"Dave Liquorice" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
> On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:17:50 +0100, Huw wrote:
>
>> > They obviously didn't fix it last service take it back and tell them
>> > to fix it properly, for free, as they didn't fix it last time.
>> >
>>
>> If they did it free or cheap last time or only charged for actual
>> labour time spent trying to find the fault, why should they do further
>> work free?
>
> Simply because they said it was fixed. If they were "unsure", "no fault
> found" or "fault cleared during investigation" they should have said so
> not that the fault was "fixed". It's called being honest with the
> customer.
>
> If the same fault recurs very shortly after being "fixed" there are only
> two conclusions: Either they didn't *actually* fix it in the first place
> and lied to the customer or the part(s) they used have failed. New parts
> can fail early in their life, bath tub curve etc
There is the other and most likely conclusion in that it worked while they
had it and it failed again later. Not satisfactory but not uncommon. There
is a simple remedy in doubtful cases and that is to replace every posible
component with no regard for cost.
>
> Failed parts will be under warranty, the manufacturer pays for providing
> shoddy goods. A prudent and good garage would look a bit deeper as to why
> the new parts failed, are they really faulty or being pushed outside
> their limits by some other fault?
More and more garages will replace all possible components in a system for
this very reason. It is also the reason that garages do not attempt gearbox
and engine repairs any more. Too many come-backs. Far more profitable and
less hassle for them to just replace a gearbox or engine with new at vast
initial cost even if the repair would have cost a fraction but had a higher
risk of not being successful. As you say, the new component is under
manufacturers warranty but this is not without cost. Of course there is a
small cost saving for the garage because it can employ grease monkeys rather
than skilled mechanics.
>
>> This compensation and 'everything should be perfect and free' culture
>> actually causes everything to be more expensive.
>
> I'm paying for experts to do a job, If I'm told that the job has been
> done and completed I that has to be the case. If the same job needs doing
> again within a reasonable time(*) they patently have not fullfilled the
> contract. Having to do the job again for free is incentive to do it
> properly, correctly and completely the first time.
Then you have to pay an element of insurance. A very high element. In fact
if I was your repairer and your attitude was known to me, I would either
give you a price up-front for replacing everything at no expense spared or
ask you to go elsewhere. Simple.
>
>> then garages would change all components remotely connected with a
>> faulty function at the first attempt and charge for it.
>
> Thats because garages these days employ unskilled oiks with minmial
> training rather than proper mechanics with decent fault finding skills. A
> semi trained monkey can do the routine servicing stuff but a decent
> garage should have at least one proper mechanic for the "out of the
> ordinary".
It is not worth the hassle with difficult customers with unrealistic
expectations. Far more satisfactory to employ oiks/fitters who just change
major assemblies and components.
>
> (*) Difficult to define but within 4 weeks would be "reasonable" in my
> book assuming normal sorts of mileage (say <1000 miles) under normal
> conditions (mainly on road rather than off).
>
If they had fixed the symptoms at the time then as far as they, and you, are
concerned, it was fixed. If the problem recurs after a time then further
investigation and possible repairs are justified. If everyone took your
attitude then every possible component that could cause a recurrence,
however remote the possibility, would need to be changed 'just in case' or
the bill for the initial repair would need to be inflated to cover any
possibility. Would *you* work for nothing and possibly supply expensive
components needed to complete a satisfactory repair for nothing? Maybe you
would, but you would not survive long in a tough business. Someone has to
pay the bills. That someone has to be the customer because money cannot
legally be printed by car repair garages.
Huw
