Warning: Identities in this post have been changed to protect the innocent. But as no one is innocent in this sad sign of the times, I've named everyone. Lol.
Took my Omega to local Vx Dealer (Marshalls of Knebworth/Woolmer Green) for an MoT on a Saturday morning; 2 hours later they tell me it's failed on 2 points: fracture on N/S rear coil spring, and misaligned O/S h/lamp. They can't do any of it today (I didn't ask them) because of some ABS recalls on Vectra or Astras or some other fwd tat. Quote for springs is £398, but supervisorman tells me we both know I can get it a lot cheaper elsewhere. Make booking there and then for free retest the next Saturday.
ATS in Stevenage replace both rear coil springs for £150, including alignment. When I go to collect car, they've lost 2 of the wheel nut caps - they find one straight away, and promise to phone me if they find the other when they have their clear up. They do indeed find it and phone me - that's what I call making up for a mistake!
Now to the h/lamp alignment (which ATS can't do as they don't do MoTs there) - I take it to STS Tyre Pro (misnomer if ever I saw one) in Stevenage High Street, tell them the O/S headlamp needs alignment checking. 30 mins later they come back and tell me that BOTH h/lamps are misaligned, not just the O/S, and that try as they might they can't adjust them - they've reached the end of the adjustment range and beams are still shooting out at weird angles. The ONLY fix they say, is a pair of brand new headlamps. I tell them that can't be right - the Vx dealer passed the N/S, why would they do that if it was faulty? "Oh no, they shouldn't have done that, that's naughty... blah blah blah" they reply.
At this point I decide these people are Numpties, but not cowboys - they're tyre fitters after all, they don't sell h/lamps, so they're not trying to rip me off, they just don't know how to use their beam alignment checking device. Then Supervisor Numpty pulls out a calculator and says he'll price up a pair of new headlamps for me. Oh, so they DO do h/lamps - that explains it! Don't bother Mr SupervisorNumpty I say, whatever price you can come up with, I'm sure I can get them cheaper elsewhere and fit them myself! I stomp out.
Back to Vx Dealer for the retest, and tell them the h/lamp alignment still needs doing but I've had the springs done already. 2.5 hours later, they tell it's passed the MoT, and I owe them 585. £585? What?? No, £5.85 for a new bulb. Turns out the alignment was fine, it was just the bulb giving a poor beam pattern in the O/S h/lamp. Gave him £6 and told him to keep the change. Lol.
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Topic: Numpty Garages and Cowboy Garages (Read 1544 times)