British garages - need your opinion

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi,

I need some help from you.

First it will be a bit too long explanation, then please answer my question.

I am just now writing an article for one Polish mag, it’s for a car owners - some kind of guide how to survive in strange country.

I am willing to bust a myth, which is quite popular amongst Poles, that the British garages are poor, the engineers are not proffesional and lazy etc etc.

Altough I can agree that for SOME examples this is true (as it will be in ANY country) this is, as we all know, not true, and I want to show that to my readers.

I am just fed up of Poles slagging the British tradesmans at every moment and altough I can see that in many occasions they are right, putting everyone to the one jar is not fair. Apart of that I think that creating a Polish ghetto where Poles are buying food in Polish shops, fixing cars in Polish garages, buying furniture in Polish warehouses etc is not doing any good nor to Polish community here, nor to our British hosts, nor to integration between these two groups. I just don’t want to see Polish people living separately from the mainstream of British community, like Pakistani people etc. So that’s why in my articles I am conducting a small crusade to bring Polish community closer to the people in who’s country we are living now.

I myself for over two years use a small scottish family garage, which looks like something between slums and scrap yard, but it was recomended to me by a scottish friend and I am really happy with their services and prices. So I think that it’s not an exception and Poles really don’t have to drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh, becouse they found advert in Polish mag that there is a Polish garage there…

But I noticed one thing, both from my private experience and also from the trucking industry and, as I am living here not too long, I would like to ask you to confirm or bust that observation to let me write true in my article. This observation is:

In UK the tradesmans (in general, not only in motoring industry) are highly specialised, unlike in Poland, where I am giving my car even to small garage and they are able to do everything with it - from engine throught suspension, electrics to some small bodywork jobs. Here I have really good mechanic, but for electric jobs I have another one, recommended to me and the same for tyres, body, some interior problem (like broken window-rising mechanism etc.)

Therefore I want to write in my article that "Scottish engineers are good, but in most cases you can’t expect from them what you are used in Poland - they aren’t ‘the guys who can fix everything’ but most of them will be good in one field and won’t touch nothing which is outside of their speciality. Yet only difference is that you have to store few phone numbers to trustworty proffesionals in your mobile instead of one"

Will that description of the british motoring industry tradesmans will be correct, or my observation is a bit too far?

2

The problem is the UK is more of a throw away society than maybe Poland is and cars as with all things have got more complicated, so are repaired by putting them on a computer and then replacing the faulty module as it would cost more to repair it than replace it. It’s unlikely that you can really consider any of those working there as engineers despite the qualifications. They are taught to do the job they need to do to keep modern cars running.

There are still some who can genuinely repair parts, and many of these people work in the small garages in the back streets and understand that thier customers are trying to run ageing cars on a budget, but you have to know were to find them, as like your garage they don’t advertise but are recommended by customers.
As for British engineers, by that I mean the classic overalls and pipe working out of a shed or barn. I know loads of them, they restore classic cars, steam engines, old trucks, and make parts for the motor racing industry.

3

To be honest I have just found a garage that is run by Kurdish people for predominatly Kurdish people, I was a bit reluctant at first but after having a problem that could sort quicker than anyone else they got the work now I would recommend them to anybody. They were MECHANICS not FITTERS to a very high standard.
Unfortunatly more garages would rather just fit new parts when a bit of time could be needed just to repair existing parts. Why I don’t know but thinking about it, could garages be frightened of getting sued in todays compensation culture society■■?
I do know though that it is a complete waste of some peoples talent.

4

Not sure what you want from us Orys. I bet you will find that few people here use main dealers because they charge sill rates. For my part I have found a small garage (not quite so scruffy as yours:)) that will do most things.

The problem they often have is that some jobs need specialist tools that they dont have - like air con etc. What they do have though is contact with the guys who can do the job so they will send it round and get it fixed for me.

Like a lot of people garage owners worry about being sued even though they can’t remember it ever happening. This is the same reasoning that makes truck drivers unable to change a light bulb.

I entirely agree with you about the ghetto mentality but Brits abroad do exactly the same so we have no grounds for complaint.

5

My eldest son has his own business, he runs a garage specialisng in all types of repair work.The only thing he doesn’t do is MOTs,but that is his next step. His mantra, if you like, is do a good job at a reasonable rate and the customers will keep coming back. He has been trading 2 years now and he has expanded to take 2 young lads on to train them as apprentices. I don’t take my car to him as he lives too far away so I use a local for my servicing etc. I have just had my car serviced(full),4 new tyres,and MOT and it has cost me the thick end of £600.

6

Fitters vs fixers. That’s the thing I was also looking for.

I think that there is quite a lot of garages here who are only fitting new parts into your car until they’ll find this one what was wrong. It’s also usually very hard to obtain estimate from them for some bigger work… Remember, once I made a mistake and went to Kwik fit to change brake disc, as I thought that they cannot ■■■■ so simply job up. They could. I was returning to them 7 times more due to some strange noises and they fitted 3 new sets of brake pads, removed covers, placed new covers, replaced plastic wheel-arch etc etc (lucky me it was under guarantee and I did not had to pay for all that) then I went annoyed and asked in one of this back-street garages - they guys sorted a problem for 20 quids in 15 minutes :wink:

Off course we also have a big fitting networks in Poland and they are exactly the same :slight_smile:

This is a thing which differ as well: in Poland you can obtain an binding estimate - they will charge you for that, but it’s there an agreement. If you paid them 10 quids for estimate and they told that it will cost you 100 to fix your car and then it turns up that it will cost 4000, that’s theirs problem.

So if I write what I wanted to, it won’t be any harm for British garages?

7

orys:
This is a thing which differ as well: in Poland you can obtain an binding estimate - they will charge you for that, but it’s there an agreement. If you paid them 10 quids for estimate and they told that it will cost you 100 to fix your car and then it turns up that it will cost 4000, that’s theirs problem.

but can i ask you this do there tell you there found a problem with the car that there did not put in the estimate,and would there repair some thing that there did not quote for or told you was wrong, i do lot of my own car repairs as i find it the labor rates that are the bug bear, but i have one thing that i will never do even though i know how is my brakes as is IMHO one of the most important parts and i would not want to risk my or Joe public life . i take my car to the same garage and have found them to be fare in price and work and in four years it never failed its MOT and it now 13 years old,or and its a Fiat

8

Yeah.

It’s work like that: I am the garage owner and you come to me saying “this and that is wrong with my car”.

We agree that you wand an estimate from me, so I make you a cup of tea and dig under your car. You can hear some strange noises and see me using some magic tools on your car. After a while I say to you “I think that a problem lies in that this and that is broken I can fix this and replace that at a total cost of 1000 zÅ‚. After I’ll fix it your car will be back on the road”. You pay me 20 zÅ‚ for this estimate and we agree for that repair. Than I found that in fact to fix THIS problem it will cost me 2000 but this is my problem. I can also find some other problem, unrelated to the previous one and then I’ll call you and ask if you want me to deal with that as well or not.

9

I use a garage which specialises in the make of car I drive (Volvo), the owners and mechanics were all Volvo trained but realised that some people want experienced personnel without main dealer bright lights, big desks and high prices. They have been servicing and repairing my cars for at least the last 15 years and have never let me down, or overcharged ( at least I don’t think so). They do all repairs to all other makes of car as far as I am aware, and in my area they are just one of the marque specialists. Also covered by ex dealer personnel are Mercedes, Vauxhall and Alfa . Main dealers do have a greater range of parts but are very prone to fitting them, rather than looking for the cheaper repair option

10

like to see polish women in the garages ( God they are beautiful) or have i gone of topic■■?

back to topic, i used the same garage for 5 years and every time he has fixed my motor i never have had further problems with it after and the price is good

11

I do most of my own repairs and maintenance myself, because I begrudge paying main dealer rates to do something I could do myself. Anything I cannot do I get my mate to sort out as he is a mechanic in a main dealer and does foreigners on the side. If not for this I would probably use the local independant garage my old man uses, another old school fix not fit type of place.

12

It’s very hard to find good trades men in the UK in any field. Too many big companies with disgruntled employees who don’t really want to be there.

When i find a good one i stick to them and try to look after them!

The garage i go to have different levels of employees, the numpties who do the routine stuff like servicing where it’s just take one part off, put another on. The slightly more intelligent who can diagnose a problem, replace a part and get it right 90% of the time. Then the true mechanics who actuallly understand how things work and can actually solve a problem. The first 2 catagories have let me down the odd time but the third always sort me out.

I do what I can myself, but if you work all week that leaves you one day to get parts and one day to get it running again - problem i find is if you end up with the worng part or something else breaks your stuffed!

13

Just a small thought to add:

I used to have a friend who owned a small garage doing bodywork as well as repairs/servicing etc. He would quote a price for a job and it really annoyed him that some customers would then try to beat him down. His point was that to do it cheaper meant cutting some corner. He didn’t mind the guy who phoned back saying he wasn’t booking it in because XYZ have quoted a better price, that was just competition, but as far as he was concerned a price was a price.

As for charging for a quote — most people would just laugh and walk away.

14

Small garages have:

Knackered a brake master cylinder, put finger prints all over my light grey interior roof & broken off electric window buttons which I’ve had to go back to whinge about.

The franchised garage is pricey but mega reliable, but the suggestion:

orys:
‘…I just don’t want to see Polish people living separately from the mainstream of British community, like Pakistani people etc…’

Though making me laugh my parts off will surely get the anti-racist plod on your tail, matey.

You see, we’re being sold into the delusion that ‘diversity is good’: We’re no longer allowed to tell such simple truths since the EU & our Governmental monkeys tell us that it’s bad neighbourly to speak truths of of the world and it’s cliques. You need to be oily with it …such as Gordon Brown & co with their special blend of ‘rose-tinted population abuse’ telling us off for daring to defy the brilliance of the European Master plan and how others doing their thing, their way in our country is our problem.

15

You can estimate for a job,but if you quote a price then you cant charge any more,if you find a snag such as the customer has already botched the job then you need to phone them and negotiate more payment.Few people quote prices unless its straight forward work.

16

Happy Keith:

orys:
‘…I just don’t want to see Polish people living separately from the mainstream of British community, like Pakistani people etc…’

Though making me laugh my parts off will surely get the anti-racist plod on your tail, matey.

You see, we’re being sold into the delusion that ‘diversity is good’: We’re no longer allowed to tell such simple truths since the EU & our Governmental monkeys tell us that it’s bad neighbourly to speak truths of of the world and it’s cliques. You need to be oily with it …such as Gordon Brown & co with their special blend of ‘rose-tinted population abuse’ telling us off for daring to defy the brilliance of the European Master plan and how others doing their thing, their way in our country is our problem.

Heh, this is a subject for another thread I suppose…

17

orys:

Happy Keith:

orys:
‘…I just don’t want to see Polish people living separately from the mainstream of British community, like Pakistani people etc…’

Though making me laugh my parts off will surely get the anti-racist plod on your tail, matey.

You see, we’re being sold into the delusion that ‘diversity is good’: We’re no longer allowed to tell such simple truths since the EU & our Governmental monkeys tell us that it’s bad neighbourly to speak truths of of the world and it’s cliques. You need to be oily with it …such as Gordon Brown & co with their special blend of ‘rose-tinted population abuse’ telling us off for daring to defy the brilliance of the European Master plan and how others doing their thing, their way in our country is our problem.

Heh, this is a subject for another thread I suppose…

Either way, be aware that undemocratically enforced, Euro focussed PC tosh is choking our (former) rights to speak truths…