MB shop botched job with plastic ties on the upper spring rubber

[Olivier]

About 2 years ago, MB Milton Keynes was really kind and offer to pay for the perch replacement as a goodwill, this done in the MB shop in Broxburn, near Edinburgh.
So far so good. Untill today...
Yesterday I was changing the right wishbone and this is where I saw on top of the spring, that the rubber was in 3 pieces, hold together with some plastic tie. I didn't really take any notice not knowing what to expect there, I thought it was a shop trick to help putting it back up in the perch...
Untill today, I did the left side and there was the complete rubber piece on top of the spring, all in one piece

, it was also so much easier to put back up in the perch...
Now I am really annoyed with this, the next dealer is only 5 minutes drive from the MB repair centre, in Newbridge, where they could ask for the parts if they didn't have it. Trully! The car was there for over 2 weeks as they broke the top ball joint as well, you think they would order the rubber and replace it while the spring is out, nope!

Now, I am going to contact them next week as this is not on, what kind of service is that?
Rant not over
Olivier

botched job defenition that summarise it properly:
An improvised and ultimately dishonest approach to repair so as only to provide a temporal verisimilitude of correct functionality.

 

[Olivier]

o dear!

that would ruin my day!

hope you get sorted...

It is rotten indeed...
Sorry Rascalmaster, I moved the topic to the right place, this is why I quoted you here
Olivier

 

[John]

It's why one would use a main dealer to avoid this kind of thing.

Unfortunately it doesn't surprise me you've discovered it.

 

[Olivier]

but it is the least expensive part, the spring was out, the perch needed to be welded etc... The mind boggle...

 

[jaymanek]

Its usually due to time constraints... id guess the part wasnt in stock at the time and so do they keep the car blocking up a ramp for days or do they carry out a repair.

 

[Olivier]

then the best would be to let me know and arrange a time for a proper repair. No?
Also this is really quick to do with the ramps and the tool to extract the spring.
blocking the ramp might be an excuse , but not recalling the car for a proper repair is not.

 

[jaymanek]

YEs thats true, but would you say it posed any danger? (im asking here - I dont know the part in question)
Its lasted 2 years!

Would you have been happy to pay the additional labour?

 

[Olivier]

It was a goodwill from MB, and I am trully greatfull for that, if the shop find a broken part, they replace it, this is what had happen as they broke the top ball joint ( on the same side), there was no extra cost to me.
Then why not do the same with the simplier part of the process???
As the " it hold 2 yesr and would you say it posed any danger" as nothing to do with the service that was suppose to be provided. If it is the way you like MB ( or other garage) to operated so be it for you, not for me, I totally disagreee that if a job as been ordered to be, the job is botched as they could have well said: "well, its safe enough"... "Eerrr, that'll do"... "hey, he will no even see it"... Trully Jay?
Its all about professionalism, care of doing a job properlly, something that went missing that day with the plastic tie and not recalling the car...

 

[jaymanek]

Totally agree, thats why I made it clear that I was asking a question above, not providing my opinion... I dont know the part in question and whether it is simply a cosmetic thing or has any real function.

 

[Olivier]

Hi Jay,
I don't know what is the real function of this part, it might act as a damper between the 2 metal parts ( the perch and the sping) ?
I does put some height on the cat tho as you can have thicker and thinner pads.
But on a new perch I would have expected a brand new pad...
Olivier

 

[jaymanek]

Ohhh the spacer pads! Im now thinking how they could cable tie something like that!

That does sound like a bit of a bodge..

 

[Olivier]

It is curious indeed. It stays in place as its snuggling in the perch, but its in 3 parts... EEK!
What were you thinking I was talking about?

 

[Olivier]

OK, the little update. Got a call back from the manager, John, the teck that did the perch is no longer working there, he moved into Ferrari apparently ( I wonder what he'll do there with the plastic tie?) then John doesn't know and cannot find out why this as been done.
I need to pay for the parts but as a goodwill John will put the new parts in place free of charge. I am getting 2 new as there is no point on getting an old part in one side and a new one on the other.
I wished this would have been done 2 years ago tho, but at least we are getting sorted.
Olivier

 

[franey]

This is good news Olivier, perhaps they can make a 4 wheel alignment for you in the process.
Oh and with regards to our earlier conversation; Will you be 'coming out' here on the forum and making it public?

 

[Olivier]

Hi Bren,
They did the 4 wheel alignemnt last time, I think John was "OK" to do one side if I buy the part, but when I ask for the 2 he said " its up to you", this make me think that if I ask for a 4 wheel alignement I got a NO.
The other odd think, if you remember I told you at the time the car was highter at the front when I pick it up, you told me about the wishbone, that they might have tighten them while the car was on the ramp, well, I got the parts ordered and odly the "spacer" I have on the car are 21 mm while I should have 13mm???
Something went wrong there?
Coming out for you ? Kinky... Sorry but I have to decline, I like you but as a friend, no offense there, you'll need to find another bloke
I keep with the missus

 

[franey]

Hey, Depardieu,
You very funny man,

I Kill you Last!!!

 

[John]

the teck that did the perch is no longer working there, he moved into Ferrari apparently ( I wonder what he'll do there with the plastic tie?)

To all Ferrari owners everywhere who do not use Ferrari main dealers, welcome to Russian roulette with your Ferrari maintenance.

 

[Olivier]

but, but, but... This is what I understood, the guy is in Ferrari Team... Ferrari Dealer...
He must be good.. with plastic ties...

 

[John]

You know what - I was thinking shortly after "what if you meant he had gone to a Ferrari main dealer", but I brushed that thought off thinking no Ferrari main dealer could be that stupid - they must have entrance ability tests.

I can only assume they're not as stringent as I thought they would be!

I can imagine taking a pristine 458 to them after seeing ty-raps used to hold something together and showing to the dealer principle...

 

[Olivier]

that is the odd part of the story...No one on its right mind would do this, the correct part is cheap enough and anyway all was paid by MB headquarter, also I would have happilly paid for the part 2 years ago, like I do now, why oh why? The mind boggle? Its too odd...
also when the driver side top ball joint failed ( break on removal), they changed it ( all paid by MB), I asked at the time to get the left one changed as well ( paid by me) as I wanted to get the proper balance, this was denied as apparently " it was up already". Something has been a wee odd all along... This is the first time I was told "no" to change a part that I was willing to pay for it... Trully odd...
Olivier