There were a thread ongoing called 'did that guy ever get his bus back', or something like that. But it was locked (because the case has gone legal or something), just as I finished writing my post. So, I thought I'd start the post here (because I know how you all love to be bored to death by my posts). I've got a simple test to use if your not sure whether or not to avoid a garage (see final paragraph if you want to skip the boring stuff). The key is to stay on top and one step ahead of these types of garages. So many of them seem to be run by idiots nowadays. Letting down customers almost seems to be accepted practice nowadays. Mine's been at such a garage for 8 weeks now, for a 1 week job (being put back together after a paint job). I made it clear that I needed it back in early January for a Scooby engine conversion (the converter was hoping to have it on his stand for Dubfreeze, or Busfreeze, which ever one it is this weekend). A lot of things have gone on in those 8 weeks that have worried the hell out of me. For example, bits of my bus have been used on other customers' buses. And other customers' bits have been used on mine. This includes my top quality window and door rubbers which I bought myself. Whilst I've been assured they were replaced with ones of equal quality, it's very worrying nonetheless. And I couldn't tell a poor to mid quality rubber from a good one. Anyway, patience ran out today and, as I write, the engine converter's just pulled up at the garage totally unannounced. My bus is being loaded on his trailer right now. The garage owner isn't too pleased about it. But enough is enough, I ain't going to be messed around anymore. Foolishly, I paid the other garage £600 on account and in advance for the re-fitting work (in anticipation of all the work being done 7 to 8 weeks ago). I guess I got about 500 quids worth done over 8 weeks, so no great loss. The engine converter will now finish it off for me. The point is that these sorts of stories are all too common. There comes a point where you've got to grab the bull by the horns, cut your losses and turn up with a trailer unannounced and remove your bus. So, the bus is at long last in the hands of VW bus magicians Fellows Speedshop (Subaru to classic VW engine converters). These guys have a first class reputation which they pride themselves on and, at last, I feel totally relaxed and in the very best of hands. The thing I've learnt with garages is this: It's such a simple test. Look around at the workshop. If you see untidyness, tools, parts and mechanical bits all over the place, clutter and chaos, then ignore it like the plague.
it is quite harsh to judge the work by the tidyness i would have to keep things tidy if i had a garage (im not a good mechanic at all)
^^^wot Aussie said^^^^ you could eat your dinner off the floor in most of our main dealer garages. I have had nothing but bad experiences with them in the past few years. these include JAG, LANDROVER, FIAT and Mercedes. We broke down in Settle last year, called a guy out of the paper,he was scruffy, rough,his garage was tatty dirty and untidy. stuff everywhere. He lent us a car, sorted our bus out in half a day, drove 30miles for parts, and charged us £90 all in. It is difficult to judge a garage by how organised and tidy they are. My kitchen is very untidy , looks like a bomb has hit it on a saturday night, but You won't taste a better Pizza . ps, I just re read your post, and I do sympathise with you with the garage in question, Glad you finally getting it sorted.
Well, in my experience, the general customer service from all the untidy and chaotic looking garages has been exceptionally poor. And there have been many. But that from clean and tidy organised-looking garages has been very good. And there have been many. A generalisation I know. But it works for me. And the last 2 times I decided to put my faith in disorganised-looking garages, thet both let me down. So, never again. It's a bit like this. I always keep my suit, shoes and car clean. Image, when running a business IS important. If I went off trying to drum up business with a prospective new client and gave exactly the same advice as some other guy who turned up in a shabby suit, dirty shoes and car, then I bet I'd get the job.
the problem with garages are as far as i see this... at the moment you can't afford to turn any work away so you have to book it in and say it will be done in 8 weeks even if you know it won't this way you get the work and you earn some dough. what the person who is getting the work done needs to do is not book one thing straight after another so if your garage guy says 8 weeks you work on 12 and then just go with it..... of course you could do as the wilmas did and make cakes and bribe the man with a cheeky wink and get it done toot sweet....(or maybe be organised and buy all the bits first) eitherway timescales go to pieces when car work is booked in so this will always happen....and i agree to a point total mess is wise to steer clear of but too clean is not always good......
Sometimes its better to no where nothing is as you dont waste time trying to remember where you put it
never judge a book by its cover the guy who works on my Merc has his work shop in a farm yard but he is spot on and a fraction of a main stealer prices , .he always goes out his way to sort things out
I'd go by reputation / recommendation rather than tidiness and would never pay money on account. Lincoln VW Specialists took my engine / gearbox out 6 months ago before the van went to get the bodywork sorted and they won't ask me for anything it's back in and running. Their place is very tidy too, apart from my engine lying around ;D
I think, like with most things in life, it is difficult if not impossible to generalise. If there were a magic formula for working out which were the rubbish garages, then we'd all be doing it, but there isn't. I can't therefore generalise, but I can give a specific example of the best garage mechanic I ever knew. When I lived in Southampton, I used a mechanic who had a small unit in the middle of nowhere, on an old farm that had been turned into an industrial estate. He was brilliant because every time I went there, he had something else unusual and interesting on the go, and his mentality was if you can, then you fix it. You only replace what cannot be mended. He fixed my crappy little Renault a few times when most other mechanics would have sucked air in through their teeth and drawn up a long list of replacement parts (including one time he fixed an engine that others said needed replacing!) and you could tell from his approach that he had the sort of engineers problem-solving brain that I would love to have. I once watched him methodically strip down the carb on my car, laying all the bits out as he went, clean it, and then put it all back together again, in the space of about 20 minutes. If I still lived in Southampton, and if he was still there (he retired to the South of France about 12 years ago) then he would be the one I'd take my camper to. And he was not a VW specialist. I can't remember whether his workshop was especially clean or messy, but he always did a good job, and he always did what he said he was going to do.
The thing with garages is 1 person will have a great experience, the next could have a shocker. Look at some of the threads on volkszone; there is such a thing as a bad customer as well as a bad garage. I'd base any choice of garage on personal recommendations rather than how tidy the workshop is.
