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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

159 replies

OneToughMudderFudder · 26/07/2019 11:36

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 Shock. 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?

OP posts:
Justaboy · 26/07/2019 13:30

Many men are the same. We don't need to know how it works

Can agree on that one too. However i do think that some idea of what goes on does help and yes you shouldnt be ripped off but it does happen sad to say:(

Justaboy · 26/07/2019 13:32

The dealership wanted about 500 and my garage charged 200

Yes and that too. After all most main dealers have a lot more overheads than do smaller garages..

BrightYellowDaffodil · 26/07/2019 13:39

This REALLY pisses me off. And it is worse for women as so many garage workers think they can bamboozle a woman with jargon, then bully her into a huge bill. They can fuck right off.

Years ago (I was early 20s) I took my car for its MOT and it passed but -they told me - only just because the brake pads and discs were only borderline legal. They put a lot of pressure on me to get them changed there and then. Told them I would think about it, got my dad to look at them and it turned out the discs were fine and the pads less than half worn.

Gits.

user1491678180 · 26/07/2019 13:39

@OneToughMudderFudder

This has happened to us before in the past - and it was kwikfit and a main dealer (vauxhall) who charged us £500 to £650 for extra problems/issues that they 'found' when just putting 2 new tyres on.

I believe we have been well ripped-off in the past thought we cannot prove anything.

We now use a local garage - have done for 4 years, and have spent less than £500 in the four years - on tyres, MOTs, brake pads, and other bits (wipers, lights etc...)

They are more than likely ripping you off.. not sure what you can do about it, but I wish someone would step in and stop these big names garages/companies doing this.

Zebraaa · 26/07/2019 13:40

Another Kwikfit story. Went in for a free brake test and they quoted me £990. I said no of course and they said they’d knock 10% off. Answer was still no and they said it was too dangerous to drive. I said just put it back together and signed a form to say I take responsibility to drive it. Friend fitted new brake pads and discs for less than £150.

TuesdaySunshine · 26/07/2019 13:44

Always worth a second opinion, but they're not necessarily ripping you off. I don't think it was stupid to mention you were going on a long trip either - my garage often does a pre-holiday check for me. I think you need to find a garage you have confidence in and stick with them tbh.

I must say I think it's a bit rich to be outraged about garages treating women like they're ignorant about cars if you're also going to hide behnd the old 'I need to ask my husband what he thinks' trick.

And 'shaking with rage' is an overreaction obvs.

Vilanelle · 26/07/2019 13:46

I take mine to a mechanics that is advertised as "female friendly" lol

They have female mechanics and have won loads fo awards, and very decently priced. Oh and my BIL is a mechanic there :)

Before that though, I was always getting taken for a ride. Infuriates me.

Zaphodsotherhead · 26/07/2019 13:46

Reading things like this makes me feel I'm so lucky to have one local garage in a rural area. Because 'word gets out' if anything underhand goes on round here, they have a vested interest in everything being above board. I've been using them for 25 years, get the personal touch (like them picking up and/or delivering my car free of charge) and know all the mechanics (and usually their wives and families too).

I've been ripped off in the past, and live in terror of this garage closing and having to go back to trying to find somewhere with a good reputation again!

YouDoYou18 · 26/07/2019 13:50

Okay so I’m a service advisor and deal with this daily! Ask them to take pictures of the brakes because you’ll be able to see if they’re dangerous! Brake fluid is actually one that people accidentally neglect, do you know when it was last done? If it does need changing you can still shop around! But I’d you’re not comfortable then take the car and book it in for a vehicle health check at another garage, a lot of places do they for free or very cheap! If these things are that bad you’ll see them on there too without needing to mention anything!

RhymesWithOrange · 26/07/2019 13:53

Yes, I've been ripped off by Kwik Fit. DH now does all car related stuff, not because he knows more just because they don't to scam him. Angry

Hope you get it sorted OP.

floribunda18 · 26/07/2019 13:57

Who would know about how cars work these days? They are basically computers on wheels. It's not up to women not to be ripped off, it's up to mechanics not to bully and rip off their customers. You are paying someone for a service, if you have to learn about the details in order to do this, it's like having a dog and barking yourself.

I literally don't give a shit how things work, it could be magic AFAIC, I just want them to work properly.

Lamentations · 26/07/2019 13:58

Halfords did this to us once and DH agreed to the work as the MOT had already expired and we were in a rush. I still feel the rage 2 years later.

Take it somewhere else.

JaceLancs · 26/07/2019 13:59

The garage I use is female owned
Never had a problem
Hi CA if you’re on MN 😊

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 26/07/2019 14:00

However i do think that some idea of what goes on does help

Does that apply to everything in life, should we be expected to know how each item we own works or risk being ripped off. Surely the onus is on the companies not to rip people off in the first place.

theemmadilemma · 26/07/2019 14:00

Rip off merchants.

I found a good garage down a tiny back alley about 15 years ago. Never gone else where. They've never ripped me off and in fact have done several 'ahhh it only took us a few minutes, don't worry love' jobs.

Finding a good garage is KEY.

floribunda18 · 26/07/2019 14:00

Exactly, HeadsDown.

Lamentations · 26/07/2019 14:01

Also Lookers used to tell me my brake pads were worn every time it went in. I called them out on it and they admitted that they hadn't actually looked at them. Fuckers.

bebeboeuf · 26/07/2019 14:03

Any engine flush is snake oil

Sound like rogues

Ilovechocolate01 · 26/07/2019 14:04

It really annoys me as a normally fully capable woman, that whenever I need to book a car in I get my DH to do it so I don't get ripped off. Not just because he's a man but he also fixes cars himself so knows whenever they're bullshitting. Even he says that he pre-empts getting ripped off by adding something to the conversation so they're aware he knows what he's talking about

Fredella · 26/07/2019 14:04

Huh - Servicing Stop! Don't exect any joy from them - they are experts at fobbing you off. Their garages range from the good to the downright corrupt.

One of their garages broke my car a couple of years ago - had to take it to court to get them to pay up.

Definitely take your car elsewhere and get someone else to look at it - quite possible that the brakes do need work doing on them now, but might not have done before that garage had a go at them!

CurbsideProphet · 26/07/2019 14:05

I've never heard of that service. I would be heading straight there to collect before they did anything else to it.

TheSpottedZebra · 26/07/2019 14:07

and as usual trust that inbulit femine instict you have

Justaboy when will you stop spouting your outdated sexist crap? And on a thread about sexism too?

Original poster
OneToughMudderFudder · 26/07/2019 14:07

Just booked car into Formula 1 on Sunday as DH was going to take it to regas the air con anyway. We get a free summer travel check with that which includes brake discs, pads and drums. He's not going to say anything about the faults they picked up on the service so we'll see what they say.

OP posts:
Ellisandra · 26/07/2019 14:09

Why would you use a third party to place your car with a garage you don’t know, when you have already experienced pisstaking garages?

How hard is it to just use your local garage? It’s one industry that hasn’t been sent to the wall by the big chains, there are loads of independent garages.

My local garage never take the piss about the conditions of my cars, because they know they’re the ones who previously did work / service / MOT.

Of course garages shouldn’t lie to you, but as you know they sometimes do - I just don’t get why you’d put yourself in that position.

BossAssBitch · 26/07/2019 14:10

OP, can you report back with the second opinion?

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