Atest drive should not require the garage to put $50 gas in it, even if it was on empty. If they did put that much in, they should have at least asked for a receipt from the garage to show their customer. I hear your frustration, but do you really think adding $50 for gas and then not backing it up with a simple receipt is on! Come on, put yourself in the customers shoes! If I was the garage, I would not have put more than $10 in it AND I would have provided a receipt. That would have been the right thing to do to cover their ass.
austingtir,
Aug 12, 8:58am
What if the car had practically no gas in it to begin with the mechanic probably did it on purpose to stop idiots like this guy wasting his time having to fill it up with gas.OP obviously has no idea how much gas was in it to begin with.Id like to see more facts from OP.Hasnt even said what the total bill was for christs sake!!And $10 of fuel thats lucky to get you around the block these days!+ the #$*%ing about for the mechanic to goto a gas station. the guy is running a business here not a charity.
bigfatmat1,
Aug 12, 9:01am
y should mechanic provide proof you don't have to provide receipts for any other item to keep a car running y should gas be different!
tgray,
Aug 12, 9:46am
A test drive surely doesn't use $50 Gas! Most cars could drive from ak to hamilton return on that! Would you be happy if they said they put that much in to test drive your car (usually a quick spin around the block) and couldn't show it! Unless it was delivered on empty, I think it was foolish to put anything in, and if it was necessary, I would think $20 max is prudent. Putting in $50 gas to check it's running fine is ridiculous.
bigfatmat1,
Aug 12, 9:53am
is it ridiculous equates to twenty litres roughly of 95. we don't know what sort of car. I have taken cars on 100+ k test drives + hours of running in w/shop.
thewomble1,
Aug 12, 3:01pm
I must have hit the nail on the head to get such a reply. You have already charged the customer for the time it takes to repair and the again to put fuel in. The only good that has come out of this discussion is thank god I don't get my car repaired in Napier
splinter67,
Aug 12, 8:46pm
Why would you take a car for a 100+ k test drive not trying to get up you but that seems excessive to me
splinter67,
Aug 12, 8:48pm
Hell yes just because you have a trade cert it dosent mean you can charge like a wounded bull
mopsy3,
Aug 12, 10:23pm
LOL. We have worse. One of our cars has been on a long term loan, they complained last week that it was running poorly so we said bring it back and we will give you another. Friday they ring, doesnt suit them to come in and change will do it Monday. Saturday the thing Craps out in Onewhero and they say to us, We have bad news for you, looks like the engine blew up. Unfortunately, we have bad news for them.
mopsy3,
Aug 12, 10:25pm
If you are looking for intermittent faults it sometimes requires many test drives over several days. Not everything is simple. And dont forget that often a workshop wont charge for labour for all of those test drives either so if you only have to pay fuel you are getting off lightly.
johnf_456,
Aug 13, 5:49am
It sure is, as a honest person here I will have invoices and proof of purchases relating to anything spent on a customer job. It is just descent honesty in my opinion to have these things on hand including worn parts, as there is some cowboys that give us all a bad name and change for a part they have not even touched. Unwillingness just raises suspicion imho.
It is easy to see who the dodgy ones are just by theunwillingness not to supply evidence for the client if requested.
llortmt,
Aug 13, 9:03am
Reading comprehensions not your strong point is it! I charge for the time to repair the car and in order to mitigate costs and losses to both myself AND the customer I charge a premium on the fuel I provide. If customers don't wish to pay the premium, they can simple provide the vehicle with sufficient fuel in the first place. I have amazing customer retention/return and no one has ever complained to date, in fact most people are appreciative. So as far as I'm concerned THANK GOD YOU DON'T GET YOUR CAR REPAIRED IN NAPIER!
johnf_456,
Aug 13, 9:12am
Take a chill pill
llortmt,
Aug 13, 9:17am
You offering to share your meds again Johnny!
cowlover,
Aug 13, 9:42am
I suppose you could charge a "mark up" on petrol like any other part but is it legal to do so without a motor spirit retailers licence!Getting back to the OP though if the garage has no receipt for purchasing the petrol I can but wonder how his accounting systems work!Trying to operate in the "black" economy or what!Think it through somehow he "obtains" $50 of gas without a receipt or any banking trail.He then "sells" itfor $50 so now pays GST and Income Tax on the faux profit of $50.Good way to go broke if you ask me.
roys351,
Aug 13, 10:17am
had 1at my mates panelshop that said the tyres had been swapped winz were paying for the rust repairs on the pos he told him to come back in an hour when he came back the panelbeater had the cops there by then and the before photos that showed at least 1 tyre that he said had been swapped for a bald 1 was on it at time of qoute he was still arguing as he was walking away.not that we could hear im over our laughter
bae13,
Aug 13, 8:23pm
It depends on what/ how the miss is. what a customer percieves as a misswhat if the misss is a trans shudder only when hot, Ive had to drive a car 30-40km for me to feel this 'miss'a technician with some ethic does a full and through job this 'may' include a full road test, If the owner knows he has a miss, do yourself a favour, collect your facts about when/where this miss occurs, YOU DRIVE THE CAR THE MOST YOU ARE THE BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION.when you do this you actually help build the picture of the fault. This will help save you money. also if the technician needs to drive the car, GIVE THE CAR SOME FUELprepare the car for them to drive it, Giving the car to a shop with the fuel light on is a no no, did you know with low fuel the pump sucks all the dirty shit from the bottom, clogs filters and injectors. Dear o dear people get a grip. This technician the OP is moaning about sounds like he does a through job indeed.
and remember $50 of fuel gets about 20litres,which is bugger all
kazbanz,
Aug 13, 8:33pm
This discussion could go round and round forever. I can clearly see both points of view Short version--you either trust the mechanic/builder/painter/lawye- r etcor you don't. If you don't then don't use them.
jgoater,
Aug 13, 8:43pm
I would have no problem at all, if I knew I got the $50 gas put in. The point is, I don't think I got any put in. As pointed out in previous posters, I can't really be sure exactly how much petrol was in the car but I generally don't go below quarter empty and $50 would have put my 1.3 corolla to three quarters full. You say it sounds like he did a thorough job! Well if he took my car to Whangarei and back just to make sure it wasn't missing, yes he did a very thorough job! It's interesting to read people who think this is perfectly OK to do, like you and yet others have the opposite view.
austingtir,
Aug 14, 5:01am
What was the frikin total bill! I still think your just nitpicking here man $50 of gas that you cant seem to prove either way is just not worth worrying about provided the mechanic did a sound job in every other way.
Now if you had proof of everything you say and can remember events correctly id back your story up but you cant even remember how much fuel was in the car to start with.This thread is a waste of everybodys time man.
splinter67,
Aug 14, 5:12am
Now did all you guys read this it was a sparkplug lead no need to drain the petrol no need to drive the car for 100ks yes OP you are being ripped off another case of not reading the whole thread
bellky,
Aug 14, 5:14am
Squeek squeek no one is listening.
splinter67,
Aug 14, 5:16am
Take it to general dud
kazbanz,
Aug 14, 5:17am
Look you have decided the mechanic has ripped you off. no matter how many people actually in the trade explain that its possible to put $18l of fuel in a car. So don't use the mechanic again. If they are ripping customers off its the most effective way of punishing them. You will notice those in the trade can see how its possible. Those who have google as a freind get all upset.
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