TW Blog :: Archives for April 2004
We have as clear a notion of the substance of spirit as we have of bodyJohn Locke
Bristol Street Motors Service
Relates to Peregrinations
At 2pm, April Fool's Day, I arrived at Ford Bristol Street Motors for my annual MOT test, only to be told they did not have a booking for me! Two weeks earlier I had visited the same center to book a test, and was told that the test could only be booked through the company call center. So, I went home and arranged my test for 2pm on April 1st. Now, why was I not booked in on arrival? Quite simple - the call center had booked my test at the center in Cheltenham, not Gloucester, by mistake!
So I had to speak to the center, and with out the faintest hint of an apology for their error, the best they could offer was a slot at 3pm in Cheltenham. Or I could wait at least 10 days for the next available space. With the MOT due to expire the next day, and a road trip planned for the weekend, I had no choice but to take the additional 30 mile round trip.
The service at Cheltenham was pretty shocking, with an obvious air of resentment that I had somehow interfered with their schedule. I waited for the best part of three hours, the car conveniently failed on the front suspension right hand lower arm bush - for which I was charged an unfathomable amount for what equated to a piece of rubber - and by 5:30pm I actually had to go looking for the car, having not even been informed that the work was complete. Just to top off a perfect day, by the time I got home, the entire right hand lower arm was basically hanging loose out of its socket. (Although I didn't discover the actual problem till careful scrutiny with some mechanically savvy friends).
Of course when I called Bristol Street Motors the next day, they suggested it was very unlikely the flapping right arm was anything to do with the right arm bush repair they had done, but if I wanted to drop the car by (all the way back to Cheltenham again) they might be able to fit it in and have a look, if they could find time. Well since my beloved Ford was practically undrivable, I called on one of my river surfing friends to take a look. Steve identified the problem, pointed out that to fix it would require refitting the entire arm, including the bush I had forked out on the previous day, so, instead we performed the repair ourselves.
Just to complete the mockery served up by Bristol Street, we discovered the wheel that was removed to replace the bush had not been screwed up tight again! I am not one to moan, but I believe in paying for good service. This was not good service.
Posted on Sunday, Apr 04, 2004 at 19:38:27.
Comments on Bristol Street Motors Service (15)
α comment
I also bought a car from them on 1st April this year. After 6 weeks the HT leads started giving me trouble. Believe it or not they do not keep a set in stock! I have been waiting for nearly three weeks for a call. I'll report back when it happens.
Posted by Keith Swinford
Tuesday, Jun 01, 2004 at 14:34:30
β comment
my Mondeo diesel wasnt running well so my wife took it for a service. The receptionist called it up on a computer and said the cam belt required replacing 20000 miles ago. This job had been performed by another garage 25000 miles ago. They serviced the vehicle and found problems with steering bushes. The cost was £400. £160 of that was for the steering bush replacement the remainder was for a service, which as I see it is several visual checks to fill in their paperwork, an oil change, air filter change and an oil filter change. roughly £200 seems a lot for an oil change!
The mechanic wrote on his forms engine running lumpy. They had rung my wife to tell her about the steering bushes but didnt ring her over the lumpy running. When she collected the car they said they would look at it for a further £88.
I have complained at their level of service, I have rang them 4 times, mainly because no one is available and they wont phone you back.
I have contacted Ford UK to say what should be in a 70000 mile service. They havent answered yet.
I feel ripped off and abused. From owning 2 Ford mondeos we are going to have to choose another make and model when we replace our vehicle in two years time.
Posted by Joe Richardson
Friday, Sep 10, 2004 at 18:26:07
γ comment
Sounds like bushes are BSM's path to a quick buck!!! During my saga above I also had to invest in two new tyres to pass the MOT. Neither tyre seems to have been fitted right and both are prone to gradual loss of air! I feel complaining would be futile… Shame really, Ford are good cars.
Posted by Tom
Friday, Sep 10, 2004 at 19:17:30
δ comment
Further to my posting regarding the HT leads, it was actually 6 weeks by the time they all arrived. To be fair, once they had, BSM called me in and did it while I waited, (did take an hour, but what the hell), also to be fair, it turned out to be rather more than just the HT leads. The brakes are now spongey, I'll let you know how I get on with that. The best they could offer me was an appointment in two weeks. Seemed a little long for brakes, but they're OK round town.
Posted by KEITH SWINFORD
Monday, Nov 01, 2004 at 17:06:27
ε comment
Hi I wonder if you could tell me is it an easy job to replace ther front lower arm bushes as I have been quoted £80 for the job. They say they want to change the whole arm as its easier than just the bush. So I thought I might just try the job myself. Thanks regards Eddie
Posted by eddie rother
Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:23:29
ζ comment
sorry I said £80 in the last comment I meant £380
Posted by eddie rother
Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:24:54
η comment
Hi Eddie, It looked like an easy job, but I am no mechanic I am afraid, so can't give any advice on that. There was certainly no suggestion of replacing the whole arm when the bush on my fiesta was replaced. I would ask around.
Posted by Tom
Friday, Apr 29, 2005 at 11:38:28
θ comment
GLYN writes After booking a service and mot at burton upon trent garage on 26/10/2005. I informed the receptionist i was disabled and could not wait for a service that would take a whole day to complete,do to my disability condition,i could not leave it and walk home as i can only walk 100 yards She arranged for the car to be picked up and would be returned in the afternoon. After the gentleman returned with my car and took payment for the work carried out. I thought it very strange why he wanted to get off straight away after payment. After he had gone i went to my car and was totally (SHOCKED)? It had looked like it had been used in a RAC rally,it was covered in mud,when getting into the car it looked like someone had been in pile of mud as there was dirt and muck everywhere,i could not even look through the windows,as was covered in a oily mess. Also placed on the seat was a bag with items in it.a castrol car care kit? Was i supposed to use this to clean my car with,i know i had been charged for it and don`t know why! An other question? I have no clue what these additional charges are for on my bill. What is a CIOIL costing £24.98. Castrol top up kit costing £4.99p. All my points raised can i have an answer for please, THANKYOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Mr G A Day
Thursday, Oct 27, 2005 at 13:35:43
ι comment
I am now resigned to take my car elsewhere as BSM clearly cannot service cars without something else going wrong with them a few weeks later. This has happened to me twice now and last year they forgot to put the top back on my anti freeze bottle. I lost all my anti-freeze and the engine was filty. Ford - get your act together!
Posted by Mrs J Michie
Wednesday, Dec 21, 2005 at 16:49:03
κ comment
I bought a second hand Ford KA in July last year which has only done 14000 miles, warrantly run out in October 2005. The car has just failed its MOT and requires a new steering rack. After two weeks and four people I have just been told it is bad luck that I am second owner (still paying finance to Ford) and there will be no goodwill payment towards repair. This is the second car I have bought from Ford and it will certainly be the last. Be warned this Company does not believe in Customer care!!!
Posted by ELAINE ROWLEY
Tuesday, Jan 03, 2006 at 12:08:28
λ comment
My 2 year old focus needed a service during which I could have paid £1000 if I had all the work they wanted to do carried out. Part of this I have since identified as a charge of £450 for a nylon screw. That's right, they wanted to put in a new headlight assembly because a screw was missing. Also, since the service, my battery goes flat if I don't drive the car for 5 days. Not impressed.
Posted by Dave Elton
Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 16:01:16
μ comment
I have a mondeo zectec s Tdci a 53 plate. The first and last at 4000 miles black smoke starts to bellow out of the exhaust on accelerating so I take it to ford and they replace the "ERG Valve". At 8000 miles clutch/gearbox starts getting noisey so back to ford who replace the clutch and flywheel and in the process scratch all the paint on the front wing. All this before the first service
Posted by craig seddon
Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006 at 19:36:14
ν comment
My girlfriends 18 month old Ka collection has broken down after a fan belt tensioner failed, killing the starter motor! Not covered by warranty and on 14000 on the clock! Was going to get a Focus ST, not now!
Posted by Martin Vause
Thursday, Feb 02, 2006 at 18:03:27
ξ comment
I had an accident a couple of years ago,in which the entire front end of the car had to be rebuilt. Bristol Street in Newcastle Under Lyme carried out the repairs. Upon driving the car away I noticed an unusual noise coming from somewhere at the front of the vehicle. I mentioned it to the garage and was told it was probably a "settling in" issue that would go away. Well it didn't go away, so I took it back. The garage first told me they could not find a fault. When I demonstrated the problem to them they had another look and said it was a bush on the NSF. I was not convinced as the noise was on the OSF. Trusting their judgement I agreed to them replacing the bush. They charged £125 inc a wheel re-alignment fee. I questioned why they needed to re-align the wheels as they had only just been done (in the accident repair). They claimed they hadn't done it as part of the accident repair. I asked why not, since the entire front end of the car had been smashed up? I also pointed out to them that in the paperwork they sent to my insurer - wheel re-alignment was listed as work to be done (and paid for).
This second repair failed to fix the problem - as I left the garage, the noise was immediatley apparent. Furious, I took the car to another garage, where the problem was identified as a broken anti-roll bar link on OSF - cost £65). I complained to Bristol Street that it should have been picked up by the initial accident repair, or at least in the subsequent and unnecessary work. They gave me the brush-off. Seeing that I would get no further with the dealership I wrote to Ford's head office in Glasgow. They inferred that this was not the first problem with this particular dealership and said that I would receive a full refund. I received the refund, along with a snotty letter from Bristol Street still claiming they had done nothing wrong.
Posted by Andy (Stoke)
Thursday, Feb 23, 2006 at 18:25:46
ο comment
why is it that my ford focus 2.0 ltr ghia goes through drop links at the front at a rate of 1 every 6 months and a new set of anti roll bar bushes on the front every year?
Posted by COLIN
Friday, Mar 31, 2006 at 21:47:21