To wonder what the fuck they actually checked when they serviced my car?

[FlyMCA]

Not even 6 weeks ago I had my car serviced with a pretty well known garage, 77 point check (or something like that), all singing all dancing, supposed to check and change everything. I know nothing about cars so wanted somewhere I thought would be reputable to have a pretty good look over the car and do any work that needed doing because the MOT is due soon, plus I drive around a lot with DD in the car and I wanted it to be safe and have a good chance of it not breaking down on me.
This morning the clutch has gone, something that was part of the checks when it was serviced. Took it to a garage, turns out tyres are so worn on the inside they are illegal, something that should have been checked. Something on the front suspension (or it might have been wheel axle, not sure with out the list the mechanic gave me in front of me) has eroded so bad it's not safe to drive and and something is loose underneath.
When the car was serviced it cost over £900 for the service and some bits of work they said needed doing. I'm now looking at an additional £500+ to get the rest done.
AIBU to think that actually all the checks I paid for havnt been carried out, or is it really possible for all this to have happened since it was serviced? Its not so much the additional cost I'm annoyed over, but the fact I've been driving around illegally (the tyres!!) And they never even mentioned they looked worn on the service or I would have asked them to replace them at the time.

[Truthpact]

@mencken

Yeah if I didn't have my partner or my dad to change the oil etc, I'd pay a garage to do just those things and they'd be putting on the parts I've bought too, not their overpriced nonsense that is the same thing. But I'd be watching them do it. Arnold Clark garages don't seem to bother changing the oil ever. Bought a car from them that they hadn't bothered doing that on despite saying they would. That plus other issues cost them more in the long run, muppets. I refuse to buy from them ever again.

[Mumdiva99]

I have used Halfords garage twice. The first time was at 5pm on a Friday when I had a long motorway journey to do the next day and I saw that the engine tray had fallen down. They told me to bring it in there and then, fixed it and didn't charge me. The second time I had been to Halford shop for an ac check/regas- he thought there was a problem (no charge) and sent me to a service centre. They checked....no problem. Just charged me for a regas the same as I would have paid in store.

[Sirzy]

It does sound like you have been ripped off, find a local garage that is recommended locally and use them.

That said I would also suggest becoming aware of things like basic tyre care to save yourself getting into the position of bald tyres.

[Oblomov20]

Halfords are known for this.

[BuzzShitbagBobbly]

But yes, don’t go to Halfords...... they’re most famous for selling push bikes, aren’t they?

Barely. They sell what are colloquially known as "BSO" - Bike Shaped Objects. They assemble them incorrectly almost as a matter of pride - forks on back to front etc.

[mencken]

truthpact good points. Oil change etc is the only 'servicing' I would get done, and only because it is so much easier for the garage to do as they've got the hoist and the pit. Costs around £100. Gets done when mileage/use warrants it.

everything else on the 'checklist' is something anyone competent to drive can do. You just need functioning eyes, the ability to bend down and possibly someone else to sit in the drivers seat and flick levers.

[Truthpact]

The only thing they did wrong in was the tyres. The rest is literally checks, they won't go into detail about it.

Has no one on here ever read what a 'service' is with these garages? A volkswagen garage near me wanted to charge over £300 for a service where the most they did that was useful was change the oil, the oil filter and the fuel filter. That's it. The rest is stupid things like check lights, check the horn works, check the seat belts work, check the tyres. You can do most of that yourself and should be able to if you're driving really. The oil, oil filter and fuel filter? Can be bought on ebay for about £50 and pay a local mobile mechanic to change them, if you can't yourself. I buy the parts and get my partner to do it as I don't want to get oil on me. 😁 You should also change the air filter regularly, something barely any garage does.

[Elai1978]

BTW. clutches don't just go. There is a gradual decay that you feel, so you should have said to the garage.

That depends entirely on what’s failed within the clutch mechanism. Catastrophic failure certainly does happen, I’ve experienced it personally.

[TheSunIsStillShining]

no, it's not possible in 6 weeks really (only in very edge case scenarios). Uneven tire wearing happens because of something wrong with suspension or axles or something mechanical happening at short notice (rare). When you see uneven wear you have to check the other 2. I trained to be a car mechanic.
They won't take apart the clutch, but they should be checking that it slides properly.

• if it's a newer model the diagnostic computer should spit out most of these issues in codes.
  It also depends what mileage the car is at and what make, as different manufacturer have diff service intervals and service requirements. There are small and big checks. If this was a small check, then the clutch could go unnoticed.
  BTW. clutches don't just go. There is a gradual decay that you feel, so you should have said to the garage.
  Next time: ask for a full list of what is checked and what the result was.

[19lottie82]

£300 is at the higher end of the spectrum but it’s not obscene if the car needs a major service, in terms of what a chain or dealership would charge.

But yes, don’t go to Halfords...... they’re most famous for selling push bikes, aren’t they? 😂

[ClientQ]

The main dealerships are more expensive generally - I work for one and services can be £250 - 1000+ depending what's being done
I check most stuff myself but get an oil and filter service every year along with the MOT

[Allnamesaregone]

OP the best garages are the ones recommended by friends or colleagues you trust.
There are plenty of local mechanics who work hard to do the best job and provide the best service- you just need to find them. Stay away from all the big guys.

[Elai1978]

Did the £600 worth of work you had done include anything to do that necessitated taking your wheels off?

Years ago I had my brakes done and they fucked up my wheel alignment so much it ruined both my front tyres by wearing them away on the inside edge.

Wheel alignment refers to the suspension and has nothing to do with whether your wheels are removed. Having your brakes done did not affect your wheel alignment unless they had to dismantle some of your suspension components to do so.

[mencken]

quite a few dumbos on here, but not being of the 'nasty dirty motor car' brigade I check tyres, brake pads, oil, lights etc so I KNOW when things need doing. You can SEE the brake pads if you are sufficiently able bodied to bend down.

Look at what a service checks; there's very little you can't do yourself. And you can see the manufacturer recommended intervals for doing stuff, you don't need a service to tell you that.

anyone whose car fails an MoT because a light has gone IS too careless to be on the road. you should be checking these things regularly.

BTW if a brake circuit fails it isn't lack of maintenance, it happens sometimes (and rusty pipes are picked up on the MoT anyway). Cars have two brake circuits so unless you didn't get the first one fixed, you won't crash into someone. Almost all crashes are driver error not mechanical failure.

[amijustparanoidorjuststoned]

£900 for a service??? Also sorry but next time don't go to Halfords?

[simonisnotme]

my MIL kept using a main dealer garage for servicing every year even thought the car barely did 10 mile a week, the last time she tried to book in they totally ignored the phone or put it down on her so we took it to our garage, turns out the dealership had never touched it from the day she had bought it, the scamming bastards

[Hingeandbracket]

Stuff gets fixed when it goes wrong
So you change you brake pads/shoes when you hear a grinding noise from the pedal and you keep bumping into things/people because you can't stop? As PP said - terrible advice.

If you crash insurers will ask for your service history, too. Failing to keep the car roadworthy may affect the claim

[FixTheBone]

My wife had a service, plus two tyres in kwikfit, 2 days later got a flat, took it back, they showed us a nail in the tyre and said they'd charge us again for a new one as it was just bad luck. I also said we'd noticed the radiator leaking - another £250.

When I showed the manager the pictures of the flat tyre with no nail in it prior to attending and the shiny tool marks where someone had deliberately punctured the radiator (car had been in the garage since the service, so had to be them) and threatened to show trading standards, the police and post them on Facebook, they repaired it l for free. Then I showed trading standards, the police and posted it on their facebook., That branch doesn't have a licence for MOTs any more.

[VeganVeal]

Worn tyres? Surely you check them weekly?

[myusernamewastakenbyme]

Im another that would never use Halfords....Kwik Fit etc....i have a local mechanic who is fab and gets my car through its mot every year...in fact i dont use national chains for anything. ..local small family company is always better.

[GinDaddyRedux]

"I never have cars serviced - check tyres, oil etc, clean windows, make sure all lights are ok. Stuff gets fixed when it goes wrong. And I've got a 10 year old car."

This is scary to me. Really scary.

I'm not going to say too much because I don't want the "you're a bloke telling me stuff" thing...but...I just don't agree with the above as a way to look after a car over such a long period.

Things like spark plugs for example...yes many are meant to last tens of thousands of miles, but the minute one or two misfire and you're looking at engine management problems and some costly work. So when it comes to things like that, I get them changed when the service schedule demands me to. Yep it's not a typical "consumable" like a brake pad that can be easily measured, but I have a trusted professional I work with and I'm happy that such preventative maintenance is saving me a £0000s bill down the line with a nasty expensive engine-out job.

[KingOfDogShite]

Did the £600 worth of work you had done include anything to do that necessitated taking your wheels off?

Years ago I had my brakes done and they fucked up my wheel alignment so much it ruined both my front tyres by wearing them away on the inside edge.

[SnackSizeRaisin]

I never have cars serviced - check tyres, oil etc, clean windows, make sure all lights are ok. Stuff gets fixed when it goes wrong. And I've got a 10 year old car.

This is terrible advice. If you don't service your car it will end up with costly problems. Things like oil and filter changes are not optional. You may get away with it for a few years but it may be the difference between a car lasting 10 years and 20 years. Plus it makes a big difference to the resale value, for obvious reasons.

[mencken]

not surprised it is Halfords...

formal complaint time. And a bit of twitter won't hurt.

tyres down to the wires? Jesus.

[theemmadilemma]

Yes, 100% get the other garage to give you a written description of what was missed that should have been seen on the check they did. To be honest, I would also ask the garage to check Halfords actually DID all the replacements/work they said they did - wouldn't be the first time they hadn't. Then go after Halfords for money back and never darken their door again.