Motors chat

Darragh29

I've also been told that my own personality was not really cut out for dealing with "cute hoors", because I'm apparently the last person who would try to screw someone else. I tend to be very honest in what I do, almost to a fault so I take it personally when someone tries to pull a fast one on me, which I accept in full to be honest as an analysis of me as a character.

For example, I recovered a car recently with an apparently dead starter Motor. I quoted about 250 to resolve the issue based on a preliminary diagnosis over the phone but when I put the car up on the ramp, it turned out that the starter motor was working perfectly but was loose (bolts had fallen out, maybe a clutch was replaced recently or gearbox was out for some reason). Anyway, I rang the customer and told him what I had found and that he'd get out of it for 60 Euro, because I was able to find 2 bolts handy that sorted out the problem and recovery was a local job. What surprised me was that same day, I mentioned this to a mechanic in another garage I know (usual yap at a trade counter), and his reply was, "are you fu*king mad, sure how is he going to know what the problem is, he's paying you for that"??? Surprised at the reply, I mentioned it to another mechanic I know who owns a local garage, exact same reply, with a qualication attached, "what the fu*k are you doing a starter motor for 250 Euro for, your ruining it for the rest of us"...

Darragh29

RubberMammy wrote: »

I would have to agree with Darragh.

80,000 people chose to Import last year.

That figure is set to climb.

Why?

Because Irish cars from Irish dealers are too expensive........that's why.

And servicing?

What a con job that is.

Where do you find the Imports?

Auto Trader and Carzone that's where, best places to go to find Imports, both at dealerships in NI and UK and the side of the road selling.

Take my advice and use the guys that the Gubberment have under cut the consrtuction Industry with, the Immigrants, they will service your car for ten years ago money, just like they build our houses and roads for 2 Euro an hour ( on Government contracts ( Gama Construction))

I'd hate to be a Car dealer.

This isn't the answer either. Do you get paid 2 Euro an hour??? I doubt it very much. So why do you expect anyone else to work on your car for 2 Euro an hour???

RubberMammy

The truth is Daragh that the clued up Foreigners are now opening their own back alley garages and charging 75 Euro an hour instead of the 10 Euro an hour on offer at the local garage.

The 2 Euro an hour was inreference to Gama workers which we all know was a fiasco and an embarrasment to Ireland

-Chris-

RubberMammy wrote: »

I would have to agree with Darragh.

80,000 people chose to Import last year.

That figure is set to climb.

Why?

Because Irish cars from Irish dealers are too expensive........that's why.

And servicing?

What a con job that is.

Where do you find the Imports?

Auto Trader and Carzone that's where, best places to go to find Imports, both at dealerships in NI and UK and the side of the road selling.

Take my advice and use the guys that the Gubberment have under cut the consrtuction Industry with, the Immigrants, they will service your car for ten years ago money, just like they build our houses and roads for 2 Euro an hour ( on Government contracts ( Gama Construction))

I'd hate to be a Car dealer.

Yes, outsource everything. And when the local businesses close because everything's being done for minimum wage by migrant workers and everything's being bought from the UK, where will we all work? Where will we get support and service?

And that's not just for the motor industry, your logic can be applied to almost any retail outlet - have you seen how much the bookshops have been ripping us off for? Let's buy everything off Amazon!
And the clothes and/or shoe shops, all you need to do is try the stuff on in the shop and then order your size off the 'net. They've been creaming it for years.

Keep that logic up and at the end of the day all we'll have left is public/civil servants and coffee shops.

Darragh29

AudiChris wrote: »

Yes, outsource everything. And when the local businesses close because everything's being done for minimum wage by migrant workers and everything's being bought from the UK, where will we all work? Where will we get support and service?

And that's not just for the motor industry, your logic can be applied to almost any retail outlet - have you seen how much the bookshops have been ripping us off for? Let's buy everything off Amazon!
And the clothes and/or shoe shops, all you need to do is try the stuff on in the shop and then order your size off the 'net. They've been creaming it for years.

Keep that logic up and at the end of the day all we'll have left is public/civil servants and coffee shops.

I genuinely don't know what the problem is. I'm sorry Audichris but from what I've seen, it's the franchised dealerships that are raping people. I feel so angry because it is this end of the industry that is riding people, but the indy end of the insustry that has been left to carry the can for it. My opinion is that it's the franchsied dealerships that are screwing people, but the same outlets that are screwing people, are telling them that they really have no choice, because an indy garage can't be trusted to do the job properly. All this is in breach of the EU block exemption rules, but you walk into any main dealer aftersales dept and you'll see loads of propaganda about "always use genuine parts".

-Chris-

Darragh29 wrote: »

I genuinely don't know what the problem is. I'm sorry Audichris but from what I've seen, it's the franchised dealerships that are raping people. I feel so angry because it is this end of the industry that is riding people, but the indy end of the insustry that has been left to carry the can for it. My opinion is that it's the franchsied dealerships that are screwing people, but the same outlets that are screwing people, are telling them that they really have no choice, because an indy garage can't be trusted to do the job properly. All this is in breach of the EU block exemption rules, but you walk into any main dealer aftersales dept and you'll see loads of propaganda about "always use genuine parts".

I'd rather see consumer re-education to let them know what they do and don't have to do to keep their warranty intact and I'd rather see legitimate tooth-and-nail competition between sales outlets than go with the suggestion that Ireland's a rip-off and buying from the UK is the solution.

Same for servicing - it sounds like you were running a very professional organisation that should have grown and flourished. I think the competition between you and the main dealers would have kept everyone on their toes. I think you're right that there are too many tight-ar$es who won't pay legitimate costs for the expertise of their mechanic.
Getting all your servicing by the Latvian guy in his shed for minimal money is not a way to solve the problem.

If a customer asks, I'd never put them off using an indy garage, in my experience the indy mechanic was the hot-shot in the franchised garage, but because of his knowledge and ability they were able to establish their own business. They're to be respected for it.
I would, however, suggest that the customer insists the indy mechanic uses manufacturer parts, as by not doing this you're endangering your warranty.

Competition is good, but outsourcing/importing is bad (very simplified, I know).

Rowley Birkin QC

Darragh29 wrote: »

"what the fu*k are you doing a starter motor for 250 Euro for, your ruining it for the rest of us"...

Thats the problem right there. The few straight and decent guys like yourself and the other indies that get mentioned here fairly regularly are being lumped in with the dodgey schisters that, in fairness, we have all encountered. I have the same problem with my own profession.

These guys give your whole industry a bad name and for most people a car is the second most expensive thing they will ever buy. When something goes wrong with it usually they ask friends and relatives who they should go to. At this point you would hope that the good guys rise to the top of the list.

Another thing is that people are constantly being told that we are being ripped off so even if you quote a decent, competetive price they still think that they are being screwed over.

Anyway back on topic/non-topic.....are we going to kick off this OT thread? I think it works pretty well in the poker forum.

" The Lay-by" perhaps?!:)

copacetic

interesting thread, see a whole new side to you especially Darragh. Have to say I had an extremely low opinion of you from various posts I've seen from you throughout the rest of the forum. I still think you can have a poor attitude and have attacked a lot of people for no reason. However I can see from the above where you are coming from. Try to remember though when someone sees your posts for all they know you are just another nerd with attitude behind a keyboard making it all up!

Personally I do think the motor industry in Ireland is in serious trouble. I would be one to try and support Irish business as long as I amn't getting murdered money wise for it. I'd only really have dealt with franchised dealers and to say the experiences were often shockingly bad would be an understatement. I've tried to make a few deals the last few months but all the dealers have been holding out for high prices in the hope that the sucker will come around the corner any moment. Was looking at a car this morning that I looked at 4-5 months ago. It is now being offered for what I offered back then and was laughed out of the showroom. However of course now it isnt worth what it was then. They are now sticking to their guns on the new 'best price'

I can afford to just sit it out and I believe thats what the rest of the country is doing too. The main dealers are in danger of driving their own industry into total meltdown imo. Picking BMWs for instance as they are popular on boards, look at all the BMW x5s, 3 and 5 series on carzone, a lot of them on there for 5-6 months coming down gradually but still not selling. A lot of them haven't moved in price at all. Still plenty of second hand models from the big main dealers at dearer than brand new prices! What kind of professional business are they running? I know it's unfair, as do you, but everyone is tarred with the same brush, when people see the behaviour of what may be a minority (but in my experience a large one) of motor industry professionals they build up an attiutude of not trusting a word anyone of them says. People aren't born mistrusting!

We need a more proactive and market aware industry where the customer is king if there is going to be any market left at all in 6 months imo. Bit of a ramble there, but trying to buy Irish, keep the money in Ireland and support local business is an almost impossible task at the moment.

Darragh29

copacetic wrote: »

interesting thread, see a whole new side to you especially Darragh. Have to say I had an extremely low opinion of you from various posts I've seen from you throughout the rest of the forum. I still think you can have a poor attitude and have attacked a lot of people for no reason.

I agree I've come across on most occasions as being extremely negative and combative, but I don't agree that it's been for no reason as you think. I went into this industry a very positive person but having to deal with vehicle owners who just can't get their head around the fact that our industry operates just like any other, for example that you have to pay for what you get, has left me making a decison to get out of the motor industry in Ireland for good.

Every thread on this forum with the rare exception, about a garage, be it franchised or indy, reflects an undertone of cynicism and distrust of the garage involved. You don't see any threads on boards.ie saying that an OP went to Specsavers and doesn't quote trust the optician that did the eye test, so can folks on the boards offer a second opinion, the same goes for countless other service providers in other industries, so why have we got this with our industry???

There is obviously a problem with the industry, I'd like to explore that here, my own 2 cents worth is that the franchised end of the market is the cause of the problem. They are screwing consumers while at the same time saying that they are the only people qualified or able to resolve technicial issues.

copacetic

ah, but what I meant was that until I read what you had to say on here it appeared to me to be for no reason. If you get me.


Think you are right on the franchised end, but also the indies that are no good make people very scared to use any indy. No matter how bad the franchise is you know you have a manufacturer behind them that is going to end up sorting out any major issue.

The good indys obviously get stuck in the middle.

Darragh29

copacetic wrote: »

ah, but what I meant was that until I read what you had to say on here it appeared to me to be for no reason. If you get me.


Think you are right on the franchised end, but also the indies that are no good make people very scared to use any indy. No matter how bad the franchise is you know you have a manufacturer behind them that is going to end up sorting out any major issue.

The good indys obviously get stuck in the middle.

Ah I see your point there. The problem I think is that when you look at our industry, you see no leadership. We have the SIMI which is nothing other than a talking shop for franchised dealerships and protects these members to the detriment of their competitors. I would expect the SIMI to be actively taking all indy garages under their remit, selling the SIMI as an umbrella organisation and promoting and enforcing the highest standards of aftersales in this section of the industry. At the end of the day, I really feel it is about leadership, or a complete lack thereof. Our industry is in crisis and there is no leadership, nobody there to pull together the highly talented people that make it up, because what makes up the leadership of this industry are the people who have dragged it down to where it is, the lowest common denominator, where all that matters is the next quick buck and being up there with the gang that fly into the Galway races....

Gary ITR

That must have been the shortest stickified thread in the history of the internetz