Big ups to the good guys in the industry - Botany Motor Worx and BM Workshop

[Jacko 2185]

After my nightmare experience with a cowboy mechanic, who wasnt even cheap, and repeatably screwed up my car in multiple ways (dodgy brakes, installed dodgey, BS talk, and flat out lying to my face) and then forgot to do some pretty crucial bolts up, resulting in a change of underwear at 100kmh....

I wont mention names here, as he still has the ability to make a mends, failing that I shall offer a public reaming!  

A massive shout out to Botany Motor Worx and Nick at BM Workshop parts department for hooking me up with some new brakes for the E87. Thanks heaps, appreciate it.

Its so nice to be able to slow down without shaking my fillings out.

 

Keep up the good work, I will not stray in the future! 

 

I dont know about these style 269s, but at least its better than cracked ACS Type IV!

[MD13 508]

Feeling you can trust your mechanic is worth the extra money. I hate driving out of a place only to feel or hear 'bad' things... Last few times to find they haven't bleed the coolent and I'm running seriously low or to have the under car cover come undone while on the motorway... Both times rectified without damage but more time off the road\hassle etc.

Edited June 30, 2017 by MD13

[*Glenn* 856]

Nick and I were pleased to be able to help you Chris with the situation you were placed in. Don't go overly hard on the inexperienced person who did the work. He'll end up broke or fixing wheel barrows... and loosing friends 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2971]

As long as his ineptitude doesn't kill anyone in the meantime Glenn!

For my 2c those wheels are 10 times better than any ACS, never been a fan of them, even in the 80s when they were fashionable.

[Jacko 2185]

Found the vid I took on phone

18917349_1301134059999877_2911073797517869056_n.mp4

[LemonHunter 583]

11 hours ago, Jacko said:

Found the vid I took on phone

18917349_1301134059999877_2911073797517869056_n.mp4

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

 

That must have made an interesting sound.

[Olaf 3357]

12 hours ago, Jacko said:

Found the vid I took on phone

18917349_1301134059999877_2911073797517869056_n.mp4

unforgiveable.  better off repairing wheelbarrows.  

jebus, when I work on my own stuff I check and double-check, use threadlock as specified, and use the specified torques (so that I'm not relying on my amateur idea of what maybe it should be tightened to)... that way I'm reducing the risk of things falling apart on the road and causing a hazard for myself or others. 

My own bit of risk mitigation.

/nuff said.

[Gabe79 410]

13 hours ago, Jacko said:

Found the vid I took on phone

18917349_1301134059999877_2911073797517869056_n.mp4

This video boggles my mind. I see Glenn's point, inexperienced mistake. I'd have had much more sympathy if he'd left out a bolt mounting your alternator, or your tensioner, or some other part of your engine. Killed your engine/car, whatever. Leaving out caliper bolts isn't killing the car, it's killing the driver, and passengers. I drive my kids in my car, I don't think I'd have been as kind as you come across as being in this case.

[Lubed 55]

It is not the first time and probably will not be the last time someone somewhere leaves a caliper bolt loose. A couple of years ago an E70 was brought to our workshop from another shop to diagnose an issue they were having trouble with. One of my colleagues  was road testing the vehicle when the lower caliper bolt came out resulting in the caliper rotating around on the upper bolt then punching through and locking the front wheel. Luck would have it that is was under 50kph and no crash resulted. There are no excuses for this sort of event other than human error. What is highlighted from this incident Jacko has been involved with is the poor handling of the situation, surly any reputable workshop would have fitted new OEM brakes at no cost along with a sincere apology at the very least.

[Jacko 2185]

Yeh was very lucky was the top bolt and not the lower one, had only a few threads on the lower one left before it got really exciting....

Bit of a timeline of the expensive experience so far

• First visit - Brakes, Plugs, Coolant flush and replace (asked for bmw coolant, N52 electric water pump scares me). Even specifically asked for good rotors and pads, not cheap sh*t - $2500
• One week later : Massive brake shudder and squeeling, nasty to drive. Also noticed nasty apprentice marks on the wheels from a rattle gun with too short a socket (that was enough to make me decide not to go back). Mech said it was probably my driving style causing the rotors to warp.
• Got front tyres replaced (sidewall damage unrelated), Tyre guys had to use a power bar to remove front wheels. 
• Second visit to Mr Mechanic - Replaced front rotors and pads (for free, his supplier replaced)
• Next day the caliper bolt fell out, left me on side of road in Ngaruawahia at 8am. Found local mechanic who cut down a bolt he found and resecured caliper.
• No response from Mr Mechanic, other than "Sorry! It was the apprentice, shall give him a talking too" . Didnt even offer to pay for the Mechanic in Ngaruawahia. Decision made to really never go back.
• Week or so later, we are back to massive shuddering and squeeky brakes. No response from Mr Mechanic for few weeks after,
• Got rear tyres replaced (tread wear), Tyre guys had to use power bar to remove rear wheels (there is a theme here...)
• Mr Mechanic then responds with he is asking BMW whats going on (BS Im guessing), and ensures me he doesnt use a rattle gun on wheels, they are torqued as per BMW specs.
• I get the legends at Botany Motor Worx to sort it out, just want to be able to drive (to work) and not swear every time have to slow down!
  • - Rotors are not Brembos, I had my suspicions due to the amount of rust they accumulated in just a few weeks!
  • - No antiseize copper/anti squeel coating
  • - Missing caps on LH caliper
  • - Busted rear wear sensor, front sensor not replaced
  • - Coolant is just generic antifreeze (this really pisses me off, even more so than the bolt falling out hahah)
  • - Two wheels cracked.

 

So im up to about $5000 so far, and 3 days not earning money!, to get a fairly basic service and brake replacement done! Trust me if I could do it again, it'd go straight to Glenn (and will do in the future!).

 

 

 

 

[Eagle 1702]

Friend bought a BMW with a front brake caliper and a wheel loose. The caliper it was causing the ASC light on come on sometimes which lead me to the discovery. Later 3\5 wheel bolts came off on the motorway and the others weren't far off.

Human error is one thing but the dishonestly and lack of remorse in this case is unforgivable. 

 

 

[Gabe79 410]

2 hours ago, Jacko said:

Yeh was very lucky was the top bolt and not the lower one, had only a few threads on the lower one left before it got really exciting....

Bit of a timeline of the expensive experience so far

• First visit - Brakes, Plugs, Coolant flush and replace (asked for bmw coolant, N52 electric water pump scares me). Even specifically asked for good rotors and pads, not cheap sh*t - $2500
• One week later : Massive brake shudder and squeeling, nasty to drive. Also noticed nasty apprentice marks on the wheels from a rattle gun with too short a socket (that was enough to make me decide not to go back). Mech said it was probably my driving style causing the rotors to warp.
• Got front tyres replaced (sidewall damage unrelated), Tyre guys had to use a power bar to remove front wheels. 
• Second visit to Mr Mechanic - Replaced front rotors and pads (for free, his supplier replaced)
• Next day the caliper bolt fell out, left me on side of road in Ngaruawahia at 8am. Found local mechanic who cut down a bolt he found and resecured caliper.
• No response from Mr Mechanic, other than "Sorry! It was the apprentice, shall give him a talking too" . Didnt even offer to pay for the Mechanic in Ngaruawahia. Decision made to really never go back.
• Week or so later, we are back to massive shuddering and squeeky brakes. No response from Mr Mechanic for few weeks after,
• Got rear tyres replaced (tread wear), Tyre guys had to use power bar to remove rear wheels (there is a theme here...)
• Mr Mechanic then responds with he is asking BMW whats going on (BS Im guessing), and ensures me he doesnt use a rattle gun on wheels, they are torqued as per BMW specs.
• I get the legends at Botany Motor Worx to sort it out, just want to be able to drive (to work) and not swear every time have to slow down!
  • - Rotors are not Brembos, I had my suspicions due to the amount of rust they accumulated in just a few weeks!
  • - No antiseize copper/anti squeel coating
  • - Missing caps on LH caliper
  • - Busted rear wear sensor, front sensor not replaced
  • - Coolant is just generic antifreeze (this really pisses me off, even more so than the bolt falling out hahah)
  • - Two wheels cracked.

 

So im up to about $5000 so far, and 3 days not earning money!, to get a fairly basic service and brake replacement done! Trust me if I could do it again, it'd go straight to Glenn (and will do in the future!).

 

 

 

 

This reads like something you could take to the disputes tribunal. That's nuts.

[Driftit 2125]

Yikes.  I had a similar experience with a caliper coming loose on the motorway in an old 2000's Mitsi VR4 I had.  Same thing caused it.  Loose bolts.

More scary than complete brake fade at the race track.  The track at least has some sort of run off.

Was it a "BMW" mechanic?  Only reason I ask is so that people only go to their trusted mechanics whilst you sort it out.

Edited July 1, 2017 by Driftit

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2971]

The whole "the apprentice did it" BS it was really gets me. It's been a while since I been employed on the workshop side and not in NZ, but it always used to be that you had to be FULLY trained and COMPETENT to work on critical safety systems on a car - brakes, ABS, airbags, etc. For EXACTLY this reason.

If "the apprentice did it" then the onus falls on the qualified mechanic to double check and authorise the work he has done, at the very least.

I know these rules apply for HT vehicles in NZ, not sure about passenger vehicles, but it should do in my book. Too many cowboys out there that don't give a sh!t, need to be forced out of the industry.

[Jacko 2185]

10 hours ago, Driftit said:

Yikes.  I had a similar experience with a caliper coming loose on the motorway in an old 2000's Mitsi VR4 I had.  Same thing caused it.  Loose bolts.

More scary than complete brake fade at the race track.  The track at least has some sort of run off.

Was it a "BMW" mechanic?  Only reason I ask is so that people only go to their trusted mechanics whilst you sort it out.

"EURO SERVICING - A wealth of European car servicing experience with Audi, BMW, VW, Mercedes Benz and exotics"

[*Glenn* 856]

2 hours ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

I know these rules apply for HT vehicles in NZ, not sure about passenger vehicles, but it should do in my book. Too many cowboys out there that don't give a sh!t, need to be forced out of the industry.

I've always been against it, however things have changed in the industry. I feel it's time to have regulations and licencing in the industry to carry out motor vehicle repairs as they do in Australia or better. Technicians and Workshops need to have licences to carry out repairs and documentation showing that these repairs have been carried out to a standard and to be held responsible for these repairs. There are too many idiots & "Cowboys" out there in our industry. And there is one company out there that supports some of these Cowboys which misleads the public into thinking the repairs are being done by reputable repairers to a high standard.

[Daniel 36]

I might be a bit of an a**hole about people providing competent customer service, but if I was you, I would not be letting the issue sit. I'd be finding out what I need to do to have Mr Mechanic pay for all of Glenn's work and any future work needed (repairing wheels etc). 

Not to mention they didn't provide you with the products you requested and they probably charged for. As people have already said, human error is acceptable. This cowboy gave you a sorry? Not good enough imo. Nowhere near good enough.

 

[Jacko 2185]

Has had a week to sort it, and hasnt, going to be doing it the hardway at the disputes tribunal it seems...

 

http://www.dkautomotive.co.nz/ - Avoid em like the plague. 

[zero 1162]

Good.

We need these cowboys put out of business.

[zero 1162]

Interesting response to his reviews as well;

 

https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=dk+automotive+east+tamaki&oq=dkautomotive&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0j69i60j0j69i60j0.11767j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x6d0d4d16b872c905:0x7e110af7ad63517b,1,