Gyro Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I brought my car to a Speedy garage to replace my 2 front tyres.My wife collected the car and brought it home later that night I used it again and I didn't notice anything wrong.The next day my wife said she couldn't start the car and the battery light was on I said the usual thing us men say "probably something simple"So I got a jump start from a friend and took the car for a drive to recharge the battery but all the time the battery light stayed on and as soon as I stopped the car it would not even turn the engine.After consulting my Haynes manual it suggested the belt for the alternator was slipping or loose wiring, so I checked the wiring and it looked good so my conclusion was the belt was slipping.Naturally I called the garage to suggest possibility they hit the alternator pulley when they were tracking the wheels.The response I got was the "we never touch anything on the engine and it must be a coincidence" nothing more.Do these people not even care if they lose customer through coincidences after all were in a feckin recession!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 An alternator can fail internally ( usually the diode pack) at any time. Short of mullering it with a big hammer, I fail to see how they could have caused the belt to start slipping while removing the wheels either. If the wiring is definately ok, I would say that it very probably is a coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Guerriere Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I suppose there is the (very remote) possibility that they swapped your battery for a dud to try and sell you a new one. But they wouldn't (would they ?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Each time I take my car to the garage ( and I changed many times..) the next day there's something wrong with the car............... [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I was brought up among the English motor trade of the 1950s and 1960s, at the dodgier Arfur Daley end of the market as well as certain 'posh' garages. Mechanics then were encouraged to undertake various, shall we say, revenue enhancing practices. Nothing dangerous, just something that could sell a few more parts and a bit of labour. This has been pretty much stamped out now by consumerism and increased vigilance by trading standards and various trade bodies.However, as it is often written that France now is like England was 50 years ago, it does give some credence to the conspiracy theories... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 [quote user="Gyro"]Naturally I called the garage to suggest possibility they hit the alternator pulley when they were tracking the wheels. The response I got was the "we never touch anything on the engine and it must be a coincidence" nothing more. Do these people not even care if they lose customer through coincidences after all were in a feckin recession!!!![/quote]Mmm sounds like the customer that said "after you repaired our car I find that my daughter is now pregnant" [:D]Recession or otherwise I would definitely prefer to lose a customer than replace an alternator that had (most probably) failed through coincidence. Editted, I should really have said failed by coincidence, no that sounds worse, how about failed coincidentally at around the same time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Guerriere Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Golly, I didn't know that the battery charging light indicated pregnancy. You live and learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 It's only a red warning light, requiring further inspection and diagnosis, may be a false alarm[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedon Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Blimey Gyro! You ought to thank your lucky stars it's only an alternator. If you had gone to the Quick Fit Fitter bloke in the UK you wouldn't have escaped with just having the 2 tyres. At the very least it would have been a set of shocks, front disc pads and an exhaust system. Look on the bright side. I can just hear the chap you spoke to on the phone telling his colleagues what you said about them hitting the alternator whilst doing the wheel alignment. A good laugh like that would keep them going for days. They will soon get bored of telling each other though to be careful of the alternator as they remove the spare wheel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Is this for real!!, Well guess which car will be missed out of the days schedule next time, Don't touch that one, you'll get the blame when it falls apart![Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Not only has the alternator gone tits up and the daughter fallen pregnant but now the dog has flatulence and the group de securité on the ballon is weeping.Dont they know that there is a recession? [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 a bit like going to the dentist for a checkup - all fine until the next day when you wake up with a toothache Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyro Posted July 17, 2009 Author Share Posted July 17, 2009 Yeah ya have to blow off a little sometimes. Its in the garage and as it turns out now and I was completely wrong, all they have to do is change the battery, alternator, regulator, and if that doesn't work maybe the engine and gear box.But hey I'm over it now and I'm slowly crawling out of the merde.It could have been worse and nobody got pregnant.....YET Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 [:D][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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