MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I recently had the misfortune of having a problem with my car. Smoke was belching out the exhausts and it just died and I had to be recovered where upon my car was taken the to garage I'd used to have my previous cars serviced and mot's done. I was told the engine needed replacing and the bill was £2.5k - nice.
I was then told to try a garage near where I work as he advertises for my make of car and so off I went and low and behold he was a friend of a biker friend and so he offered to do the job at a good rate and even better as he worked for a BMW garage in the past. So me and my mate towed the car to his place and he went to work. Prior to all this he spent a lot of time researching what I'd told him and he really did get the bit between the teeth with it. He gave me loads of info and said things might not be as bad as were being made out which was good to hear.
Well the very good news is the engines fine, basically the oil was the wrong type put in during a service and it had just destroyed the system and it's now just smoking a bit but may need a new cat as that might be shot - fingers crossed after a few long runs out in the dark, it might clear up. If not, at least it's a new engine. Which leads me to the garage I first asked to look at the car. What did they do - or not do to come to the conclusion I needed a new engine! Have I found a rip-off garage or one that just doesn't know it's stuff? One thing is I'm glad I've found someone who does. What experiences have you chaps had with your local garage?
Most garages can't be bothered or just don't know how to repair.
There are very few mechanics who know how to diagnose and repair a car. Most just keep replacing parts until it's 'fixed'
I've had a 'favourite' but unfortunately he went off the map between visits, out of business I suspect as he was always cheaper than I expected. Another still sends me a printed Christmas card reminding me of their services each year, despite it being nearly six years since they ripped me off for a service and glow plugs.
Local garage is OK, average prices but a bit hit and miss, last time I took a car in with a fault, they claimed nothing was wrong and just chuck a few quid in the teaboat. 6 months later, I discovered the geometry of the car was out, causing the dodgy handling. Cost £70 to fix at a specialist alignment place, but that was after the inside shoulders got scrubbed off to the limit on both my rear tyres, which had only done 6k, so it really cost an additional £140.