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General => General discussion => Topic started by: mk3.owner on 30 March 2012, 17:34

Title: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: mk3.owner on 30 March 2012, 17:34
Ok, My better half has a Mk1 Renault Clio Phase 2. Last week the clutch had gone on the car and as she uses it to get too and from work the clutch needed to be done asap. I kept phoning around all the local garages getting quote's and the cheapest i could find was £230 as the sub-frame had to be dropped.

I then came across a 'Back Street Garage' and he said he would do the whole lot for £130 if i supply the clutch, Me being me thought it was a right result. So i dropped the car off to him and 2 day's later picked it up. When driving home I felt a really bad wobble (Almost felt like I had dinner plates for wheel's).

Parked the car and up and had a look around and this is what I found..

First of all the sub frame..

(http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee477/Lanos1point6/Ooops001.jpg)

Then the ball joint

(http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee477/Lanos1point6/Ooops002.jpg)
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: Jimble on 30 March 2012, 17:46
WTF! :shocked: Did you take it back??
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: Bellend on 30 March 2012, 17:50
This is true. But I've seen it at Kwik-Fit and Mr Clutch etc.

My now ex-boss left a Polo subframe loose, balljoints loose arb loose and the car came back with half a 13mm bolt still in the nearside balljoint. It was the parts suppliers fault apparently because they should tighten new balljoints. But somehow the other balljoont, arbitrary and subframe didn't matter. Told the customer it was the parts supply fault.

He wasn't in when it came back so I sorted it for him. Luckily I wasn't in when he did it. Otherwise I'd have got the blame.
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: mcgee9t2 on 30 March 2012, 18:10
 :shocked:

but as said, ive seen that sort of thing done by more main stream garages.
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: VW BUSH on 30 March 2012, 18:14
Lets hope he did the clutch properly...............
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: mk3.owner on 30 March 2012, 19:14
WTF! :shocked: Did you take it back??

Yeah and he said he wanted an extra £50 to touch the car  :angry:

Lets hope he did the clutch properly...............

Clutch work's fine.... Thankfully Lol  :rolleyes:

If I went to a more 'Known' garage then I would have kicked up more a fuss but i suppose you get what you pay for aye  :lipsrsealed:
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: VW BUSH on 30 March 2012, 20:01
WTF! :shocked: Did you take it back??

Yeah and he said he wanted an extra £50 to touch the car  :angry:

Lets hope he did the clutch properly...............

Clutch work's fine.... Thankfully Lol  :rolleyes:


That cos three bolts holding the plate on are still just tight enough :lipsrsealed:
Take it back and make scene, they naffed your ball joint as well.
The boss might not know how shoddy his blokes are, trading standards would be interested in un safe work like that it could have killed someone.
Just because it was cheap does not mean you should accept it, unless he is a 6'6" monster of course :grin:


Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: mk3.owner on 30 March 2012, 20:45
WTF! :shocked: Did you take it back??

Yeah and he said he wanted an extra £50 to touch the car  :angry:

Lets hope he did the clutch properly...............

Clutch work's fine.... Thankfully Lol  :rolleyes:


That cos three bolts holding the plate on are still just tight enough :lipsrsealed:
Take it back and make scene, they naffed your ball joint as well.
The boss might not know how shoddy his blokes are, trading standards would be interested in un safe work like that it could have killed someone.
Just because it was cheap does not mean you should accept it, unless he is a 6'6" monster of course :grin:




Well when i went back and they told me it was an extra £50 to touch the car i just laughed and asked them if they were winding me up.. Let's just say his facial expression didn't change  :grin:

Im not that fussed about it now to be honest i've replaced the ball joint and tightened the bolt up and car seem's fine so far, Touch wood..
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: Mr GTD on 30 March 2012, 21:13
Ah man! That's shocking :shocked:

Hope the car remains safe...
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: JC on 30 March 2012, 22:41
if its too good, or cheap to be true, then it normal is

The End  :smiley:
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: Diamond Hell on 30 March 2012, 23:03
I'm confused - this thread suggests there's a positive side to taking your car to the cheapest sh*ttest garage?

DO let us know what it is.
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: JC on 30 March 2012, 23:11
the pink and fluffy feeling of saving a few quid.  :tongue:































until reality kicks in of course  :lipsrsealed:
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: bobotheclown on 31 March 2012, 04:42
name and shame
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: bunj on 31 March 2012, 11:14
I had a very similar experience with mr clutch in Peterborough!!! new clutch on a 98 megane. 

One starter bolt missing
One engine mount bolt missing
Steering column nearly out of the universal joint
exhaust cable tied to the......FLEXI BRAKE PIPES  :angry: :angry:

Clutch was ok though,  :huh:
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: mk3.owner on 31 March 2012, 11:38
name and shame

Malcom Auto Repair's

I had a very similar experience with mr clutch in Peterborough!!! new clutch on a 98 megane. 

One starter bolt missing
One engine mount bolt missing
Steering column nearly out of the universal joint
exhaust cable tied to the......FLEXI BRAKE PIPES  :angry: :angry:

Clutch was ok though,  :huh:

O Shi!t.. Did you go back.?
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: bunj on 31 March 2012, 15:12
No fixed it myself with a mate, manager lost his job soon after  :grin: :grin:

Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: Murrayedition35 on 31 March 2012, 18:58
Whats wrong with you guys fixing them after you paid a garage to do it....i would have kicked up such a fuss.... :sad:
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: navmk4gti on 31 March 2012, 19:04
Whats wrong with you guys fixing them after you paid a garage to do it....i would have kicked up such a fuss.... :sad:

+1.... if they fook it up get up fix it then they will think twice when working on someone elses car.. why roll over
Title: Re: Dark-side of back street mechanics
Post by: VW BUSH on 31 March 2012, 19:45
Whats wrong with you guys fixing them after you paid a garage to do it....i would have kicked up such a fuss.... :sad:

+1.... if they fook it up get up fix it then they will think twice when working on someone elses car.. why roll over
if it had come off one end it could have been serious
http://www.essex.gov.uk/business-partners/Trading-Standards/Pages/Trading-Standards.aspx