To think they're trying to rip me off - shaking with rage!

[OneToughMudderFudder]

So booked car in for a full service before we set off on a road trip next week. Stupidly mentioned that to the guy when confirmed the booking [duh!].

Get called after an hour with the garage saying that they've found numerous things wrong with the car, including brakes needing stripping down, completely new brake fluid and engine flushing and they want an additional £700 to correct them (said very cheerily as if we have that just lying about).

Car sailed through its last MOT 6 months ago, all brakes were replaced last year, but apparently now its dangerous to drive . I haven't noticed any problems with the car apart from it being a little juddery very occasionally as it's an automatic diesel and needs a good long high speed run which it hasn't had recently, to burn off the diesel particulate filter, but it will get plenty of that over the next few weeks.

Guy was very rude when I said I would check with DH, saying the car was dangerous to drive, asking was I serious that I didn't want the work done! He was very annoyed I wasn't prepared to immediately agree to shell out there and then. I'm pretty sure they thought I would be freaked by them saying it was 'dangerous' because I'm a woman.

We had this a few years ago where we took both (different) our cars in for servicing and ended up paying nearly £2k for 'faults' they found. Not falling for that again.

Is this common when sending a car for a service? AIBU to think they were pulling a fast one?

Sorry forgot to add that DH will take the car to be checked somewhere else this weekend after we get the list of 'faults' in writing.

If it had an MOT 6 months ago and new breaks last year then yes I would say they are trying to rip you off. It would be pretty bloody convenient for it to need so much work doing. I would tell them you will take it to your local garage when you pick it up to stop them pestering you for the money. I highly doubt it needs anything doing to it at all.

I've had that. I just say that as it's an expensive job I'm getting a second opinion.

Second opinion always catches them out.

Ask your friends and neighbours who they would recommend, then use them in future.
YANBU

Oooh, I bet they'll baulk at putting it down in writing! Cheeky fuckers.

Definitely trying to rip you off. You can buy engine cleaner for about £20 anyway and do it yourself.

Just because you had a service last year or an mot a while ago doesn’t mean something hasn’t happened since then.

On the off chance that they aren’t lying Make sure you have proper AA /RAC cover to cover you while your away include hire car and onward travel - just in case

Definitely rings alarm bells. Use the second opinion line.

My sons just had a full service MOT and two new tyres cost him £240

To be fair though an engine flush is usually unnecessary, especially if you've had regular
oil changes. So on that note alone I'd say they are taking the piss.

I’d get it checked by a recommenced person. If it’s kwik fit mind just ignore completely. They broke our breaks!

Obviously no one can tell you if the car has faults except a reputable garage and that's where you need to take it for a second opinion but remember that the MOT test doesn't check everything and is only reallt valid on that day, of course something could break on the next day don't really on that for anything.

No need to rage, ask the garage what time you can collect the car for a second opinion and make it quite clear that you are not authorising any extra work to be done

My ds had the same - told £1100 for repairs to get his car to pass the mot. This included fitting an a pensive part and renewing brake pads and discs.
He didn’t pay . Decided to do the brakes himself - there was very little wrong with them. Took the car to a local place . They said he definitely didn’t need the expensive part. End cost was just over £200.
Get a second opinion

Yes they often take the piss. I just say no thanks I will get a 2nd opinion. I don't give in to them.

My sons just had a full service MOT and two new tyres cost him £240

Eh? What's that got to do with anything?

Just because you had a service last year or an mot a while ago doesn’t mean something hasn’t happened since then.

Whilst this is true it seems mighty convenient it now appears to have multiple problems especially with the brakes which were only replaced last year. If it was just one issue then it might be more believable but a list of issues does tend to scream we want to rip you off.

It’s so annoying! I took my car back to the main dealership to have a minor problem fixed & they did a ‘curtesy check’ & told me the brake pads needed replacing because they were too worn. Hurriedly back tracked when I asked why they had changed so much from the service & MOT they’d done less than a month before..... Bastards.

I had this with my car. They absolutely shat themselves when DP went to collect it with me and was able to tell them that since he'd stripped the engine and rebuilt it, pit a new clutch in, put new brakes and pads on and all 4 tyres before the MOT he knew fine they were lying about it needing any work done.

Funnily enough they redid the MOT for free and it passed without so much as an advisory note. Fuckers.

We took our car to kwik fit once for a new tyre. Apparently we needed to have the suspension done and a complete new exhaust as well.

I had this sort of treatment when I bought a car off my mum, it was new, she had decided not to drive, due to age and lack of confidence. I needed new wheels as they had not been balanced properly and were worn unevenly (I hadn't noticed, due to inexperience) Dropped it off at a franchise garage near work, foolishly told them it was my first car and asked them to show me how to inflate tyres etc. They rang me at work and said it needed urgent work, which they could do while it was up on ramp with wheels off etc. and it would cost an extra £400. As it was due for a free first year service, at the original dealers I said no. There was nothing at all wrong with it, they just thought I was an easy target, being a woman on my own. I reported to appropriate local authority dept, but don't know what the outcome was.

I took mine to Kwik Fit for a new end pipe for the exhaust as I had bashed it off (don't ask!) They came back 20 mins later and told me the whole system was rotted and would cost me £300. I asked them to just leave it and they said they had already pulled it off. I completely lost the plot and screamed at them to bloody well put it back as it was only 6 months old. Grudgingly they did so with allsorts of dire warnings. That exhaust outlasted the car!

Why is it that mechanics still seem to think that women are clueless about cars and they can get away with fleecing us for as much as they can manage?

What made me a bit was that the garage called me on my land line so I couldn't see the number they were calling from (booked through Servicing Stop who contract a local garage to pick up the car, service it and drop off) rather than my mobile which most people would call on these days. When I asked the guy for a number to call him back on as I wanted a few minutes to think about it, he said I wouldn't be able to get through on the garage number as its permanently engaged so he'd call me back in 10 minutes by which time I'd spoken to DH and he'd said no way to agree it. Garage guy's demeanour completely changed when I said that!

Bit worried they won't do the service properly or will cause an issue with the car deliberately now.

We use Servicing Stop every year for convenience with no problem but it would have been different garages. Won't be using them again.

We have European breakdown insurance thanks, which is lucky as we're doing a 3000 mile round trip!

Would never go back to KwikFit after they totally blew up the engine on a previous car (we all loved that car, she had a name and everything), while changing the cam belt. Absolute twats!