mechanic.

Yes, lesson learned now! I'd understand if there was a load wrong with it-and in that instance I'd just think about replacing it but there isn't! Everyone I've spoken to has confirmed that it is a bog standard thing that goes wrong with cars sometimes. No big deal and not a difficult job at all.

Maybe he has just taken on too many cars at once and can't get around to all of them in a timely manner-but that's not my fault. I live alone and being without a car is just a nuisance-having to rely on people to pick me up bits of shopping and give me lifts to places-and cant make any plans involving having to get somewhere easily.. Makes me feel quite down actually.

That's what I thought but that's where it is now. And they've not even looked at it. A well-recommended independent place-my close friend is friends with him and recommended him, another friend has used them and said they were good- good reviews online too.

I have had a weekend trip to stay with my friend planned for months, this weekend. Two hour car journey and not accessible on public transport, unless I fancy getting a taxi to my local train station, a train to the nearest city, another train to her nearest city then a bus to her nearest village and a taxi to her house. That's assuming those services exist on a Friday evening and all connect. If I were lucky I might get there by Monday... (sorry, slightly off-topic rant). 😫

I run a repair business of a different kind, but I can sometimes be a bit like this and my competition is too. I try to be upfront and honest about jobs but I suspect having the sort of brain that's good at fixing stuff makes you a bit generally scatty. It is also hard juggling jobs because some stuff takes, unexpectedly, longer and it becomes a juggling act to keep the cashflow situation okay. I'm also shit at ordering parts. But I am very good at fixing hard things.

I understand that-I don't think it explains them not looking at vehicles for months however-or taking on cars that they won't look at at all due to time constraints, say you don't have time and customers can look at other options.

I have lived here five years and unfortunately I haven't found anywhere to become a regular at yet, only had a handful of times I would need a garage, but the garage where they didn't look for months was one my Dad was a regular at and recommended to me. The garage that did the latest MOT failure are good, but they only deal with certain issues and not this one, so I had to find someone else.

What make/model is your car? A Ford Focus is very different that an old Renault regarding ease of job/availability of parts.

Not as common as a Focus but not obscure. He hasn't said anything about difficulty locating the part he needs, just that he was ordering it, then he'd 'try to get it on the ramp today' one day, same the next day and then ignored me the following time I rang//messaged.

The time a few years ago that I mention in the OP, they didn't order the part and eventually I did it myself-so not something difficult to get hold of if I, a random non-mechanically acquainted person could do it within a few clicks on eBay!

You need to find somewhere with a courtesy car and that will speed up their service. I have found the people is use reliable.

what is wrong with the car?

Being single and without transport is the pits - it’s very isolating so I feel for you. I would get a new car on PCP or lease so this don’t happen

Thank you-what do you mean with the second sentence please, sorry?

An insecure brake cable (needing a part that he says he has now) and small fault on the steering column (which doesn't need a part, told me something just needs tightening there).

It is. I am not used to having to bother others to go about my life. I have just taken on a large mortgage otherwise I might be going against my own life policy of 'no finance ever!' next time I get a car.

Having said that, my Mum had a new car recently that had no end of problems within the first couple of months, so even that option isn't infallible!

it never ceases to amaze me how some people run their businesses and still get clients!

honestly, I know Halfords is frowned on but if you find a decent one (check google reviews) they will at least do what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it. You are being deprioritised bevause they have bigger or more lucrative jobs.

I'm very lucky in that I have a garage round the corner where they seem to be really genuine, honest chaps and get everything done that needs doing without charging the Earth or doing a bunch of random shite that doesn't matter (I was astonished that my 16yo car passed its MOT there this week, I'd convinced myself it was going to need thousands in repairs!).

You know they're good though because you have to book weeks and weeks in advance. There are a LOT of cowboys out there, the garage I used to take it to sounds similar to the experience you've had.

And this is why I don't want an old car!! So many are so disparaging of people having new cars on pcp/lease etc - I don't want hassle, I don't want to own my car, I just want to be able to get around in comfort with no added stress and hassle of sorting out problems and I'm willing to pay for that privilege.

I agree with the Halfords comment though - I've used their mobile tyre fitting and mobile servicing in the past 6 months and both times they turned up exactly where they should, got the job done and paperwork was emailed over straight away. No hassle. Routine things to be fair, might be different when it's an issue to be fixed.

I'd also agree that when you have vehicle on lease or have a service package, it tends to be a lot more straightforward.

How annoying for you!Did they have any reasons?

It feels difficult without a car-I don't like not being able to make plans and having to work out who can nip me to shops or appointments and I don't like being a nuisance!

They just had a backlog of work. Because it was a warranty job I didn’t have a choice, it had to be a dealership and all of them had a huge delay. Parts were in short supply due to Brexit at the time which was probably partly the cause.

sorry op it was a bad typo.

I have found the people I used reliable. It was a local village garage with a word of mouth recommendation.

I completely understand what you mean regarding the big mortgage and again being single you are shouldering it all. I have been there too.

I have in the past sourced the parts myself and taken them to the garage. I did this with a cracked wheel and a light. I got them both from the scrapyard and took them to a local garage.

have a look at a Kia that has a 7 year warranty. Over the next 6 months look at the PCP options and the number will stack up if you get a good deal. Spend some time getting your head around it and the numbers. I don’t know what type of of car you need but the small ones can be quite cheap to lease or PCP.