Incompetent Garages

[Guest James Russell]

I really do feel like life is a constant battle sometimes. Especially when it comes to my vehicles. I feel that whenever I have a car or bike booked in at a garage, that I am always coming up against an issue of some kind. And then I feel like I am being lied to about it all.

 

Bike booked into a new garage today as I have been working in Stonehouse for a few months. So need a garage that can service whilst I am at work.

 

Full service including all fluids. Quoted £270 which I was happy with. Was told by the mechanic he would want it all day as it would take him a good portion of the day to do. Phone call at 14:15 to say that the bike can't be serviced because they don't have the right filters.

 

Sounds like complete BS to me. Takes 5 hours of having the bike to realize they don't have the right parts. They were supposed to pick me up at 4pm. So that isn't long enough to do a FULL service. They either have been too booked up (even though this has been booked in for over a week) or they don't have the ability to do the work on the bike. Either way I think they are lying to me.

 

To make it worse it's cost me money today to drop the bike off and pick it up later.

 

NOT HAPPY!

[Mikdent 4,070]

I feel for you James, other people's incompetence is so irritating, more so if lies are involved. 

 

Id calmly ask why it takes 5 hours to realise they don't have filters for a booked in service, an unsatisfactory answer in the slightest and I'd let go with a tirade from both barrels. 

 

"Let em ave it" 

[Hasan 4]

There's absolutely no way it would take a 'good portion of the day' to do a full service for a competent mechanic. Instead of telling you he's got other things to work on and he can't be sure exactly what time he would get round to your one, he told you he'll need to work on it all day. If I were to do a full service on my bike including all fluids, it'd probably take roughly 2 hours; for these mechanics who do it all day, everyday, it should be much quicker. It's the usual way unfortunately where they treat the customer like a 5 year-old and think they can pull the wool over us because they think we don't understand what they're up to. 

[Guest machinman]

In this instance I would cut my nose off to spite my face. Tell them to shove the filters where the sun don't shine and sideways while your at it.

They'll likely waste your time again if given the opportunity. Theirs plenty of pucka workshops out there.

Even if it's a genuine tale, they knew you were coming and letting you know towards the end of the working day doesn't cut it these days.

 

[Guest James Russell]

No. Letting me know an hour and a half before I am supposed to be picked up to get the bike is completely sh1t. And something which really gripes me. I have a feeling that as it is an integra and has all the panels etc, that they just thought they couldn't be bothered with it.

 

I will be telling them that I don't think it's good enough to tell me at 14:30 in the afternoon. Surely the blooming packaging for the Filters tells you what bike it is for.

 

Now booked in with Fowlers in Bristol. Mixed feelings about that. Had issues with them before. But the chap I just spoke to was very helpful. Plus I might get a go on an Africa Twin out of it!

[PoppetM 16,826]

20 minutes ago, James Russell said:

 

Now booked in with Fowlers in Bristol. Mixed feelings about that. Had issues with them before. But the chap I just spoke to was very helpful. Plus I might get a go on an Africa Twin out of it!

 

Silver lining there...  

[Defender 3,833]

You need to have confidence in the people servicing your bike, was this an independent dealer?

I think whilst not having the filters is poor excuse it maybe a supplier has let them down with right non or incorrect parts delivery?

If that's the case then why not just be honest about it and look at changing the supplier of ordering a couple of days before the bike is due in rather the morning it's due in.

I trust Fowler's will do a good job for this time around and you enjoy the Affy Twin👍

[Guest machinman]

9 minutes ago, Defender said:

You need to have confidence in the people servicing your bike, was this an independent dealer?

I think whilst not having the filters is poor excuse it maybe a supplier has let them down with right non or incorrect parts delivery?

If that's the case then why not just be honest about it and look at changing the supplier of ordering a couple of days before the bike is due in rather the morning it's due in.

I trust Fowler's will do a good job for this time around and you enjoy the Affy Twin👍

Bang on🖒

[Andy m 23,463]

Could be worse, it only takes two minutes to put a new stripe of "checked" paint across the drain plug, chuck a slug of oil in to slighly change the level and colour and fill out the paperwork.

 

Colin Appleyards were so good they even stocked the same colour of paint marker I'd used to put a big cross on the old filter. That's attention to detail when they can draw an identical mark on the new one.

 

DIY: Don't Indulge Your dealer

 

Andy

Edited June 23, 2017 by Andy m

[roddy 845]

There is incompetence everywhere and things are becoming increasing sloppy, I am waiting for an angiogram as I have had angina only to find on ringing the hospital  they forgot to add me to the list,a formal complaint is on the way. Back to bikes, I fortunately have a very reliable dealer.

[Rocker66 34,371]

30 minutes ago, roddy said:

There is incompetence everywhere and things are becoming increasing sloppy, I am waiting for an angiogram as I have had angina only to find on ringing the hospital  they forgot to add me to the list,a formal complaint is on the way. Back to bikes, I fortunately have a very reliable dealer.

A week after my accident I was transfered to a hospital nearer my home. After another couple of weeks I was put on nil by mouth and told my operation would be carried out in the morning. Come the morning I was all prepped ready to go to theatre but was then told that my op wasnt going to happen. I assumed that it was due to something like a serious case had come in on the surgeon had taken ill or some other acceptable reason. However it turned out that the surgical team didnt even know I existed as my transfer had been arranged by phone and the person who took the message had not entered me into the system correctly

[Guest machinman]

14 minutes ago, Rocker66 said:

A week after my accident I was transfered to a hospital nearer my home. After another couple of weeks I was put on nil by mouth and told my operation would be carried out in the morning. Come the morning I was all prepped ready to go to theatre but was then told that my op wasnt going to happen. I assumed that it was due to something like a serious case had come in on the surgeon had taken ill or some other acceptable reason. However it turned out that the surgical team didnt even know I existed as my transfer had been arranged by phone and the person who took the message had not entered me into the system correctly

Not good enough, but unfortunately too common.

[sandalfarm 2,764]

The triumph has to be stone cold before the valves are checked and it has to be dropped off the night before, perhaps your bike is similar but still no excuse for not telling the truth

[trisaki 2,029]

They weren't going to be doing valves and coolant on an integra Inc the oil and filters etc for that money  they might have said they would but I guarantee  they wouldn't  also "wrong filters - they  are all the same plus or minus the dct filter  absolute tosh   shame I'm too far away  

[kayz1 2,928]

I just do not understand stuff like this, i am working in the Lads garage for a week or two whilst the office guy is on his hols.

First thing i do when i have booked in a service, or any job, Check stock: find out what is and is not in stock for this job.

Order what i need for this job. When the parts arrive ( 2 hours max ) i put all the kit for the job with a job card in a box

and label it with vehicle and customer details...10mins max.  Next please:

Lyn.

[Guest bonekicker]

They probably do the airline way of overbooking in case someone does not turn up--but not only bad service--but a waste of your time 

[Defender 3,833]

7 hours ago, bonekicker said:

They probably do the airline way of overbooking in case someone does not turn up--but not only bad service--but a waste of your time 

Let's hope they don't follow the example shown by a couple of airlines across the pond earlier this year then!

[Guest Mac750]

As Trisaki says, all Honda oil filters are now unified. The same sort, a VFR oil filter is the same as the one fitted to a CBR, is the same fitted to the NC etc. 

My PC had a large round spin on filter I went to my local independent and asked for an oil filter he gave me a smaller one.  " No that's not right it's smaller"

He checked his book " they all have the same part number that's the one"

Still not sure I went to the Honda dealer and asked for a filter, sure enough it was smaller than my old one. When I asked how come they told me the design was high flow and unified saved costs one size fits all. So after that (about two years ago) I happily fitted the smaller sized unit with no problems.  The garage you went too are full of waste organic matter. 

[Guest James Russell]

Thanks for all the comments. Interesting to know that all parts are now the same size. I will be sure to throw that in his face IF he rings me this week.

 

I went to pick up my bike. Told by the mechanic that he had removed all panels to do the job, only to realize filters were the wrong size. He then went on to show me some uneven wear on my tyres, which I was aware of. Anyway as it sounded like he had actually looked at the bike I didn't give him too much of a hard time. Just said that it was a shame to find out the filters are the wrong size at 2pm, when I'm collecting at 4pm.

 

He asked if I wanted to book in for this week and I left saying that I would think about it. I drove about half a mile up the road and pulled over. My bike is a bit filthy at the moment due to my commute and not having the time to clean it. Anyway I thought, IF he has removed the panels, surely there would be his finger marks all over it!! NOTHING!!! LYING PIECE OF SH!T.

 

He ran out of time to do the job is my conclusion.

[F.Honda750xd 197]

This all makes me feel that if you (meaning anyone really) have the desire and inclination then to do it yourself is the only cast iron guarantee of trouble free motoring. 

Also smug satisfaction to add another. 

 

[Tex 36,816]

1 hour ago, James Russell said:

IF he has removed the panels, surely there would be his finger marks all over it!! NOTHING!!! LYING PIECE OF SH!T.

 

He ran out of time to do the job is my conclusion.

 

I'm in complete agreement. He left himself short of time and fudged up an excuse. Either that or he looked at getting the panels off and thought 'F*** That!' Anyone who has ever removed the body panels from an Integra will tell you what an absolute pain in the arse it is. There would be fingerprints everywhere!!

 

And no one (in their right mind) would put one all back together again knowing he had to do it all again next week! You'd walk 5 miles barefoot (over broken glass) to avoid that situation.

 

 

[Guest James Russell]

17 minutes ago, F.Honda750xd said:

This all makes me feel that if you (meaning anyone really) have the desire and inclination then to do it yourself is the only cast iron guarantee of trouble free motoring. 

Also smug satisfaction to add another. 

 

If it was just a simple oil change I would happily do it. But the bike needs everything checking over really. I just want it professionally checked over so I can feel assured it's safe to ride.

I have done small services on bikes before, changing oil and brakes and even discs.

[Guest James Russell]

1 minute ago, Tex said:

 

I'm in complete agreement. He left himself short of time and fudged up an excuse. Either that or he looked at getting the panels off and thought 'F*** That!' Anyone who has ever removed the body panels from an Integra will tell you what an absolute pain in the arse it is. There would be fingerprints everywhere!!

 

And no one (in their right mind) would put one all back together again knowing he had to do it all again next week! You'd walk 5 miles barefoot (over broken glass) to avoid that situation.

 

 

Well I highly doubt I will be hearing from him this week. If he does ring. I will be telling him that I don't believe his story. Stating that the oil filters and air filters should be the same size for most Honda's and that I don't see how he removed the panels without touching them. He must be a wizard or something!?

[Tex 36,816]

Just to be clear - the oil filters have been 'standardised' across the range. The air filters still vary from model to model. I'm not sure what the situation is with the  DCT filter. Logic would suggest they're the same on all DCT bikes - but this is the motor industry we're talking about. Frequently short of logic..  

[embee 7,288]

I'm not sure the DCT filters are the same on all models (VFR/NC etc). I remember looking into it when I got the bike (4yrs ago now) and the NC filter is one which was used on a small bike once upon a time I think. It is however common with the AT and a lot of others apparently, see here https://www.bike-parts-honda.com/microfiches-recherche_piece-15412-MGS-D21.html

 

As Tex says, air filters are different from bike to bike.

 

Shame you can't get down to Trisaki, you'd know it's done properly.