vans who'd have em and useless main dealers

[julesverne]

Well i've had my 60 plate for just over a year a jumbo transit.
last week on our way to a job van starts playing up running a ropey on tick over and missing. Did job and just about managed to get it home. We thought we had diagnosed problem down to fuel valve related issue. Basically at it wouldnt start under it owns steam but would pull start on a tow rope from my honda hrv
(although it wasnt impressed having to do this)

So we thought it would mean a main dealer fix as some work to reset ECU after fixing .I was a bit bain to do this as but needs must needed to get van sorted.
so phones up last thursday. Yes sir we can book you in for friday get the van before 10.00am
drop it off friday. Hear nothing but had been busy all day. Drove past dealership and van was still in same place parked/dumped that day.
Gotta a bit suss
phones up this monday says they will look into and hear nothing.
So they finally started diagnostic work on it yesterday. Phoned up says it could take upto 4 hours.
what i was told £75.00 over the phone. Bloke went into patter but as i needed my van working i agreed.
comes back at dinnertime you've lost compression in cylinder 4 so far it comes £336.00 we now now need to remove the engine and box out to strip it down to see whats causing that. This will cost another approx £600.00 so i say so its going to cost me over £900.00 before you even start to fix whatever is causing the problem yes. No it isnt i will pick it up and take it somewhere else.

what a bunch of arseholes

so booked in too my usual garage for next week where i should have gone in the first place. Just praying its a valve on the head and not piston.

the most annoying part for i had an appointment booked over the phone but they dont start work on it for 5 days.

Most money ive ever spent buying a van and its cost me the most to fix and it has a full service history
i need a drink.

 

[Rickster123]

Are you calling in to the bank of mum and dad?! How's the new business going mate?

 

[julesverne]

New business going ok.
No need for bank of mum and dad.
Just dont know how they justify over £900.00 for diagnostic work.

 

[newcastle phill]

Id be surprised if its a terminal fault. No strong smell of diesel when starting ??. Might have pushed an injector out of its seal. If fuel pressure reg fails. They can pulse sommit chronic on idle and afaik this can be the end result

 

[hammers4spanner]

Mechanics are a nightmare they make it up as they go along.

I had an alternator go few year ago on my van, managed to limp it in to a garage where they spent 10 mins doing a diagnostic , then they phoned in an alternator which was delivered to them. 30 mins to fit .

My bill was £320 the alternator was £120 i kicked right off 50 mins work was £200!!!!

 

[plumben]

Mechanics are a nightmare they make it up as they go along.

I had an alternator go few year ago on my van, managed to limp it in to a garage where they spent 10 mins doing a diagnostic , then they phoned in an alternator which was delivered to them. 30 mins to fit .

My bill was £320 the alternator was £120 i kicked right off 50 mins work was £200!!!!

So you got your van back in an hour

 

[hammers4spanner]

So you got your van back in an hour

Yep for 320 quid down tho and i knew it was the alternator rip orf merchants

 

[plumben]

Yep for 320 quid down tho and i knew it was the alternator rip orf merchants

I wouldn't complain at that, it might be a little steep but your turn around was less than an hour, they could of charged you £200 but kept your van for a week

 

[hammers4spanner]

You are aware that garages are liable for repairs and are on a timescale,if a garage wanted to keep my van for a week then i would expect them to either A to supply temp van or B compensate me with loss of earnings.

£200 for hours work is a rip

 

[rocketmanbkk]

New business going ok.
No need for bank of mum and dad.
Just dont know how they justify over £900.00 for diagnostic work.

It's bad,£900 to diagnose & then more to fix.

They're pulling people's pussers

 

[jonnyswamp]

Some Transits of that year (my own included) suffered from over fueling resulting in severe head/barrel damage
Had mine plugged in at Fords when I bought it and had it altered
Hope yours is something simple

 

[plumben]

You are aware that garages are liable for repairs and are on a timescale,if a garage wanted to keep my van for a week then i would expect them to either A to supply temp van or B compensate me with loss of earnings.

£200 for hours work is a rip

So if a customer comes to you with a broken boiler your liable for the repairs and should supply them with heaters if you can't fix it whilst waiting for parts?

or am I missing something

 

[julesverne]

Im just gonna bend over and take it.

Luckily i can work out of the honda for a week or 2

 

[hammers4spanner]

No your missing something your van is your livelihood as a one man band .
No van no money so if a garage takes the michael then they can become liable .

They class your van as your lifeline to work so legally they have a timescale had this issue about 3 year ago with a garage found this out with solicitor and citizen advice.

 

[julesverne]

So if a customer comes to you with a broken boiler your liable for the repairs and should supply them with heaters if you can't fix it whilst waiting for parts?

or am I missing something

I suppose it depends on the situation. In my case i at least expected them to start the same day It was booked in for. Not 5 days later with no apologie

 

[julesverne]

No your missing something your van is your livelihood as a one man band .
No van no money so if a garage takes the michael then they can become liable .

They class your van as your lifeline to work so legally they have a timescale had this issue about 3 year ago with a garage found this out with solicitor and citizen advice.

Thats good to know. I feel a letter of complaint coming fords way

 

[plumben]

No your missing something your van is your livelihood as a one man band .
No van no money so if a garage takes the michael then they can become liable .

They class your van as your lifeline to work so legally they have a timescale had this issue about 3 year ago with a garage found this out with solicitor and citizen advice.

You really do learn something new every day then

 

[WaterTight]

In my experience all garages do this whether they are good or bad. Take forever, that is. Not necessarily rip off.

It's because they can't stand turning down business, something many of can sympathise with.

If people brought their boilers, toilets etc to us in our garages for repair and then left, how many of us could see ourselves ending up doing the same?

 

[jtsplumbing]

New business going ok.
No need for bank of mum and dad.
Just dont know how they justify over £900.00 for diagnostic work.

Are you sure that you went to a Garage and not another Plumber ?? :deal:

 

[Leo21]

I've heard of these having injector let by, and hydro locking that cylinder. Not good, but if it is that and it's a common fault you've got a case against ford.