Independent Garage Review

[pace]

Hi all, people only seem to write when they want to have a moan so I thought you might like to hear of my positive recent experience.
I have just had my 99’C 240 serviced by STAR MOTORS of Caversham, Reading and they did a first class job at a very reasonable price. Customer service was great, the Mechanic I dealt with had a good attitude and was very knowledgeable and I got to drive a nice old 190E for the day as a courtesy car, which bought back memories of my first Merc! But more importantly they have managed to sort out one or two issues over looked (and in one case caused) by the other local independent Garage which serviced the car last time (I defiantly won’t be going back there for several reasons). So it’s a big thumbs up for STAR MOTORS, and no I don’t work for them nor am I associated with them in any way other than being a very satisfied customer!

 

[BlackC55]

It is great to hear these reviews and is very important.

 

[DMT60]

Mercedes specialist.(Portsmouth) Ask me anything!
saturdays lotto numbers would be nice,please email them to me.thanks blackC55

 

[kth286]

Nobody is 100% all the time - it goes with the territory.

As consumers, the important thing is to be able to have a sensible dialogue with your independent, when things do not go right.

There is an advantage in the independent knowing the history of the car and what jobs have been done and what is likely to need doing next time.

So those people that swap around from dealer to dealer when things do not go 100% may not be doing themselves a favour.

Consumers also have a responsibility to take an interest in the mechanics of their car and discuss with independent. ****

That is the BIG benefit of specialist independents - you can normally talk to the decision makers, (the actual tech that worked on the car) which is almost impossible with main dealers.

**** In view of the fact that running a car cost in the region of running a mortgage, it is very much to individual's advantage to take an interest in their car's technical aspects, which I know a lot of people on forums do, probably.

 

[pace]

I appreciate what you are saying, but the last garage left my car with a loud whistle from the engine after the service. I took the car back twice but they refused to take it back in, they said "it is normal for the car to make this noise after the throttle body had been cleaned". I thought this sounded like nonsense and my oppinion was confirmed when I posted on this forum. Other than that they did not address a concern I had with the gear change which was simply put right by Star Motors when they re set the gearbox adaption data. The first garage also fitted non standard parts without my sanction including a K&N air filter element and a very expensive oil addative and judging by the fact that my car no longer makes a clattereing noise when it is started after being left for a week or more (which it only started doing after the previous service) I can only assume it now has an original oil filter fitted again.
Enough said!