update please read motorists! dont be ripped off!

[trixipaws]

we have a 2004 vauxhall astra, we had a letter saying they were recalled due to faulty oil tank thingy's so take it to a vauxhall garage for a free replacement. anyway its been done today, but when they called me they said the front brakes are "below legal" and at five per cent. what does this mean? we only had the MOT done about a month or two ago, and altho they said the brakes were getting a *little* thin, they'd prob need replaceing next year, but passed the MOT. surely if they were near-illegal the MOT garage wouldve told us so and done them then, after all they'd have got our custom so aint it in their best interests?

dont see how they can get from "ok, but prob need doing next year" to "dangerous and illegal" within a few weeks???? i am worried now, idk anything about cars but 5% sounds low!!! i'm worried about takin millie out in the car are they tryna get some money out of us (after all theyve just worked on it all day for free!)

any advice warmly welcomed!

 

[LisaJ1986]

Just spoke to my OH who used to manage a garage. He said you should just thank them, and take it away. I'd take it back to the original garage where it was MOT'd.
If you have the brakes done at Vauxhall, it will cost you considerably more!!!

 

[daftscotslass]

We had something similar happen with our old car trix... called up the garage and they said that it doesn't matter (was about tread depth though). So basically if the car's engine falls out the day after its MOT they don't care.

Not sure what the limits are but 5% seems lowwww. Especially if it means they're 95% worn?

 

[trixipaws]

thanx ladies- u know what i'm a bit fuming actually- the vauxhall garage is only bout 25m down the road, i just went to pick it up and the woman at reception frightened the living daylights out of me and made me feel like the world's worst mother- she was like "i wouldnt drive ANYWHERE with those brakes, ESPECIALLY WITH A BABY, you have NOOOOO BRAKESSSSSSS" and made stupid little comments like when the mechanic drove out of the garage at like 2mph- "oh, i hope he can brake" and even when i said i cant pay today iv no money she was like "we take credit cards" and i was like "i dont have one" so she started again with "u shouldnt drive without brakes, not in this weather, not with children"

well home was only 25m away like i said and i drove real slow altho brakes felt fine to me. i took it to our local MOT garage instead of going home, which is only 25m down the road also, but in the opposite direction. told them all about it and they said they get lots of people coming in with yarns like this- the big name garages try to scam us by scaring us and guilt-tripping us parents!

they looked at my brakes with a little camera for free, and advised, yes they are wearing thin, but absolutely NOT five per cent, and we have got 2 to 3 thousand miles left before they get dangerous. plus, vauxhall said we needed pads as well and quoted £175, but the guys in the local garage admitted that-as parents of toddlers themselves- they wouldnt bother with the pads, but of course its our choice. so, we got quoted £143 for both and £88 for without pads. and they said we'll be ok to wait til new year as we're safe to do about another 2000 miles.

so, we'll be taking it to the garage in the new year! the nice friendly one we always go to!

grrr, REALLY pissed off with vauxhall

scammers!

 

[LisaJ1986]

I was ripped off by them once! My seat belt clip was buggered, so i took it in. £186 later!!!
If i'd got a replacement from the scrapyard it would have been a few quid!!!

 

[happy-chick]

If the MOT was carried out properly and the brakes really were that low then that should have been advised on the MOT to get it sorted. If they are low and this hasnt been advised on the MOT then the garage that did it arent doing their job properly and can get in big trouble from the ministry for that. I would definately take it back to the original garage and tell them whats happened and get them to look at the car again, I suspect it may be Vauxhall trying to get you to spend money with them to be honest but I would def get it checked just incase. Which vauxhall garage was it chick? x

 

[*pud01*]

just seen this thread,
as you have found out they're scamming *******s my dad took his BMW to the BMW garage and he was getting his 1st years free service...
the day later he gets a call saying this that and the other is wrong with it and it'd cost £250 to put right, now before my dad had this car he loved his 'preloved' cars (rust buckets) that was years old so he was quite friendly with the mechanic by ours so he booked his car in at the BMW place for 2days later and got his mechanic mate to check it... and low and behold frig all wrong!
so my dad still went on the thursday and asked them exactly what was wrong and they gave him the same garb an also said it was dangerous to drive without the work done. he ended up seeing the manager... still the same story so he left, with his car and managed to speak to the regional manager and got his mechanic mate to write a letter supporting my dads claim that the car didnt need any work, anyhooo my dad ended up getting free servicing and valets for as long as he has the car.

trix do what my dad did and speak/write off to the regional manager and say about them using the fact you have a child as a bargaining tool to do work that isnt required, getting the receptionist to put pressure on you etc... making you feel like a crap mum (lay in on with a trowel) and get the mechanic you used to support that the brakes have 2000 miles in them. also say that you will be reporting them... dunno if its trading standards not too sure and if he/she does not give your complaint the attention it so requires you will go above them... never know you may get a pleasant suprise

 

[trixipaws]

they made me sign a disclaimer thingy to say i'd been told about the brakes and chosen to drive off anyway, does that matter?

 

[Craig]

Alot of garages (mostly dealerships) are con artists They'll bill you for work that doesnt need doing to get some extra cash, and more often than not they dont do the work/replace the parts anyway! Especially being female they'll try it on thicker.

Idependant garages are much better to stick to tbh - althought i know you couldnt that time given that vauxhall have to sort the recall.

You'd be suprised about how usless an MOT acctually is, the rulebook is full of loopholes, and that bit of paper isnt going to say a vehicle is roadworthy from seconds after it leaves the MOT station. Effectively its not worth the paper its written on lol

Im at the advantage where i can carry out 99% of most cars problems on my own - mechanics comes as a natural gift to me tbh, but i know through family/friends experiance just how much dealerships try to shaft you for unescesary work

 

[happy-chick]

Hubby is a mechanic for Honda & used to work at Vauxhall. He said front & rear brake linings have a minimum legal requirement of 1.5ml for an MOT. Hubby said he would advise replacement at 20% left / 80% worn.

He said to get a second opinion though as all main dealers send out the letters for the recalls and then usually try and slap u for extra parts. He said non genuine pads for an Astra are around £18 then you need them fitting. You should be able to get them done for around £60 all included and dont pay anymore than that. Dont go to a main dealer cos they will nail ur hat on lol!

Hope that helps! x

 

[*pud01*]

they made me sign a disclaimer thingy to say i'd been told about the brakes and chosen to drive off anyway, does that matter?

no because as you've had confirmed they're not dangerous by your other mechanic... thats just one of their last ditch attempts to get you to get the work done by them.
arseholes arent they

 

[Babylicious]

sounds like a scam to get money out of you! Dixon are pretty much the same here, tried charging me for two shocks that I didn't need!