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I’d like to reply to some of the points you mention, even though nothing was mentioned at the time of collection or at any other time in the previous week, we are always here to discuss any concerns customers have.
"but was still left wondering how 16 spark plugs, a belt and an oil and filter change would take 5 hours. So i headed back off to reading for a pint."
When a customer arrives after 9am in the morning, the workshop is already loaded with some of the days work (we open at 8.15) and only when the next slot/space becomes available are we able to start on another car. If there is a time constaint, then we tell customers to get to us by 8.30 and their car would be the 1st cars in the workshop if not there can be a couple of hours wait, depending on cars already started on.
"It was after about 30 minutes my phone pinged and i saw my car was on the Move. Now for me the only time a car should be road tested is when the customer has a specific issue at a certain speed or road condition."
All cars are road tested after work has been carried out in your instance, possible misfire after disturbing the plug leads during plug change, the knock you have, even though there isn’t any substantial wear in the arb bushes. It would be a different story if we hadn’t road tested your car and it had a misfire or the knock you are seeking was something else, how can we locate a noise if we can not hear it?
"I walked the little way back to star to be told that my car was ready, But they could not do the drive belt and the Anti Roll bar bushes did not require replacing.
The drive belt was not replaced as the fan coupling is seized to the waster pump, hence the slight marking on the nut (at no time would we ever use a chisel? to release a coupling)
So now i am thinking you have had my car since 9 am and its now 1 pm and all you have done is change the oil and the plugs."
As above
"Now my tracker had a speed alert which was not breached thankfully, but that does not mean some little OIK did not spend a few minutes having some fun in a customers car.
As you can imagine at the point of paying i was to say the least a little mad, so rather than ending up in a police cell that evening i just wanted to get away."
I resent the fact that you insinuate “some little oik” has had some fun in your car, surely if an employee was going to have some fun in a customers car, the 1st thing they would do would be to excessively exceed to the speed limit, We road test far more powerful and capable cars every week and they are all treated with respect.
"I have noticed now on my car. first is there is an alarming grinding noise when on full right lock from the off side front, (never there before) also now on cold start there is a very Noticeable knocking sound for a while like you would get from a tappet or lifter."
We have only replaced the items that you supplied to us and didn’t carry out any repairs to the suspension, 202’s are known for wheel hop on full lock, could it be this?
A lifter noise can appear after an oil change as the oil is thinner, it will disappear as the oil ages and thickens up (you supplied the oil and filter)
"Also i was informed by star that my rear tires would be due for change in a couple of thousand miles, Which leads me to think some one had a bit of fun, as i had the fronts replaced 2 weeks ago and was told that there was 6mm left on the rear so they would be good for at least 6 months or so."
Tyre wear rates are only a matter of opinion, we would rather err on the side of caution then you drive with bald ones.
Again if someone is “have some fun” surely the 30mph speed limit would have been exceeded and the tyres would have signs of abnormal wear and molten rubber on the inside of the wheel arches?
"Why are customers cars taken to a dead end road, ( i will attach a screen shot showing the location for anyone else who might be thinking of taking their car there."
I would think that your gps/screenshot can not be too accurate, it shows your car in a private boat yard on the bank of a river where there isn’t a road? Although its only 70yrds away, I doubt its accessible by car.
As to the valeters, they are only 50yrds away, we have used them for over a year now and have never experienced any issues with them, we pass their premises over 50+ times a day and have never seen a car of ours away from there.
"I am now thinking if it is possible to get the ecu interrogated to see if the ESP system was turned off last friday at any point."
At no point would we want to or need to switch off your esp.
As you say in one of your previous posts, “I don't trust anyone with my car” and I think we are a victim of your paranoia.
If you like to any of the above with myself, please call anytime.
Regards Ian
"but was still left wondering how 16 spark plugs, a belt and an oil and filter change would take 5 hours. So i headed back off to reading for a pint."
When a customer arrives after 9am in the morning, the workshop is already loaded with some of the days work (we open at 8.15) and only when the next slot/space becomes available are we able to start on another car. If there is a time constaint, then we tell customers to get to us by 8.30 and their car would be the 1st cars in the workshop if not there can be a couple of hours wait, depending on cars already started on.
"It was after about 30 minutes my phone pinged and i saw my car was on the Move. Now for me the only time a car should be road tested is when the customer has a specific issue at a certain speed or road condition."
All cars are road tested after work has been carried out in your instance, possible misfire after disturbing the plug leads during plug change, the knock you have, even though there isn’t any substantial wear in the arb bushes. It would be a different story if we hadn’t road tested your car and it had a misfire or the knock you are seeking was something else, how can we locate a noise if we can not hear it?
"I walked the little way back to star to be told that my car was ready, But they could not do the drive belt and the Anti Roll bar bushes did not require replacing.
The drive belt was not replaced as the fan coupling is seized to the waster pump, hence the slight marking on the nut (at no time would we ever use a chisel? to release a coupling)
So now i am thinking you have had my car since 9 am and its now 1 pm and all you have done is change the oil and the plugs."
As above
"Now my tracker had a speed alert which was not breached thankfully, but that does not mean some little OIK did not spend a few minutes having some fun in a customers car.
As you can imagine at the point of paying i was to say the least a little mad, so rather than ending up in a police cell that evening i just wanted to get away."
I resent the fact that you insinuate “some little oik” has had some fun in your car, surely if an employee was going to have some fun in a customers car, the 1st thing they would do would be to excessively exceed to the speed limit, We road test far more powerful and capable cars every week and they are all treated with respect.
"I have noticed now on my car. first is there is an alarming grinding noise when on full right lock from the off side front, (never there before) also now on cold start there is a very Noticeable knocking sound for a while like you would get from a tappet or lifter."
We have only replaced the items that you supplied to us and didn’t carry out any repairs to the suspension, 202’s are known for wheel hop on full lock, could it be this?
A lifter noise can appear after an oil change as the oil is thinner, it will disappear as the oil ages and thickens up (you supplied the oil and filter)
"Also i was informed by star that my rear tires would be due for change in a couple of thousand miles, Which leads me to think some one had a bit of fun, as i had the fronts replaced 2 weeks ago and was told that there was 6mm left on the rear so they would be good for at least 6 months or so."
Tyre wear rates are only a matter of opinion, we would rather err on the side of caution then you drive with bald ones.
Again if someone is “have some fun” surely the 30mph speed limit would have been exceeded and the tyres would have signs of abnormal wear and molten rubber on the inside of the wheel arches?
"Why are customers cars taken to a dead end road, ( i will attach a screen shot showing the location for anyone else who might be thinking of taking their car there."
I would think that your gps/screenshot can not be too accurate, it shows your car in a private boat yard on the bank of a river where there isn’t a road? Although its only 70yrds away, I doubt its accessible by car.
As to the valeters, they are only 50yrds away, we have used them for over a year now and have never experienced any issues with them, we pass their premises over 50+ times a day and have never seen a car of ours away from there.
"I am now thinking if it is possible to get the ecu interrogated to see if the ESP system was turned off last friday at any point."
At no point would we want to or need to switch off your esp.
As you say in one of your previous posts, “I don't trust anyone with my car” and I think we are a victim of your paranoia.
If you like to any of the above with myself, please call anytime.
Regards Ian