What your mechanic really is doing...

[laadeelaa 0]

Have ever wondered what happens to your car when you take it for service? Read the story of one mechanic who was caught by the TrakM8 GPS, as reported by the BBC.

In-car tracking systems are usually intended to keep tabs on stolen cars, but the technology can have additional benefits, as one Manchester man recently found out. The man, known only as Mr G, purchased a global positioning satellite system called TrakM8 from Dorset firm Interactive Projects. TrakM8 can be set to send an SMS text message to a mobile phone for a variety of purposes such as if the driver has broken down or is in other difficulties. It also has a feature that alerts the driver via SMS when the car is going above the speed limit.

This feature proved revealing when Mr G took his car in for a routine service. When the car should have been in the garage, he received a series of SMS messages telling him that his BMW was actually speeding through the streets of Manchester. "Someone was obviously driving it with some welly and I wasn't too happy as it was a new car," said Mr G. "I called the garage with some pretty angry messages and the service manager couldn't believe it and nearly died of embarrassment," he explained. "The really funny thing was that he had fitted the system two days earlier." "We would have loved to see the service manager's face when he was shown the action replay of the abused car," she said. It must have been one of those satisfying moments. We all know this kind of thing happens but it's great to be able to prove it," she said.

[lounit 0]

Have ever wondered what happens to your car when you take it for service? Read the story of one mechanic who was caught by the TrakM8 GPS, as reported by the BBC.

In-car tracking systems are usually intended to keep tabs on stolen cars, but the technology can have additional benefits, as one Manchester man recently found out. The man, known only as Mr G, purchased a global positioning satellite system called TrakM8 from Dorset firm Interactive Projects. TrakM8 can be set to send an SMS text message to a mobile phone for a variety of purposes such as if the driver has broken down or is in other difficulties. It also has a feature that alerts the driver via SMS when the car is going above the speed limit.

This feature proved revealing when Mr G took his car in for a routine service. When the car should have been in the garage, he received a series of SMS messages telling him that his BMW was actually speeding through the streets of Manchester. "Someone was obviously driving it with some welly and I wasn't too happy as it was a new car," said Mr G. "I called the garage with some pretty angry messages and the service manager couldn't believe it and nearly died of embarrassment," he explained. "The really funny thing was that he had fitted the system two days earlier." "We would have loved to see the service manager's face when he was shown the action replay of the abused car," she said. It must have been one of those satisfying moments. We all know this kind of thing happens but it's great to be able to prove it," she said.

good on them for catchn the b@$tards

[e30plz 1]

Ahaha pwned.

[antil33t 90]

rofl, take that....

[*Glenn* 854]

Couldn't help seeing that Mr G turned into a she ???

And whats a welly... and what was the driver actually accused of ??. Driving the car at more than 50 kph ??

I sometimes have to drive cars a little quicker at times when checking customer complaints with driveability problems.

No big deal if you do it safely... as i see it... just another mechanic bashing blog... maybe he was unhappy with his serice bill of 600 Euro and needed a grizzle

[laadeelaa 0]

Couldn't help seeing that Mr G turned into a she ???

And whats a welly... and what was the driver actually accused of ??. Driving the car at more than 50 kph ??

I sometimes have to drive cars a little quicker at times when checking customer complaints with driveability problems.

No big deal if you do it safely... as i see it... just another mechanic bashing blog... maybe he was unhappy with his serice bill of 600 Euro and needed a grizzle

Woahh Glenn! It was a joke more so.

[Nobimmer 694]

Not bashing at all but my brother had the same thing happen.

Took his car into the panel beaters to get some insurance work done. Got it back and wouldn't go in gear ( car was a suby forester). Took it to the suby specialist to find the gearbox was f**ked. Hit the panel beaters up and they said get f**ked basicly and that we couldnt prove that they did it.

That night,my brothers mate rang him asking if he had sold his car, my brother said nah why. His mate said " I saw some yound dude (r word?) thrashing it up and down Porana road-for those who know the shore,big long straight road.

My brother went back with that guy as a whitness. Turned out the apprentice was meant to drive it from the paint shop to the panel shop, wont name the workshop,but it is a farely well known place.

Anyway, the guy got sacked but they wouldnt pay for my brothers gearbox.

He is still in some sort of battle with them but havent heard much for a while.

[bravo 35]

A bit defensive aren't you Glenn?

You'd be the first to agree that there are plenty of cowboys out there doing your trade a dis-service.

It definitely happens. I know a mechanic that regularly drives customers cars how he clearly shouldn't and brags about it to his mates, and I regularly warn his customers.

That doesn't mean all mechanics (or even a majority) are like this. All trades have their cowboys - watch Target.

[Nobimmer 694]

Do mechanics poo on cars too

[laadeelaa 0]

Not bashing at all but my brother had the same thing happen.

....

He is still in some sort of battle with them but havent heard much for a while.

Sorry to hear about that Ashkan! Some of them have to ruin it for the honest ones.

I don't tend to trust anyone working on my car apart from my Dad (haha) or when I'm standing watching them working.

Not only will some untrusted individuals thrash your car, but they'll be rough with it, purely because it is only their work, and not their property, so they don't care.

It's a pity. As I said. Some tradesmen ruin it for all of them.

*Kind of Rant. Cos it's my thread.

Edited June 29, 2009 by lady525

[e30plz 1]

I don't tend to trust anyone working on my car

I don't, After leaving my E30 with "a glass place" to get the windscreen replaced.

Hopping back in the car after just paying the bill and the clutch is totally fcuked,

Costing $1500 to fix, After months & months of BS they payed to have it fixed.

Nobodys touching my precious E30 again, I'll fix it myself, Aha.

[DRTDVL 0]

A valet at a hotel in auckland that has changed names was snapped when i was working at sky city for taking a gts-r holden for a quick run to onewa road and back after the customer left something in the car and the valet staff couldn't find the car. They called the valet's cell phone as he was being pulled over for speeding over the bridge...

[OLLIE 26]

i'll give 1000 bucks to a mechanic who can thrash my car harder than I do. pussies

Edited June 29, 2009 by OLLIE
just kidding

[mark247 39]

Reminds me of the time I saw a mechanic from a local bike shop pass me on the express way in his work overalls on a nice RSV popping some wheelies ( some nice ones too ) down the road. Looked like a lot of fun, but it's not really what you would want when you send your lovely Aprilia in to get serviced.

[*Glenn* 854]

A bit defensive aren't you Glenn?

Yes, I probably am (I've taken my chill pill now) and I agree about the cowboys out there.

The reputation of a really good business can be destroyed by the acts of a stupid employee

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Too true Glenn, all the more reason for people to take their cars to places and people they know and trust, rather than whoever is cheapest!

There was a case a while back in the UK where the guy took his newish Ferrari (can't remember the model) for a service at the local Ferrari specialist. While it was there an apprentice jumped in it to go and get the sandwiches for lunch, on the way to the shops he managed to lose control and wrap it around a roundabout.

The garage said they would fix all the damage and return the car, but the owner wasn't happy, saying the value of the car had been reduced as it had been in a big, recorded accident and wanting compensation (surprise, surprise). It went to court in the end and the owner got some money, but not all he was asking.

I think the thing that pushed him over the edge was that the loan car they gave him while his Ferrari was fixed, was a Vauxhall Vectra!!

[DRTDVL 0]

Yes, I probably am (I've taken my chill pill now) and I agree about the cowboys out there.

The reputation of a really good business can be destroyed by the acts of a stupid employee

Or a target employee... 

[laadeelaa 0]

I think the thing that pushed him over the edge was that the loan car they gave him while his Ferrari was fixed, was a Vauxhall Vectra!!

Woah! Poor guy. That'd be like being given a Honda City in loan for a BMW. *Shivers*.

Edited June 30, 2009 by lady525

[e30plz 1]

I'd so swap one of my BMWs for a Honda City.

[*Glenn* 854]

Woah! Poor guy. That'd be like being given a Honda City in loan for a BMW. *Shivers*.

Better than a push bike.. repairers are under no obligation to give loan cars , that get damaged, full of crap, empty fuel tanks, parking tickets, speeding tickets etc ...etc and if you charged $10 for the car..they'd moan Edited June 30, 2009 by *Glenn*

[1rotty 40]

If any one did that to one of my vehicles I would invite him round for some rotty breakfast

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Again, that's very true Glenn, in a normal situation there is no obligation on the repairer. In this case though, having stuffed the guy's Ferrari, to offer him a Vectra to drive while they fixed it seems a little unreasonable to me. I guess they didn't have any spare Ferrari's lying around in the car pool.

Unlike at Jaguar, where they have a car pool of lots of nice machinery (comparing the opposition, test cars, etc), so the guy that popped into town in the brand new, un-released to the press, prototype car wasn't really to know any better. AutoCar magazine got a lot of good shots from some guy in the street and his mobile phone - LOL!

[jordyboy2 0]

Roverland are good with loan cars, as long as you book one, they give out all sorts of nice cars, new freelander's, discovery's and they'll even deliver the car back to you (we live in omaha their in wairau)