Competent Mechanics - is it too much to ask?

**Lionelgee** · 19th September 2016, 10:05 AM

Hello All,

I was without my daily driver a VY Commodore for two days last week while I was getting everything it needed done before I take a driving holiday.

The car came back with greasy paw prints all over each door, on the roof over the bonnet, engine covers begrimed.

Previously, I had paid for an inspection that I wanted an itemised costing for so I knew what I was up for in advance. They did the check and I had to hound them for two weeks before they could produce the itemised list. "Oh we had a government contract which we had to tender for and were too busy doing that." This was after I had paid for the inspection on the day the work was done.

I asked repeatedly that the costing included a full service and tuning. I checked the list guess what was not included? Part of this quote was a steering control arm bushes kit.

Today I dropped the car off to get a new set of tyres, balance and alignment at a tyre company. The tyre people said they could not do the alignment because the tie rod arm was flogged out and about to fall off! The upper bushes were also unserviceable. The front struts were "wait and see". This was after the mechanics at a workshop had the car for two days!

Now I am up for a bill of $1700 including tyres for new front struts new upper bushes new tie rods. All after I asked for the mechanic to get everything done so I could just get a new set of tyres - balance and alignment.

There goes 20 years of going to the same mechanic. It was a father son operation where two sons were apprenticed to the father+ a couple of other tradespeople. The father retired, one son left and the remaining son only works there part-time. This leaves day to day operations of the business being run by a shop foreman.

I used to be a TAFE trade teacher - not a mechanic - I used to assess whether people were competent or get this "Not Yet Competent"... If I wrote down what I thought of the mechanics at that workshop I would have wasted my subscription to the forum.

What come back do I have? I have already paid the mechanic's bill.

Kind Regards
Lionel

**loanrangie** · 19th September 2016, 10:30 AM

Thats why i never take any vehicle to a mechanic, i'd rather bugger it myself than pay some one to bugger it for me

.

**Homestar** · 19th September 2016, 11:04 AM

Yeah, there's some bad ones out there, but there are good ones too. I've recently experienced both with a fault on the X Trail I needed someone to look at.

Went in and chatted to No 1 Mechanic - "You're throttle bodies stuffed, you can't just change the sensor you did and get away with it, parts alone are $600, plus whatever else we find and a few hours labour.

I left there quick smart and went to No 2 Mechanic - "Yeah, sometimes the ECU gets confused about where the throttle is after you change that - It will only take me 1/2 hour max to sort it"

No 2 mechanic got the job, fixed the car as promised in half an hour - and while he had his computer on the engine found another sensor that was on the way out and called me before changing it ($45 for the part - no extra labur charge for changing it). Total bill - $105.00

You know who I'm going back to if I ever need to again.

**Lionelgee** · 19th September 2016, 11:28 AM

G'day All,

I just got back from the Tyre place after going to the bank to withdraw the full amount. The job is not finished yet however I don't like carrying cash around on me. The bloke at the Tyre place did the proper calculations, not just an over the phone estimate and it was $100 more. So that is $1800 forked out today.

This is after being told in the big rush for the mechanic to close shop at 5:00 pm on Friday - after they had it for two days that it is "all good and nothing more needs to be done on the car". I paid $1500 on Friday and I had to clean their greasy paw prints off my white paint and engine as well.

Kind Regards
Lionel

**Lionelgee** · 19th September 2016, 03:37 PM

Hello All,

Oh and now add to the list - the first lot of mechanics not being competent enough to tighten a newly fitted coolant hose properly.

Kind Regards
Lionel

**AK83** · 19th September 2016, 04:33 PM

Loose hose clamps and general all round laziness don't compare when the last idiot 'we' dealt with didn't tighten the front brake caliper bolts up enough(or to spec, or however tight they're supposed to be).

Needless to say, one loose (and subsequently lost) caliper bolt makes for freaky braking when you're not expecting it!

I'm going to start a new thread about bush fixes.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 19th September 2016, 04:38 PM

How soon you leaving tassie Justin?

**Lionelgee** · 19th September 2016, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by AK83

Loose hose clamps and general all round laziness don't compare when the last idiot 'we' dealt with didn't tighten the front brake caliper bolts up enough(or to spec, or however tight they're supposed to be).

Needless to say, one loose (and subsequently lost) caliper bolt makes for freaky braking when you're not expecting it!

I'm going to start a new thread about bush fixes.

G'day AK83,

I did mention earlier about the flogged out tie rod end ... I think being able to steer is a pretty important thing especially while at oh say 100 Ks it would be up there with being able to brake.

Kind Regards
Lionel

**LandyAndy** · 19th September 2016, 08:01 PM

I would go to consumer protection.
You wont get a cent back but at least you get to name and shame the business.If they find something amiss it may cost them.
Tools like that give good mechanics a real bad name.
GOODLUCK.
Andrew

Road Stone · 19th September 2016, 08:18 PM

Reminds me of when I bought my brand new D3 in 2006 from a well known LR dealership in the Gold Coast area.

It went there for the first service and came back with many oily paw prints on the interior.

Here however is different, its not that they miss things but take things and replace with worn out old bits. Alternators/starters/shocks etc.

That's why I sit there and watch. But like already stated I try and do things myself too and end up enjoying a successful outcome.

Good luck and understand your feelings.

Cheers, Jerry

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