How Do You Feel About People Working On Your Car?

I had to swap my summer wheels with my winter wheels. I don't have a jack, so I took it to a local shop...
Turns out the jack points under my car (you know...those you-can't-miss-them rubber block things) serve no purpose...because when I went in, I saw my car lifted by the rocker panels; behind and in front of the jack points.

Then you have the mechanics that lean over your fender and scratch the panel with their belt buckle, etc.

Personally, the thought of it makes me wonder if I should even have a nice car. If I were to save up a bunch of money and get my beloved M5 or Mercedez and it had to go in for warranty work and get all banged up by the mechanic, I'd be crushed.


How do you all feel about having someone else work on your car?

Mine is still under warranty so the only people that have worked on it have been me and the dealer. There are odd scratches in the trim I know I didn't put on it. One of the bigger reasons I change oil and do little things myself is I want it done what I consider to be right. The other is time. I can do it quicker than I can take it and have it done. A "professional" knows how to do it presumably and doesn't have to figure it out as he goes but he may not be as careful. On the other hand, while I have rebuilt engines and transmissions before I do not plan on doing it again. Some jobs are just more than I want to take on. Fortunately for me when cars start to need those big jobs I can afford to get something that doesn't.

Jim

Originally Posted by JimD1

Mine is still under warranty so the only people that have worked on it have been me and the dealer. There are odd scratches in the trim I know I didn't put on it. One of the bigger reasons I change oil and do little things myself is I want it done what I consider to be right. The other is time. I can do it quicker than I can take it and have it done. A "professional" knows how to do it presumably and doesn't have to figure it out as he goes but he may not be as careful. On the other hand, while I have rebuilt engines and transmissions before I do not plan on doing it again. Some jobs are just more than I want to take on. Fortunately for me when cars start to need those big jobs I can afford to get something that doesn't.

Jim

Must be nice...
Quite jealous.
If something goes wrong with my car (engine, transmission, etc.), I don't know what I'll do.


I just got my car back. Fortunately, there are no scratches or dents or anything where he racked the car, but I still don't understand how you can miss the jack points.
Reminds me of some kids in my college class that think all you do to rack a car is kick the legs under and send it up.

You need to find another shop, if that is what they're doing to your car. One thing I try to do is stay around while my car is being worked on, and make friends with the guy doing the work. Hard to do at the dealer, but I do it all the time at the tire shop. Once I see who's going to be doing the work on my car, I slip him an extra $10 to be extra careful with my wheels. Most of the time, they try to refuse it, but I make sure they take it; now, every time I show up with any of my cars (I have five vehicles), the same guy makes sure he works on my car, and he takes extra special care not to mess anything up.

Keith

I had my 328i in for maintenance items a month or so ago. I know for a fact my rims were perfect going into the appointment. Guess what...there is now a gash on the front drivers side rim, while under the dealer's care. What does a guy do, do you make the dealer sign a condition document, just like you do when you accept the loaner vehicle?? I am not sure what the correct way to go is.

Originally Posted by Campfamily

You need to find another shop, if that is what they're doing to your car. One thing I try to do is stay around while my car is being worked on, and make friends with the guy doing the work. Hard to do at the dealer, but I do it all the time at the tire shop. Once I see who's going to be doing the work on my car, I slip him an extra $10 to be extra careful with my wheels. Most of the time, they try to refuse it, but I make sure they take it; now, every time I show up with any of my cars (I have five vehicles), the same guy makes sure he works on my car, and he takes extra special care not to mess anything up.

Keith

That is a good idea.
However, judging by what I saw, it seems like he didn't know what he was doing regardless. He probably thought he WAS being careful.
Kind of scared to drive my car. I wish my tools would get here so I could torque my wheels.

I tend to build a personal relationship too.
The people at the shop were really nice.
I originally brought my car in for them to fix my tires because they were leaking. They re-sealed them for me without charge. I also NEEDED my car back ASAP, and they took the initiative make sure I did get it back.

When someone takes care of you like that, it makes me really uneasy about getting mad at them.
Probably one of my big flaws.

Originally Posted by CALLAWAY845

I had my 328i in for maintenance items a month or so ago. I know for a fact my rims were perfect going into the appointment. Guess what...there is now a gash on the front drivers side rim, while under the dealer's care. What does a guy do, do you make the dealer sign a condition document, just like you do when you accept the loaner vehicle?? I am not sure what the correct way to go is.

Bring it to the Service Managers attention. I'm sure if he is anything like the Service Manager at JMK BMW he will take care of the problem. Good luck
cheers'
vern

I am almost positive that it would turn into a she said-he said situation. I see your point though, it doesn't hurt to try.

Originally Posted by Hemorrhage

Must be nice...
Quite jealous.
If something goes wrong with my car (engine, transmission, etc.), I don't know what I'll do.

If this is your situation, you need to lease cars and not buy them, and get rid of them while still under warranty. No surprises of this type when you do that.

That's horrible. Feel sorry for your car. There are only 2 things to conclude (1) the mechanic does not know what he was doing or (2) he just does not know how would the car's owner feel seeing the car in that worse state. In that case, going back to the same shop should be a no-no already. Gotta find other shops there that value their customers.

Originally Posted by Hemorrhage

I don't have a jack, so I took it to a local shop...

Time to ask for a good service jack for Christmas.


I have an OTC 1525 and it is worth every penny i spent on it. The 1525 is assembled in the USA. Some of the parts might come from China. Lifetime warranty.

I had a Torin and it leaked from day one. Milwaukee jacks are good but expensive. AC Hydraulic are very good but expensive.

Other options and opinons here: http://www.hyjacks.com/wichjac.htm

http://www.ac-hydraulic.dk/en/

Originally Posted by Kamdog

If this is your situation, you need to lease cars and not buy them, and get rid of them while still under warranty. No surprises of this type when you do that.

Originally, I was going to buy an extended warranty. My CPO warranty is up in January.
However, my financial situation got pretty bad, and I think I have to sell my car all together.

Originally Posted by Hemorrhage

Originally, I was going to buy an extended warranty. My CPO warranty is up in January.
However, my financial situation got pretty bad, and I think I have to sell my car all together.

That is too bad. I hope things turn around for you.

Thanks, friend.