I say ladies, because I feel that we can sometimes get a raw deal, but here's a cautionary tale for us all...

My car just went in for its 36,000 mile service to a large dealer/garage in sheffield...

I was later alarmed to get a phone call telling me that my exhaust had cracked and I needed a new catalytic converter. This would cost me £492 including VAT and labour.

As a girl, I know **** all about cars, so rang my boyfriend to get his advice before I gave said garage the go ahead. He was quite incredulous about the amount, so popped into National Autocare at the bottom of the Moor, to see what their opinion maybe.

On their advice, I told the franchise dealership "No, thanks" and took it down to National Autocare. They looked at the problem, and told me that all I need is a new pipe. Grand total of £72...

I've been a loyal customer of the large dealership for over 2 years now, and I have always (obviously somewhat mistakenly) thought I was getting a decent, honest service. I knew that they may perhaps charge a little bit more, but £420 extra is a joke!!!

Is there a mechanics ombudsman I can report them too?

I doubt if it has much, or indeed anything, to do with gender. In my experience the big garages tend to charge excessive rates for services and repairs - especially if your car needs to be serviced by an authorised garage in order to preserve the warranty.

Anyone who thinks they are getting good service at a fair price from a main dealer would be very naive to say the least. It's not just a case of "ladies beware" either, as most blokes, contrary to popular belief, don't really know that much about cars either. Main dealers get away with it because of customer ignorance and gullibility........most of em haven't a clue, they are easy pickings. The best thing to do for future, is to find a local garage that has been recommended by friends,neighbours, family etc and you'll find you get a good job done at a fair price.

I agree with magneteer. You are better off going to a local garage, possibly recommended by someone, to get a fair deal. When you find a decent one who doesn't rip you off, you take your custom back, so it pays for them too. These big dealers sometimes take the absolute p**s.

which large dealer is it???

its not hartwell vauxhall on saville street is it???

my boyfriend works there.... :suspect:

I agree with LordChaverly in as far as this is not exclusive to women.

I used to work for a well known German car Sales & Service dept not to far from you and had these issue daily.

Your first port of call should be the Service Manager.

Write to him explaining what has happend, tell him that you are very dissapointed by your experience and that it has left you thinking how much over the odds you have spent with their organisation believing you were getting value for money and that it has left a bitter taste in your mouth.

Have a clear idea what you want to achieve before writting to him/her. In my experience, they will offer you something if they value you as a customer, be it a free service, free valet or something.

Always remember, the higher up the ladder the complaint goes within an organisation, the more expensive the compensation will get. So if you don't get anywhere with the Service Manager, go to the next level.

Have a look at these links, there is a more specific website, but for the life of me I can not remember the details.

Hope this helps and good luck.

http://www.rmif.co.uk/
http://www.oft.gov.uk
http://www.motortradingstandards.co.uk

Originally posted by joi5ey
which large dealer is it???

its not hartwell vauxhall on saville street is it???

my boyfriend works there.... :suspect:

Don't get me started on them :rant:

Missing engine bolt, steering coupling not fitted like they said, MOT not done :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:


I'm glad it's out of warranty, so I can take it to somebody who knows what they're doing :suspect:

A full exhaust with a "cat" on it will set you back a few hundred quid.

Maybe this garage in question was looking to replace the entire lot, either out of safety / genuine need for replacement or possibly that the part they stock is now a single piece unit. If that's the case, then it's just another example of our 'throwaway society'.

However, if it were me, I would consider getting the 'cat' checked. It could be due for replacement, especially as you said you've had a 36,000 mile service (3 years) and may not be performing properly.

I was eventually driven to a main dealer (Dixon - excuse the pun) with surprising results. There is a fixed charge for the engine diagnostics check and if I want something specific done like a new throttle cable, they know how long it will take and charge accordingly. Sixteen quid in total.

My last bill was six hundred quid but that's down to me not looking under the car before I bought it. All the brake pipes needed replacing. Specialist job - and they made them up and fitted them.

Local garage for some stuff, main dealer for the rest.

There was an article in the Sunday Times Driving Section today and it has been proved that women are being charged up to 25% more. The survey was down thoughout the country. the article featured a woman who took her car for the mot and got a bill for over £600 when she asked another garage how much it would have cost to get through the mot on what it fail on it turned out to be £19 not counting the cost of the mot. This has been reported to the trading standards and they are talking about checking out garages using female inspectors as the "bait" as well as male inspectors and seeing if they get the same bill for cars in a similar condition.

So we will have to see what happens.

Originally posted by LordChaverly
I doubt if it has much, or indeed anything, to do with gender. In my experience the big garages tend to charge excessive rates for services and repairs - especially if your car needs to be serviced by an authorised garage in order to preserve the warranty.

You will find you do not need to have your car serviced by the main dealer to maintain the warranty. A fact that the main dealers have never told the public about in the past but now have to by law tell you.

Hi,

I too being a girl took the car to a large car dealership in sheffield because its service was due, and like someone has said you have to take it to the dealership to keep up with the warranty.

So off it went to find out a price £195.00 I was told as it needed an intrim service. I could'nt believe the price in fact i was gobsmacked, I said I would have to think about it and come back to them.

I went away and phoned another car dealership in sheffield a fairly new one £45 for an intrim service, what? £45 for an intrim service.

Whats all that about? you can obviously guess where I went.

Rip off.

Originally posted by Bloomdido
I was eventually driven to a main dealer (Dixon - excuse the pun) with surprising results. There is a fixed charge for the engine diagnostics check and if I want something specific done like a new throttle cable, they know how long it will take and charge accordingly. Sixteen quid in total.

My last bill was six hundred quid but that's down to me not looking under the car before I bought it. All the brake pipes needed replacing. Specialist job - and they made them up and fitted them.

Local garage for some stuff, main dealer for the rest.
I rest my case. Here is a classic example of a bloke who hasn't got a clue. He actually thinks that replacing brake pipes is a specialist job and is willing to pay £600 for the privilage. Unless it's a Rolls or similar, then he's probably overpaid by about £400. See......... theres one born every minute.

Secret Servicing Guide revealed by Honest John! (http://htdig.honestjohn.co.uk/news/index.htm?news_id=380)

A good website for all sorts of car buying/selling/repairing stuff.

it's not just dealers either. My SO took a fiesta into quikfit for replacement shoes on the rear. They told her it needed new drums as well, unfortunately she told them okay before she told me. 400 quid for a job that should have been 50.

The manufacturers also seem to do some things to deliberately push up the price.
I had a clutch cable (i thought) fail a few weeks ago.
It turns out that it's a clutch cylinder, inside the gearbox housing. Duh, what a stupid piece of design. So gearbox out, 4 hours labour, cylinder 195!!! and after looking it turns out that it's ford genuine or nothing... And since the gearbox is out, may as well have a part worn clutch replaced as well. 450, for something that with a cable would have been free with the AA.

Hmmm, my car needs to go to a main dealer as it's still under warranty. Took it in beginning of Jan because the brakes were 'squeeling' and asked them to check it over. They replaced the front brake pads (£135) and said everything else was ok. Couple of weeks later a horrid grinding noise started at the back so took it in again next day and this time they said the rear calipers had ceased on so had to have them replaced and the rear brake pads, cost just short of £400 so that was around £550 on brakes in the space of 3 weeks!!! :loopy: