Main dealer mechanics, waste of time.

[taxi ray]

Whilst driving on Saturday, a red warning light for oil came on, it was a low oil pressure warning light, I checked the oil it was a bit low, I topped it up and that seemed to cure it. The light came on again so I parked it up.

Took car to main dealer this morning. on the short drive the warning light came on again.
The service manager rung me and said, that the light was just a reminder that car is due a service. I explained what the warning light was and he agreed to get it back into the workshop.

The mechanic rung me this afternoon and said that there is no fault codes showing, and that he cant get the warning light to come on. Until he gets the warning light to come on he cant do anything.

I tried to explain that him seeing the warning light will not solve anything.

I have visions of the engine blowing itself up

 

[Ashley Burton]

Whilst driving on Saturday, a red warning light for oil came on, it was a low oil pressure warning light, I checked the oil it was a bit low, I topped it up and that seemed to cure it. The light came on again so I parked it up.

Took car to main dealer this morning. on the short drive the warning light came on again.
The service manager rung me and said, that the light was just a reminder that car is due a service. I explained what the warning light was and he agreed to get it back into the workshop.

The mechanic rung me this afternoon and said that there is no fault codes showing, and that he cant get the warning light to come on. Until he gets the warning light to come on he cant do anything.

I tried to explain that him seeing the warning light will not solve anything.

I have visions of the engine blowing itself up

Could be a faulty oil pressure sensor.

 

[frank horton]

if it were my garage the first thing would be to remove the warnig light switch/sensor and put an oil pressure gauge /tester.........then u can see whats going on and when it's hot and cold............
sorry but I'm old school..........my set cost me £125'ish......u'd think a main dealer at £100 per houyr can afford one........perhaps they don't know.......there not mechanic's anymore they are fitters.........
Frank

 

[Spark plug]

That is the typical reply I would expect from the “parts fitters” that are in garages in this day and age.

“Computer says no”

Real mechanics are a dieing breed.

 

[taxi ray]

I am not happy that they have had the car all day. and they are no further forward.

 

[johnakay]

garage mechanics.lol parts changers more like,if a diagnostics says all is ok but if ya big ends on it way out,
it wouldn't make any different to the so call mechanic coz the diagnostics say ok..
real mechanics went years ago.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I went to the VW main dealer for a part and it was like an Ideal Homes Exhibition. Piped music, carpets on floor, parts man in suit with tie, easy chairs with magazines, no shelves of bits etc - more like a office !. Through the glass panel at rear of parts section I could see the workshop and just as spotless. I think the days of main agent mechanics has gone and they are now just fitters who change parts depending on what the diagnostic machine tells them is faulty.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

You have to remember that the guy is basically a computer engineer these days....unless there is a code stored he can't get the computer to tell him which part needs replacing...it wouldn't matter if all the oil poured out onto the floor...as long as the computer says all is OK then nothing is required!

My daily driver has clutch judder at the minute....now do I tell him I think the DMF is toast or do I just say there is a judder! I may have to test the famous 5 year 100,000 mile warranty that they offered. Can't wait for them to suggest it's normal wear and tear on a 19k mile 2 year old car!

 

[Ashley Burton]

I am not happy that they have had the car all day. and they are no further forward.

You think that's bad, I had to leave my company car at a Peugeot dealer for 2 days to get the rear brake pads changed!

Why people use main dealers is beyond me...

 

[Robotstar5]

I went to the VW main dealer for a part and it was like an Ideal Homes Exhibition. Piped music, carpets on floor, parts man in suit with tie, easy chairs with magazines, no shelves of bits etc - more like a office !. Through the glass panel at rear of parts section I could see the workshop and just as spotless. I think the days of main agent mechanics has gone and they are now just fitters who change parts depending on what the diagnostic machine tells them is faulty.

Most main stealers are the same, it just puts you in a good mood while they "pull your pants down" over the prices

 

[Robotstar5]

You think that's bad, I had to leave my company car at a Peugeot dealer for 2 days to get the rear brake pads changed!

Why people use main dealers is beyond me...

A friend of mine booked his car in to get an immobiliser problem sorted out, when he went to pick it up it had 4 new tyres on, they had got the job cards mixed up

 

[Johnseat]

I'm reading some interesting views in this thread.
Well I'm a dealer apprentice trained technician, monkey, parts fitter, dart thrower, what ever you want to call us.
Sadly most of what is said in this thread is true, our industry at this moment is really struggling with low numbers of good experienced technicians as they've either moved into other fields or moved out of the workshop.

Now the new young generation coming though is a complete farce, they solely rely on the diagnostics stating what's broken and how to fix, they no longer require to think for themselves.

As for the fault above, I would like to think that they have looked at the live data for the oil pressure in the diagnostics machine, if that has been faultless on several road tests then what do you want them to do?
Do they replace a possibly expensive pressure sensor at your cost for it to come back on because a pressure relieve valve in the pump or block has faltered?
Has the correct specification oil been used, is it thick enough for the engine?
Do you have a dpf which could in turn lead to diluted oil due to excessive regeneration? Usually this over fills the oil but it's not unheard to have a low level with dilution.
How do we know the turbo isn't on the way out causing a low oil pressure across the core?
How do we know the filter isn't blocked.

If it's a young inexperienced lad who hasn't got a world of help in the workshop then simple oil pressure faults can seem like a minefield...
Just think before you think they aren't doing anything, they maybe putting your interests first by not wacking you for a massive bill with some diagnosis darts.

 

[addjunkie]

I once had a heated windscreen changed under warrenty.....shame it was the rear heated screen that was faulty.

The worst thing about the complete bad experience that included a service they didnt change the oil filter or take the wheels off,, odd very difficult to replace pads with wheels on. And the disc thickness increased from the last service.

When I complained the was workshop nothing to do with sales dept..i suggested he didnt know id I bought 1 car a year or 100.
I only bought 1 but my ex used to buy about 20 a year for work!

 

[cumbriasteve]

My recent main dealer experience was...

Oh no sir it can't be the cam sensor, it's a stretched cam chain and we can sort it for £450, would you like a coffee while you sit on a leather sofa in our customer comfort zone watching a big screen TV

Local Father and son in a scruffy local garage...

Aye lad leave it with us, watch the dog does not bite you and don't step in that pool of oil, new sensor and a sticking back caliper stripped and sorted for a quarter of the main dealers price.

Guess where I'll go next time

 

[dannyp]

oil pressure light, std checks for that here are

mechanical gadgue on, expect 4 bar ish cold at idel dropping to 1 bar hot. then bag over the grill radiator to force the engine tempriture up to near max operating, if pressure is good change sensors. if it's a bit suspect take filter off cut it open look for the tell tale glitter if theres none, depending on engine ( drop sump clean pickup ) fill with correct fresh oil, new filter and retest. if no good sump comes off if allready hasent, if the pikup is good, it's checking the pump itself or poping bearing caps.

only ever had 1 bad oil pump that was on a 12000 hour komatsu

 

[dannyp]

i take oil lights very seriously you might think it's expensive when a car engine pops but plant engines are a whole new level of expense, a 20 yr old 130 hp 6 cyl will normaly be 1-2 k reagrdless of what it is as long as it runs

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

The only time I ever had an oil light come on with my Volvo was when it decided to dump the contents of the engine all over the road. The light came on...luckily so did the stop immediately warning on the dash....checked the oil and it was half gone. Turned around and drove 100yards back home and by then it was all completely gone.

Turns out that the engine had blown the sump plug...all the oil escaped into the gearbox housing ruining the clutch and the DMF. Cost of new plug...£2....cost of fitting including a new DMF....£1500!

I took a chance driving it back home....that was 70k miles ago and the car now has 170k on the clock and res like a swiss watch.

 

[Robotstar5]

Mrs Robo had the oil warning light come on and decided to try and get home, she didn't make it, £2k for a re-con engine fitted

 

[bump]

Only time I'd consider main dealers is if I was worried about warranty, on the age of cars I tend to drive it's not an issue, so goes to the same old school garage where they do customer service as well as vehicle service.

 

[wookie]

Can't wait for them to suggest it's normal wear and tear on a 19k mile 2 year old car!

Not to accuse you of anything but the mileage and age are irrelevant, it's how it's been driven that matters.

As for the fault above, I would like to think that they have looked at the live data for the oil pressure in the diagnostics machine, if that has been faultless on several road tests then what do you want them to do?

I would expect them to fit their own known working test kit pressure sensor and gauge to measure the oil pressure before starting the engine, I wouldn't trust any of the existing sensors on the engine with a potential oil pressure problem, just plugging in the diagnostic laptop and starting the engine is a recipe for disaster. It doesn't take long running an engine without oil pressure for the bearing shells etc to be knackerd.

Do they replace a possibly expensive pressure sensor at your cost for it to come back on because a pressure relieve valve in the pump or block has faltered?

Who's to say there is anything more sophisticated than just a oil pressure switch fitted to this car ? but No they shouldn't just fit a new pressure sensor unless they are confident that is the fault. I've dealt with dealer support that want you to replace part after part even though you have worked out what the problem is but they don't like your opinion because it's an expensive part that has failed.

Honestly, it's stuff like this that is why I do all the work on my cars myself, proper old school garage mechanics are a dying breed and they are being replaced by people who don't deserve to be called mechanics that can only do what the computer tells them.

@Johnseat Please don't this as an attack on your abilities, hopefully you're better than the norm.