Dodgy Mechanics

[oneightoo]

i would say, yes, thats a bad experience..

[JohnBu]

i bought my cally with extended warranty which should have carried me to january 07...

i send all the stuff in... they say they will process it (this is in Oct 05)...
After about 2-3 phone calls a week and constantly being told their computer system is down, by Jan 06 they tell me they cant process it without service history. So I fax that and send it off. They tell me in late Feb 06 that they wont cover it because it was serviced at Shell Autoserv and not a Holden Dealer.

I wrote an extensive letter telling them that Holden does not make the car, and mentioned about previous bad experiences, overcharging etc etc. I also mentioned that when I phoned initially and enquired as to what it meant in the book when it stated "duly authorised repairer" and if they had a list of these people. I was told there was no such thing and anyone who was a licensed mechanic with a workshop was okay.

I didnt hear back so contacted consumer affairs. They told consumer affairs it wasnt because I had it serviced at Shell but because the previous owner made a claim, and warranty transfer is at the discretion of ADI.

Consumer affairs did nothing because the extended warranty wasnt worth the paper it was written on.


So I got stuck footing the bill for $3500 worth of gearbox and $500 worth of crank angle sensor...

This is why i would take much pleasure in filleting the mother f$%kers from ADI alive

oic..

but did you personally pay for the extended warantee? i.e. they take your money?

[tmov81]

the seller used the warranty as leverage on the price, so i paid more for the car based on the assumption that it came with it...

they didnt take my money though to transfer it... but it was more the issue they were telling me that I would be covered and 'just get the work done, and when we get the system up and running send in your receipts' for about 6 months before they decided that they wouldnt

[cyclonic]

Seeing that we're on the subject...

I bought my Barina from Brian Gardner Motors in Cannington. Had the car for 8 months when the rear tailights stopped working. Ended up calling out Roadside Assistance who opened up the tailights to show blown globes.

They'd MELTED onto the tailight surrounds! Ok, so this was a warranty issue. Called up the dealer who advised that I should make an appointment with the Service Department to have the tailights replaced. They said they'd have the parts ready for me, and to be there as early as possible.

So I made an appointment for a few days later, giving the dealer plenty of time to get organised. Rocked up at the dealer at 7:30am (after working an evening shift - I was stuffed!) thinking i'd be there for 30 minutes and i'd be able to go back home and get some sleep before starting my shift at work.

Well the Service department had no clue I was coming. I told them i'd made an appointment! So they asked me to wait whilst they tried to get the parts for me. An hour later...

I was informed that they'd have to get the parts from another part of the city - can I wait a bit longer? By now I was getting pretty pissed off.

Another 30 minutes pass and they inform me that i'll have to come back later, the parts won't be there for another 2 hours. So home I went and came back two hours later. By this time I had to call in sick to work as I was going to miss my start time. I had no sickies due so bye bye a days wages!

Get back to the dealer and waited another hour and a half! Finally, the lights were fitted... Then the service rep had the audacity to ask me if i'd left the lights on! You can't do that in a Barina; they turn themselves off, as well as sounding a loud chime to warn you. Whats worse, the rep was constantly rude to me as well.

Needless to say I called the service department as well as Holden a few days later and lodged a complaint. Then the dealer calls me last week to see if the cars going ok! The poor person was told in no uncertain terms that i'd NEVER be going back to Brian Gardner Motors ever again. Not after that episode. Its now due for its 15 000kms service.

If they can't organise parts right, imagine what getting a service would be like?

[MatsHolden]

The lights on the Barina don't automatically turn off. But him asking if you'd left them on is rediculous, wouldn't matter if you had left them on, they aren't supposed to melt.

Anyway I havn't really had any problems with my dealer. I hit a pot hole and bent the control arm and broke the strut and buckled my alloy wheel; got it towed to my dealer and they got the parts in and had it fixed in 4 days, so was pretty happy. Only thing though, they forgot to do a wheel allignment after the repairs so I ended up scrubbing out the front right tyre, but they replaced it and did the wheel allignment.

[cyclonic]

Just e-mailed the service department with an ameded version of my description. Ok, well i've NEVER left the lights on anyway - the only thing I can think of is that the globes were sitting too close to the tailight surrounds in the first place.

I already upset because I had to pay the Roadside Assistance guy for replacement globes.

*sigh*

[cyclonic]

Well this is interesting...

The Service Manager from Brian Gardner Motors just called and offered to do the 15 000k service for $80! (less than half price). He apologised for what they'd put me through.

So, i'll give them a chance and see how it goes. I'll let you all know, ok?

Goes to show that the customer does have the power (its just a matter of not abusing it).

[PaulyJ]

Yeah, just make sure that before you pay, make sure yourself that everything was done. Only when you're satisfied, then pay.

[JohnBu]

Yeah, just make sure that before you pay, make sure yourself that everything was done. Only when you're satisfied, then pay.

good point, but the 15,000km service is what, an oil & filter change!

[PaulyJ]

Depends on what else they do i guess.