Mechanic's cock up

[billy sugger]

My 600 was regularly serviced by the previous owner at a garage in Kingston upon Hull, and I have all the invoices. One service included a complete fork seal kit, So what did I find when changing the seals myself the other week? 

 

One spring upside down, with closer spaced windings at the top, and both spacer washers in one side. No wonder I thought the steering was a bit vague. Anyone else got mechanics bodge up stories? 

[geofferz]

My bike mechanic once put my brake pads on back to front - idiot! 

 

 

May have been me. 

[Tiggie]

My mechanic* managed to get both pads on one side of the disc when reattaching the caliper. Made a right squeal when I tried the brakes 

 

*was definitely me! 

 

 

[Stu]

23 minutes ago, billy sugger said:

My 600 was regularly serviced by the previous owner at a garage in Kingston upon Hull, and I have all the invoices. One service included a complete fork seal kit, So what did I find when changing the seals myself the other week? 

 

One spring upside down, with closer spaced windings at the top, and both spacer washers in one side. No wonder I thought the steering was a bit vague. Anyone else got mechanics bodge up stories? 

 

What garage? 

[Mickly]

Once had a bike garage replace a fork seal on my old Speedtriple - got home & on closer inspection there were scratches on the gold fork upper where some heavy handed tw*t had rammed them into ( or out of ) the yolks.

Dave Brown M/c’s in Cov … no longer in business !!

[billy sugger]

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

What garage? 

All metal polishing Durban St

[husoi]

Other than having garages telling me that the bike was in need of some useless work after passing MOT's I've been lucky.

However, I do most of most of the work.

The only garage I would trust to work on my bike is Bob Scott Bikes in Glenrothes, the guy is one of the best and always very helpful.  

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I do my own bikes but I can't be bothered with doing the cars. We used to have a cracking local independent workshop in Chester but otherwise I'm not impressed with garages.

 

Both our cars have just been in for MOT and service. One came back with a sensor left unplugged, the other without the coolant and brake fluid changed as specified. Nothing serious but annoying when you're paying someone to do the job.

 

At our last place I went to the local Vauxhall dealership as our previous one had been pretty good. First time they had the car they rang me to say all the brake pad were 75% worn so they needed replacing. I told them to leave them, I'd do it myself. When I got the pads out the fronts were 50% worn, the rears only 25%. I took them to the workshop manager - who said that they don't remove the wheels so they can't see the pads, so the technician just has to guess how worn they are.

 

"So I'm paying you to guess what needs doing?" - I can do that myself. 

 

We had an interesting conversation the following year when they rang to remind me the car needing servicing again.

 

The worst experience I had was when we were away on holiday and the front coil spring failed so I had to go to a Kwik Fit place to get it fixed. The guy was doing the job, answering the phone and trying to sort out other work going on - so he forgot to refit the top mount. First bump we hit in the road the top of the shock came through the bonnet. That did not end well.

[husoi]

well, they were correct. 50% + 25% is 75% 

 

I'm the same. But because I drive an EV all service is done by Nissan. Plus they offer breakdown cover if you get the car serviced with them which saves a bit on the insurance.

 

Nissan always try to convince me to change the tyres and brake pads even is they are still in good shape. When the dealer starts going on about it I just say that if they offer 50% discount I'll have them doing the job. Is better than shooting them on the head 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

2 hours ago, husoi said:

well, they were correct. 50% + 25% is 75% 

 

 

As they say, there are lies, damned lies and statistics.

 

They said each pad was 75% worn, not cumulative. If that was the case then it would work out at 150% worn. 

[husoi]

4 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

As they say, there are lies, damned lies and statistics.

 

They said each pad was 75% worn, not cumulative. If that was the case then it would work out at 150% worn. 

Thought you would have noticed the sarcasm.... 

[skyrider]

most car garages have a licence to print money 

[DJP]

4 hours ago, skyrider said:

most car garages have a licence to print money 

 

Then why not start one? You'd be silly not to.

[Fozzie]

When I was in London, I tried to give one of my bikes full service history in a vague attempt to hold its value (which dropped sharply as I was doing 25k miles a year, with daily commuting). 

 

I fell out with a garage when they cracked the sump, and when they tried to get out of it I walked around the back where I found a mechanic using an airgun for absolutely everything. Was a tense encounter, as while I was calm, but being firm on what had happened, they were really kicking off. 

 

Later, I fell out with their sister company when they didn't fit a cam chain tensioner properly. It was part of a service, and to get to the bit you have to displace the throttle bodies. I think the mechanic tried to do it without displacing the throttle bodies, and one of the bolts holding the tensioner in wasn't in properly. Engine sounded like it developed a very sudden, harsh rattle like it was about to go pop. I then had to take it apart myself and check that the timing chain hadn't jumped teeth on the sprocket. Fortunately it hadn't. 

 

[billy sugger]

4 of 5 years ago I put my 250 in to a local bike dealer to have the front brake caliper serviced/fixed. The slide pin was corroded in solid, so Expected them to drill it out, etc. Instead, when  I went to collect it mick berrill said we could not get the caliper apart so we just cleaned it

 I could have done that myself!!!. In the end I did do it myself

[Stu]

21 hours ago, billy sugger said:

All metal polishing Durban St

I have never heard of them doing any servicing!! Just polishing

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I remember a little workshop I used to call in at on the dock road in Liverpool. One of the guys was rebuilding a Lotus engine to fit into his MK2 Escort. 

 

Sadly he dropped a ball bearing into a cylinder during the build and only discovered it when he fired it up.

[billy sugger]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

I have never heard of them doing any servicing!! Just polishing

 

According to the receipts I have it's called all metal polishing-motorcycles restoration. They have a website so will have a gander

[Stu]

1 minute ago, billy sugger said:

According to the receipts I have it's called all metal polishing-motorcycles restoration. They have a website so will have a gander

 

The website is dead! I tried it first 

 

A mate of mine will know about them if they do what they say they do 

[billy sugger]

Just now, Stu said:

 

The website is dead! I tried it first 

 

A mate of mine will know about them if they do what they say they do 

Just found that out. The invoices look legit, though how would I know if they weren't. The previous owner did less than 4k a year on it, and according to one I'm looking at now  the cam chain tensioner was changed at 40077, same time as fork seals

[Stu]

9 minutes ago, billy sugger said:

Just found that out. The invoices look legit, though how would I know if they weren't. The previous owner did less than 4k a year on it, and according to one I'm looking at now  the cam chain tensioner was changed at 40077, same time as fork seals

 

Let me find out if they do what they say and if they do then I bet its just a screw up with the fork leg 

 

Ps: pm incoming