RANT - mechanics and trademen

[smilie121]

I am not a mechanic, but i've learned bits n pieces from a friend who's a mechanic and he taught me to do some things (to save me bugging him). Naturally i've learned and its done wonders for my confidence on tackling the unknown and undertaking DIY of any kind. I learn quickly and approach jobs methodically and rationally and above all, i like to make sure i do them right, whether its for someone else or myself.

So time has been against me lately and with my to do list being never ending, i bite the bullet and pay a local garage to do some work.

A few months back my winder mechanism frayed before i went to the isle of lewis (dont go there's nothing at all there). Ordered one and the garage said they'd fitted loads. Got the car back to find neither front doors would open from the front. They had pulled the wrong door card off and forgot about the cable. Then the same with the other (at least it was the correct door but i guess it was an easy process of elimination).

Only a week ago my leaky radiator needs renewing. Again ordered a new one and this garage also says they done loads. I left my haynes manual and a print out of instructions from the web. They took 4 hours to do the job and having changed the rad on my last passat, had a minor arguement about "internet geeks" not knowing about cars and the job in question. I refused to pay over the 2 hours originally quoted because of the work involved and got angry that they hadnt even bothered to look at the manual or printout.

Got home and decided to check the job and could barely open the bonnet catch, then saw the bellypan was missing and no antifreeze and i supplied them it (he did say he used over half but never returned it). Took the car back and he was unhappy to say the least re-iterating the hassle he had and made it out that i caused him problems by bringing a awkward passat in for work. I saw the antifreeze i supplied and showed it as nearly full, to which he couldnt answer. I wasnt happy about leaving my car with them again but did anyway

Upon collecting he was equally unhappy about it all but apologised that he didnt fix the bonnet catch properly, but stated that he had used most of of the antifreeze. I got home (2 min drive) and popped the bonnet. The muppets had filled the expansion tank to the level of the cap. I had to drain the excess and add more antifreeze (they gave it back).

Non car related, i've been let down by 2 joiners upon fitting a kitchen - one whom took down wood that was supporting a wall and the wall itself fell down, costing a few hundred to put back and plaster. Gas fitter not turning up delaying the fitting and putting it in the wrong place. Plumbers botching the sink install and recently, having a bathroom installed, the plumber tried to pull a fast one by supplying an economy suite when i paid for a mid range and when corrected, he has done a sub standard job on cistern and bath.

My rant, i am fed up of shoddy work, cant be arsed attitude and sub standard workmanship. Sorry for all the text and if you made it this far, well done ... or you have too much time on your hands.

In future i'll try to allocate time to do what i can on my own car (or whatever), from being bothered to remove rust on the caliper carriers so the pads dont stick, to properly tightening bolts under the bonnet (oh i once got a free screw driver from a garage back in wales - i opened the bonnet to find it, haha).

Rant over - sorry i'm half way through a bottle of glenfiddich