Finding a GOOD garage...

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

There was a time when you could drive a car down to your local service centre, repair centre or MOT centre and expect to receive a good service done to a high standard. Now, I don't consider myself as old, and maybe this is just from personal opinion based on bad luck and chance but it would seem that I can't trust anyone other than myself to fix cars nowadays... All garages seem to be either speed focused (get the car in and out as soon as possible) leeding to mistakes being made due to time not being invested in the job. Or just lazy swindlers that try to charge you for work you don't need and didn't ask for...

 

1. The first example I have is from my local firm (I wont give names). Gave them my polo to pop on a new fan belt and service... got the car back missing an alternator bolt and the belt flapping in the engine. They took 3 days to look at the car and when they did get round to looking at it they rushed and did a crap job.

 

2. Took another Polo and the Corrado I had to a kwick-fit franchise to get new tires. I asked for cheep tires for the polo and Pirelli for the corrado. What I got was budget tires all-round and all but 1 of them where 3 years out of date. Unfortunately, this was only noticed a year after buying them when i came to change another tire on the polo due to a flat.

 

3. Asked a garage to fit a new subframe to the corrado. Gave them the replacement frame that i got second hand and I cleaned it up and it needed a spot of welding... (I know your not supposed to weld the subframe but never mind that just now). Got them to do the welding and asked them to "clean up the welds and make sure you clean and then re-coat the surface with hamerite or something after you weld it. They did weld it but they didn't spray it or treat it and the welding looked like it was done by a toddler... it was a complete mess!

 

4. Gave the C to another garage, asked them to replace the subframe (to replace the frame that the other garage badly welded...). Again I provided a subframe. They did replace it, but they didn't replace any of the other components like the wisbone rubbers, ARB bushes etc... When i came to take the wishbones off to put the new suspension on the car, they where almost completely worn though.... Where never less than a year old!

 

5. Gave my car to a garage to MOT. Told them in person what was wrong with the brakes and they told me they would test it within the week and get back to me... Didn't hear anything for 4 days so I rang him up and he said "ohh yeah, I tried to move it but there was no brakes! Couldn't MOT it like that." I then explained to him that this was not only mentioned to him before i dropped it off but I also provided him with a new brake bias valve (in person!) as well as a note explaining him the problem, left in the car on the passenger seat.

I phoned him again another 4 days later and he still hadn't looked at the car and still no MOT test had been done.

 

I've been to almost every garage in Dundee and Fife and I have never recieved a good service from any of them. Is this just me? I don't mind someone taking their time on a car... If i get a good job then I would be prepared to pay for it. But to take over a week to look at a car only to say that nothing has or can be done is a bit off i think. If he had explained that he didn't have the time to look at it this week then i would have been more understanding, a lack of communication I feel is a common problem but then you also get a*seholes that just don't give two ****s...

 

I was in a garage the other day, I know the owner and was sitting in his office looking down on the garage floor. I saw a mechanic (I assume he was a mechanic... Lunatics are not often found in garages conducting repairs) standing over a Renault scenic. He was trying to remove the exaust manifiold... his tool of choice was a 10lb sledge hammer... and more than once he missed the target, hitting the engine bay trim pieces and on one occasion, what looked like a coil pack!

 

Is no car SAFE! Can you trust anyone to look at your car? Even if you trust the garage owner... They can't watch every employee 8hours a day! At some point, some complete git is going to get near your car and has the chance of doing harm to your pride and joy.... I despair :(

[bristolbaron 10]

I know exactly what you mean.. most garages these days wont fix anything, just replace parts.

 

I've been very lucky that one of my best mates trained with an excellent 'real' mechanic and has done most of the work on my cars. He's buying the garage he did his apprenticeship with later this year and i'll be in with him doing the books and learning basic skills. Really looking forward to it.

[Vw.bones 10]

Completely and whole heartedly agree with you...I over the years had a numerous golfs for a while I defected to the japs and run a Integra type R ...S2000...Mitsubishi Evo 8 so as you tell I have had to find various Garages and mechanics and in honesty I have have NEVER felt at ease when I have picked up any of my cars....toooooo many jobs and examples to list but here is one...had a 16v mk2 golf gti...fab car truly...but one day the bonnet catch cable snapped so found a independent Vw specialist to do the job.

 

All fair do the job was sorted in a couple of hours and if memory serves correct cost was about £50 quid ok I thought cant argue with that....picked up the car and found out driving home I had no head lights ??strange I thought so me being me stuck my head under the bonnet and found that they hadn't re plugged in my head lights not a big grip but honestly come on HOW AMATEUR....that was about 15 years ago since I have gone out of my way to do as much of my own work as possible...

 

But you are rite it is incredibly hard to find honest trust worthy mechanics sad to say...I do have one or two place I think are fab but.....there is always a but ( their labour rate is approximately £75 per hour but at least these people show you what and where they have repaired and always give me back the knackered bits to show me ) but these are my last resort when I have my back against the wall.

 

Great thread topic fella.

 

All the best Bones

Edited August 8, 2011 by Vw.bones

[4eyes2wheels 0]

This is exactly why I do the 280 mile round trip to DG Autotech :bonk:

[Jim 1]

Thankfully I'm no more than 45 minutes from DG Autotech and 30 minutes from Stealth Racing. I have on occasion used a local garage and been quite pleased with the service I've had but certainly is reassuring to know that if something comes up that I want a VW & enthusiast minded eye to look at, I've got options!

[Critical_Mass 10]

I feel lucky ive got a trust private VW Specialist to go to, wouldnt trust anyone else with it. Only charges £25+VAT per hour and get parts at trade price. He doesnt do the MOT when i take it down his mate down the road does. But again he does a good job too.

 

I agree, alot of places dont like putting themselves out with repairing stuff or even taking certain jobs on even though youd be willing to pay for the job

 

Kwik-fit- urrgh took my little pug there once when i had it, but never ever again after the mess they made of the job. Same applies to nationwide centres at halfords branches. They broke not one but TWO locking keys when attempting to get the wheels off the rado. They used the air gun and denied it when i confronted them about it, even though i saw them do it!!! muppets.

 

Never again, id always go to a private garage, but that by no means guarantees a good job, though at least their lively hood depends alot on reputation and therefore good jobs. Larger garages like dealers, kwik fit and the like dont from my experience seem to care - though im not saying they're all like that.

[Laser Mark 0]

I understand that looking for a garage is difficult, I think that I've been really lucky, a mate of mine is a mechanic, very fastidious, and picky on what he does. His Dad owns the business and as I've been going there since I was able to drive (15 years now) we get on well and he knows I'm picky about my car.

 

Another bonus is that there are only 3 employees, and each of them has, or is involved with cars or motorbikes as a hobby.

Plus they are really cheap, old parts are kept to show you, and I get a good discount. :)

[owen g60 10]

i no longer use garages to repair my cars... i have 3 mates who work in small private garages and are some of the best mechanics i have seen (their project cars prove this to me.... one being uk's fastest 1/4 mile Citroen AX)

 

I also have a friend who is a MOT tester.... helps a lot when it comes to lowered + wide wheels.

 

 

Only thing i ever need to get looked at is tracking... took my car to Pro-tyre.... they charged £100 for 4 wheel alignment and balancing.... managed to slash an intercooler hose and split an outer CV boot (didnt notice this one until i started to get a wobble so took a wheel off to check bolts etc... found shed loads of grease sprayed all over the inside of the arch and alloy)!!!! They have so far denied this despite my coolant being all over the floor in their workshop.

 

To make matters worse they must have taken the G60 out for a 'spin' after doing it... i reset MFA before giving it to them.... miraculously had 34 miles on it after and running at 10.4 MPG!!!!

[aide 0]

try your local VAG scene Alex if you haven't already, when i first moved here I was recommended a guy 5 mins from home by a local forum - first time I walked into a pretty nondescript workshop i was greeted with a mk1 16v, a mkii 1.8t and a mkII rocco - the first two of which were his. previously he was a master tech at VW, and in my mind a guy that's made his hobby his business/ vice versa is always going to take care of similar vehicles better than a 'corporate' or 'all makes' outfit.

 

i've had some shocking jobs done on my daily too, worst was insufficient oil in an auto box - no dipstick available - which caused me to edge out of junctions and then stutter in front of oncoming traffic :eek:

 

to a degree garages are on a hiding to nothing, they have to book cars in to keep busy, then guestimate the time and the parts needed, any additional issues or new parts and their fire fighting both the waiting owner and the increasing backlog - tricky.

 

i think you're doing the right thing doing as much as you can yourself, if you want a job done properly and all that...

[robrado974 1]

So many people in the same boat . There is mechanic at the bottom of our road who is great , he is always booked solid because of his rep .I work down there on my own car ,he helps me when im not sure of something . Be nice if there was a few more like him around .

[Critical_Mass 10]

So many people in the same boat . There is mechanic at the bottom of our road who is great , he is always booked solid because of his rep .I work down there on my own car ,he helps me when im not sure of something . Be nice if there was a few more like him around .

 

Thats what mine is like. Infact he's like that to alot of his customers, hes always on the phone helping someone out, usually me :lol: its a wonder if he gets anything done.

 

Mechanics like this are worth their weight in gold to be honest. You need someone you can trust and you know who'll do a good job. ALex is there anyone on here in your area that can recommend you a decent garage. Maybe worth creating a sticky in the suppliers forum for known good mechanics in specified areas?

[Vw.bones 10]

Have to say I am loving the feed back from this thread as for myself I live in halesowen in the westmidlands I would love to find a friendly master mechanic..like its been said before these rare guys are worth their weight in gold.

 

Bones

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

Only 3 other members of the forum from dundee if I recall... And I've not seen any on line for ages. I would be better posting on SVAG or another Scottish based forum I think. but worth a go. Theres some things I just can't do on a driveway in the rain, doing it yourself is all well and good but a roof and proper tools is alway a bonus and a privilege I'm more than willing to pay for!

[Critical_Mass 10]

Yeah i hear you. I was working on the brakes on the car over the weekend, which is parked on the street and it was raining at times - wasnt fun. Especially when you have to stop to allow the heavy rain to pass - wasting time. Ive considered buying a marquee type cover before. Obviously useless where i live now as my drive is slanted and have to do any work on the street.

[Sideways Steve 10]

Alex, if your willing to drive down to Rosyth you want to be off to see Ralph Payne (known as VW Ralph in the VW/Audi Scene hes an Ex VW Motorsport Technician and even wrote some of the tech manuals for VW back in the late 80's Early 90's

 

You have to call and book an appointment as his workshop is located within the MOD part of Rosyth Dockyard, this is one of the main reasons he is also able to keep his costs down.

 

The number for him is 01383 412131 then ask for extension #63971

 

You will not be dissapointed.

 

One thing to remember though is he basically now does it all as a hobby so will only take on certain jobs but he also has guys he uses for stuff now like clutches and MOT's

 

I have never used garages and always done my own work on all my cars but for things like MOT's or setting up the fuelling and alignment I dont have any other choice. when it comes to VW's Ralph is the only guy I would go to.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

Alex, if your willing to drive down to Rosyth you want to be off to see Ralph Payne

 

Not too far away at the end of the day... I may well give him a tinkle after I've sorted out an MOT. Get him to give the car a good once over... Give me ideas as to what I should really be doing next. Thanks!

[craigowl 0]

Your experiences, Alex, are 70% typical of my experiences with garages since I, or my wife first owned cars in 1968. Whether, in Dundee, Ayr, Paisley, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Broxburn or Grangemouth. total disenchantment at one time or another in all these towns/cities.

 

We have two quite reasonable garages in Linlithgow, and I have heard by word of mouth of an allegedly good guy in Bo'ness.

Good to hear, too, of the guy in Rosyth (thanks Sideways Steve.)

Edited August 10, 2011 by craigowl

[Portent 0]

I generally use VAG main dealers because I've owned my 2003 4mo since it was 6 months old and keeping the VAG SH has been worth it. But even VAG dealers vary in quality. However I am really happy with my current one (Colbornes in Hersham, Surrey).

 

As it's getting older, last year I did use a local indie in Kingston to replace the brake pedal switch. The idea was to give them a small job and if I was happy then I would use them regularly. But it was poor service. Not only did they open the garage very late (with me waiting outside on a yellow line getting late for work) but they didn't put the under dash trim back on properly afterwards. It rattled like hell until I did it myself. It may be a minor point but it was shoddy and probably an indication of their future work. So I take it back to Colbornes again now and am happy again (although it's much more expensive obviously).

 

I'm not sure where I'm going to take the Corrado yet. I doubt Colbornes have anyone there who has worked on one recently and I'd prefer to take it somwhere that has.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

I generally use VAG main dealers because I've owned my 2003 4mo since it was 6 months old and keeping the VAG SH has been worth it. But even VAG dealers vary in quality. However I am really happy with my current one (Colbornes in Hersham, Surrey).

 

lucky mate, VW garages are at the end of the day franchises... and vary quite a bit just like kwick-fits etc..