Dave Lewis
Active Member
It is with deep regret that I have to post this. I was looking forward to posting yet another positive review of 124 Works, but the fact is I had a nightmare experience. In fact, the worst experience I have had of a garage in 38 years of car ownership. The only reason I took my car all the way up to Kirkham this March was because of the glowing recommendations of 124 Works on this forum. Since my experience differs so much from the numerous threads praising 124 Works, I feel it is my duty to post the following account.
My car is a ’96 W124 E280 estate, 2 owner, 112k miles, full history, immaculate inside and out, one of the last built. I rely on it for my self-employment. I took it to 124 Works for a full service plus ATF change and new front discs. It was running faultlessly.
New front discs and pads were fitted, and the fluids and filters changed. After changing the spark plugs, the car was started, and a misfire pronounced. When removing the coil cover, Ian noticed that he had pinched part of the coil loom when refitting the cover the first time. He then hacked the insulation at that place open with a blunt hacksaw blade, and found some of the wires had shorted. He did a quick bodge with some insulating tape, and started the car again. Still misfiring. He then substituted some old coil packs and coil connectors from a tired old E320 in the yard, but engine was still misfiring. Ian then said the whole loom has had it. At this point I reluctantly agree to a new loom (I figure it has to be done sooner or later, and I needed the car for work). Ian say’s he’ll not charge for fitting it, as he feels responsible. It will cost about £600. We’ll work something out. He’ll get one the next day, (sat), fit it, and bring me the car down on Sunday. I leave for Bristol, at the wheel of a courtesy car, (with no MOT, it transpires). Next day, Ian rings and says the new loom is fitted, engine still misfiring. I ask him to fit new coil packs and connectors from MB, thus ensuring that the whole ignition system has been replaced back as far as the ECU. A few days later, I call Ian, he says the new parts are fitted, but the engine is still misfiring, and he’s sent off the ECU to BBA Reman for repair. One week later, having heard nothing, I call Ian, he says he’s got the ECU back, it’s fitted, but engine is still misfiring, and he will send the ECU back to BBA Reman again for warranty repair, as it must be still faulty. He finally gets ECU back a further week later, and pronounces the car runs perfectly. Says BBA returned the ECU with “fault unfound”. Drives car down to me, says there was a slight misfire at one point on the journey, but it “will probably clear itself up”. He gives me the bill. Expecting some sort of compromise to have been worked out, I am astounded to be given a bill for over £1300, on top of the charge for the service. I have been charged all the labour, all the parts, £50 for fuel, and no mention of the pinched loom or any responsibility. Here’s my only mistake: I paid up, because I was so desperate to get the car back. I drove the car the next day, and it had a constantly recurring misfire. I call Ian, and it turns out he never fitted new coils at all, just new connectors, and used the original coils throughout. He says he’ll send me 3 new coils at his expense, and when they don’t arrive after another week, I go and get some from GSF and fit them myself (10 minute job). Misfire cured. (If new coils had been fitted when I requested, would the ECU have to have been sent off for investigation and repair? Was it repaired? If so, what was the fault? I have no paperwork or proper explanation from Ian, just a figure of £350 + vat) Next day, Ian’s coils arrive. I’ve still got them, he wants them back, so as he can return them to MB Preston and get a refund. I asked him a month ago to send me a cheque for the GSF coils (half the price of genuine ones, a big saving for him, and he did say it would be at his expense), but no joy. I still haven’t got the BBA Reman paperwork I requested from him, giving details of the repair and warranty details. Worse still, when I asked him to put the old loom in the back of the car so I could see the extent of degradation, he said he’d thrown it away immediately. Connectors and all. Which I find hard to believe, given the untidy state of his workshop, and the fact that I saw an old loom from another car lying in the corner next to a pile of other rubbish when I was there. So I have no way of checking for any damage caused during the plug change.
So, after nearly a month at 124 Works (it was only in for a while-you-wait service), this was the result: a huge bill, (£1300 on top of the service, for problems arising during routine work), an incomplete picture of what happened, an admission of responsibility followed by backpedalling, hundreds of micro scratches on the offside wing (no protectors used), oily handprints on the interior, dirty drivers seat (no protector), squealing front brakes and rattling calipers as a result of fitting new discs (I’ve had to strip them both down and clean them properly), a badly misfiring engine, and a feeling of being had. I lost some work as a result of being without a roadworthy car for 4 weeks. Plus no holiday for me and Mrs L this year because of the expense. Not a happy customer. I was very reasonable throughout this whole saga, and cooperative, and I feel 124 Works took advantage of this.
Does anyone think this is good service or fair treatment?
My car is a ’96 W124 E280 estate, 2 owner, 112k miles, full history, immaculate inside and out, one of the last built. I rely on it for my self-employment. I took it to 124 Works for a full service plus ATF change and new front discs. It was running faultlessly.
New front discs and pads were fitted, and the fluids and filters changed. After changing the spark plugs, the car was started, and a misfire pronounced. When removing the coil cover, Ian noticed that he had pinched part of the coil loom when refitting the cover the first time. He then hacked the insulation at that place open with a blunt hacksaw blade, and found some of the wires had shorted. He did a quick bodge with some insulating tape, and started the car again. Still misfiring. He then substituted some old coil packs and coil connectors from a tired old E320 in the yard, but engine was still misfiring. Ian then said the whole loom has had it. At this point I reluctantly agree to a new loom (I figure it has to be done sooner or later, and I needed the car for work). Ian say’s he’ll not charge for fitting it, as he feels responsible. It will cost about £600. We’ll work something out. He’ll get one the next day, (sat), fit it, and bring me the car down on Sunday. I leave for Bristol, at the wheel of a courtesy car, (with no MOT, it transpires). Next day, Ian rings and says the new loom is fitted, engine still misfiring. I ask him to fit new coil packs and connectors from MB, thus ensuring that the whole ignition system has been replaced back as far as the ECU. A few days later, I call Ian, he says the new parts are fitted, but the engine is still misfiring, and he’s sent off the ECU to BBA Reman for repair. One week later, having heard nothing, I call Ian, he says he’s got the ECU back, it’s fitted, but engine is still misfiring, and he will send the ECU back to BBA Reman again for warranty repair, as it must be still faulty. He finally gets ECU back a further week later, and pronounces the car runs perfectly. Says BBA returned the ECU with “fault unfound”. Drives car down to me, says there was a slight misfire at one point on the journey, but it “will probably clear itself up”. He gives me the bill. Expecting some sort of compromise to have been worked out, I am astounded to be given a bill for over £1300, on top of the charge for the service. I have been charged all the labour, all the parts, £50 for fuel, and no mention of the pinched loom or any responsibility. Here’s my only mistake: I paid up, because I was so desperate to get the car back. I drove the car the next day, and it had a constantly recurring misfire. I call Ian, and it turns out he never fitted new coils at all, just new connectors, and used the original coils throughout. He says he’ll send me 3 new coils at his expense, and when they don’t arrive after another week, I go and get some from GSF and fit them myself (10 minute job). Misfire cured. (If new coils had been fitted when I requested, would the ECU have to have been sent off for investigation and repair? Was it repaired? If so, what was the fault? I have no paperwork or proper explanation from Ian, just a figure of £350 + vat) Next day, Ian’s coils arrive. I’ve still got them, he wants them back, so as he can return them to MB Preston and get a refund. I asked him a month ago to send me a cheque for the GSF coils (half the price of genuine ones, a big saving for him, and he did say it would be at his expense), but no joy. I still haven’t got the BBA Reman paperwork I requested from him, giving details of the repair and warranty details. Worse still, when I asked him to put the old loom in the back of the car so I could see the extent of degradation, he said he’d thrown it away immediately. Connectors and all. Which I find hard to believe, given the untidy state of his workshop, and the fact that I saw an old loom from another car lying in the corner next to a pile of other rubbish when I was there. So I have no way of checking for any damage caused during the plug change.
So, after nearly a month at 124 Works (it was only in for a while-you-wait service), this was the result: a huge bill, (£1300 on top of the service, for problems arising during routine work), an incomplete picture of what happened, an admission of responsibility followed by backpedalling, hundreds of micro scratches on the offside wing (no protectors used), oily handprints on the interior, dirty drivers seat (no protector), squealing front brakes and rattling calipers as a result of fitting new discs (I’ve had to strip them both down and clean them properly), a badly misfiring engine, and a feeling of being had. I lost some work as a result of being without a roadworthy car for 4 weeks. Plus no holiday for me and Mrs L this year because of the expense. Not a happy customer. I was very reasonable throughout this whole saga, and cooperative, and I feel 124 Works took advantage of this.
Does anyone think this is good service or fair treatment?
