Topic: I hate when this happens... shop damages or loses things

[Dante]

Tonight I reassembled BMW's front bumper which was painted few weeks ago and has been sitting in my basements since. I found that a whole bunch of plastic hooks which hold the lower mesh insert, are broken. Not one or two, but 6 of them (the entire top row). There are still enough hooks/clips left to hold the insert, but not as snug as it was originally (took a lot of sweat and cursing at BMW to take those inserts off without breaking anything). I'm 1000% sure none was broken when I took the bumper to the shop or while in my possession.
Not a big deal one may say, but still, it looks like whomever worked on it was careless and there is nothing meaningful I can do about it. So fuking frustrating....
This is a reputable shop which I've been using before, but it looks like since I've last been there couple of years back, they grew a lot and the owner is no longer the one doing the work - or at least not the small jobs.

Another one - when I took apart the undercarriage shields few weeks ago, the radiator shield, which I bought new last year, was missing. There is no possible way for that piece to disappear (fall off on its own) as it's screwed together with the engine shield and it sits above it. There is only one job I've done since I put it in last year that would've required the engine shield removal and that was done many months ago so no point in going back.... I already bought a replacement piece, but just annoying and $100+ out of pocket.... Sure, $hit happens, but does it really have to ?!....

End of rant..... 
 

[rrocket]

^^I think you're getting old and just forgot about all this stuff you facked up and lost.   

[Dante]

I'm certainly getting older (aren't we all?) and I certainly up and forgotten things, but my own and not while getting paid for it and part of my job....

I'm glad you are so tolerant and these things don't register with you as abnormal. Good for you!

I for one, won't really lose any sleep over it, but just ranting as it happened. As I said I already bought the missing piece weeks ago and it's been forgotten, but just saying it's annoying to pay out of your own pocket, on top of the cost of service, because someone else forgotten to put the stuff back... or break your stuff because of lack of care (I have no other explanation for it - the bumper could've been easily painted without breaking those clips if handled with care)...

[rrocket]

I know, man.

Just breaking your balls.

[Angry Chicken]

Tonight I reassembled BMW's front bumper which was painted few weeks ago and has been sitting in my basements since. I found that a whole bunch of plastic hooks which hold the lower mesh insert, are broken. Not one or two, but 6 of them (the entire top row). There are still enough hooks/clips left to hold the insert, but not as snug as it was originally (took a lot of sweat and cursing at BMW to take those inserts off without breaking anything). I'm 1000% sure none was broken when I took the bumper to the shop or while in my possession.
Not a big deal one may say, but still, it looks like whomever worked on it was careless and there is nothing meaningful I can do about it. So fuking frustrating....
This is a reputable shop which I've been using before, but it looks like since I've last been there couple of years back, they grew a lot and the owner is no longer the one doing the work - or at least not the small jobs.

Another one - when I took apart the undercarriage shields few weeks ago, the radiator shield, which I bought new last year, was missing. There is no possible way for that piece to disappear (fall off on its own) as it's screwed together with the engine shield and it sits above it. There is only one job I've done since I put it in last year that would've required the engine shield removal and that was done many months ago so no point in going back.... I already bought a replacement piece, but just annoying and $100+ out of pocket.... Sure, $hit happens, but does it really have to ?!....

End of rant..... 

Frustrating!

[TheHire]

Yeah, frustrating. I think in the couple of years I've had the shop, I've "sorta" faced one such incident.

A few weeks after a brake fluid service on a Boxster the (very regular, multiple car) client came back and said that the plastic trim piece that goes over the reservoir cap in the "frunk" had gone missing. Checked the cameras and evidently, the car never had one on it when it came in.

Decided not to bother challenging the customer on being wrong, because as we know, the customer can NEVER be wrong  and just bought a new one from a Porsche supplier. He was generally a super nice guy and probably just forgot or never knew it was missing. It was like $9 out of the business' pocket, and the client was extremely happy.

[tortoise]

Good on you.

I probably would have dropped the "we checked the cameras and it wasn't there when it came in, but here you go". 

That you weren't looking to prove him wrong is pretty remarkable.

[TheHire]

Good on you.

I probably would have dropped the "we checked the cameras and it wasn't there when it came in, but here you go". 

That you weren't looking to prove him wrong is pretty remarkable.

Oh dude, the number of PITA customers who INSIST that they're right and they know everything is staggering. Those are the ones I don't mind dropping those lines on. This Boxster was the guy's wife's car, he didn't pay all that much attention to it, and I'd rather keep him happy in the long run.

I'll be honest - I can't really customer service; I get way too riled up and bothered, and that's why I have a great front-end team. The odd time I'm up at the counter and interacting with customers, I try to be social and learn as much about them as possible. Just trying to keep a personable relationship to the best of my abilities.

The customers that are hard to make time for are the ones that don't value the technicians' or the service advisors' time. Either the ones that don't understand that diagnosis takes time and nobody works for free, or the ones who leave a car beached on a hoist, thinking that my immediate-delivery-supplier-parts are too expensive and run around to all the online vendors trying to save $19.

[Dante]

In my case I KNOW it was there because I put it in with my own hands last year but somehow it vanished... Now I should check after each service if all pieces are back in place...at least the major ones. Not worried about a screw, body nut or alike which can be easily missed, but at least the big (and expensive to replace) plastic trim pieces.

These experiences make you become more alert when someone else is working on your car (if you care)...

Another instance came to mind..... After only few visits to the shop with the GTI, then still new-ish, I noticed the pinch welds were scratched and slightly bent, plus the factory stone guard coating in the nearby area was chipped on both sides (probably from the hoist arm hits). I bought the A3 jacking  points which are direct fit for the GTI/Golf (I guess VW cheapened out on them) and touched up the scratches.

Next time I went to the shop, I specifically asked the service advisor to make a note for the mechanic to use the dedicated jacking points instead the pinch welds and he assured me they'll do that. Sure enough when I washed the car sometime later after the service, I noticed the pinch welds are scratched again and not from normal road debris. I know this doesn't sound like a big deal for many, but it's the principal: if you say you are going to do it, do it.... If you don't do it (I can understand if there is some sort of liability they want to avoid by using the standard jacking points for the car), at least say so from the get go, but don't say one thing and do another. This is the truly annoying and frustrating part for me more than anything else.

[Dante]

Oh dude, the number of PITA customers who INSIST that they're right and they know everything is staggering.

If you would've been long enough on the other side of the counter, dealing with a large enough sample of shops, techs, SA and situations over a significant number of years, you would've grown to learn that the same is true about shops/techs/SA.
I'm pretty sure that anyone here with enough gray hair can tell at least few stories to support that.

[rrocket]

Oh dude, the number of PITA customers who INSIST that they're right and they know everything is staggering.

If you would've been long enough on the other side of the counter, dealing with a large enough sample of shops, techs, SA and situations over a significant number of years, you would've grown to learn that the same is true about shops/techs/SA.
I'm pretty sure that anyone here with enough gray hair can tell at least few stories to support that.

100 percent agree.

[rrocket]

On the same topic...

While you're working on your car, a tool you were using just moments ago....disappears. Misplaced. Lost. Whatever.

I've done that before!!

[TheHire]

Oh dude, the number of PITA customers who INSIST that they're right and they know everything is staggering.

If you would've been long enough on the other side of the counter, dealing with a large enough sample of shops, techs, SA and situations over a significant number of years, you would've grown to learn that the same is true about shops/techs/SA.
I'm pretty sure that anyone here with enough gray hair can tell at least few stories to support that.

Oh I don't disagree that there are two sides to every discussion, and I've personally seen shops mess up on my own cars and those belonging to family/friends.

However, in contrary to the general attitude from both you and Ron (who as always, knows everything about everything and is never wrong) that the shop/SA is always in the wrong in every single situation, I'm implying that there are good shops out there and also sh1tty customers. It happens. As with issues like yours in this particular instance, I'd be annoyed in your shoes as well. How did the shop rectify the problem? If they care for your business and value you as a client, they'll make it right. If they don't, well, you already have a few places you deal with regularly, so just go elsewhere next time.

[rrocket]

Oh dude, the number of PITA customers who INSIST that they're right and they know everything is staggering.

If you would've been long enough on the other side of the counter, dealing with a large enough sample of shops, techs, SA and situations over a significant number of years, you would've grown to learn that the same is true about shops/techs/SA.
I'm pretty sure that anyone here with enough gray hair can tell at least few stories to support that.

Oh I don't disagree that there are two sides to every discussion, and I've personally seen shops mess up on my own cars and those belonging to family/friends.

However, in contrary to the general attitude from both you and Ron (who as always, knows everything about everything and is never wrong) that the shop/SA is always in the wrong in every single situation, I'm implying that there are good shops out there and also sh1tty customers. It happens. As with issues like yours in this particular instance, I'd be annoyed in your shoes as well. How did the shop rectify the problem? If they care for your business and value you as a client, they'll make it right. If they don't, well, you already have a few places you deal with regularly, so just go elsewhere next time.

I also agree with this.

There ARE good shops out there. But you have to find them...and along the way you have to wade through an enormous amount of to find them.

I also agree that dealing with the public/customers can be miserable. It's not for me!!  There's more terrible people than terrible mechanics for sure. I see them almost everywhere I go...restaurants, shopping, even just driving!

On the flip side, people don't just wake up hating mechanics. That's a learned behavior.

And yes, I am 100 percent right and never wrong about my personal experiences dealing with terrible companies/people. There's a reason they've become etched to memory.

Thank you for recognizing that. LOL [emoji38]

[tortoise]

On the same topic...

While you're working on your car, a tool you were using just moments ago....disappears. Misplaced. Lost. Whatever.

I've done that before!!

My power move is dropping the socket into the bottom of the engine bay. 

Voice in my head:  Now be careful, you don't want to drop th---   -----  ---- "

And I've definitely lost the tool that was right there, should still be right there, but is now over here for some reason.  Drives me nuts.

[Gurgie]

On the same topic...

While you're working on your car, a tool you were using just moments ago....disappears. Misplaced. Lost. Whatever.

I've done that before!!

My power move is dropping the socket into the bottom of the engine bay. 

Voice in my head:  Now be careful, you don't want to drop th---   -----  ---- "

And I've definitely lost the tool that was right there, should still be right there, but is now over here for some reason.  Drives me nuts.

Been there, done that with a socket or 2!!

Tools I'm pretty good at finding under the middle of my back as I'm laying underneath the car

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

[rrocket]

On the same topic...

While you're working on your car, a tool you were using just moments ago....disappears. Misplaced. Lost. Whatever.

I've done that before!!

My power move is dropping the socket into the bottom of the engine bay. 

Voice in my head:  Now be careful, you don't want to drop th---   -----  ---- "

And I've definitely lost the tool that was right there, should still be right there, but is now over here for some reason.  Drives me nuts.

Lifehack:  Put a piece of toilet paper on the end before putting the socket on.  Makes it super tight.

[Dante]

Oh dude, the number of PITA customers who INSIST that they're right and they know everything is staggering.

If you would've been long enough on the other side of the counter, dealing with a large enough sample of shops, techs, SA and situations over a significant number of years, you would've grown to learn that the same is true about shops/techs/SA.
I'm pretty sure that anyone here with enough gray hair can tell at least few stories to support that.

Oh I don't disagree that there are two sides to every discussion, and I've personally seen shops mess up on my own cars and those belonging to family/friends.

However, in contrary to the general attitude from both you and Ron (who as always, knows everything about everything and is never wrong) that the shop/SA is always in the wrong in every single situation, I'm implying that there are good shops out there and also sh1tty customers. It happens. As with issues like yours in this particular instance, I'd be annoyed in your shoes as well. How did the shop rectify the problem? If they care for your business and value you as a client, they'll make it right. If they don't, well, you already have a few places you deal with regularly, so just go elsewhere next time.

I know what I know and I don't know what I don't know... call it as you want. I've been around long enough to learn that I should not believe everything I'm being told and I need to filter any external data feed through my own brain and knowledge base...

The shop did not rectify the problem because I did not seek such thing knowing I have no proof it was there in the first place other than what I know. From memory, the car has been in three shops, including a BMW dealership, since I put that piece in and until I discovered it's missing and while, based on my knowledge , only one job done during that time would've required removal of the splash shield, I have no guarantee that none of the other two have removed it for whatever strange reason I can't think of (what I don't know)... It's a moot point now going back to any of the shops so I just vented here for a minute and moved on...

Same with the bumper thingy - I have no proof  that the clips/hooks weren't broken before I dropped it off although I know what I know (didn't think of taking pictures, but might be a good idea and lesson learned for future) so no point in wasting my time going back either. It still holds the trim, just not as snug as before so I can live with it and will forget about it anyway.

[rrocket]

Oh dude, the number of PITA customers who INSIST that they're right and they know everything is staggering.

If you would've been long enough on the other side of the counter, dealing with a large enough sample of shops, techs, SA and situations over a significant number of years, you would've grown to learn that the same is true about shops/techs/SA.
I'm pretty sure that anyone here with enough gray hair can tell at least few stories to support that.

Oh I don't disagree that there are two sides to every discussion, and I've personally seen shops mess up on my own cars and those belonging to family/friends.

However, in contrary to the general attitude from both you and Ron (who as always, knows everything about everything and is never wrong) that the shop/SA is always in the wrong in every single situation, I'm implying that there are good shops out there and also sh1tty customers. It happens. As with issues like yours in this particular instance, I'd be annoyed in your shoes as well. How did the shop rectify the problem? If they care for your business and value you as a client, they'll make it right. If they don't, well, you already have a few places you deal with regularly, so just go elsewhere next time.

I know what I know and I don't know what I don't know... call it as you want. I've been around long enough to learn that I should not believe everything I'm being told and I need to filter any external data feed through my own brain and knowledge base...

The shop did not rectify the problem because I did not seek such thing knowing I have no proof it was there in the first place other than what I know. From memory, the car has been in three shops, including a BMW dealership, since I put that piece in and until I discovered it's missing and while, based on my knowledge , only one job done during that time would've required removal of the splash shield, I have no guarantee that none of the other two have removed it for whatever strange reason I can't think of (what I don't know)... It's a moot point now going back to any of the shops so I just vented here for a minute and moved on...

Same with the bumper thingy - I have no proof  that the clips/hooks weren't broken before I dropped it off although I know what I know (didn't think of taking pictures, but might be a good idea and lesson learned for future) so no point in wasting my time going back either. It still holds the trim, just not as snug as before so I can live with it and will forget about it anyway.

That's the thing.

Should consumers REALLY need to take pictures of "X" before they bring it in for service just to make sure they get it back in the same condition it was sent?

Again...this behaviour didn't happen in a vacuum.  This is years of learned behaviour from dealing with shoddy service.

[Dante]

On the same topic...

While you're working on your car, a tool you were using just moments ago....disappears. Misplaced. Lost. Whatever.

I've done that before!!

In fact, I've done that recently... In July when I washed the engine bay on the BMW I took out everything I could remove so I have more room and reach to clean. When I put the stuff back I couldn't find the rubber bumper the air filter box sits on. I spent a good amount of time looking for it as I had a picture in my head sitting on the engine cover.... Heck, I even had a "contest" with my friends while having a beer, who can find it. Couldn't... so I bought another one ($12).
Well, when I took the bottom of the car off few weeks ago, it found it sitting comfortably on the frame....

Now, if this would've happened to a shop mechanic, do you think he would've even bother telling you (the customer) the bumper is lost, mind you replacing it? Take a wild guess, but mine is "no". He would think, oh, it doesn't do anything anyway (which is probably half true), the customer can't see it's missing and doesn't even know it exists so it's all good. I know better than the customer so nothing to talk about.