Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

Car repairs

edited January 2017 in Troubleshooting
Two weeks ago my car went to the garage to have the bumper repaired after someone hit me from behind. This was paid for by that person.

When we picked up my car they told me there was a problem with the driver's window which wouldn't go up. I stupidly told them it had happened once before about six months previously. After leaving the garage, the window spent the next few days constantly going down and being very difficult to go up.

The original accident repair wasn't done properly and we had to take it back and I asked them to look at the window whilst it was there. I was told that it was a module on the window motor and as my car is a Chevrolet, it would costs a total of £320 to fix. I had no option but to have it done and we have a courtesy car whilst it is being done.

Yesterday we found that a headlight bulb on the courtesy car wasn't working so called into the garage to get it changed. When I drove into the garage I saw my car on the forecourt with the passenger window half down. I used my key to close it and I complained to the garage that the window was left down and said that in view of the fact that they had left it down, I thought it possible that they did that when they originally had the car and that might have caused the window electrics to fail. They disputed this and said water does get into car doors and there are drain holes in the bottom for it to drain away.

Is it acceptable to leave a car with the window down - they subsequently told me that it is in case the car is locked and they can't get into it.

Comments

  • very poor in my opinion wouldnt want rain getting in the electrics!!
    you should have done the window yourself
    parts are very cheap ur paying labour to strip the door panels off
    when u get it back check all the inside door panels and pieces are all nicely fitted back as a lot of the old fixing clips break getting the panels off
  • Have you answered the question yourself then mate?
  • The part itself costs £205 the rest is labour & VAT.

    All the doors were locked but the window was left open. Why bother to lock the doors and leave a window open. I'm sure that as I am a woman they think they can say anything and because I know nothing about cars they will get away with it.
  • Collected my car from garage this morning and had a big row with them.

    They told me that they leave cars outside on the forecourt locked, but with a window down in case they can't get into them. What's the point of locking the car but leaving the window down, might just as well leave it unlocked.

    Does anyone think this is an acceptable practice for a garage? I was going to warn others on their Facebook page but would this leave me open to action from the garage?
  • ridiculous stance, should be locked with the window(s) up and the key safely in a locked key safe in their office
  • Also when I picked up the car this morning, it was parked just outside their office, left unlocked and with the key in the ignition. He told me that he could run faster than they could get away if someone got in. If anything happened I bet my insurance company wouldn't pay.
  • Also when I picked up the car this morning, it was parked just outside their office, left unlocked and with the key in the ignition. He told me that he could run faster than they could get away if someone got in. If anything happened I bet my insurance company wouldn't pay.

    Sounds like an absolute joker! What an excuse. If that's his attitude I'm not suprised his workmanship is shoddy.
  • Also when I picked up the car this morning, it was parked just outside their office, left unlocked and with the key in the ignition. He told me that he could run faster than they could get away if someone got in. If anything happened I bet my insurance company wouldn't pay.

    Surely it would be their insurance in this case.

    As long as what you post is what they say they do with vehicles in their care I think you can tell the world what they do.
  • Collected my car from garage this morning and had a big row with them.

    They told me that they leave cars outside on the forecourt locked, but with a window down in case they can't get into them. What's the point of locking the car but leaving the window down, might just as well leave it unlocked.

    Does anyone think this is an acceptable practice for a garage? I was going to warn others on their Facebook page but would this leave me open to action from the garage?

    I think it says it all ME14 when they doubt their own ability - 'with a window down in case they can't get into them'. What sort of garage does that, or tells their customer.

    The customer is king, I'd go elsewhere.

    PS Don't put anything on FB. Most recommendations are word of mouth, in this case there won't be any.



  • Collected my car from garage this morning and had a big row with them.

    They told me that they leave cars outside on the forecourt locked, but with a window down in case they can't get into them. What's the point of locking the car but leaving the window down, might just as well leave it unlocked.

    Does anyone think this is an acceptable practice for a garage? I was going to warn others on their Facebook page but would this leave me open to action from the garage?

    Erhhh...

    Also when I picked up the car this morning, it was parked just outside their office, left unlocked and with the key in the ignition. He told me that he could run faster than they could get away if someone got in. If anything happened I bet my insurance company wouldn't pay.

    Those bits are obviously a bit concerning due to the blatant contradiction.

    The insurance bit may not be a huge worry - if something had happened to your property whilst under their responsibility, I'd presume their business insurance would cover it. (Albeit, I dare say they'd still have to lie - but at least it would be them committing fraud and not you.)

    As far as leaving feedback on facebook; I doubt you have anything to worry about. It's not libelous as it's a true and accurate account of your actions, I would hazard a guess that it's no more legally questionable than posting a review on Amazon.
  • Sponsored links:


  • I've never had a garage leave my windows open or doors unlocked and it seems ridiculous to me.

    However, I don't see what you can do other than not use them again.
  • I certainly won't be using them again.

    My window did go down by itself once, about six months ago, but hadn't done it again until we went to pick the car up after the first (botched) repair. Seems very strange that it should do it again after they had it in their 'care' for three days.

    They are adamant that water can't have got into this module, as it is a sealed unit and that as I had the problem once before it was in the car's system and they can't be blamed for it.
  • edited January 2017
    Sounds a bit like a (different) garage who when I went to collect my car and asked exactly what they had done to cure a fault - it was not clear on the bill - the chap in reception condescendingly told me that I wouldn't understand.

    After giving him a good earful about his assumptions about our relative abilities, I said "why not just test my understanding?" at which point it became apparent HE didn't understand!! Stood my ground until somebody came from the workshop to explain to my satisfaction. Some will say anything to fob you off for their inefficiency (a bit like someone else we all know...)

    You are the customer (& evidently not a fan!). Your requirement for your car to be locked, with the windows closed when they were not working on it was perfectly reasonable.

    There must be someone in a superior position you can complain to - is it a dealership? Does it have AA or RAC rating? If so, they would surely follow this up.
  • N01R4M said:

    Sounds a bit like a (different) garage who when I went to collect my car and asked exactly what they had done to cure a fault - it was not clear on the bill - the chap in reception condescendingly told me that I wouldn't understand.

    After giving him a good earful about his assumptions about our relative abilities, I said "why not just test my understanding?" at which point it became apparent HE didn't understand!! Stood my ground until somebody came from the workshop to explain to my satisfaction. Some will say anything to fob you off for their inefficiency (a bit like someone else we all know...)

    You are the customer (& evidently not a fan!). Your requirement for your car to be locked, with the windows closed when they were not working on it was perfectly reasonable.

    There must be someone in a superior position you can complain to - is it a dealership? Does it have AA or RAC rating? If so, they would surely follow this up.

    Unfortunately the people I dealt with are the proprietors so cannot complain about their actions. They are a member of 'Trust my Car' so I could try complaining to them. I might contact Trading Standards but not sure if they would cover something like this.
  • edited January 2017

    I certainly won't be using them again.

    My window did go down by itself once, about six months ago, but hadn't done it again until we went to pick the car up after the first (botched) repair. Seems very strange that it should do it again after they had it in their 'care' for three days.

    They are adamant that water can't have got into this module, as it is a sealed unit and that as I had the problem once before it was in the car's system and they can't be blamed for it.

    I have to admit that I haven't looked at the guts of a car door since they had those handle thingies that you turned in a circle. But it makes sense to me that anything electrical would be a sealed unit. A lot of moisture gets into car doors anytime you wind a wet window down and the seals themselves are far from waterproof. There would also be condensation to contend with would there not? Here's a picture of the inside of a random door showing a plastic moisture barrier.
    image

    Edited to add: Have you checked to make sure the drain holes at the bottom of your doors are not blocked with debris. (The garage should have done this but worth a couple of minutes on your hands and knees to double check.) honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=102707
  • Certainly contact "Trust My Car", if only because you will have a "witness" to your dissatisfaction if the garage's latest job on your car turns our to be unsatisfactory. They should at least give the garage a "wake up" by asking them about the issue. Maybe do as above suggestion & check the drain holes - may give you another complaint to add! A small mirror will save you getting on hands and knees.

    Once you've composed the email, it is little extra effort to send also to Trading Standards, even if it does turn out to fall outside their remit. If they get more than one customer making similar complaints, they may do something. At the very least, they should offer you other suggestions of to whom to take your complaint.

    Another issue which would have annoyed me is that, in the high humidity weather we have been having, leaving the window open means the upholstery will have got damp, making the problem of the car "misting up" inside worse on cold days. (Cheeky suggestion - If this is an issue, maybe THE GARAGE should pay the cost of hiring a dehumidifier?! Some hope!)
  • That's the biggest load of nonsense I've heard for a while from a garage. I've got a lot of family and friends in the motor trade and besides that like to think I know a fair bit, the only reason for leaving a car unlocked, with windows down or with keys in the ignition is if you are working on it. Or pure unprofessional laziness.

    The boss should have a safe or locked cabinet for keys and I imagine the only reason he doesn't is he doesn't want his staff bothering him for them. Which is shit.

    Who was it you used? ME14 I assume is your postcode which is fairly local to me I know plenty of people to take proper care of your car in future if you like
  • Thanks @cafcfan @Carter @N01R4M for your comments and suggestions. The garage was Lordswood Motorists Centre in Chatham.

    Haven't checked the drain holes yet but will do so when I can.

    I will also contact Trust my Car and Trading standards.
  • There are some fantastic mechanics and some dodgy ones - when you find a good one you trust stick with them. I have been ripped off in the past, but our current mechanic is brilliant - if there is nothing wrong he actually says there is nothing wrong! Unfortunately he is in Herts.
  • N01R4M said:

    Sounds a bit like a (different) garage who when I went to collect my car and asked exactly what they had done to cure a fault - it was not clear on the bill - the chap in reception condescendingly told me that I wouldn't understand.

    After giving him a good earful about his assumptions about our relative abilities, I said "why not just test my understanding?" at which point it became apparent HE didn't understand!! Stood my ground until somebody came from the workshop to explain to my satisfaction. Some will say anything to fob you off for their inefficiency (a bit like someone else we all know...)

    You are the customer (& evidently not a fan!). Your requirement for your car to be locked, with the windows closed when they were not working on it was perfectly reasonable.

    There must be someone in a superior position you can complain to - is it a dealership? Does it have AA or RAC rating? If so, they would surely follow this up.

    Unfortunately the people I dealt with are the proprietors so cannot complain about their actions. They are a member of 'Trust my Car' so I could try complaining to them. I might contact Trading Standards but not sure if they would cover something like this.
    Where's @Bournemouth Addick when you need him.
  • Sponsored links:


  • Thanks @cafcfan @Carter @N01R4M for your comments and suggestions. The garage was Lordswood Motorists Centre in Chatham.

    Haven't checked the drain holes yet but will do so when I can.

    I will also contact Trust my Car and Trading standards.

    I know them and I know them for wrong reasons, they are shifty insurance job bodger's. A journey over that way isn't wasted though, medway tyres opposite are comfortably the best place to go for tyres in kent. No family connection, They are just very well priced and if you ask them to match a price they usually will
Sign In or Register to comment.

Roland Out Forever!