Warning motorists

prospect

So, after collecting my car from the garage I popped into the petrol station next door to fill up with diesel.
The car was completely empty (prevents skanger mechanics taking it for a spin), so it took €60 of diesel, (about 55 litres).

I pay the man, and hop in to drive off. But, the fuel guage still reads empty. So, back in and tell them of my problem. The attendent wants none of it and insists there must be a problem with the fuel level indicator. So, back out to the car and I ring the dealer, so they tell me to bring it back to check it. So I tell the attendent of my plan, and go back to the garage. They put it up on the ramp and verify that the tank is completely empty. I get them to ring the filling station to let them know I am not a chancer.

So, back again to the petrol station after that, and it took another 20 minutes to convince them to give me another €60 of diesel....

So drivers, don't assume you got the fuel you paid for. If I had driven away and then noticed the tank hadn't filled, I would have had no recourse.....

Creamy Goodness

name and shame the filling station tbh that's the only way to be sure

smash

ye name and shame....

Something I find is that the pumps keep stopping and clicking as I'm trying to fill the car, as if they're saying it's full after only a few euro or sometimes a few cents - really annoys me!

LostinBlanch

You have to give people more information than that. The only way that gougers will stop doing this is if someone blows the whistle. Don't customs and excise have juristiction with this? You could also get onto the Consumers Association and / or Newspapers etc. They could also check it out.

BTW when you got the refill did you get it from the same pump?

prospect

Yo,

Well, the attendants reluctance was due to the fact he had a boss to answer too. So he was probably being careful incase I was running a scam.

It was the Texaco on the Kylemore road, opposite the Sheldon Park hotel.

I was just lucky it is beside Donohues, where my car is serviced, and that they took it in straight away and checked it out for me immediately (and it was pushing 5:30pm), so kudos to them.

No I refilled at a seperate pump, as they had put a 'Out of Use' sign on the original pump.


This is more of a warning for you to check your fuel level before you drive off, as it could have been a genuine mistake on the garages behalf, (although they could have handled it better).

kc66

Im sure it was some sort of a mistake. No garage could expect to give no fuel and charge many people €50+ and get away with it.
Even if you got €10 worth and your tank was empty before hand you would notice it if you got no fuel.

ismynametoolong

Maybe one of the Skanger mechanics syphoned the diesel off when you went in to pay !!!

With a attitude like that im sorry to hear they believed you !!!

Eoin

steve06 wrote:

ye name and shame....

Something I find is that the pumps keep stopping and clicking as I'm trying to fill the car, as if they're saying it's full after only a few euro or sometimes a few cents - really annoys me!

Pull the nozzle out an inch or two; works for me.

prospect

ismynametoolong wrote:

Maybe one of the Skanger mechanics syphoned the diesel off when you went in to pay !!!

With a attitude like that im sorry to hear they believed you !!!

If it is not constructive, keep it to yourself.

I have personal experience of many incidents with gargae staff abusing cars that are left with them. And I am talking about different dealers, different manufacturers, etc.
So my lack of trust is justified.

Another example of a boards user jumping to a conclusion when they have absolutely know knowledge of what they are talking about.

ismynametoolong

Why dont we ask the decent chaps working in donohues if they consider themselves skangers ! By naming the garage you have implied that the people working there are Skangers and that makes you a fool !!!

Eoin

ismynametoolong wrote:

Why dont we ask the decent chaps working in donohues if they consider themselves skangers ! By naming the garage you have implied that the people working there are Skangers and that makes you a fool !!!

Read his post - Donohues is where he brought his car too afterwards to get it checked.

prospect

ismynametoolong wrote:

Why dont we ask the decent chaps working in donohues if they consider themselves skangers ! By naming the garage you have implied that the people working there are Skangers and that makes you a fool !!!

How does it?
Did I say all mechanics are skangers?

What I said, if you care to read the post, is that it prevents skanger mechanics from taking it for a spin. i.e. IF the mechanic is a skanger, he/she can't abuse it. I don;t know their mechanics personally, but after alot of bad experiences (NOT IN DONOHUES), I am not taking the risk.

So as I said before;
Another example of a boards user jumping to a conclusion when they have absolutely know knowledge of what they are talking about.

ismynametoolong

I was just lucky it is beside Donohues, where my car is serviced,

I did read his post it was a sweeping derogatory statement and the words tar and brush spring to mind !

prospect

ismynametoolong wrote:

I was just lucky it is beside Donohues, where my car is serviced,

I did read his post it was a sweeping derogatory statement and the words tar and brush spring to mind !

Look mate, you are talking out your hole in all fairness. You know well that my post did not say all mechanics are skangers, but rather that I dont want my car used by those who are. I don't expect you to back down or apologise now as you have dug yourself in to deep, but do us all a favour and drop it.

You are dragging this post away from its real intention which is to advise people to check their guages before they leave the pumps.

prospect

ismynametoolong wrote:

I was just lucky it is beside Donohues, where my car is serviced, and that they took it in straight away and checked it out for me immediately (and it was pushing 5:30pm), so kudos to them.

I did read his post it was a sweeping derogatory statement and the words tar and brush spring to mind !

I notice you ommited the bit I have now included in bold....

Stevo11

LOL Quick glance and I thought it read "Iamatool"

ismynametoolong wrote:

I was just lucky it is beside Donohues, where my car is serviced,

I did read his post it was a sweeping derogatory statement and the words tar and brush spring to mind !

oh... maybe it does

Interceptor

And on the flip side I filled up in a station in Galway last weekend and when I looked at the pump, it read €1.46 - I paid the guy and said I thought there was something wrong with the pump, but he wasn't interested. Fifty quids worth for FREEEEEE....

'cptr

Drax

prospect wrote:

The car was completely empty (prevents skanger mechanics taking it for a spin)

Dude, that is a very general statement no matter what way you look at it. I agree with ismynametoolong that it was a pointless piece of text in the original post. Past experience or not, you are basically implying that the lads in Donohues are possibly skangers and could possibly take your car for a spin. Why I have no idea? Does this actually happen, unless they are testing the car. I would have thought that these days that 'skanger' mechanics wouldn't have the time to go joyriding.

Anyway good point - check your tank before driving off.

FX Meister

Mate of mine got a new jag a little while back. Comes with a valet key so whoever you leave the key with can't drive the car over 15mph.

Anan1

Drax wrote:

Dude, that is a very general statement no matter what way you look at it. I agree with ismynametoolong that it was a pointless piece of text in the original post. Past experience or not, you are basically implying that the lads in Donohues are possibly skangers and could possibly take your car for a spin. Why I have no idea? Does this actually happen, unless they are testing the car. I would have thought that these days that 'skanger' mechanics wouldn't have the time to go joyriding.

Anyway good point - check your tank before driving off.

To be fair, it was quite clear from prospect's post that he had no problem with the garage who serviced the car. He delivered the car to the garage empty, as he said, to prevent skanger mechanics taking it for a spin. This, as I read it, is not a reflection on Donohues, rather a sensible precaution when having any car serviced, anywhere.

digweed

some of the new cars have a valve on them, i know the new mondeos do. if you fill them right to the neck it shows empty on the gauge until you do maybe 30 miles and it starts to rise then.

D.

Sundy

digweed wrote:

some of the new cars have a valve on them, i know the new mondeos do. if you fill them right to the neck it shows empty on the gauge until you do maybe 30 miles and it starts to rise then.

D.

Well im guessing he filled the car up again straight away after..

For those trying to say the op said something bad about where he got his car serviced, piss off and stop trolling. Mechanics taking a car for a "spin" is more common than you would think, especially if its an overnight job. Dropping the car in with very little fuel in it is a great idea

crosstownk

I've worked in the service side of the motor trade for more than 15 years and, in my experience, it is quite common to take customers cars for a spin. On one occasion I had to sack a mechanic after repeated warnings. So many mechanics take cars to the shop, to lunch, etc without taking into account that the car is somebody elses property, not to mention the fact there could be complications with insurance when a vehicle is taken without permission.

I know a garage where a mechanic used to take a car, on the sly, and head to the pub for a quick pint!!! One day the service manager followed him with a spare key in his pocket and took the car back to the garage when the mechanic was in the pub. The mechanic came back saying he went into the shop and the car was stolen.............. Then he was handed his P45.

Anyway, back on topic - it is a good idea to check you gauge after a fill - just in case.

Prospect, I'm glad to hear Donohues looked after you so quickly at that hour of the evening - it surprises me as I find Donohues useless, but thats my experience.

prospect

Drax wrote:

Dude, that is a very general statement no matter what way you look at it.

It is general. If a mechanic is a skanger, I don't want him driving my car unless it is for the purpose of testing it. It does not say all mechanics are skangers, and it also does not make any specific reference to Donohues (that was in a later post, where I was complimenting them)

Drax wrote:

I agree with ismynametoolong that it was a pointless piece of text in the original post.

And luckily, everyone is entitled to their opinion. My issue is ismynametoolong's persistance at a point which I feel I adequatly cleared up. Also his/her jumping to a conclusion, and basicly wishing bad luck on me, when he/she is not aware of any of the facts, and made no attempt to learn them.

Drax wrote:

Past experience or not, you are basically implying that the lads in Donohues are possibly skangers and could possibly take your car for a spin. Why I have no idea?

They are possibly skangers, everybody I meet, that I do not know is possibly a skanger. But I also said that I am very happy with the service they provided me.

Drax wrote:

Does this actually happen, unless they are testing the car. I would have thought that these days that 'skanger' mechanics wouldn't have the time to go joyriding.

Yes it does happen, I have already pointed out that I have lots of personal experience of it happening.

Drax wrote:

Anyway good point - check your tank before driving off.

Thanks, that is the purpose of this thread and I wish people would stick to it.

Seth Brundle

folks - stay on topic and leave the skanger conversation for another thread!

prospect - isn't there an agency who check the pumps? Im sure someone will say who they are.
There should be a sticker on the pump showing when it was last inspected - have a close look at it.
Also have a look at the pump tomorrow and see if it is back in action.

ismynametoolong

Also his/her jumping to a conclusion, and basicly wishing bad luck on me,

Ok Prospect lets just call it a day your obviously feeling paranoid now
if you think i wished you bad luck !!!

Sundy

kbannon wrote:

folks - stay on topic and leave the skanger conversation for another thread!

prospect - isn't there an agency who check the pumps? Im sure someone will say who they are.
There should be a sticker on the pump showing when it was last inspected - have a close look at it.
Also have a look at the pump tomorrow and see if it is back in action.

Dont think anybody inspects them. I worked in a filling station for years and nobody ever looked at the pumps. On one pump the you could feel the pressure going off the pipe and the guage would keep goin as normal Strange. I think people need to keep an eye on things and make sure there not "filling up" more than their tank can hold!

Stephen

The Legal Metrology Service (part of NSAI) checks out petrol pumps regularly.
http://www.nsai.ie/Legal_Metrology_Service/About_LMS/Who_we_are_and_what_we_do.html

Sundy

Stephen wrote:

The Legal Metrology Service (part of NSAI) checks out petrol pumps regularly.
http://www.nsai.ie/Legal_Metrology_Service/About_LMS/Who_we_are_and_what_we_do.html

Wow never saw them in three years of work...

Day-wanna-wonga

prospect wrote:

So drivers, don't assume you got the fuel you paid for.

I don't. Common sense dictates I watch my fuel indicator shoot up satisfyingly after I fill 'er up. Only a moran wouldn't check, and most car owners on this forum probably hit their trip too.

prospect

ismynametoolong wrote:

your obviously feeling paranoid now
if you think i wished you bad luck !!!

ismynametoolong wrote:

With a attitude like that im sorry to hear they believed you !!!

:rolleyes:

Big Nelly

One thing I find strange, if you are filling your car it will click the pump off to tell you the car is full. If there was never any diesel going in wouldn't the pump keep going and going and going till you finally realised when you got to a grand that something was up?

MercMad

Yes but if you knew it was nearly empty, €60 isn't going to fill up most cars nowdays, so he was putting in €60 only !

I've worked in the service side of the motor trade for more than 15 years and, in my experience, it is quite common to take customers cars for a spin. On one occasion I had to sack a mechanic after repeated warnings. So many mechanics take cars to the shop, to lunch, etc without taking into account that the car is somebody elses property, not to mention the fact there could be complications with insurance when a vehicle is taken without permission.

..........I can confirm from my own experience that this practice is widespread. Lets face it we expect mechanics to test drive cars, responsibly, and briefly, 2 or 3 miles tops after a regular service, and obviously a lot more if there is a reported problem !

I had a guy borrow one for lunch every day, he lived 1 mile away, he was responsible, there was no problem with that. I had another who drove to the shops in a customers car every day, unknown to me, and it was generally one he HADN'T worked on. I never knew until he damaged another punters car !

Another guy was sacked after he took a fleet car that was in for warranty work from Dublin to Tralee on a long weekend !!

I also know a guy who lost control of a very expensive car at high speed and wrote of the car and two others ! !

Anyway I thought that all fuel pumps had to be calibrated every 3 months, most display this sticker somewhere. Customes & Excise used to have a department for random checking also, cant remember the name now !

unkel

One thing I don't understand. When filling up a car, I can "feel" the fuel going into the tank. Also when finishing up, I always hold the nozzle a few centimeters away from the tank for a second or two to let the last few drips of fuel into the tank (as opposed to onto my trousers / onto the pavement)

And I always fill the car up till it is full (pump clicks) and pay by credit card. Sure if I filled up today, I wouldn't have to pay until the start of October. Very few people seem to do this. All the people that just put a tenner in. Or a fiver? You'd need to fill up every day or several times a day. What a waste of time. Why?

Is it really still from back in the day when people literally had no money at all? I remember seeing people get 2 liters of fuel and paying with pennies

prospect

I could feel it as if it was pumping, it was weird.
I knew in my mind something was not right.

Also I stopped it at €60, which usually has the car full on the dashboard, but not spilling out the nozzle.

LostinBlanch

prospect wrote:

No I refilled at a seperate pump, as they had put a 'Out of Use' sign on the original pump.

That's what I thought might have happened, so I'd have given them the benefit of the doubt (If I got my money back of course). But I have been in some garages where the owners might have tried to get away with this! :rolleyes: Short term greed but they would lose out in the long run.

prospect wrote:

This is more of a warning for you to check your fuel level before you drive off, as it could have been a genuine mistake on the garages behalf, (although they could have handled it better).

Good idea, I do anyway.

netwhizkid

Hello, Don't any of ye check the mileage of the clock before putting it into a garage? I always do this and let the tank almost empty too. It is a sure fire way to check if your car is being driven without your consent or not.

The movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" comes to mind with this one, where after ferris parked his fathers Ferrari/Porshe?? the parking attendants took it out for a spin and clocked up over 100 miles on it.

astrofool

Worked in a garage/service station for a good few years, and yes, the pumps get checked every few months that they're giving the correct amount, often they would give too much rather than too little. Very odd story, hard to work out mechanically what was happening, i'd hazard a guess that a little was going in, but was mostly air. Where I worked used a pressure based system (i.e. it was silent and you could feel the petrol as it went through), other places have an electronic pump that is quite loud, and vibrates alot, and may work on how much fuel goes through the pump over a certain time, rather than measuring the liquid directly when calculating (hence feeling like it was on).

Customers can be very wrong though, tanks generally have an ullage of ~10% so a bit more petrol than it says in the manual can go in. if the pump keeps clicking, it means the air thats in the tank is rushing out and pushing the fuel back into the pump, which is how it detects a full tank, and so stops pumping (also avoid large spill, tho when it clicks like this, the fuel will generally spray a bit due to the pressure from the air in the tank). Women ALWAYS make this mistake, and then blame the garage, some have it continually click and fill up by putting in spurts of 10c at a time, then after make a complaint, rather than before, when they can be shown how to do it properly. Honda Civic's were the worst for it, awful petrol tank.

I had one guy put 77 litres into his car, and claimed it wasn't full and that the car could only take 70, when I tried to put more in, it was clearly full (could see the petrol near the top). Also his fuel guage was slow to pick it up. Customers will rarely back down however, so it took some careful handling to get him to pay .

unkel

Makes perfect sense, astrofool

astrofool wrote:

I had one guy put 77 litres into his car, and claimed it wasn't full and that the car could only take 70

I can only imagine how hard it is to get those people to pay

MercMad

And I always fill the car up till it is full (pump clicks) and pay by credit card. Sure if I filled up today, I wouldn't have to pay until the start of October. Very few people seem to do this.

...............I hear ya !

Although generally I stick €60 in as I like round figures, its easy to spot something odd/amiss on my credit card. I use one solely for fuel so if there are any odd amounts I can spot it !

Victor

astrofool wrote:

I had one guy put 77 litres into his car, and claimed it wasn't full and that the car could only take 70, when I tried to put more in, it was clearly full (could see the petrol near the top). Also his fuel guage was slow to pick it up. Customers will rarely back down however, so it took some careful handling to get him to pay .

I would hate to discover what happens him if he leaves his car out on a hot summy day with a full tank.