Independant vehicle repairers EU legisation - Page 3

Albertini · #41 02-09-2009

I run a main dealer parts dept and deal with obviously both our own technichians and those of independents.

It dosen't matter how good your fred in the shed is, they will be faced with a different brand of car every half hour or so and so probability dictates that he may have a harder time fixing your car should a problem arise.
In a main dealer, even if your car ends up on the least experienced technicians ramp his colleague next to him, and the one next to him also, will always be there to call on for help. This aswell as access to the technical support team from the manufacturer and the fact that the last car he worked on was probably similar to yours.

Not having a go at independents at all, just saying what I see everyday.

mark christopher · #42 02-09-2009

what needs to be made clear here is most garages can do basic work, brakes and general servicing, its when it comes down to a diagnostic problem that the dealer (or specialist) will have the edge

Albertini · #43 02-09-2009

True Mark, but I have people ringing me up asking whether certain crankshaft bolts are lh or rh thread, where are the pollen filters and "yes mate there are really 8 plugs in there thats why we sent you eight, you need to looka bit harder".

No disrespect to an independent technician, he just may not know the car he's servicing (and maybe its niggles) the way a main dealer might.

mark christopher · #44 02-09-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertini

True Mark, but I have people ringing me up asking whether certain crankshaft bolts are lh or rh thread, where are the pollen filters and "yes mate there are really 8 plugs in there thats why we sent you eight, you need to looka bit harder".

No disrespect to an independent technician, he just may not know the car he's servicing (and maybe its niggles) the way a main dealer might.

thats why i put most

im a ford master tech and get em ringing me for info, so know the feeling

Albertini · #45 02-09-2009

No worries, I'm not really sure where the basis for that article comes from.

I'm guessing it may be scare mongering to slow any introduction of vehicle technician licensing (perhaps a bit like the corgi gas thing) after all cars are dangerous things.....thats why I only spanner on little ones.

purpletimbo · #46 02-09-2009

A strange aside today, was in the main dealer fr my taxi, buying an oil filter, no problem with quality of parts, mine is notorious for killing turbos on cheap oil and non genuine filters, the pattern ones are half the size.
As I was waitingat the desk, the Tech came in and said to the service manager, I need to plug the diagnostics in on this car, happened to be same model as my taxi, He said, I have been all round under bonnet, can't find it, Manager was fairly new to the make, and they stopped production in 2004 , so he hadn't worked on one, I happily pointed out if he lifted the coffee cup holders in the center console in front of the gear lever he would find it there, fills me with confidence.

Dep · #47 02-09-2009

Indepedants spend all day phoning us for technical information. Its daft as most information is in technical booklets, they just can't be asked looking or buying the books.

woOdy · #48 02-09-2009

Just a little thing for you all, Regards warrenty on a car a manufacture can not make you come back to them for the service to keep up the warrenty. Some people say that you have to use gen parts but this is incorrect also. The only time that there would not be warrenty on a car is if the none gen part has failed so you would have to go to that manufacturer of the part not Renault. Oops. If you had a problem ie on a wheel bearing, a service would make no difference to that. If anyone says anything different then go to see legal advise as you will win.
I am not a Tech/Mech but its my job toknow all of this so I can answer questions like this.
I do not agree that repairs should go to dealers as there alot of great repaires out there and also alot of dealers which are crap. All of a muchness but you have more come back with a dealer. I have a customer in last week with an espace and an oil leak and it cost him £1200 to repair it. He paid me then spoke to Customer services and got £670 back. He wouldnt of got that back at a back street.