Have I Been Done Over Story?

[Patm3]

About five months ago I took my car to go on the rolling road at a particular garage which I wont mention as this topic will upset some people on this forum. It was what I thought of being a good day and I got my BHP and Torque reading done and drove off happily into the rain. Over the months since getting this reading done on my vehicle certain things have come to light that is making me feel as if I was ripped off and treated this way as I was new to this garage. This is what happened.

1) I was recommended to this garage by a zoner and a work colleague, and told that the rolling road would cost me £30 to £35, if I mentioned one of the names that recommended me, and I would be looked after, so I did, and got charged £50 instead, so I just thought no friend pricing here ok fine I will pay the £50 which must be the normal fee.
2) My car was driven in by one of the technicians there and my Missus and I was told to wait in this front office type of place until the technician had finished, and they closed down the shutter, and began and I thought ok fine also.

I got my car back about 15 to 20 minutes later with the reading and drove off. Then I have heard the following from zoners at meets, reading PBMW magazine and some of the topics on the forum.

1) the same garage that done the rolling road test is doing a special day soon, and done one over Xmas, where loads of cars where Invited and the special price for this day was £25 to the normal £40. There own words in PBW magazine this month.
BUT I WAS CHARGED £50 (ok its only £10)
2)lots of zoners I have spoke to who have had this rolling road done laughed when I told them I had to wait outside in a room with the Missus, as they all said they were allowed in when they had there cars done, and it's the whole point to see how your car performs.
3) then I read a topic on the zone saying that this particular garage fixes readings on cars, whether this is true or not I don't know but I feel cheated.

So I paid £50 to sit in a room and get a reading that might not even be the honest reading, this stinks, what do you think, have I been knocked?

[cliffybabe]

sounds off to me mate

[316eyes]

Out of sight................out of pocket?

[Zayyan]

Why the need to put a post up asking if you've been done over or not when it's quite obvious you have?

The only point in this thread is revealing the name of the garage you're talking about.

[cliffybabe]

yeah name and shame

[Patm3]

i will tell you why the need, because i want to know if this has happened to anyone else, it was a first for me as i have never had a rolling road done on any of my vehicles, and if it has then this topic for a post is useless, if not then i have all rights when this rolling road special day comes up to turn up and instead of paying £25 to get it done pay £15 and actually see it done, as from what i can see so far i was ripped off, everyone will probably know which garage i am talking about, so its pointless naming it, but i am quite sure Zayyan if you was ripped off you would not be to happy, no matter what. (writtten in a pleasant tone, so no arguing lol)

[Zayyan]

i will tell you why the need, because i want to know if this has happened to anyone else, it was a first for me as i have never had a rolling road done on any of my vehicles, and if it has then this topic for a post is useless, if not then i have all rights when this rolling road special day comes up to turn up and instead of paying £25 to get it done pay £15 and actually see it done, as from what i can see so far i was ripped off, everyone will probably know which garage i am talking about, so its pointless naming it, but i am quite sure Zayyan if you was ripped off you would not be to happy, no matter what.

True, I didn't mean to sound insensitive.

But it doesn't make sense that you want to find out if it's happened to anyone else and then not naming the garage you're talking about; even though some know which one it is a lot may not.

[cliffybabe]

its like Trisha or Jerry Springer tonight.

Shall I tell them..................

Na i know what u mean u dont want to slag them off until ur sure or until u see what their like on one of the special days

[Patm3]

Its Cool, Zayyan. if it comes to it i will name it, as i know some zoners are going to jump to this garages defense, but once i know where i stand i will 100% be turning up at this garage and demanding my rolling road is done again on this special day for £15, you got it cliffybabe

[stevetigger]

I would ask the zoners who are going to defend this "garage" there opinion on the matter.

Also, I would go back to "garage" without the wifey in tow. Ask for a re-test free so you can watch. If they refuse inform the local trading standards and anybody else you know. Ring all BM mags and so on and so forth.

Don't get mad, get even!

[cliffybabe]

let me know how u get on mate, once u have had it done again

[Patm3]

someone in the Poll has already voted NO so this must be a standard procedure for certain cars, please who ever voted NO or who is going to vote NO, state your reason, as i might be wrong and £50 and being kept outside is normal and i am blowing hot air for nothing. , and nice one steve might just do that, and by the way steve that new engine looks awesome, i will let you know when i get it done again.

[316eyes]

For fcuks sake tell us which garage!

I think your first action should be to contact them and ask for an explanation for the difference between their normal fee of £40 and the £50 you paid.

[bootyman]

It's in Bexleyheath i think

[Patm3]

[M5pilot]

It was Bexley motor works and it was me who suggested you to go there.

My 3.6 M5 has been on the dyno and put down 300BHP. My 3.8 put down under stock figures due to a faulty sensor but still made near 330bhp. Other 3.6 M5's put down around 290-305 bhp there.
Yours I believe put down 310BHp with a seriously undersized K&N cone filter.
I doubt the result is fixed and what what anyone gain from fixing your results??

Dyno days are done at a promotional price.

I quoted you the price of 30-40...... I forgot to mention that is plus VAT.

I dont think yours was a straight dyno run anyway.

If you have a problem why dont you phone them and complain? Tell them you feel ripped off and your not happy. Just try to be fair.

[E30BeemerLad]

it was obvious who the garage was from the initial post, wasn't it?!

The car disappearing and coming back later seems a bit wierd, very "closed doors". On one hand you could say it is a health & safety issue and it is not adviseable for punters to be milling around when a car is on the rollers, but most places i would have thought will let you hang around at a safe distance instead of being shipped off.

However, at a group meet I would have thought they will let everyone hang around and watch what's going on. Same rules apply in my mind.

Were you happy with the alleged prinouts and could you actually hear the sound of a car being revved whilst sitting in the office?

[M5pilot]

The police heard me driving that car from one end of lakeside shopping centre to the other......so if he didnt hear it in the office then there is something wrong and you've been charged 50 quid for nothing.

Where's your dyno graph? You got more power than my 3.6.

As for not allowing you in there - did you actually ask to go in and ask to watch? Or was it a case of they just said sit in the office and you listened.

[stevetigger]

You seem to be defending with your life Sal!

[bootyman]

I was just about to wirte that Steve

[E30BeemerLad]

in fairness Steve, knowing Sal has a good relationship with Bexleys, I thought his reply was pretty balanced and he was not saying there was no way anything untoward could not have happened.

[buster]

Ages ago i took mine to a local place and they wouldn't allow me to watch,they said public arent allowed in there for health and safety reasons.

But i think at bexleys they do,but did you ask ?

[E30BeemerLad]

where do you go Andy, Harpers down the Boro or Ron Perry A19?

[buster]

no it was teesside motor factors,over the border in boro.
was about 5 years ago now on my first 325 i

[E30BeemerLad]

hehe, over the border, been a while since I was in the Bongo Club, it's not the same anymore, too commercialised now, preferred it when it was proper seedy & full of hookers.

Anyway, back to Bexleys......

[Patm3]

To be fair M5pilot you was not the only person who told me to go there, i worked with a guy called nigel for a couple of weeks and he recommended i go there also and told me the same price if i mentioned his name i should get it done for £30 to £35 cash, no VAT.

1) i paid the £50 and told them, i was told it was going to be £35, and got no answer, still waiting for one.
2) the guy drove my car in and i was told to wait in this area with my missus, and why would i ask, never done a rolling road in my life, thought this was how it was done. AND YES I COULD HEAR MY CAR ON THE RR, its hard not to with the exhaust i have got.
3)i said i heard on the zone that they fix readings, but never said i believe it was true, only thing that makes me a little concern is not my small K&N filter as you put it, but knowing that the stats for my engine (see below) show i am meant to have 330BHP so 310BHP is not a bad reading, but my car has also been chipped, so it should have read a little higher in my opinion, but i am no expert.

Hartge H36, based on the 2.3 l Euro M3 (only 6 made)
- 3.6 l E34 M5 modified engine, 330 PS.
- Hartge exhaust.
- Hartge sport suspension.
- Hartge 17" modular wheel/tyre set.
- Hartge special braking system.
- Hartge limited-slip differential.
- Hartge additional fuel tank 100 l.
- Hartge accessory pack.
Performance: 0-60 mph in 5.6 s, 0-1000 m in 24.9 s, top speed = 172 mph.
Cost in the UK in 1995: £28,814 GBP + VAT.

i aint going to call them unless i know what i am saying is 100%, you have already said that the reason why it was £50 was because they added VAT, the reason for my 310BHP reading is my K&N filter, and i should have asked them to go in, so if anybody else says the same thing, then this post has no point.

[Demlotcrew]

1. I think that £50 is quite normal for a power run (Power Engineering charge £40 + VAT)
2. Only when four wheel drive cars are being dynoed are you asked to leave the room for safety reasons. (Im sure they would have let you stay in the workshop if you insisted on it!)
3. Im also not very sure of the total integrity of Bexleys dyno runs hence why i dont go there!
4. Mate if you need any help with the car or another opinoin/power run then i can recommend a few places (one of which is regarded the best in the country) Then PM me.

Here is a print out of a run i did a few weeks ago;



And this company i trust 100%

Andrew

[E30BeemerLad]

Dave Walker is a legend in his own right, glad I am gonna be not far from Watton soon

[Patm3]

Can i also add that i have not done this post to ruin a companies reputation and jump on any bandwagon as someone has said to me by PM, or i would have called the post "I HAVE BEEN DONE OVER", instead of "HAVE I BEEN DONE OVER", i have just tried to come on here and find out how rolling roads are carried out and at what price at this garage, but if the answers so far are in my favour, then it looks like i have been ripped off, the Poll can change anytime then i will have to just sit back and relax and take it on the chin, but when you have people who have had more than one RR test done and have always been allowed in, and charged a flat fee with no VAT, then in my opinion i have to ask questions, so dont hate me for it!

[Demlotcrew]

Yup it was Dave, who done my run.

It was a very professional run, no damage done to the car white it was being strapped down and the lady of the establishment made us sandwiches and Tea!!!!!!!

Andrew

[Ant]

Health and safety issues aside for a moment, if you wanted to watch you only had to ask dude.

Nigel and Jags have nothing to hide, they'd have been more than happy to run her up in full view and discuss the outcome with you, its how its done IMHO, up front and personal.

The roller door is always shut when the dyno is in use due to the noise created

Perhaps due to work being carried out on the ramp next to the rollers they felt you'd be safer in the office, certainly a lot warmer

Talk to them dude, you'll just get more annoyed this way.

I have used Nigel and Jags on many occasions for dyno and general advice when I need it, I never spend much £Â£ there as I diy everything first. I can report no issues with the service recieved and I'd not hesitate to recommend them.

Make the call dude, its the only way forward from here.

[Patm3]

I am not being funny but i did not know to ask as i have never had it done before, so i will take the blame for that, if its what you are suppose to do, Demlot thats a bloody good reading and you should know the reason why I said that and I am happy to see that result. and if i need to get an RR done again for a second opinion i will PM you. thanks

[bootyman]

Demlot your car is only 60bhp Thanks for the help in my engine anyway. D told me

Bajadaan i think you have every right to post a thread just like anyone else if you're unhappy with a service you've been offered. As you rightly say, your thread is asking a question rather than accusing anyone of any wrong doing. Someone once posted a thread here slagging off CA Automotive and i was fight tooth and nail for them because not only is Roy a friend, but a good business man who offers a good service. Saying all that, the person was right to post cause in that case just like this, he had reason to so have no fear my friend. Wevwont send the Bexley Police to kidnapp your grandchildren

[Demlotcrew]

I am not being funny but i did not know to ask as i have never had it done before, so i will take the blame for that, if its what you are suppose to do, Demlot thats a bloody good reading and you should know the reason why I said that and I am happy to see that result. and if i need to get an RR done again for a second opinion i will PM you. thanks

Well can i point you in this direction?

Also, are you sure your tacho is reading wrong? If you are getting 200bhp @ 7400++ I would be very disspointed.

Half way down page two

http://www.s14.net/forums/showthread.ph ... genumber=2

Andrew

[Patm3]

I dont know what to say, like i keep saying i have no experience in these matters i am an all round novice when it comes to cars, but if an engine which is capable of 195BHP to 215BHP, shows 200BHP, i thought this would be a good reading either way, correct me if i am wrong.