Mechanics/Garages in CH laughing to the bank - Page 2

greenmount · #21 26.11.2017, 08:22

	Quote:	pilatus1
	This isn't the first time I-ve gotten the runaround. A few years ago I went to have 2 tires mounted at a different dorfgarage. They'd shipped from ryfendirect to there, and would have been around chf 35 to mount and balance. My wife had made the appointment with the mech. It was obviously a work vehicle. First question from him when I arrived with the vehicle was 'what does your wife do for work?' and I could see the CHF signs swirling in his hopeful little head. He proceeded to tell me that I needed new shocks, new brakes, and a new cv boot. He wasn't necessarily dishonest, (maybe he hadn't noticed that the cv boot just was missing a clamp) but seemed like he was trying to actually convince me to pay for the labor for him to switch out a cv boot instead of a whole new drive axle. It's 2017, parts are cheap, and to me that stinks of either incompetence or in trying to run up a big tab. I told him I wasn't interested, but thank you, and tried to pay for the tire mounting. He didn't want the money, he must have told himself that he'd add it on to the much bigger repair bill that'd be coming my way. I nearly had to force it into his hand. Before I'd even arrived home, he'd sneakily called my OH at her work and tried to get her to make an appointment and to agree on the phone to ordering the parts. I know of another garage where a friend went with a check engine light issue. They fixed the probem all right - by going into the dash and covering over the check engine light completely with some black tape.

Hehe, this is a classic not only here....everywhere. If you're a woman some of them try to take you for a ride...and in all fairness, most of my female friends would accept any quote they're given if it's not completely exaggerated.

jmf · #22 26.11.2017, 13:32

As I can totally relate to the story (stories) I'd like to recommend two garages I know that won't try to rip you off:
http://www.autoklinik-zug.ch/ (around the Zug/Luzern area)
https://www.gascaremotions.ch/ (in the Aargau/Baden area)

I'm not affiliated with them in any way, but I've found them very honest, transparent, friendly and generally flexible as concerns parts and labour.

pilatus1 · #23 09.12.2017, 12:54

Just an update- none of the things that the mechanic told me needed fixing,needed fixing.

The only thing that prevented the car from passing MFK was a rusty brake line, which the mechanic had made no mention of. Well, that and the fact that the brake hoses we're 'too dirty to inspect' (ffs I just washed the whole undercarriage 2 hrs earlier and they are clean! By the time it took the inspector to write down that they needed to be cleaned he could of already inspected them. The kantonal mechs can't be asked to put on a pair of gloves? The facility is spotless,you could eat off the floor. Cleanest garage on Earth!

)

The car wash with a lift, motorreinigungsmittel, etc. is called Happy Car Wash, located in Huenenberg just off the A4 ( rotkreuz exit) near Zug.

https://map.search.ch/Happ-Car-Wash,...2,224046&z=256

JagWaugh · #24 09.12.2017, 13:08

	Quote:	pilatus1
	The kantonal mechs can't be asked to put on a pair of gloves? The facility is spotless,you could eat off the floor. Cleanest garage on Earth!)

Many of them aren't exactly what you'd call "hands on" guys. Some are proper gearheads. They're not actually allowed to remove anything, presumably they read that as including dirt. Some put gloves on when they grab a wheel to check steering B/Js.

#25 09.12.2017, 13:26

Did you pass the MFK? Are you sure the quote was simple for the brakes, and not for the whole MFK preparation altogether?

I love working on cars and do my own MFK. But it requires access to a lift, lots of scrubbing, and knowing where to look for what. For those who find no joy in it or have no inclination to do it, I could totally see why they would be willing to pay more than a thousand for it. I have done so when I haven't had the time to do it. Even though I can do my own MFK with minimal cost, getting parts delivered to a mailbox in Germany even :-).

It is much more than brake replacement. You would have to clean all the lines and crud, spraying with silicon. You have to replace any gaskets that are leaking, or clean it up. You have to condition all hoses, or replace them if they fray. The checklist shows what they look for, and they often just verify that a mechanic has gone through and cleaned them.

You can probably get away with simply spraying washing underneath for a while. Every so often, you may have to overhaul the car, or sell it down the line until it gets to Africa.

pilatus1 · #26 09.12.2017, 16:02

	Quote:	Phos
	Did you pass the MFK? Are you sure the quote was simple for the brakes, and not for the whole MFK preparation altogether? I love working on cars and do my own MFK. But it requires access to a lift, lots of scrubbing, and knowing where to look for what. For those who find no joy in it or have no inclination to do it, I could totally see why they would be willing to pay more than a thousand for it. I have done so when I haven't had the time to do it. Even though I can do my own MFK with minimal cost, getting parts delivered to a mailbox in Germany even :-). It is much more than brake replacement. You would have to clean all the lines and crud, spraying with silicon. You have to replace any gaskets that are leaking, or clean it up. You have to condition all hoses, or replace them if they fray. The checklist shows what they look for, and they often just verify that a mechanic has gone through and cleaned them. You can probably get away with simply spraying washing underneath for a while. Every so often, you may have to overhaul the car, or sell it down the line until it gets to Africa.

The quote from the garage was for repairs only, not for washing or other MFK prep or for having them take it to the inspection themselves. The 1400.- quote was for front brakes, rear wiper motor, and an exhaust hanger.

None of the work was needed. Before I had realised that the mech had lied about everything, I'd already ordered the brake parts so I put new pads/rotors on a few weeks ago. I inspected the hoses at that time, and all was well. I don't quite remember but would be surprised if I didn't wipe them down at that time since Id wire brushed and cleaned all the brake parts meticulously. If they needed cleaning I'd have done it...but I guess that's just a matter of perspective. My Swiss neighbor likes to vacuum the driveway, for example.

Don Molina · #27 10.12.2017, 23:34

I think I've pinpointed the source of the problem:

the non-confrontational nature of the Swiss

This is what the various garages and dealers are taking advantage of. They're giving quotes, expect minimal (if any) backlash, and they can easily talk their way through any when they're faced with someone that just bought a car they liked without any actual mech knowledge.

Case in point a good friend with a spanking brand new BMW. The BMW warranty/service plan includes 2 tire changes/year for free, i.e. changing tires on their rims. And yet the main Zurich dealer charged him handsomely for swapping the winter or summer tires on the wheels at every season change.
When I explained that he wasn't supposed to pay ANYTHING, he couldn't believe me. Then he just went to a different dealer for this season's winter tires, paid NOTHING, and then realised that he just paid money for f-ing NOTHING.

People here don't ask questions. They receive bills, they pay them, end of story.
This is the environment, and this is why all these mother* garages are doing whatever they want.

Because they can.

And because people buy cars like they buy dishwashers. They just can afford more expensive dishwashers here (on average). And then I go to a dealer and have to correct the god-damn sales guy multiple times on incorrect technical specifications on a 100k++ car.

God I love cars, and I absolutely loathe 95% of the people that make money of them...