Sussex garages caught cheating their customers

6:26pm Friday 20th July 2012 in News By William Metcalfe

Seven out of eight garages were found cheating customers in a council sting.

West Sussex trading standards investigators tested garages across the county to check mechanics were doing their jobs properly.

But just one of eight garages tested was found to have carried out work requested without making false or misleading claims.

The operation followed complaints from members of the public about a number of garages.

A car was checked by trading standards before being taken to each of the eight garages for a service and pre-MOT check.

One garage charged inspectors for an oil filter that had not been changed.

In another case a tyre and exhaust were reported damaged despite actually being in good condition.

The tests also found an engine over-filled with oil, tyre pressures which had not been properly checked and extra work which had been carried out without permission.

Trading standards is now considering taking formal action against four of the garages.

Christine Field, county council cabinet member for public protection, said: “Motorists need to be able to trust their garages won’t exploit them, as most people are unlikely to be able to check the claims for themselves. In the present economic climate, people are feeling the pinch, and need to be able to rely on work being done competently.”

A council spokesman said he was unable to reveal the location of the garages due to possible legal action.

Drivers looking to find a garage have been advised to use trading standards’ buy with confidence scheme by visiting www.westsussex.gov.uk .

Comments(26)

ShorehamBeachcomber says...
6:35pm Fri 20 Jul 12

What is there to consider? If they won't tell us & don't take action the whole thing has been pointless

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monkeymoo says...
6:40pm Fri 20 Jul 12

How about naming the garages then? I guess they are still open for business and can continue to rip people off!?

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Dr.Draconian says...
6:48pm Fri 20 Jul 12

As said above, pointless telling us this & not naming the garages.

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GIVE UP says...
7:12pm Fri 20 Jul 12

So did you test any of the garages on the trading standard scheme ( www.westsussex.gov.u
k. ) or would that ruin the free advert

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Bromine Chambers says...
8:02pm Fri 20 Jul 12

If the Council were doing their job properly in the first place the garages would already be sorted out. It's not like the problem of dodgy garages only came into existence in 2012, is it? Abject failure of Trading Standards over the years.

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john5001 says...
8:14pm Fri 20 Jul 12

they should be named ?

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Dirk Von Roden says...
8:38pm Fri 20 Jul 12

The report does state why the Garages can not be named "Due to the possible legal action "! see if folks were bothered to actually READ an article not just part of one then they would not have to end up looking infantile with their posts!!

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Juleyanne says...
10:10pm Fri 20 Jul 12

What about asking for information under the 'freedom of information act'!"
After watching Rogue Traders and Watchdog I am now as I am sure many others are - completely paranoid wherever I go I am going to get shafted!
Perhaps we could have some recommendations from Argus Readers
as to the good ones and one's to avoid. Trouble is even that is fraught with potential to deceive as garage owners would just get their relatives to say how wonderful they are. So where can we go and get our cars fixed with a reasonable level of confidence. If 7 out of 10 are conning us that is a shocking statistic. My brothers swears by Lindfield Garage, not the cheapest but does the job well. My car had a new cam belt recently and I can confirm they did a good job at a reasonable price.

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SteveUK says...
10:53pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Oh please name them and then let anyone take legal action! I sincerely doubt that any would dare.

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rickyfrog says...
11:11pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Either name and shame or don't bother at all. What is the point of finding a rogue trader and keeping their details secret so that they can continue to rip off who ever they chose. Let the crooks stand up in court and defend their grubby action and then put them out of business forever.

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Monterey says...
11:55pm Fri 20 Jul 12

A pointless news article since we are non the wiser as to which garages might be the culprits. It puzzles me as to how the council can find the manpower to carry out this survey when they fail to maintain their own roads satisfactorily...whi
ch in turn means more trips to the repair centres/garages and the associated expense.

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mimseycal says...
5:47am Sat 21 Jul 12

Why does this not surprise me?

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Old Ale Man says...
6:49am Sat 21 Jul 12

Of course they should be named, that will make them get their act together and they are hardly likely to take any court action as more publicity will loose them even more custom.

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Thatsjustyummy says...
8:10am Sat 21 Jul 12

Come on, it's not ALL the fault of the garages. If more people had the first idea about maintaining their vehicle they wouldn't be able to get ripped off as they'd KNOW what needed doing.

We'd probably also see fewer crashes if more cars were kept in better condition.

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menowhere says...
10:20am Sat 21 Jul 12

Thatsjustyummy wrote:
Come on, it's not ALL the fault of the garages. If more people had the first idea about maintaining their vehicle they wouldn't be able to get ripped off as they'd KNOW what needed doing.

We'd probably also see fewer crashes if more cars were kept in better condition.
and then we can all start self medicating.

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mimseycal says...
10:42am Sat 21 Jul 12

Thatsjustyummy wrote:
Come on, it's not ALL the fault of the garages. If more people had the first idea about maintaining their vehicle they wouldn't be able to get ripped off as they'd KNOW what needed doing.

We'd probably also see fewer crashes if more cars were kept in better condition.
What a ludicrous statement. Should we all become plumbers, electricians and dentists while we are at it ... just so we can watch the help?

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Goldenwight says...
12:07pm Sat 21 Jul 12

Garages rip people off story- slow news day is it?

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zogstar5 says...
2:18pm Sat 21 Jul 12

I have worked in garages for years as a technician. Most of the time the emphasis is on professionalism, however in some garages I have been constantly pressured to sell as if I am a salesman? Some garages have a prerequesit of x amount sell up per car regardless of whether anything needs doing. I work for myself now as a mobile mechanic and I show the customer what's good and bad under no pressure and I don't need to sell up.

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lillylou says...
5:10pm Sat 21 Jul 12

Machanics ,landlords when's the goverment gona stop these thieves !

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getThisCoalitionOut says...
5:48pm Sat 21 Jul 12

When a business is found to be doing this it should be closed down, unless it can be proved innocent in some way - which I doubt it could be.

When is something going to be done about all these rogue businesses that are allowed to continue trading?

Also all the garages should be named in this article - otherwise it means the council are being stopped from letting people know when a business has been caught out - so who allowed that to happen? That also needs to be changed.

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Dirk Von Roden says...
6:32pm Sat 21 Jul 12

When I passed my test many years ago ,I had to have a basic knowledge of car maintenance!! unfortunately in this country everyone wants it all now and begger the consequences! In some countries it is a must !Perhaps if this country made drivers take a basic test on vehicle maintenance not only would folk save money but it would save them a lot of grief later (I was called by a very distraught Lady one nightshe had broken down ,I drove 10 miles and when I got there she had a dodgy earth lead!

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GIVE UP says...
7:26pm Sat 21 Jul 12

Dirk Von Roden wrote:
When I passed my test many years ago ,I had to have a basic knowledge of car maintenance!! unfortunately in this country everyone wants it all now and begger the consequences! In some countries it is a must !Perhaps if this country made drivers take a basic test on vehicle maintenance not only would folk save money but it would save them a lot of grief later (I was called by a very distraught Lady one nightshe had broken down ,I drove 10 miles and when I got there she had a dodgy earth lead!
And the moral of the story it's...Join the AA..

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mimseycal says...
7:37pm Sat 21 Jul 12

I did and when I broke down on the way back from work was told I needed a new battery. They could get me one on the spot for £50.00. I decided to just tighten the connection and made it home okay. Two days later my garage confirmed it was just a loose lead and nothing was wrong with the battery - an apprentice had not tightened it enough when it was in for a service three days prior to the incident.

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Helena Handcart says...
1:44pm Mon 23 Jul 12

Garages Rip Off Customers...
In other news, Bear defecates in Woods.... Pope might be religious.
What a pathetic non story with no details.......Publis
h the names or don't publish anything Metcalfe.

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turtling. says...
11:46pm Mon 23 Jul 12

Grease monkey's are slippery parasites.. the worst sort.. they target jo public... no honour among them, they'd rip off your grandma for 50p....absolute scum

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mickeymonkeyman says...
12:53am Tue 24 Jul 12

you wont hear anymore now,from west sussex trading officers as there job will be on line now if the same is happening in west sussex what about a proper check up with a member off the public or honest person like jury service pick,and what about the whole of the country,if they cheat close down if they are honest tell the public,why treat us like monkeys,officer think there zoo keepers.

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