When should you go back to complain

[dmat2391]

Short story, last tune up asked the mechanic shop , that we've used since the car had 8klm on it, please replace the thermostat seems to be stuck open. Opened the bonnet to check fluids because I have a big trip coming up and notice the coolant is low. It's never been low.
Looking around I see a leak at the thermostat housing. Open it up to find the thermostat has been changed but the gasket is resting on top of the thermostat (not around it) and is split.
I've lost patience with them, as it's not the first issue in the last year. I will be looking elsewhere.
Do I let them know that someone there gives no f's about the work they do?

They stuffed up the replacement clutch but fixed it under "warranty". The head mechanic seems to want to do the right thing because he made it clear that it hadn't been installed correctly.
I'm not sure it's worth the headache.
Any advice would be appreciated.
It's a limited edition manual fg ii turbo so kind of special to me

[.:4:.]

The rubber thing that goes around the thermostat, even if you pay the repco/supercheap tax will only set you back $6. Just dry off then run a stanley over the mating surfaces to get any crap off the upper and lower surfaces of the thermostat housing for good measure then it should save much more of your life then arguing. If you've taken the top off im assuming you have the correct socket to fix it properly.

[Peter B - CV8]

Send a photo of the dodgy work to the shop involved & tell them how you feel. Their response (or possible lack thereof) will determine were you go from there...

[HIPO]

I'd move on elsewhere!

[bangm001]

Could have let you down in the middle of nowhere with family etc in the car. Bugger that, id tell them and see how they reply as above. Go from there.

[ToryMikey]

Be very careful, mechanics are probably the dodgiest trade in Australia, lots of them are drug addicts and on the gear when they are working. Often times the "senior" mechanics get all the apprentices to do the work and will sit all day on Facebook/Instagram abusing people.

If you complain, they will abuse you, if you have a business of your own they will go after it, ask me how I know.

I would just cut all ties and never attend this shop again. Not worth the headache to complain.

[Citroënbender]

That’s a broad brush you’re waving there.

[ToryMikey]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

That’s a broad brush you’re waving there.

Sadly that's the experience I had.

And unfortunately if a shop can't even get the placement of a Falcon thermostat gasket right, what else can you say.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

I would let them know.

But the problem is there is no money in cars that do not break down.

A bit like the old doctors adage, 'a patient cured is a patient lost'.

Doctors do not want patients healthy they want them on medication surviving but requiring regular care and attention.

Mechanics are much the same.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

I would let them know.

But the problem is there is no money in cars that do not break down.

A bit like the old doctors adage, 'a patient cured is a patient lost'.

Doctors do not want patients healthy they want them on medication surviving but requiring regular care and attention.

Mechanics are much the same.

Tyre shops are much the same. Dodgy wheel alignments, to ensure the tyres wear, hoping you will return again. Purchased new tyres and had a wheel alignment at a national chain, for my PX. I compared their settings with the vehicle specs, before leaving the carpark. I went back inside and asked, "Why aren't the wheels aligned to Ford Specs?' His response was "Where did you get the specs?" I said, "out of the owner's manual mate." I then asked how you can adjust toe, camber, and caster, on a rear axle with leaf springs. "Ahhhhhhh, we'll refund your alignment charge." I asked, "You'll do it correctly then, so as to cover tyre warranty?"

I have not set foot back there since.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

That’s a broad brush you’re waving there.

Not far from the truth, industry is chock full of clowns, my supervisor was a meth junky and he was absolutely useless off the gear,

He'd be running off to get on the glass BBQ in the work shitters, same with a couple other blokes. When they weren't attending their little shardy party they'd struggle to wipe their own asses properly.

Joint ended up going under because corruption at the very top level.

Find another workshop OP, industry is rooted and full of lowly paid monkeys, wouldn't even trust a BMX to most of these flogs.

When you find one which actually takes pride in their work stick to them like shit to a blanket.

If the industry actually cared about it's reputation it would have tried to get its act together years ago.

[.:4:.]

The way i look at it, if is a small mechanic shop, one where the owner is hands on, doesn't want to tarnish any hope for word of mouth free advertising. To be fair the odd mistake may happen, but thats called being human. Its when more then 1 person is on a job, and they 'just work there' thats when pack mentality comes into play. So if theres a stuff up, it turns into the blame game and nobody involved in said stuffed job admits resposibility so then its a circus of bs.
Not quite the same, but thats why when i was running sites i would issue each subordinate their colour of electrical tape. Easy to tell who ran cables too short or way too long. Also with fitting back, id give people their set areas and note that down. So when there were any defects, i could point that out. Yes i also adhered to my rules. But it was an effective way to break the pack mentality and make people responsible for their work.

[ToryMikey]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Not far from the truth, industry is chock full of clowns, my supervisor was a meth junky and he was absolutely useless off the gear,

He'd be running off to get on the glass BBQ in the work shitters, same with a couple other blokes. When they weren't attending their little shardy party they'd struggle to wipe their own asses properly.

Joint ended up going under because corruption at the very top level.

Find another workshop OP, industry is rooted and full of lowly paid monkeys, wouldn't even trust a BMX to most of these flogs.

When you find one which actually takes pride in their work stick to them like shit to a blanket.

If the industry actually cared about it's reputation it would have tried to get its act together years ago.

Some may not agree. But my thought is if you can't wrap your head around a Falcon six's thermostat housing, you've got to have either never worked on a car before, or be high on something.

Agree regarding when you find a good shop - stay with them.

[ToryMikey]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

A bit like the old doctors adage, 'a patient cured is a patient lost'.

Doctors do not want patients healthy they want them on medication surviving but requiring regular care and attention.

Not really sure that is the case for the vast majority of doctors here in Australia. Besides, most GPs (especially in regional/rural areas) have full books anyway, and some even have waiting lists, so this conspiratorial "business plan" wouldn't even benefit them.

Sometimes people just require regular care and attention, such is the nature of chronic medical conditions. Diabetes and cancer are two obvious examples that should come to mind.