Misleading & unprofessional service
Initially I had a wiring fault within my motorhome. I contacted Sparks Commercial as my motorhome runs on a Renault engine. Sparks Commercial Poole are a Renault dealership.
The technician made a repair to my vehicle after 5 hours of diagnosing & tracing the cable at fault. The engine started, the technician assured me all was ok! He then left. I tried to move my vehicle to park it & the engine cut out. I called the garage & reported what had happened. I was told that the technician was not available to visit my home again and I should get the vehicle to their repair shop. Luckily after trying to start the vehicle several times the engine started & I managed to deliver it to their depot. After another 5 hours I was told all was ok. I was given the bill which amounted to 10 hours plus parts. I mentioned that the technician had spent 5 hours on my vehicle at my home and reported the job done & dusted why should I have to pay a further 5 hours for him or others to go through the same process again. I was told that I was being charged a below normal hourly rate and I should be happy with my deal. I was not happy at all as I was initially told that the automative technician was excellent & the fault would be found within a couple of hours. The Renault dealership had all the latest and relevant diagnostic equiptment to deal with such matters.
Reluctantly I paid for 10 hours so called investigative work.
Approximately 1 month later my motorhome dash was showing a red light warning me to stop the engine. I pulled over & parked up. I rang the AA who turned up, suggested that the fault may lie within the alternator or the ECU unit but did not have the right technical equiptment to justify his thoughts. He could not find the problem so the AA Organised a transport carrier to pick up my vehicle & deliver it to Sparks
Commercial in Poole. Although I was dreading how long this job would take Sparks to find the fault I decided to let them carry out the works as they were a Renault dealership and had the so called diagnostic equiptment to trace the fault/s.
I visited the garage & asked the Manager what hourly rate he would charge for the works & a guestimate of how long the investigation would take.
I was told, I would be charged under the normal garage rate which would be the same as my last billed rate £45.00 p/h.
I agreed and he said " should be all done by tomorrow pm"
I informed him that I was booked onto a Ferry crossing to France in three days time, he said " no problem wait for my call". The next day (pm) no call received so, I called the garage to ask if my van was ready, I was told " not being worked on too busy other jobs to do" I explained that the ferry I had booked to France was on Friday 2 days away. I was told it would be done tomorrow (Thursday). I rang am and was told that the technician had started work on my vehicle. I drove to the garage pm to see how things were going only to be told that the technician could not find any faults. The next day Friday I rang the Sparks office to ask the Manager how things were progressing, he was not in work that day so I drove immediately to the Sparks garage.
The motorhome was on the ramp but no one working on it.
I asked in the office what was going on and was told that the garage was very busy. I complained and asked when I could expect to have some attention paid to my vehicle and when I could expect the works to be completed. I was told to call the office Monday am to speak with the Manager.
I was so annoyed & frustrated but there was nothing else I could do. Monday morning I called Sparks office & spoke to the Manager. He informed me that some one would be working on my vehicle today (Monday) and we hope to find the problem. I automatically thought, 4 days in the garage up till now, no idea how much real time had been spent on my van! missed my Ferry, & still no positive answer from the Sparks Manager. I rang pm Monday to ask how things were progressing if at all, I was told that the alternator was faulty and the ECU unit was not doing what it is meant to.
(Just what the AA man had suggested, without the professional diagnostic equiptment to verify the cause.)
He told me the cost of each unit & I said order them & get the job done. I again had to call Sparks Commercial to find out how things were progressing & was told to come to the garage 4.30pm to pick up my motorhome.
I arrived at 4.30pm & was given a bill for just under £2,000.00. I questioned the bill asking for a breakdown of the bill. The manager said "13 hours labour at £55.00 p/h plus the two replacement Items. I asked why he had raised the hourly rate by £10.00p/h as he had told me that I would be charged £45.00p/h as last time. He denied mentioning any hourly rates and said that this rate was the going rate.
I asked for the parts guarantee, the Manager said there was no guarantee on the parts.
I would advise, If you own a motorhome do not take it to this dealership.