Blow Dog

This, I am sure, is something <B>everybody</B> worries about.
You drive up to the service centre (main dealer or not) hand over your keys and are asked to come back tommorow whilst they perform their duties. Whilst at home, you just have this mental image of them taking your car through the RAC rally! (I have heard and read stories of main dealers writing off cars in routine test runs)

I just got my car back from a main Mitsubishi dealer and noticed 8 miles were put on the clock since I left it. Somebody tell me I am being over cautious, but something tells me 8 miles is a tad keen for an interim service/oil change test, why does the car have to go out at all?.

I hate leaving my car with someone else, I just <B>don't</B> trust anyone. What do you do? What <I>can</I> you do?

I often ask when my car is in for work whether they can guarantee me if no miles are put on the clock. I asked this to a security firm when they were doing extensive work for the car and they laughed at me, "This isn't Ferris Beuller mate!"

Annoyed and yours..
Cem

BrewandBake

I always put a sticker on the dash saying "the current mileage is 13,245 or whatever when I leave it for a service.
That way - when the grease monkey jumps in he is a little less likely to use it to pop home for lunch in !

Brew.

AWD

I always ask them whether they will do any mileage on the car as part of the service. Ever since I started asking - they never do, as they assume that I have kept a record of it.

I know that some places do (or claim to anyway) take the cars for a run around the block after any service.

This could just be an excuse of course.

It worries me, as the last thing I want is some kid redlining it for the sake of it and thrashing the tyres for fun, when the engine is cold.

On a funnier side, a friend of mine had his name down for a Boxter S. He was one of the first on the UK list and he had already arranged to sell it to a dealer in the UK before the delivery date arrived. So he goes along to the Porsche factory in Germany and listens carefully as they tell him about his new car, how not to do above certain revs before running it in etc. Then the technicians watched as he screamed away revving the car like there was no tomorrow... He got back to England and sold the car to the dealer. He had a great time driving it back apparently - he said that it's amazing what you can do on German roads when you don't care about your car.

BlowDog - did you bother asking the servicing people about the 8 miles on the odometer?

RichS

Cem

While I understand your concerns, I would look at it from almost an opposite point of view.

If I left my car at my dealer for a service, I would be concerned if they DIDN'T run it for a mile or two.

Granted, joy riding by the garage apprentice, trips to the shops and unnecessary mileage (8 miles does sound a lot) is not acceptable.

However I would prefer the dealer / trained mechanic to give my car a clean bill of health having actually driven it on the road, rather that from parking space to workshop and back.

Rich

Sith

I knew of a dealer that lets staff take customer cars home for the night and for private milage. They also use them to go for parts etc. This was a couple of years ago so they may have changed.

P.

Bajie

When the Saab 9000CSE was first released, the police stopped a 17 year old Saab apprentice doing 140mph on the motorway delivering a customers new car.
Best bit of advertising the car had.
Glad it wasn't mine though ...

sonu

Best thing to do is to get the Service person to sign a letter stating the current mileage of the car.

Thanks

Sonu

barge

I had an engine blown up many years ago by a garge who took the car for a test drive and thrashed the life out of it for 58 miles.

The Garage by my house in Bromley use the local roads as a drag strip and brake testing area, Its not going to be long they are going to crash a car, blow it up of kill someone.

I always make a note of the milage and check it again when getting back in, if its more than 2 or 3 miles I always ask where its been, just in case I get parking tickets, speeding tickets or something else.

Next time you have some spare time, go to where you get the car serviced mid morningish when the first cars are being tested and follow them on their test, then park up in that area for a while, you will be able to judge for yourself how the garage treats cars just by watching them drive past.

GCollier

If your car has one of those 24 hour tracking monitor devices which work off GPS (RAC Trackstar???), can you ask the company to monitor its location and speed for the day?

Chris L

A little extra for AWD's Porsche story. If you are ever in Stuttgart, go and check out the Porsche factory. There are actually two factories separated by a short stretch of road. Stand by this road and see if the 'technicians' keep the cars revs down as they are transferred between the factories

Shark

Cem and others,

I would suggest a chat with the service manager. If the cars in for a small oil service etc, it IMHO should get a road test, but at the most 1 or 2 miles, just to listern for any faults that you the driver may not be aware of.

For large services I feel a road test is essential, but again this need not exceed 3 or 4 miles.

When testing for rattles etc, the plot thickens. I have road tested vehicles for miles and miles when looking for other faults.

As for taking cars home and/or using them to collect parts, well I think thats not on. Fine, if I need to do a test and the parts place is on route, no problem. I have taken several cars home for extended testing, but this would only ever be done with the customers knowledge.

It's your car at the end of the day and if you don't want it driven then tell them and note the milage.

Hope this helps

David

Ps - They could always disconnet the speedo tho

Jerome

Although not during a service, I had a test drive (with the salesman driving) where he caned the car from cold really badly. He got up to 120mph on a narrow country road. Wouldn't liked to have bought that car...

Jerome.

sonu

Barge,

what's the name of the garage in Bromley?

Please mail me if you don't want to disclose them on the board, manmeetanand@netscape.net

Thanks

Sonu