Should the garage have driven my car?

Poll Poll Has my garage abused my trust?

  • Driving it was not necessary and they have had their way with the love of your life. Change garages

    Votes: 1 6.3%

  • It would have been negligent of them not to drive the car after changing brake fluid and engine cool

    Votes: 11 68.8%

  • Chill out - They might not have needed to drive your car but the Z was designed to cope with hard dr

    Votes: 4 25.0%
  • Total voters
    16
S

Swami

Member
I would like a second opinion (or two!) via the medium of a poll on whether or not my local indy garage needed to drive my car after changing engine coolant and brake fluid.

Now I am no mechanic so I want to be able to give them the benefit of the doubt and say it was necessary, but when I got back to my car and saw the average mpg had fallen to 26.4 from 26.9, I couldn't help but think to myself that my pride and joy had just been raped by a grease monkey!

The Sat Nav screen went straight to 'Computer' when I got in, as if they could have tried to wipe something before I got it back. After all, it wasn't a service so they had no reason to reset the service indicator or anything, so I can't imagine what they were doing in the menus if they weren't trying to cover something up? Having said that, the seat had been moved and not put back so that suggests they weren't trying to hide anything.

I appreciate your feedback in the poll!
 
ask them, if your not happy your well within your rights, as you say its your pride and joy? id imagine with the change of brake fluid they would of driven down the road to check everything was ok maybe?

on my old car i used to always note my mileage before i handed it over, it was never driven but the mpg went down a bit. i think this was when i had it mot'd, so they would of had the engine running.
 
I wouldn't worry too much... sound's like we're having a Ferris Bueller moment ;)

richardedsonferrisbueller.jpg
 
They may have simply had the engine running to bleed the coolant system. 5 minutes of that will have taken your fuel economy down a touch anyway.
 
What can you do about it though?

The service department at my dealer is a few blocks from the dealer, where you drop it off, so they have to drive it over there. I zero'd all my computers last time I dropped it off, and got it back with 11MPG average over 1.8 miles...had a brake fluid change so it needed to be driven and there is nothing I can prove though, would just be fobbed off with excuses, create an argument etc etc...just not worth the hassle. If they had done 20 miles then i probably would have said something!

One trick i use is drop it off with the fuel light on. They won't pay to put any in...
 
Drop in average MPG is of course linked to how long since you last reset it.

I'd be very unhappy if a garage changed my fluid and did not at least give it a brief road test. What would you say if you drove out the garage and straight into the back of a truck becuase they had failed to tighten a bleed nipple or had a large air pocket??

Frankly when you hand your car to a garage you trust them. If not find another. If there is any visible damage they pay for it.

In future I suggest you note the mileage and agree condition and location of any marks, mileage, etc. when left and check when collected, but for now forget it.
 
I remember a recent case in Sweden where a mechanic totaled a car that was in for a small service. The car wasn't registered in Sweden yet, and the owner claims he had told three of the employees that they should not drive it.

The garage still charged the customer for the oil change. :!:

Here is a link to a norwegian newspaper article with a couple of pictures: http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utrolige-historier/artikkel.php?artid=549508

Edit: Did I mention it was a Viper?
 
I always note mileage at dropoff (and it is also documented on the work order too).

The last time I had Emma in for a brake fluid change, they didn't road test it afterwards. I was fine with it.
 
Not one vote for the 'Pull your pants back up' option- thanks all I feel reassured!

The trip computer was reset quite a while back so I'm quite sure the drop in mpg indicates it was driven, but having the engine turn over to drain the fluid would obviously have played a part as well.

I normally do take the mileage but neglected to this time, besides I would notice <10 miles by the trip mileage so my issue was not the 3/4 miles they might have done but the way it was driven in that time.

Despite the Ferris Bueller flashbacks and the sickening Viper story (thanks for those) I feel better!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom