I would check that the cam cover looks like its been removed and re-fitted. Easy to tell because the surface it sits on will be "clean and shiny" if so. Look at the gap between the red cam cover and alloy coloured head.

Also, check the engine oil level before you drive away. At one Honda dealer service they left the oil level in mine at the low mark - yes that's almost 1 litre short .

If it was me I'd also get under the car when I got it home and see if the gearbox and diff level and drain plugs look as if they had actually been touched also (actually, I would re-check the levels and dip my finger in the oil to make sure it seemed like the right stuff - diff oil should smell of sulphur - dealers are known to fill these diffs with the wrong oil!).

When my car is a little bit older and worth much less (so that I won't be tempted to cash in its value if hard times should arrive) I'm going to service it myself to save all the stress of worrying what a dealer is going to mess up next. Its one thing paying all that money for the perception of a "Honda stamp" in the service book, but quite another when the service work can be shoddy too.

I know I'm paranoid but better safe than sorry.

 

Ask for the empty bottles. I know the dealer could just chuck the contents away, but it's worth asking.

 

It's quite scary.

I chose Avondale Conventry base on our surveys, and they seemed to be highly rated by other members here. So far they've been really friendly, but I still have doubts about their S2k knowledge.

 

And also, they refused to do a HDC. They said they will only do it if I have an engine warning light on.

 

My local dealer said the same. I asked the crap NE dealer who I won't normally go near, to do an HDC on my car before the warranty ran out (at my expense) and they refused.

 

The way I see it is you are paying them a lot of money and they are working for you and so they should follow your requirements exactly.

I now take a printed out list of service requirements into the service manager and tell him that I expect the work to be carried out correctly. This extends to things like "don't wash the car [and mess up the painstakingly waxed bodywork unless you want me to sue you]".

They probably think I'm a complete t*sser, but this lets them know that I'm going to make their life awkward if they don't do the work properly, and its worth it making that clear to them from the outset. I'd rather them get stressed than me and that they cock somebody elses car up than mine

Maybe this is a good dealer you are using and, if they are, they shouldn't object to doing the job properly should they!

 

This is turning out to be a bad day.

Had a call from stealer, said my brake pads are 80% worn at front and 90% rear. He also said my front brake disc have started to warp and may need replacing. Total cost -

 

Your dealer is ripping you off.

If your pads are 80/90% worn they still have life in them. Ask them how many miles they will do and get them changed at that point.

You would have noticed if your discs were warped, your car will have been moving around and/or vibrating like hell under braking.

 

They said I will need to change the pads when they reach 90% worn.

I haven't noticed anything strange braking so far, and I drive my car everyday.

I'm feeling a little annoyed TBH. Going back to the oil, dealer said they will have to put a note on my invoice to say I have refused their advise about the oils and it's basically my problem if anything goes wrong.

 

Man,

Tell them to leave the brakes, and get them checked at your local grease monkey he will tell you the truth about them. You can always buy some pads at a later date.

On the oil front, ask them which oil they are going to use and whether it will be 10w30 as stated in the owners manual. If it isn't ask them why not.

If they still insist that they will put this on the invoice, tell them that you no longer want them to do the service, to return your car to the state that it arrived in, and that you will not be paying the bill.

And never darken their doors again