I now love garages! :D :D :D I am a complete convert!

Chally_Rai · Post by **Chally_Rai** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:04 pm

I dont want to go

its becoming inevitable what with the MOT pending and the fact that im really quite paranoid there is something wrong with LUMs brakes....

but i know so so so many girls who've been ripped off at garages, and id have no idea how much stuff cost and how long it takes

and and i just dont want to go

hmph.

how do you avoid getting charged too much???

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:10 pm

Get your dad to go with you, so long as he sounds like he knows what he's saying you'll be fine

Chally_Rai · Post by **Chally_Rai** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:18 pm

ModifiedMadness wrote:Get your dad to go with you, so long as he sounds like he knows what he's saying you'll be fine

Good in theory...but my dad is the laziest dad in the Whole wide world...that and the fact hes pretty busy, its just not going to happen...maybe ill get my bro to come...but he's not back for 2 weeks or so, he doesnt know anything, but might be ok at pretending....

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:06 pm

I didn't fear the garage, until they came back at me with a Â£1250 bill! I'll be saving up for the next one just in case

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:30 pm

you ask for a breakdown of costs and labour charges BEFORE they do anything. that way you can mentally add up if it's the right sort of amount. say at 40 quid an hour and brakes should take one or two hours, for instance. plus parts.

Ollie_R · Post by **Ollie_R** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:52 pm

Have a look for some VW Specialists in your local area. Even the aircooled ones may be able sort Lum out. I had springs and exhaust fitted to my Polo by an aircooled guy; the work was top-notch and well priced

A quick google brings up the following:

http://www.ipmotors.co.uk/
http://www.monnington-motors.co.uk/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&g ... 2&z=8&om=1

Hope this helps

JoeG07 · Post by **JoeG07** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:47 am

man i HATE garages they always try and rip me off because im 18 therefor obv dont no anything. Ive got a really reliable mate who runs like a private garage hes a top mechanic, he does all my work for me at a fraction of normal price and is always honest about it as well, its cool because he knows as much as i do if he rips me off ill never come back - but hes got really succesful thruough word of mouth hes quiting his job as a vauxhall engineer. Seriously my advice talk to some people in your area, ask around and find yourself a praised MOT garage.

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:29 am

To be honest you can't trust most garages these days. If they do a good job they rip you off, but usually they also damage your car. You could do the work yourself but not everyone has space/facilities/knowledge to do so. Imo if you service yourself, as long as you keep your receipt that's as good as a stamp in the book in my eyes. Considering most VW dealers are crap then a FVWSH ain't nothing special

JoeG07 · Post by **JoeG07** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:17 pm

ha ok this is not even funny. Took my car in for the mot retest today which is free, and to get repaird, he said the headlights were loose i thaught i can easily tighten them myself but i know this garage will claim theyre not good enough and charge me for a remot. just got off the phone- heres the damage:

"yeh the headlights were loose because the two screws were missing from underneath"
"yeh ok youve put in two screws what else?" "well to do that i had to take the grill of which is quite a job"
"no its not it pops off in seconds with a screwdriver ive done it loads of times"
"ANYWAY your aim on the lights was all over the place so ive sorted that out, your numberplate was falling off so ive restuck that"
"cld of done the number plate myself! thats not work! and it was fine when i dropped it off" "your left indicator wasnt screwd in properly" "yes so youve tightened a screw a bit"
"and the rear light bulb holder wasnt in properly"
"it just clips in theres no fitting to it !"

"thats Â£70 inc vat"
".... your having a laugh. thats not more than half an hours work"
" look son don't get cheaky with me thats Â£70 please"

wot can u do? cant say "no, your not having your Â£70"

MAKES ME SO MAD!

dino · Post by **dino** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:44 pm

david burton wrote:you ask for a breakdown of costs and labour charges BEFORE they do anything. that way you can mentally add up if it's the right sort of amount. say at 40 quid an hour and brakes should take one or two hours, for instance. plus parts.

Can't agree more - always insist they check with you before they carry out any work.

JoeG07 · Post by **JoeG07** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:49 pm

i tried that i said what will it cost and he said "dnt know depends wot work we have 2 do but we wont know that untill we have a look" and i said "well can u phone me once youve found out" "yeh of course will do"

didnt phone, phoned him up "... yeah thats Â£70" "but you said youd check 1st" "well we couldnt get hold of you so we went ahead and did the work"

as if. twats.

Chally_Rai · Post by **Chally_Rai** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:53 pm

hehe thanks for the advice guys. I have been saved by a vdubit

sapphireflame · Post by **sapphireflame** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 11:31 am

we took a girl at works fiesta for an mot at lookers the other day coz it was teh cheapest around. they were meant to call t 12 and never did. so we called thema nd they reakoned the brakes were dangerous, not bad considerin tehy were done not that long ago!
so we went to pick it up and they hadnt even put it on their system and we were liek we have to go somewhere.
then he had the cheek to assume that my mum was our frinds mum, mum screamed at the top of her voice "i am not her mother you cheeky man, she's the same age as me" at teh top of her voice and every1 in the showroom looked round
it was so funny
the thing is they were tryin to throw all thsi technical jargon and my mum to try and confuse her but she probs knew more about what the sales guy was saying than he did!
sooo funny!
the girl got a friend to look at the brakes and tehy were fine, took it back to lookers and told them they had been fixed elsewhere and it passed!

they pick on women oz tehy thinkw e dont hav a clue

when we were in tehre i made a point of saying how crap renault were and that the service at vw manchester was so much better...hehehe

Chally_Rai · Post by **Chally_Rai** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:57 am

So, in true LUM style she completely flunked...

(MOT)

on wheel bearings - drivers side, (apparently thats what is making LUM sound like death in car form) is really bad and needs changing, well now, cuz my wheel is going to fly off so the man said. - Â£100. about Â£30 plus 1 and a half hours work.

Headlight alignment-theyll do for free if i bring her in for the bearings

Emissions-Lum spouts far too much CO (i think it was CO...I have the figures in the car)

I had advisorys too, on brakes and handbrake, but they werent a fail.

When it was all over I just wanted to go out and give her a big hug, but i figured i might look a bit silly...

chrisash32 · Post by **chrisash32** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:41 pm

sapphireflame wrote:the service at vw manchester was so much better...hehehe

i think not after Saturday..... i am going to be taking mine elsewhere in future!