My Leon K1 was due a cambelt change being 4 years old with only 36k on the clock I had it booked at my local SEAT dealer which SEAT UK advise using for all repair work, servicing etc.
The experience I had with this dealer may be disturbing to read about and may as well make you think twice about using a dealership you have never used so please only read on if you are willing to think twice about taking your car to a dealership.
Right, so i had my car booked for a cambelt change which is usually 2 -3 hour job so I dropped the car off around 12pm and was given a car to use while mine was being worked on and was told it will be ready by the end of the day. I was quite satisfied and left with a smile.
Later that day I got a call from a fella who told me they could not remove the engine mount and that they would have to remove the aircon pipes and gas so it would take more time.
I then instantly thought hold on should you not have called me earlier as its now past 17:00 hrs so they must have only started on the car or they were just making up stuff to buy more time either way I thought ok fair enough at least I have a car so I can continue with my plans for the weekend. Now it was time to collect my car 3 days later I did say to them why did it take longer than I was told and they did usual "sorry sir" routine, so im now in my car and got ready to move off I then got ready to drive off but remembered about the aircon as they said it would be removed so gave it a try to see if it worked and guess what no cold air at all so I went back inside and told them there is no cold air and I really hope you have not messed up my aircon as I was told it will be removed now this chap i spoke to on the phone comes out and says we didn't have to remove it in the end and we had get a guide on the forum to see how the cambelt was done. I thought OHHHH NOOOO I gave my car to a bunch of trainees this guy then tells me to leave the car and come back in an hour so me and my pal went over to subway.
I got a call about 40 mins later to say he had to show me there was a leak a leak !!!!! When my aircon worked fine before it had come to the dealer so he shows me the radiator and says this is where its leaking from and it could be caused by a stone hitting it he basically denied any responsibility I was just really upset at the time but took his work for it. On way home now I start to feel my car is not driving the same it was very shaky and low on power again I didnt want to doubt the dealership thinking they would know there stuff and wouldnt have messed up the work carried out I then began to realise my car was running like crap it would shake when idle exhaust would pop and it had no power I thought it may be something else and not related to the work they did my mind didnt want to believe the dealer could do anything wrong to my car.
I then took the car to a school friend who is a very good mechanic and has an employee who worked at Porsche for many years he instantly told me the timing was out and that whoever did the work must not know a thing about these cars. So know I am very certain this dealership I went to are a dodgy bunch so I decided to check my car thoroughly upon inspecting my car I found a scuff to my front bumper which was never there , damage to my cambelt cover (cracked), scratches to were the engine mount bolts on and around the cambelt area white paint missing due to scraping, my car timing was out and it could have bent valves, my car had been driven for 10 miles prior to collection and I can only imagine how they would have driven it also my car had 70-80 miles fuel but when picked up it had less than half that. I was at first being very understanding with this dealer but now I see all they have done wrong and how they have tried to cover it up.
I have since then spoken to the dealer who was being very sarcastic saying they would not mess up timing and they have done nothing wrong to my car and they are wiling to inspect it upon inspection they tell me "sorry sir the timing was out" my reply was "I know thats what I said and you said it wasn't" they still refuse to sort my bumper and aircon and the manager is away till Monday ,, guys I could do with some advice please I don't really feel happy at all with this dealership and the way they have dealt with my car and me.
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