Automotive Tradesmen and their attitude towards my car

[rascuache]

Ok, so i drive a Citroen, granted they are hard to get parts for, especially mine, seeing as its a 92 AX GT (only 100 imported, 5 left on the road, incl. mine)

However, what i do object to is the constant attitude i get from mechanics, "errr, its a citroen,
i've never seen one before i dont know how to work on it,
i'm going to have to order parts from france and its going to take months and cost you lots of money."

The other thing i cant stand is, when i tell them, ok, you dont need to do that, ring this company, they will get you the parts and they just disregard me and go on their moronic path.

Like this, it happened to me this morning (it might now flow from this as i just copied it from a rant i sent to sortius at work)

the idiot working on it called me back to tell me what was going on
basically the whole radiator is fucked and needs to be replaced (i was expecting as much) and "he's been ringing around all morning to find prices of it and a new genuine part would cost 800 dollars all up, he's called some spare parts places but hadnt heard back from them yet and was really leaning towards ordering the new genuine one (never mind the fact that it would have taken 3 fucking weeks to get)". Anyway, while i was there i said to him, get in contact with continental cars in sydney, they will be able to get parts for it as we have been there a number of times before and they know the car....when he rang i asked "did you call contintental cars?"
he answers "No, i havent yet, do you have their number"
So i give him then number and tell him exactly who to speak to and to call me once he has.

As soon as i got off the phone i called them myself (Dad was livid at the mention of it costing 800) and found out they could get one up to us by wednesday at the latest and it'd cost 400 plus freight (significantly cheaper). So we ordered one there and then and then gave them natrads phone number and told them to ring for the delivery address. That being done i call back natrad, who were engaged and then five minutes later call again. I finally speak to the moron working on my car and tell him i took the liberty of calling continental cars myself and they had them available significantly cheaper than the price he quoted me (MORON!!!!) He says thats all good, continental cars have already called them and arranged everything. Then i ask, ok how much is it going to be to fit it.....all up with flushing the system and refitting it it will cost 90 dollars......holy shit, thats a bit different to 800 now isnt it.

Anyone else got any horror stories about mechanics???
This shit cant be just confined to me and my little AX

[beowulf437]

My suggestion would be to get very good at working on a Citroen.

Yeah we all have horror stories about mechanics. I thought I would save a few bucks and took my truck to a local mechanic for a timing chain, well I ended up having to take it to the dealer and it cost me much more (valves, injectors, engine vacuumed out).

[rascuache]

Yer, thanx beo, my parents are encouraging that too, hence why they bought me a full manual for it for christmas....suffice to say i havent opened it yet. Its not that i'm afraid of getting my hands dirty, i'm afraid of breaking things....i thought the radiator was beyond me, but i'll have to start working on it myself from now on, mechanics cant be trusted.

more stories!!!!!!
i have heaps, having driven citroens for a few years.

[geggle]

Although, at least the mechanic did tell you up front that he'd not worked on them before. That's something!

Mechanics, solicitors, accountants (and no doubt other professions)... I have always found it advisable to have some idea about what should be done, because for whatever reason, they seem to cock it up a lot of the time.

Mind you, I don't think I'd want to be a mechanic... sounds like a horrible job.

[Pirate]

I have a few horror stories, but my favorite "Fuck you" was to Hornsby Radiators, I took my car in there once when the radiator exploded on a road near them.. I couldn't drive it and they fixed it.. but the day I came to pick it up, this big oaf of a mechanic showed me the "test" results telling me my head gasket was blown...which would cost me $housands to repair. Funnily the car was running fine and it had a brand new reconditioned heads installed the month before.. plus the car didn't over heat since the radiator blew only about 500 metres from their shop.

So I disputed it and he ran the "test" again.. it was something to do with the gasses in the manifold... i though you'd best check the water for oil.. but I dunno. So I told him no way and paid him for the work they did.. he fucker then had the hide to tell me he "couldn't rightly give me my car as it was unsafe" so I told him.. right.. I am just going to my car... btw.. the car was my blck ford coupe with a 351 v8. I started the engine and mouthed "just testing" then dropped a set and left him some rubber to remember me by. The car drove perfectly for the next year until I sold it.

[Chocoholic]

My Breaks need fixing or at least tightening. Knowing fuck all about cars I get my Dad to drive my car and he agrees that the breaks need fixing. My family all uses the same mechanic and have done so for over 10 years. Given that I alone have blown 2 head gadgets and a clutch not to mention my Mother and sisters efforts and my Dads obsession with his car. It’s fair to say he has made a lot of money of my family and tends to give us a good deal. I tell him there is something wrong with the breaks they are making noises and the pedal is almost on the floor and leave my car with him for the day. (Moving mountains to arrange alternative transport for myself.)

I leave work early so I can pick up my car much to my bosses protest. The mechanic told me he took it for a drive and couldn’t find anything wrong with the breaks and didn’t have time to put it up to have a proper look but the pads were fine. Then charged me $20. I know $20 isn’t much but I wasn’t impressed given that he has made over $1500 from me a month before grand total of $3000 from other family members this year.

[Drakin]

I have a little TS charade, needless to say several of the "mechanic's" i have taken it to seem to have a "You want *ME* to work on _THAT_!" Attitude.

One time i had taken it to get the idle speed adjusted as it was juddering badly and threatening to stall. After leaving the car there for the day, i went back to pick it up, started the car fine.

Went home parked in the garage and went inside.

Next morning it was cold, so i pull out my choke (yes i have one) and start the car.

Car goes vroom-VROOM-*VRRRRRRROOOOOOOMMMMMM*
At this point not having anything on the accellerator and hearing the engine just keep accelerating i freak and shut it off.

Try it again. Same thing.
Push the choke in and start the car, works fine.

So i take it back and explained the situation. They reckoned that was how its supposed to work, so i asked for him to come with me and sit in the car.

I then pulled the choke and started the engine hit the gas and stepped back to see if he still thought it was normal.

Needless to say he was all apologetic and said he would fix it.

[Princess]

The mechanic told me EXACTLY what was wrong with my car and EXACTLY how it could be fixed, and then proceeded to tell me that i would have to take it somewhere else beacuse they couldnt do it there and it would cost me upwards of about $400.

I went home and got my dad and his mate who was a mechanic in the army to look at it they played with it a bit and it runs sweet as.. i dont know what they did to it (whether they just tweaked a few things and it'll only be good for a little while or what) and all it cost me was $30 for the case of beer....

All mechanics are in it for the money, and they'll hit you up for it anyway they can..

ggrrrrr.. think i might wash my car this afternoon....

[gooey]

Ultimate Mechanic Rule #1

....dont trust any mechanic you are not good friends with....

[Al]

I need to get my bike looked at soon, but I've heard heaps of horror stories about ppl getting screwed out of cash with them.

A minor service for a bike is about 200 - 300. A major service can be pretty damn expensive.

I've heard of people getting the brake discs 'replaced' and the mechanics machined them and charged 'em for a new set.

Cleaning air filters and charging for new...

Dodgy stuff. If you find a good mechanic stick with 'em.

[Goat Boy]

The chick who sold me my car was named "Kat" and she was fucking hot. I think she flirted with me but I am too stupid to notice those things most of the time.

Since it is a new car I have not had to get any work done on it. I just wanted to mention she was really fucking hot and may have flirted with me. That is all.

[Al]

Originally posted by Goat Boy
I just wanted to mention she was really fucking hot and may have flirted with me. That is all.

I hate to break it to you, but if a chick selling you a car is flirting with you then it's probably to sell the car.

Not that I want to take anything away from your experience...

[V_Max]

No mechanic horror stories as such (my usual mech is a guy I've been friends with for 10+ years), but once when filling up my car (MR2 - midengined) at a BP near my house (they have crap fuel, it's always been a mistake to go there) one of their driveway attendants came up and asked if I wanted my oil and water checked. I usually say no, but I wasn't thinking and said "Yeah OK". I watched as he pulled the catch for the bonnet (i.e. at the front of the car), opened it up, disappeared behind it and out of sight for about 20 seconds, then closed the bonnet again and said "Yep, she's all fine mate". I don't know what he checked, if anything, but it sure as hell wasn't the oil or water ;)

[Chocoholic]

He probably loosened a few connections in hope you will bring it back so they can suck you dry with repairs your car doesn’t really need. I know that may be a little harsh but is it that far from the truth?

[rascuache]

i drove past the place that is doing my car today, the car was in the garage with the bonnet up, i guess thats a good sign... unless they just left it that way from the other day :/

i should get it back tommorrow, then i have to take it to get serviced.....they'd better not tell me i need a new radiator!!!!

[DrDivad]

my mechanic is DumHed and he's a dodgy bastard! but dodgy in a good way!


mmmmm hacked up bov :D

[Mr Bigglesworth]

whats a natrad???

mechanics and builders are dodgy and not to be trusted....unless you are good mates with them. So are panel beaters.

Dads car was slightly smashed, I went and got a quote from a bunch of fuckers in Randwick, quoted me $900 to get it fixed. After that, the car got crashed into on the other side (insurance job), so I asked the panelbeater how much it would cost to get the original bump fixed while they did the insurance work.......$150.

Tards.

[rickbitch]

A good rule of thumb is to take your car to a place that almost exclusively does taxis, as they have so much work on they probably don't need the money. This works well if you have an old shitbox, and look poor, as they take pity on you.

My last car was a slightly riced (nice paint with PINK pinstripping, mags, lowered) 82 corolla. As I was driving to work one day, a stupid bitch sped thru a stop sign, and trashed the front passenger side of the car. She was obviously in the wrong, so I parked it in a side street and continued on to work, after getting her details and giving a statement to the cops that came down.

When I had the time, I got back to the car, and I had to put the spare wheel onto the hub backwards to get it anywhere, so of I went to the nearest place to get a quote. The mechanic qouted me $2600 to fix it, so I took that in writing, and hassled her for the money. A few weeks later, I received a letter from the NRMA, stating that my car was worth $1400 before the accident, and only worth $100 after, and they included a cheque for $1300.

Off I toodles to the aforementioned taxi repair place, and when I told him how much I had, he just said he could sort it. I also asked for some new brake pads, and some rust cut out of it, and he said np!

A week later when the cheque cleared, I wandered back in there and layed $1000 in fifties on the table. He counted it out AND GAVE ME $250 BACK!

w00t!

[kré]

try driving a 1970 type 3 volkswagen

of the few mechanics i ever needed to take it to, more than half of them had never even seen one before, nor did they even realise or believe that it was actually a volkswagen until i pointed to the badge on the front...

that's when i learnt that i had to either figure shit out myself or take it to dedicated aircooled vw mechanics (who are pretty expensive as well, but understandably so)

[Nandragon]

Bobby's Bitchin Shade Tree Mechanics was THE BEST MECHANIC I ever had.

Fred's being 2nd. Fred was a good fark too!:D


I USED to use Beegle Tire. Couple of weeks ago I got a letter in the mail from "a customer" or theirs, saying how good a shop they had, service was great, but they were in the red. Needed money to stay open...you can imagine how me and many others felt.

Well mini me's tire started to warble 2 weeks ago. Took her over to Beegle. Beegle told me it was going to cost me $195 for 2 new tires. I asked why 2, I had a new one as a spare on the tailgate of the SUV. so instead they charged me $50 to balance and rotate 5 tires. WTF! when I got the damn thing back....now it pulls to the right so bad I have to hold the car on the damn road! I was told I'd have to bring it and leave it. It would be an all day job. Also was told some marbled mumbo jumbo as to why it was doing that. I KNOW that when tires are balanced and rotated they WON'T do that! Shits!

My stepfather "marks" all the parts under the "bonnet" before taking it to the shop. Previous experience has told him they will replace your parts, charge you for it, and in some cases put the same part back on!

[Drakin]

I left a bud in my ashtray when i put my car in to get its wheels rotated and balanced. I didnt even think about it till i got my car back.

No bud alas, but damn were those wheels aligned!!

[Naiad]

I have a car.

[Drakin]

Wooot!

Does it have a slot in the back for a penny?

[IML337]

citroen's are COOL! :D

for cars like that (and like the type 3 VW mentioned above) you need to go to a specialist mechanic and form a good relationship with them

the car industry is like any industry - there's always retards working in it, but there's always good people too, and when you have a rare/exotic/whatever kind of car, it exaggerates the problem big time

I drove past a citroen specialist out in Penrith a few weeks back, and there were old Citroens everywhere, including what I think is called a DS Safari (wagon)

http://www.iml337.com/vwvortex/citroen.jpg

I've never seen an AX GT on the road before, they look like a pretty cool car though. You'll have to post a picture of it some time :)

Where do/will you get it serviced?

[IML337]

Originally posted by V_Max
No mechanic horror stories as such (my usual mech is a guy I've been friends with for 10+ years), but once when filling up my car (MR2 - midengined) at a BP near my house (they have crap fuel, it's always been a mistake to go there) one of their driveway attendants came up and asked if I wanted my oil and water checked. I usually say no, but I wasn't thinking and said "Yeah OK". I watched as he pulled the catch for the bonnet (i.e. at the front of the car), opened it up, disappeared behind it and out of sight for about 20 seconds, then closed the bonnet again and said "Yep, she's all fine mate". I don't know what he checked, if anything, but it sure as hell wasn't the oil or water ;)

hahaha thats pretty funny. MY father always tells a story about the wife of a mate of his who had a Leyland P76 in the 70's. They have a front hinging bonnet. The wife had it at a service station and one of the attendants needed to open the bonnet (I forget why) and pulled the catch, only to find that the front of the bonnet didn't pop up (the rear did, but he didn't notice). He started to investigate and it took quite some time and effort with a crowbar, and a lot of damage to the front of the car, before he realised that it was a rear hinging bonnet. And that he was up for a big repair bill. :p

[Naiad]

Originally posted by Drakin
Wooot!

Does it have a slot in the back for a penny?
Yes! It does!

Just like a mechanic!

[rascuache]

Update:

I was supposed to get my car back today, i rang them up and asked wht was going on, they told me the mechanic working on it was off sick today and in any case the part hadnt come and then he mumbled something about the part being the customers responsibility and them having to bring it in.

I say "excuse me?! i AM the customer and i PAID FOR THAT PART ON MONDAY!! Besides the fact that Continental Cars have already rung you and organised to have it delivered to you by today at the latest and they told me they ordered it on monday, so what is going on!" So they palm me off and i go home and call continental cars, they tell me they just got word today, before i called, that the gentleman they ordered the part from does not have any in stok and will not be carrying them from now on, if i want one i have to wait SIX MONTHS for it to be ordered in from FRANCE!!! I say, well what about the money i paid, do you have any other suppliers, they say they just found out, they're very sorry and they havent had a chance to call their other suppliers but they'll get back to me in an hour....

...an hour later they call me back, i say, have you got good news for me? they say sort of, they've got the original supplier to order one in, it'll be in with his next shipment in the first week of september, it wont cost me any extra and they'll send it up as soon as they get it, none of their other suppliers keep ax parts and none of their wreckers have an AX radiator. So i agree to that, and seeing its going to take three weeks, ring up NATRAD, the radiator place i went to in newcastle and told them whats going on.

I said, i've just been told its going to take 3 weeks for the part to get here, and you're not having my car for three weeks, the best thing i can suggest is that you pop my radiator back in my car and patch it up as best you can as soon as possible and i'll pick it up tommorrow and in three weeks when my radiator comes i'll bring my car and my radiator back and you can fix it properly. they were pretty good about this and said they'd get onto it first thign in the morning and give me a call when its done.
Not the best solution but it'll do for the time being.

This is a citroen AX GTi, not mine but this is as close as to what mine looks like as you'll get....i dont have any photos of my car.

[rascuache]

my car :)

[That Bloke]

I've been tempted to buy a Pugeot but have decided against it for much(although not to the same extent) the same reasons described in this thread.

[IML337]

damn that sux about the wait for the radiator - at least it's not six months though!

I took my Audi A3 into a dealer once, because the previous night I pulled the handbrake up and heard/felt a *CRACK* in the lever and when I let it go it fell back down. The ratchet had broken and I effectively had no handbrake - unless I wanted to hold it on...

The service manager instantly says "thats a safety issue we have to fix that today!" so I go sit in the customer lounge.

5 mins later: "I'm sorry sir, there are no handbrake levers in Aus, it will be 6 weeks to get one from Germany"

So I was left driving a late model Audi which was a manual, and I had no handbrake... stupid retards. Lucky I don't park on hills very often :rolleyes:
I have nothing but comtempt for Scotts Audi.

Anyway, I think that Citroen looks awesome - I saw a few pics of other GT's earlier today on the web. I'm a big fan of hot hatchbacks, particularly oddball european ones :D

A friend told me earlier tonight that his latest toy is an immaculate 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo I. I don't often feel the need to call someone a c**t... :D


And I think with a Peugeot you wouldn't have problems as bad as this - there are still parts around. Depends what kind of pug you're talking about I guess. There are still lots of 205GTi's and stuff around :)

[rickbitch]

rascuache, if u want, I'll install the damn thing for ya. It's only a radiator.......

When you get the radiator from the supplier, let me know, and just cruise down to Sydney one day. I've got all the tools for it, and radiators are shit easy to swap.

And it'll only cost u a 6pack of rum ($15) :banana:

[rascuache]

Thanks for the offer Rick, but i'd doubt i'd get down there, i got my car back today and i cant even drive to the next suburb without the damn thing overheating.

The barstards told me the head gasket is blown, So now i am taking it to MY mechanic, a citroen trained mechanic, after telling him on the phone that these people have told me its gone, and frankly, i'm pretty cynical about it. Pity i have to work on monday, other wise i'd demand to watch him take it out.

On the radiator front, I gave Natrad the shits so bad about me ordering a radiator by myself they found me a cheaper one in New Zealand they could get within 3 days, and say if i take it back to them to get it put in they'll take off the charge they put on me for the past 3 days....so they fucking should too! Man, if i ever tire of the IT industry, i'm going to become citroen certified mechanic.... then i wont have to put up with this kinda shit.

By the way, Peugots are actually pretty popular at the moment, with the release of the 206, so the parts are readily available and lots of mechanics are competent. We had several peugots before we started owning citroens and they were good cars, i was actually going to buy a 504 instead of the BX i bought. Back in the day, when my Dad bought his first pug though (and was in the with sydney pug club) there were about two mechanics in sydney that actually knew what one was.

[kré]

Originally posted by IML337
damn that sux about the wait for the radiator - at least it's not six months though!

I took my Audi A3 into a dealer once, because the previous night I pulled the handbrake up and heard/felt a *CRACK* in the lever and when I let it go it fell back down. The ratchet had broken and I effectively had no handbrake - unless I wanted to hold it on...

they're not interchangable with any VW parts at all? :confused:

[IML337]

I am pretty sure it's not interchangable... The trim is different for a start :)

Though even if it was, the retards that work at Scotts don't even understand the connection between VW and Audi vehicles, so they'd have no chance of thinking of an intelligent way to solve the problem.

[supamodel]

Well, I think I can say I have some experience with this, although I haven't posted much, I'll detail all my stuff I know about this situation.
Caveat: my brother is a mechanic who specialised in oldschool European cars for his apprenticeship, and now works on citroens, mercs & porches at the local dealership.
Okay, I've owned several fruitcake level cars & bikes: 2x Renault 16 (one TS, one TL), a 1977 Suzuki GT250, and I now own a 1974 Fiat 124 Sports Coupe & a GSXR750K3.
The renaults were both nightmares to get people to work on them - even my brother wasn't too keen to touch them, so as a consequence I ended up having to rebuilt the motor in the TL one myself @ home. Took about 11 months, because parts are a fucking slut. For stuff like that, you really need to buy a wreck or 2 if you can't find them in the local wreckers, and take your time stripping the bastards down. Lets you get to know differences, and all about them.
Hint 1: Mecahnics are better to deal with if you can offer them assistance, especially finding shitty parts.
Hint 2: Get to know parts suppliers well. Find someone you can trust and who will speak your level - most people who deal with parts for exotic cars will have someone that knows about your car or whatever. If it's French, try to deal with suppliers directly. Caravelle Imports in Melbourne are usually a good place to start for finding out stuff about your car - and they are good in getting parts.
French cars somehow get a mystic reputation, although I can see why. Citroen's especially. The thing is, at least Pugs & Renaults share a lot of parts, and some Citroen shit is shared. Hell, Citroen hydraulic suspension *is* found in 1970's Rolls Royce's and shit, and you can still get them worked on no worries.
You also want to find a mechanic that appreciates what they are working on. Sometimes they'll bitch and moan, at which point you can point out that if their work is shit you won't bother bringing it back. Handy here to join a car club specialising in your kind of vehicle, cause then you'll be dealing with like-minded people who often know the good places around town to get stuff done.
I just had the first service & some other stuff done on my GSXR, and that ended up not being done at the dealer, for the pure reason that it needed to go somewhere I trust not to put shitty oil and stuff in it.
Finally, if you are worried about parts being swapped, get a UV-ink pen and a black light. Mark all the parts that *should* be swapped, and some that shouldn't (eg, do the edge of a brake rotor where the markings won't get rubbed off) and also photograph these markings under the blacklight.
Now, when you get your vehicle back, check the markings, and if their is a part that has been replaced according to the service sheet, but not according to your markings, go back and complain. You can even show them the markings.
And always, always, request to look at the old parts!

[kré]

Originally posted by IML337
I am pretty sure it's not interchangable... The trim is different for a start :)

Though even if it was, the retards that work at Scotts don't even understand the connection between VW and Audi vehicles, so they'd have no chance of thinking of an intelligent way to solve the problem.

^_^