BRITPART - Another tale of woe

Pull up a chair, I'm going to tell you a story...

I decided, in my infinate wisdom, to buy a number of bits for my Freelander from an LR supplier and free-issue them to my local garage for fitting - the idea to save a little money and prevent said garage marking up the price of the parts. The part in question was a new clutch slave cylinder (those who know will have taken a sharp intake of breath).

The big box of bits arrived, to my annoyance all were BRITPARTS - I should've asked if I'm honest.

A week later after some annoying delays I collect the 'ole girl' out of hours and drive off, well I say drive off in that the biting point of the new clutch (non-BRITPART) was just off the carpet and meant my crashing through every gear. Needless to say it went back to the garage the next day. After a bit of a to-doo they agree to re-bleed the system and I collect my car that same night with the garage chappies last statement ringing in my ears "it's the best we can do..".

Though the gear change was slightly improved (i.e. the piercing scream of metal cogs self-destructing not being so loud) there was no rear improvement. The garage chappy stating that it could be a duff part and if I wanted it doing again I would have to pay for a new part and all associated labour as they didn't supply the thing...something in the order of £650+vat for labour plus £80 parts!!

Long story short(er) I took my FL somewhere else and got the work done, but the morals of the atory for those considering similar silliness in the future are:

1. Don't buy parts and issue them to a garage for fitting - get them to supply and fit as it will work out MUCH cheaper in the long run if they go wrong.
2. Avoid Basingstoke Car 'Supercentre' at all costs.
3. For the love of all that is holy NEVER, EVER buy BRITPARTS - for they are the ill-constructed instruments of the devil.

Here endeth the lesson...

Yes I learned that lesson many years ago when supplying a clutch kit for the garage to fit - the release bearing was faulty and the box needed to come out again to replace it - at my expense

oh i fooking love britpart the bunch of ****ers!!!

gcoo8154 said:

oh i fooking love britpart the bunch of ****ers!!!

Click to expand...

****es me off all the advertisement they have in the landy mags, especially sponsoring the workshop sections!
'quality parts for landrovers' how can trading standards allow that as a slogan?

V8_Disco said:

****es me off all the advertisement they have in the landy mags, especially sponsoring the workshop sections!
'quality parts for landrovers' how can trading standards allow that as a slogan?

Click to expand...

exactly v8 disco i mean britpart is adverting britain in a way and the stuff is shear ****! i dont care what anyone says to me britpart stuff is ****e! why buy britpart when you can buy bearmach for the same price and triple the quality

So you supply the parts to the garage and they add xxxx to the labour costs instead - very clever.
Why not just ask for an estimate rather than take the pi-- ?
Any parts my workshop does not supply get fitted with NO comeback whatsoever,(Often the parts are total sh-te,I did an A/C condensor on a p38 today - total rubbish,doubt it will last a winter.)its hard enough trying to get labour claims back on a proper warranty.
Contrary to peoples ideas, there are garages who just want to make an honest living,and dont feel the need to shaft everyone,there are more than you might think.

Hey eight, you are in my area so let me know whereabouts you are and I'll pop over for my servicing

eightinavee said:

So you supply the parts to the garage and they add xxxx to the labour costs instead - very clever.

Contrary to peoples ideas, there are garages who just want to make an honest living,and dont feel the need to shaft everyone,there are more than you might think.

Click to expand...

Good points and well made - however the garage in question, when I took the vehicle back to fit another cylinder at my own cost, (parts and labour) quoted me two solid days labour to do the job - I know the job of taking the box out is a bit of a nightmare but TWO DAYS takes the biscuit and then some; particularly as I had not asked the garage to take any liability for the previous install.

The garage I finally took it to (MPC in Basingrad) quoted 7.5hrs labour, plus parts - saving me £200 or thereabouts.

Not wanting to tar all garages with the same brush but, by jingo, this garage has some front.

Sounds like the garage wanted to avoid doing the work and priced it accordingly. I know that customer satisfaction should rate highly, but supplying your own shoddy parts to start off with puts you in a poor position with any garage. The relationship works both ways.

You should always ask for an estimate before having work undertaken. That way everyone knows where they stand before things go south.

Speaking of customer satisfaction Jon, have you completed work on that valet bay yet?