Right, where do I start? I've been so stressed these past few days.
Arrived at Fraud at 7:30 on wednesday morning. Forgot the locking wheel nut keys. So had to go all the way home and back again (and by this time the traffic was horrendous). Got the car booked in and they talked me through what they were going to do.
Full service (I told them not to touch the air filter)
ABS/TC lights sorted
Oil leaks sorted
They also had the cambelt down because it was a 100,000 mile service. The conversation went like this:
Me: "Why have you put the cambelt down?"
Numpty: "Because it's due on the 100,000 mile service."
Me: "Well it was done 2 1/2 years ago. Oh, and it's every 5 years or 80,000 miles by the way."
Numpty: "Oh, well we just check the Ford website."
They also had it done for a "wash & vac" - no thanks, I'll do that myself.
So I got call that afternoon saying that the ABS this time was the nearside sensor (got the offside one repaired in june), hence it wasn't covered by the warranty. The oil leak was coming from the rocker cover gasket. This was changed last september so slightly out of the warranty period. But for £18, just do it. Then they said that there is another oil leak coming from the nearside rear shock absorber. So I've been on the phone to Pumabuild (where I had it fitted last january). They said they'll ring me back but I'm still waiting.
So I asked him about the total price. Expecting the worst, I was told £300. I was so chuffed! So all that work, plus brake fluid, plus major service. Bargain of the century. But the parts weren't in stock so I had to wait until thursday (yesterday). Fair enough - for that price I can't grumble too much. Oh, and he told me that they'd checked and pressure tested the radiator and everything was ok. So that was a relief.
Then I woke up startled yesterday morning thinking...well what if the service price (£180) is on top of that £300. And a quick phone call confirmed my suspicions. But the service manager told me he'd "sort me something out." So reassured, I carried on with my day.
About 1 o'clock, another phone call to say it was ready. Total price should have been £560 but with my discounts and my "deal" I got it all for £450. So not too bad. I was out the area so I told them I'd pick it up late afternoon. Sure enough I got there at 5 via a lift from the missus, and had a look at what they had done. All seemed to be in order when I asked them what oil they used, as it didn't specify on the invoice/worksheet.
The conversation went like this:
Me: "By the way, what oil did you use?"
Numpty: "5W30 fully synthetic." (he then pointed to a cheap unknown brand bottle on the desk).
Me: "It's supposed to be ford semi-synthetic. It's not supposed to have anything else."
Numpty: "Well what we've put in is a better quality oil. We put it in all the new cars."
Me: "No disrespect, but I know more about that engine than you do and I know what's supposed to go in it. It's had the same oil for 9 years, and I'm not changing it because you tell me to. It's a very sensitive engine (then technical talk followed with puzzled them somewhat), and when I come to top it up, that'll mean that I'm mixing oils. It's a 9 year old car, not a "57" plate Focus!"
Numpty: "Honestly, it'll be fine. We've used it for ages now.We put that in your car last year"
Me: "No you didn't, and I've got the receipt to prove it. I'm not paying all that money for the wrong oil to be stuffing up my engine. I'm not happy."
So they told me they'd sort it out tomorrow (friday/today). So I had to ask me missus to come back for me, which she wasn't exactly overjoyed about. Then just as we got out of town, I had a phone call. Telling me that they'd made a mistake and how they don't use fully synthetic oil at all, and that the oil I wanted was actually the oil they had put in. A bit suspicious, I asked them if it was just a ploy to get me to pay and collect the car. But they reassured me that it wasn't. So now happy, and not wanting to p*ss the missus off anymore or get stuck in traffic, I decided to run back through town to collect my car.
So I paid and they pulled it round the front for me. While they did this, I was just browsing throught the service book, which they had updated, and also the break down of parts they'd used. Hmm, no spark plugs or fuel filter???
The conversation went a bit like this:
Me: "Have the spark plugs and fuel filter been changed? It has had a full/major service..."
Numpty: "Er, let me have a look....no."
So by this time, I'd had enough. So I told them to ring me in the morning and sort me something out. And sure enough, I did get a call at 8 o'clock this morning. So I'm taking it back this afternoon to get the plugs and filter sorted.
So in summary, what a nightmare!!! I mean, on a major service how can you not change the spark plugs?!?! Just as I had started to trust this garage, they've let me down. And just the way they have no idea what they're going on about. I'm really starting to have doubts about taking my car there now. Paying that kind of money, and taking it to a main dealer, you expect the best. I know I get special discounts there and the price is sometimes rounded down, but still. And I've still got the suspension issue to sort out with Pumabuild. I think I might do that while I'm waiting this afternoon.
Anyways, thought I'd let you know how I got on...
(Longest post ever on a forum by the way!!!)
