So here is my experience :
FWR Garage
I work for the university of Stirling , and I found a garage 'FWR Garage' listed on the staff discounts, benefits page. The garage were offering a discount for university staff and a lift/pick up from work. Great - so I started to take my car there, and went there for nearly 2 years. Earlier this year, I took my car in to the garage because the engine management light was coming on, Craig checked it and said not to worry it was because the air conditioning was faulty. He then did a health check on my car and it was fine. So, now in December - Craig called me to let me know that he had now merged with Newmarket Skoda garage in bannockburn and was calling to advise that my MOT was nearly up and did I want to book the car in, which I did.Newmarket Skoda Garage
The car went in at 11am on 17th December (I had taken a day off work). I took the car up to Bannockburn, got 2 buses back home and then carried on with some DIY on the house. Early afternoon I receive a phonecall from Craig - bad news - the car has failed. A few different things, headlights misaligned, bushes, a couple of other things and it failed on emissions. I was told that the car was more than 3 times over the co2 limit. He told me he suspects it to be the piston heads, but needs to do more checks. So, I wait and then receive a call - it is the piston heads. This is a very expensive procedure. I am told - that for the piston heads alone it will cost £1100, then on top of that a further £200-£300 for the other work.My car is a VW Polo 2004, so may not be worth fixing! Craig offers to get a valuation on my car, I agree and then say I will pop in. I checked my car on Parkers website, and found that it was worth between £1300-£1900. On speaking to Craig, he informs me it is only worth £800. hmmmm! He then asks me if I would like to speak to his sales guy. On speaking to his sales guy, I am offered a deal £300 for my car in its current state and then a finance deal on one of their new Skodas! I asked them if I could go away and think about this, and if I could have the print out of the MOT refusal. Craig said, 'if I print it out today, you will only get 3 days for a re-trial, so I can drop it in tomorrow for you and you will get 10 days' eh???? sounds a bit fishy to me. Anyway, I said ok and left with my car! Got home, very upset and worried - what was I going to do!! I decided to take the car elsewhere - I felt that it just didnt seem right, so I had to take another day off work. Next morning, went to Newmarket garage to pick up MOT refusal (Craig didn't drop it off). Got there and the nice lady offered me coffee, went and got Craig and he said it will just be a minute to print. Then another man (the manager I think), returned with the print out and said, 'we might be able to get your car through its MOT by putting thicker oil in, it would still need the piston rings fixed .....' BOLLOCKS! they just keep lying to me. So, I said no its fine, I'm going to get a friend to look at it.
I then took the car to another garage, they first said it was only slightly over the legal limit for CO2 (not 3 times). They then fixed the various issues, gave the car a service and it passed its MOT. all for the cost of £240. They advised that the catalytic convertor may be on its way out and by next year might need replaced.
Whilst going to FWR garage, Craig built up a rapport with me. I was pregnant when I first went there and he was discussing his wifes pregnancy with me. Once I had had my daughter we then talked about our babies. I feel absolutely disgusted that he would deliberately try to trick me and I will never take my car there again. I am however going to the garage today to show them the MOT test certificate and to see what they have to say about all the lies.
Another update later
