Bloody half arse mechanics (again)

[KraftyPg]

3 months ago the old man got his crewman serviced at a local mechanic before their trip away traveling through rural NSW and QLD. At the service the mechanic was told the hand brake needed adjustment because at it's full extent it wasn't holding the car. On pick up the mechanic gave the old man a bill which showed "handbrake adjustment and inspection: all ok" and the handbrake worked but by the time they'd got about 1000ks into the trip the handbrake was again not holding the car like it should but he adapted figuring it would last till he got home especially as he'd lived with up to the last service.

So now he's home and got another 12000ks on the clock he books it in for the service at the same place figuring they can once again tell him why the hand brake they adjusted and inspected wasn't working. Sure enough come pick up time the bill includes repairs to hand brake and the mechanic says the brakes were so far down they were metal to metal. Acting naive to see what sort of answers he could get he asked the guy how long they'd been in such a state to which the guy replied "they should probably have been replaced about 12 months ago". After showing the guy the bill he wrote out 3 months previous saying the brakes were adjusted and inspected and found to be ok the mechanic didn't even offer an excuse he just palmed it off as "these things happen".

It wasn't until dad got home that he also found that somehow the arsehole had managed to up end his second battery in the tub and fling it to the extent of it's cabling across the vinyl floor spilling battery acid. Luckily the battery acid only appears to have got on the vinyl and not on any of the paint work but that battery has been in the same place for over 6 years and never once moved in the 80,000ks the car has done yet 4 hours with a mechanic and it gets thrown around the ute.

The old man was rope-able when he found out, he's of the impression it's pointless going back and blaming them for the battery and the shoddy workmanship because they will just back out of it and he's probably got a point because shit never tends to stick to arseholes like that. I suppose there is satisfaction in knowing that no one we know will ever go back to the prick, he might never go broke based on the business people we know might have given him but atleast we feel better.

Bloody mechanics!!!

 

[D21 dualcab Z24 4X4]

What the F*^%$ has happenend to honesty and decency. Are they now just words in a dictionary??

 

[Matt76]

Its hard to find someone you trust in any trade now mate. Its sad.

 

[Dave]

If you find a good mechanic stick with them, I had a great one but he got sick and shut up shop.

So now I only work on the ute.

Dave.

 

[KraftyPg]

My mechanic is a good one (in fact I've got 4 to choose from) but their problem is that they actually have a job to do and don't deal with the general public. They are mechanics for a large company and the manager doesn't seem to think my Nav rates higher in priority to their bread and butter. I suppose given that I only pay for parts (and they are trade price) I shouldn't complain. They would do my old man's servicing too but usually they prefer diesels given that that is what they play with all day and everyday.

 

[fonzy]

you should name and shame them. they have the wrong attitude. i am verry perdantic on everything being done to spec and mods looking factory. so i do every thing myself then i know its done propely. i had to get a baby seat point in the d22 and for legal reasons can not do that myself. got the ute back and the top point had a bolt hanging out the back just above my tray 50 mm and the mounting plate was pushing up my back window seal. to do a good job all they had to do is check fit the mounting plate before drilling a hole and grind the exess bolt off. extra 2 min = happy customer. doesent sound too hard to me.

 

[KraftyPg]

I probably could name and shame but the problem with living in or around a smallish area is that pissing someone off can hurt your own business as much as the person you're trying to hurt. I know people who are friends with the mechanic in question and it's not going to do me any favours pissing them off, not until they get screwed by him anyway. I also tend to live by the idea that me bad mouthing someone else's business, no matter how much they screw people over doesn't make my business look good so ranting without public shaming fits the bill.

 

[nakedape]

Now that's a shit thing to happen to your old man. Reminds me of a recent experience with a mechanic in Loxton (SA). My missus dropped her Subie in for a service & a brake check - An hour after pick up she broke down with a stuffed wheel bearing. Somewhat foolishly she took it back to the same place to have the bearings replaced - one month later and one of the wheel bearings they replaced fell to pieces. Its really got to make you wonder if there are any mechanics left out there?

Sorry to hi-jack you thread

nakedape

 

[Dave]

Sorry to hi-jack you thread

Dont worry, he does it often enough. Lol.

Dave.

 

[KraftyPg]

Dont worry, he does it often enough. Lol.

Dave.

That's it Nancy Boy the gloves are off, no more Mr Nice Guy, you and me (just like that night at Mardi Gra!!)

 

[navarauser]

hmm sounds like he left the hankbrake on if it was working fine when it left now when he goes back 12,000 k's later and its metal to metal i cant see hows thats the mechanic's fault? maybe there is another fault but a bit quick to blame someone else. and for the battery thats been there for 80,000 k's bit wierd that the mechanic has done 5 k's and its he's fault again maybe it wasnt braced in probley?

 

[KraftyPg]

You're right, I don't know how many times I've told the old man, drive with the hand brake off and Blu-Tak is not for holding in batteries but you know how these ex mechanics are, they just wont listen. His biggest problem after he got qualified he jumped ship and became a engineer on the F111's at Amberly and the hand brake system on those things doesn't work the same way as the Commodore's.

 

[D21 dualcab Z24 4X4]

Whats the wife got to do wiff it ?????

 

[D21 dualcab Z24 4X4]

Blu tak is for covering those pesky bright orange and red lights on the dash that keep burning my retinas

 

[navarauser]

i dont see your smartarse point

 

[Dave]

This car is serviced by the same mechanic all the time, the mechanic should of picked up on the worn brake pads 12 months ago as he said after they were metal on metal these should of been changed 12 months ago.

Dave.

 

[KraftyPg]

I wasn't going to bother with defending my old man's actions (and my comments) again because I realise everyone has a right to disagree with words on a screen, this guy has no more reason to believe me than I do to believe him should he ever want to blow of some steam about anything but Dave's right.

How come a mechanic can't pick up on this stuff and how come only 12000 k's ago the brakes were in good enough condition to travel the trip the old man planned and made the mechanic aware of yet several days after the so called fix the problem came back and then by the time he gets home the problem is metal to metal.

And how is it that after 6 years and 75000 ks on the clock the battery suddenly came loose after a 5 minute test drive, it's never moved before. Now whether that battery is held in by Blu-tak or by 14 three inch screws the point is that it never moved in 6 years yet it moved when one mechanic took the thing for a 5 min test drive.

Each to their own but it doesn't change the fact that the guy is a DH and wont ever get mine or anyone I know doing business with him again and if he cared enough to even try and make a long term customer happy he wouldn't use comments like "these things happen" as an answer to why he didn't do what he should of.

 

[ralphn]

You're right, I don't know how many times I've told the old man, drive with the hand brake off and Blu-Tak is not for holding in batteries but you know how these ex mechanics are, they just wont listen. His biggest problem after he got qualified he jumped ship and became a engineer on the F111's at Amberly and the hand brake system on those things doesn't work the same way as the Commodore's.

good come back krafty i think its very simple do the job propley or dont do it at all

 

[Biscuits]

And thats why Krafty is the master and navaruser is the apprentice. I thought it was explained fairly well the first time.

 

[navarauser]

master of what? where's the fact's ive rolled a car done bout 20,000k's in the dirt battery has never moved. fact is it wasnt braced in propley as for the brakes maybe the machinac should have replaced them noone will ever know. and biscuits it wasnt explained very well at all just blame blame is all i seen