Nine in ten garages 'fail to repair car faults'...

[gmb45]

...as Which? survey reveals most missed or ignored at least one serious fault

GARAGES may still be putting lives at risk by failing to repair basic faults with cars, a consumer watchdog warns today.
Despite the introduction of several codes of conduct designed to improve servicing standards, 87 per cent of the garages investigated by Which? missed or ignored at least one potentially dangerous fault.
The watchdog asked 62 of its members to book their cars in for a service. Before they did so Which? introduced four basic faults that a competent mechanic should spot: deflated spare and nearside rear tyres, brake fluid at the minimum level and a blown bulb on the reversing light.

<--- meaty racking up his bonus



But only eight of the 62 garages tested returned the cars fault free while five failed to fix any of the introduced faults, according to the Which? report.
Forty-eight per cent did not spot that the brake fluid was very low while 57 per cent missed the reversing light bulb.
Sixty-eight per cent failed to inflate the spare tyre and 21 per cent the rear tyre. Beforehand Which? filled up the screenwash as an honesty test ? 39 per cent charged for it anyway.
Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which?, said: 'This is a worrying snapshot of an industry that desperately needs to clean up its act.
Almost all the garages failed to fix basic faults. This could have endangered the lives of drivers and other road users.'

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Which? survey reveals nine in ten garages 'fail to repair car faults' | Mail Online

[Canker_Canison]

Is it me, or are they really grabbing at straws to scare people.

Deflated spare and nearside rear tyre - Ok so low pressure ona tyre can cause issues. But who gives a shit about the spare...it's not going to go on a murdering spree.

Brake fluid at the minimum level - If the fluid is low either the pads, shoes or disks need changing... Or there's a leak in the system. As long as those were checked the low level is just as safe as the max level.

A blown bulb on the reversing light - Wow, the people who don't look at what's going on around them won't see my reversing light. Not that they ever cared before. Maybe my car coming out of the parking space will be enough of a warning that I'm reversing.

None of these worry me. What's more worrying is when you take a well known fault to the dealers & they don't acknowledge there's a fault. Or fail to carry out repairs, but charge you for it anyway.
I've lost count of the amount of people who take their car to a garage with a fault. The garage changes a part, charge to much, but the fault is still there. So they change another part....& charge again.

[nara]

Is it me, or are they really grabbing at straws to scare people.

Deflated spare and nearside rear tyre - Ok so low pressure ona tyre can cause issues. But who gives a shit about the spare...it's not going to go on a murdering spree.

Brake fluid at the minimum level - If the fluid is low either the pads, shoes or disks need changing... Or there's a leak in the system. As long as those were checked the low level is just as safe as the max level.

A blown bulb on the reversing light - Wow, the people who don't look at what's going on around them won't see my reversing light. Not that they ever cared before. Maybe my car coming out of the parking space will be enough of a warning that I'm reversing.

None of these worry me. What's more worrying is when you take a well known fault to the dealers & they don't acknowledge there's a fault. Or fail to carry out repairs, but charge you for it anyway.
I've lost count of the amount of people who take their car to a garage with a fault. The garage changes a part, charge to much, but the fault is still there. So they change another part....& charge again.

I would agree with most of that, but the point is that these are items which are listed on the service schedule for checking. If they're not checked then the job isn't being done properly.

[Canker_Canison]

But these 'faults' should never have to be fixed on a service. If drivers don't know how, or fail to check these basic things they need a good kicking.
The hardest job listed was changing a blub. Yes, some cars cannot be serviced by the owner. But most only need to move a panel & either undo a couple of screws or push clips.

It's even part of the test now. Basic maintenance is required to pass. It's this basic skill that might stop a serious accident or death. I had to tell a woman she needed a new tyre while in asda's car park. A pleb the size of an egg was on the outer wall of her nearside front tyre. She acted like a typical woman....'I just get in & drive the car, I don't know how to fix it. That's what garages are for.'
But if she had a blow out at 70mph, she might never get to the garage ever again. Not that she knew she had to go there.

Never taken a car for a service, been working on cars since before I left school. Saves me a fortune on running a car. Also makes me a little extra money when I'm feeling helpful.

[smirnoff_rules]

we all know most agents and bigger garages rip u off . but they never say the names of the good garages just slag all garages in one go and tar us all with the same brush

why not give the garages that pass an award they can put on there garage doors

[Canker_Canison]

we all know most agents and bigger garages rip u off . but they never say the names of the good garages just slag all garages in one go and tar us all with the same brush

why not give the garages that pass an award they can put on there garage doors

Around here a few small garages, MOT stations & specialists have started working together. They refer work between them & help build up their reputations as respectable businesses.

When all is done, it's the good small garages that are always busy. Those that rip people off (mainly national chains & back alley con men) never have busy times, just the occasional flurry of minor jobs.

[Meat-Head]

Too lazy to read fully, but agree 100000% with clancker-clakson.

was an advert on Meat FM the other week for a stealer - nationwide advert?

Something like

"100 quid for a service, yes we will change your oil and kick your tyres for a ton"

Just for reference Meat-Head-Motors are:

1) FULL member of "The BAD Garage Scheme" (Member 000001 if you want to check)
2) Meat-City Trading Standards are fully aware of M-H-M
3) 'Time Served' - M.C.P. from the age of 16