[redtill]

I was just wondering what your thoughts are about this

I've been using an independent BMW garage for aprrox 3-4 years & up until this year was not the type who got under the car or lifted the bonnet to do any wk myself. Well with lockdown that changed & I started doing some things myself.Got a lo pro trolley jack,axle stds,tools etc.Started with the oils,disks,pads & then took on Struts,shocks,springs,control arms,basically the whole suspension front & rear.So now I'm quite happy to get my hands dirty & have a try myself
When carrying out the above wk i ran outta time & wasn't able to do the tie rods & tie rod ends(bolts had seized).With me going back to wk & wanting the car ready for a long trip I asked the other half if she wouldn't mind & take the car to the garage.Got a quote for1.5 hrs labour which I thought was reasonable
So the night b4 I put the track rods/ends along with the gaiters & the sml & lge mounting clips into a box & stuck em in the boot.I even put 1 of the gaiters onto the tie rod.
Now the following day I decide to replace the fog lights so whip of the wheel & low & behold what do i see.....Old gaiters with the old clips & 1 of the gaiters is lose & just hanging.(how much damage this would have done I'm not sure)
Now i'm assuming the owner knows nothing about this & its the mechanics in the wk shop who are the culprits.I think they thought I wasn't going to have a look & so the mechanic just kept the new gaiters & clips for himself(he has the same car)
I've had a word with the owner & I'm gonna 1st make them rectify this particular situation & then...... any thoughts would be appreciated

[jwilalex]

If you do use them in future and you’re supplying parts like you did this time you could ask for the old/used items back. They don’t need to know why and neither have any grounds to refuse. Obviously fluids can stay with them

[redtill]

I'll definately use them to rectify what they've done but what should I ask them to do for them to keep my custom...after all their employee essentially stole from a customer & did an extremely shoddy job

[Daviebrown]

I’d ask the owner for an explanation first before you go blazing in and accuse someone of theft. There may have been a miscomunication and your new parts are still in the boot or the garage office.

[redtill]

Originally Posted by Daviebrown

I’d ask the owner for an explanation first before you go blazing in and accuse someone of theft. There may have been a miscomunication and your new parts are still in the boot or the garage office.

All the parts were in the same box & one gaiter/boot was ON the new rod
To top it off after installation the boot wasn't attatched & just hanging off.Not quite sure how this is a question of miscomunication.....more a question of really shoddy work & trying to rip off a customer is how I interpret it.I was actually gonna get them to swap out all the control arms on the rear axle with all new hardwear.Now there's no way i'd trust them to use all the new nuts & bolts.They would have more than likely used the ones they had to & pocket the rest.Also after doing a little research it would seem that this is an ongoing probem..charging customers for parts they haven't replaced.Anyway going there 2mora to hear what they have to say & then watching them rectify there shoddy work & install the parts I actually supplied.From now on will always ask for my old parts back,where ever I decided to get any work carried out

[-claw-]

Should be named on here to put a stop to other potential customers getting ripped off.
Then a phone call to trading standards.

Hope you get a good conclusion when you see them later.