National Tyres ! Paid For Work Not Done !

[geordieguy]

Friday night coming home, the brakes on the car had been pulsating, grabbing then letting go, which to me is warped discs, so I rang around while I was in traffic.

Cost to buy a set of Discs £50, new pads £35, this is on a Ford Focus and it is a Two Hour job for me with me hammer.

Called in to National Tyres, Ormskirk. £195 !!!!! But that includes changing the brake fluid.

Because I had been sent a discount leaflet ... £155.

Now the car is 5 yrs old and the brake fluid does need changing and to me that is a pain in the Arse of a job, So for the parts which would be about £95 and £60 labour, fair do. saves me about 4 hrs [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/good.gif[/img]

Dropped the car of yesterday morning, and checked it includes replacing the brake fluid... Yes.

Picked the car up 4.45pm, "take it easy for the first few miles as we had to bleed some of the fluid".

Hang on, you said you would replace it ?

"Yes we did, just some had been lost when we pushed the pistons in ".

Got home and thought I would check the reservoir, on the minimum ! checked the back wheels, the had not been taken off ! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ranting.gif[/img]

So I rang them straight away, after arguing with the mechanic, who said he replaced the fluid by sucking it out of the reservoir ? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif[/img]

He admitted that he had not, and if I bring it in net week he would do it.

" These are the fellas that I rely on to put my Bike tyres on and always get a good deal, new pair to go on in the next few weeks, I bought themseperate and they want £15 to fit and balance both front and rear to loose wheels."

So, what would you do ?

Get them to do the work ? take it some where else and send them the bill ? Complain to HQ ?

[BwfcDave1]

<!--quoteo(post=192935:date=Sun 30th Jan 2011, 09:15 AM:name=Geordie Guy)-->QUOTE(Geordie Guy @ Sun 30th Jan 2011, 09:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->So, what would you do ?

Get them to do the work ? take it some where else and send them the bill ? Complain to HQ ?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'd get them to do it (whilst waiting and observing), then take it up with HQ. If you have it done elsewhere without their agreement then they'd probably argue against refunding you.

General rule - always go to a mechanic you know and trust!

Dave

[catsbum]

Write an informed letter to Head Office, Recorded Delivery. Whats was said, was was actually done

Hang them out to dry. For them to risk your life let alone the deception part of it is wrong.

Martin

[sidestand]

Complain to their HQ - It's fraud, charging you for work they didn't do !
And if they did that to you Ivan, what other shortcuts are they taking - cutting corners on brake jobs is potentially lethal & they need to be stopped.

You also want to tell their HQ you want a report on their actions & telll them you'll be taking it to Trading Standards

And I'd stop taking me bike tyres there to be fitted - a sloppy attitude will apply to all their work - and yo won't be flavour of the month after reporting them [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[TDMTAM]

<!--quoteo(post=192935:date=Sun 30th Jan 2011, 09:15 AM:name=Geordie Guy)-->QUOTE(Geordie Guy @ Sun 30th Jan 2011, 09:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->So, what would you do ?
Get them to do the work ?<!--coloro:#FF0000--><!--/coloro--> Yes give them the chance to rectify the fault, watch them do the work if you can<!--colorc-->
<!--/colorc-->
take it some where else and send them the bill ?<!--coloro:#FF0000--><!--/coloro-->No, not just yet as DaveM say they will just tell you to P off as you cant prove it was them then <!--colorc-->
<!--/colorc-->
Complain to HQ ? <!--coloro:#FF0000--><!--/coloro-->Defiantly. Even if they repair it let their head office know <!--colorc-->
<!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The old Brake Fluid Change was one of the fast fits favorite money makers for a while until it was exposed by one of the watchdog type programs looks like they are trying it on again.
TAM

[Trevini]

Trading standards - that's what they're there for. If they did it to you, they'll almost certainly have done it to someone else. That someone else might not be as mechanically minded as you and may not realise their car could be unsafe.

I wouldn't trust them to do the work again to rectify the faults, would you?

[TDMTAM]

<!--quoteo(post=192940:date=Sun 30th Jan 2011, 10:01 AM:name=trevini)-->QUOTE(trevini @ Sun 30th Jan 2011, 10:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I wouldn't trust them to do the work again to rectify the faults, would you?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No, but apparently you have to give them the opportunity to rectify the faults.

TAM

[LewisBlackburn]

What they said, get them to do the work you've actually paid for then send a polite letter to head office saying you were fearful for you life driving the vehicle, make the most of it basically.

Advise them you've an appointment booked with a solicitor to discuss the matter and they may offer you all sorts.

Mention the watchdog thing and get everything out of the,

Brakes arent something you can pi** around with, You trust a garage to do a propper job and they aint done

Lew [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

[geordieguy]

Letter written to Chairman of Company.

10 days to reply, or take it to trading standards,

want another depot to do the work in the first instance.

Lets see what happens ?

Not using them again, for anything, least of all fitting my new tyres, PR2 [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wub.gif[/img]

Thanks for the replies, Everyone. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/good.gif[/img]

Cheers, Ivan

[wicklamulla]

feckin' shisters !

[geordieguy]

Just an up date.

Wrote to the chairman complaining.

Had a written reply the next day !!!

Area Manager wanted to talk to me., He rang me and Apologised said they would replace all the fluid free of charge.

They said it was a mis-undertanding because the brake fluid replacement was not included in the price.

"That was not what I was told !".

Went today to the same place and stood there while they did it.

No money off, vouchers or discount off next time, nothing.

Moral of the story ? Look, somewhere else, before you leap.

[dicky1]

Doing what you've done, that is spreading the word through this forum and others will cost them. Being a national chain the damage is even greater.

[wicklamulla]

doesn't give ya a warm feeling does it ?

[TKH]

Not as bad as you're experience, but, I rang for a new set of tyres on my car after checking their web price. They quoted the same as the web so I went in, got the tyres done and then they wanted £1o a corner more saying it was a mistake, "yes" I said, "your's, we agreed a price on the phone". That was for a different tyre, they said, we made a mistake. I reminded them of the web price and eventually they backed down. Never been there since and I always took both cars there for tyres. I now use a local guy who's cheaper and a whole lot more trust worthy. BTW if you live Bamber Bridge way I can give you his details. Does good car work as well, but alas doesn't do two wheels.

[leehenty]

er sucking the fluid out of the reservoir is not actually changing the fluid where it matters, in the brake cylinders at the wheel. The only way to do this is to bleed the new fluid through the pipes and out of the nipple. I would have thought a garage would have a pressure bleed kit for this. Just attach unit and go round all the nipples until the fluid flows nice and clean.
As ever if you want it done right do it yourself.

[Catteeclan]

Can't see why they didn't do it, not like it's a hard job. Forgot?