Workshop ignorance

Page 2 / 2
elect70, Oct 18, 3:49pm
The rare times if need a garage ive always asked for the old "stuffed " components returned , but strangely they all seem to go for scrap or rubbish minute the invoice is printed . A Auto spark put brand new alternator in range rover i had & luckily i got old one back . Pulled it apart & found 1 brush was broken . They dont bother investigating whats actually wrong anymore just throw on new parts & at $700 not cheap
stornello, Oct 18, 5:35pm
You can't opt out, they can still get you in the end because the courts always er on the side of the customer. and you knowingly sent the car out like that, how stupid of you !
marte, Oct 18, 5:54pm
Workshops should include 'practise' in their name, like Doctors and Lawyers do.
That way, when they get it wrong, they just say, "Hey, im practicing, cant get it right all of the time. "
headcat, Oct 18, 6:24pm
You can find the reason for this in the first sentence of the first post. Why take the risk of a litigious customer when you can pass the risk on by fitting a new part. Who do you think pays for consumer safety, that's right, the consumer.
stornello, Oct 18, 6:30pm
We said this back in the '90's when Consumer Rights first came in - the cost of covering our arse is going to cost the customer. That's why we don't fix anything anymore, not because we can't, but because we dare not.
kazbanz, Oct 19, 9:39am
Im sorry mate but I just can't live with your way of thinking.
Maybee you are thinking about non essential repairs where Im seeing senarios where its potentially deadly for either the car owner/other road users or the actual car itself.
I can tell you for definite if a customer asked me to fit new brake shoes (for example) and the slaves were leaking then I would replace the slaves.
Im guessing you are thinking the customer asked for new spark plugs and the mechanic replaced the ignition coils asan example---something that needed to be done but wasn't terminal if not done.
Without the exact nature of the work carried out by the mechanic we have no idea if the work was justified or if the driving was justified.
mechnificent, Oct 19, 9:42am
I sent what out like what ?
mechnificent, Oct 19, 9:46am
No worries Kaz. you are a car salesman and I'm a mechanic.

I'm not asking you to live with me.
mechnificent, Oct 19, 9:48am
If you work in a competent professional way, with everything documented, then you can explain and justify your work. and the courts will not always agree with the customer.
elect70, Oct 19, 1:08pm
^^ yep here is your invoice for $5000 new engine sir the spark plugs were faulty & we dont fix anything these days . I was a sparky now retired & just because element was burnt out I didnt put in a new stove . So garages are just lazy as its more proffit to replace with new than fix , the CGAexcuse is just BS --- so far this year ive been given a karcher water blaster , hose was broken ($60 new ), 3 burner BBQ bit rusty but woks fine ,&a vacumm cleaner that need new 3 pin plug , the owners told not worth fixing & bought new replacements . Talk about wastefull society .
kazbanz, Oct 19, 3:17pm
lmao- NOW car yard owner but in a previous life things were different.
Diddn't then/wont now compromise on safety issues.
BUT important point--the OP has never replied regarding the nature of the work
mechnificent, Dec 19, 3:53pm
Ha. all Good Kaz. And yeah should have said yard owner. those salesmen get a lot of bad flack.

I suppose you've noticed that there is a sort of accepted animosity between old mechanics and car dealers. It goes back to before the days of FTA and the dealers were always wanting things to be done on the cheap, and it was the mechs that had to set the standards.

Things change and now nobody uses any discretion and it's all to the standard. No compromise and no exceptions. I'm not sure I always agree with it as a principle. I was trained and encouraged to use my knowledge and experience and professional judgement and discretion.
Now it seems we just have parts fitters.