Renault - be careful where its servised

Derekf

hello all,

just thought I'd share my experience - got my car and had it serviced by the main dealer i bought it from since new, had an issue with a spark plug and AA man took it out for me on the side of the road in Blanchardstown - the plug he took out was not Renault - neither was any of the other plugs, despite my having paid for same.

I've been talking to a friend of mine who is a member of the Gardai and he had heard of this before, the mechanic brings in spurious parts puts them into the cars he is servicing during his day job and brings home the more expensive parts to do his nixers with!!!.

Bandara

Derekf wrote: »

hello all,

just thought I'd share my experience - got my car and had it serviced by the main dealer i bought it from since new, had an issue with a spark plug and AA man took it out for me on the side of the road in Blanchardstown - the plug he took out was not Renault - neither was any of the other plugs, despite my having paid for same.

I've been talking to a friend of mine who is a member of the Gardai and he had heard of this before, the mechanic brings in spurious parts puts them into the cars he is servicing during his day job and brings home the more expensive parts to do his nixers with!!!.

or the garage doesn't use renault plugs in any car as they know full well most people will never notice and they can cream it on the price they charge

ArseBurger

Looks like Champion are the OEM supplier for Renault sparks. Not all manufacturer parts are labelled with the manufacturer's name.

maidhc

ArseBurger wrote: »

Looks like Champion are the OEM supplier for Renault sparks. Not all manufacturer parts are labelled with the manufacturer's name.

And champion make rubbish spark plugs to start with!

Berty

I had this problem with my Laguna. I changed the plugs to good NGK plugs and the car was sluggish.

The car was recalled my Renault to have a part changed over on all 2004 cars. I asked them about the sluggish performance. They said the Renault cars do not react well to plugs other than that approved by Renault.

Just another knife in the back of Renault for me.

Captain Slow IRL

Derekf wrote: »

I've been talking to a friend of mine who is a member of the Gardai and he had heard of this before, the mechanic brings in spurious parts puts them into the cars he is servicing during his day job and brings home the more expensive parts to do his nixers with!!!.

Well, if mechanics are so untrustworthy, you'd be better off learning to fix it yourself.

AFAIK, Eyquiem make the plugs for renault - and these are they only type that should be used.

BrianD3

Derekf wrote:

I've been talking to a friend of mine who is a member of the Gardai and he had heard of this before, the mechanic brings in spurious parts puts them into the cars he is servicing during his day job and brings home the more expensive parts to do his nixers with!!!.

Hammertime wrote: »

or the garage doesn't use renault plugs in any car as they know full well most people will never notice and they can cream it on the price they charge

Might be an idea to check some facts before implying Renault are ripping people off by fitting spurious plugs.

I have a receipt here for Renault branded spark plugs for a Laguna.
Renault plugs = 2.26 euro + VAT per plug.

From www.spark-plugs.co.uk the prices for "spurious" plugs for the same car.
Champion plugs = 2.57 sterling + VAT per plug
NGK standard plugs = 2.12 sterling + VAT per plug
NGK iridium plugs = 5.72 sterling + VAT per plug

Darragh29

BrianD3 wrote: »

Might be an idea to check some facts before implying Renault are ripping people off by fitting spurious plugs.

I have a receipt here for Renault branded spark plugs for a Laguna.
Renault plugs = 2.26 euro + VAT per plug.

From www.spark-plugs.co.uk the prices for "spurious" plugs for the same car.
Champion plugs = 2.57 sterling + VAT per plug
NGK standard plugs = 2.12 sterling + VAT per plug
NGK iridium plugs = 5.72 sterling + VAT per plug

Good research there Brian. That post about a Garda mentioning a scam involving mechanics swopping parts just didn't make any sense to me.

I'd say in the OP's case, the plug was only taken out to check for a spark. Then it was noticed that it didn't have "Renault" on it, so that must be the problem... :rolleyes: OP, what exactly was wrong with the car and what components were replaced to resolve your issue?

maidhc

Darragh29 wrote: »

Good research there Brian. That post about a Garda mentioning a scam involving mechanics swopping parts just didn't make any sense to me.

There have been a number of allegations involving dealers claiming for warranty work which was never in fact carried out.

E92

maidhc wrote: »

There have been a number of allegations involving dealers claiming for warranty work which was never in fact carried out.

When it comes to *some* dealers, I wouldn't be surprised to hear anything.

Berty

E92 wrote: »

When it comes to *some* dealers, I wouldn't be surprised to hear anything.

Especially Citygate Limerick - Leonards.

Their service can be contoversial so much so that my car had a recall and so did my fathers. I was in Galway so had Citygate Tuam road to do it for free.

My father brought his to his dealership in Limerick and they told him he had to pay 50% of the recall and they would pay the other 50%. Needless to say they would claim the full 100% from Renault.

After they received a delightful phone call from me they gladly did the recall for free.

Seriously, whats a recall for if they expect you to pay towards it?

Guy:Incognito

quirke_folder wrote: »

My father brought his to his dealership in Limerick and they told him he had to pay 50% of the recall and they would pay the other 50%. Needless to say they would claim the full 100% from Renault.

After they received a delightful phone call from me they gladly did the recall for free.

Seriously, whats a recall for if they expect you to pay towards it?

Renault Ireland should have been the recipient of that call. Fair enough you sorted them yourslef but what about the next person that doesnt have someone fight for them. At least if you shop them to Renault they might get a bollocking. As with anything you cant garentee honesty with some people. The case in the north of the main dealer , cant remember which marque, that was caught charging for work they didnt carry out is proof of that.

quirke_folder wrote: »

I had this problem with my Laguna. I changed the plugs to good NGK plugs and the car was sluggish.

The car was recalled my Renault to have a part changed over on all 2004 cars. I asked them about the sluggish performance. They said the Renault cars do not react well to plugs other than that approved by Renault.

Just another knife in the back of Renault for me.

Damn Renault making you save money buy requiring cheaper plugs to be used. The funking dastards.:)

Darragh29

maidhc wrote: »

There have been a number of allegations involving dealers claiming for warranty work which was never in fact carried out.

Conversly I personally know of more than one instance of a car being brought back that was out of warranty but the damage was put through as warranty but on another car that was in warranty...

Seth Brundle

If I call into BMW and order 6 plugs for my car, they come in a BMW box with the BMW roundel on it. However, the plugs don't have BMW written on them, NGK is written on them.
I'd say its much the same for Renault and other manufacturers!

ianobrien

kbannon wrote: »

If I call into BMW and order 6 plugs for my car, they come in a BMW box with the BMW roundel on it. However, the plugs don't have BMW written on them, NGK is written on them.
I'd say its much the same for Renault and other manufacturers!

It's the same for Nissan Plugs, Bought in a Nissan Dealer, Come in a Nissan Box, and Champion Plugs inside....

Guy:Incognito

kbannon wrote: »

If I call into BMW and order 6 plugs for my car, they come in a BMW box with the BMW roundel on it. However, the plugs don't have BMW written on them, NGK is written on them.
I'd say its much the same for Renault and other manufacturers!

If you go to a Bentley dealer to get suspension spheres for your hydropnumatic (sp?) suspension they come in a box with the badge nicely printed on it, the spheres have it on too.

It's the twin chevron Citroen badge though.:)

gibbon75

Stekelly wrote: »

If you go to a Bentley dealer to get suspension spheres for your hydropnumatic (sp?) suspension they come in a box with the badge nicely printed on it, the spheres have it on too.

It's the twin chevron Citroen badge though.:)

Do you own a Bentley or you were watching the Garage on Discovery ?

Guy:Incognito

gibbon75 wrote: »

Do you own a Bentley or you were watching the Garage on Discovery ?

No Bentley but I do have a Citroen. I did see the Garage but it was a previously known fact on my part.:) On GSF too some of the spheres are down as Cit/Bentley.

gibbon75

"I'm the boss of this garage..."

Sorry,I couldn't resist :P

Berty

gibbon75 wrote: »

Do you own a Bentley or you were watching the Garage on Discovery ?

A Bentley in Tallaght. Never. :P

crosstownk

Stekelly wrote: »

If you go to a Bentley dealer to get suspension spheres for your hydropnumatic (sp?) suspension they come in a box with the badge nicely printed on it, the spheres have it on too.

It's the twin chevron Citroen badge though.:)

Not surprising given Citroën are the masters of hydropneumatic suspensions. A pity that more and more Citroëns are being manufactured with conventional shocks/springs.

As for the OPs original comment, I'm not aware of any manufacturer that makes their own spark plugs. Lots of plugs are 'recommended' for various makes/models, but usually only one or two are approved by the manufacturer. These are the ones that the Renault dealer should be using. They should also be purchasing them from Renault and not from the motor factors as per their franchise agreement.

Guy:Incognito

quirke_folder wrote: »

A Bentley in Tallaght. Never. :P

Exactly. We like a touch of class. A Maserati Quattroporte passed me today.:)

Berty

Stekelly wrote: »

Exactly. We like a touch of class. A Maserati Quattroporte passed me today.:)

On the back of a Repo truck no doubt.

Seth Brundle

Why are people surprised at a Bentley in Tallaght?
Sure you can pick up a Rolls in Lidl nowadays!

Bandara

Stekelly wrote: »

Exactly. We like a touch of class. A Maserati Quattroporte passed me today.:)

being chased by a police chopper I presume?

Lucifer

I have also heard stories of a dealer (not going to name the brand or dealer as I only heard this) that was regularly driving to a local shopping center and taking down reg's of cars and putting through warranty claims for doing work on them.

Derekf

to clarify:

the dealer told me they were not genuine renault plugs and thats all they use so "you must have had the car serviced in a non renault garage since we've seen it last" (...this when I tackled them on the problem that caused me to notice this in the first place)

Captain Slow IRL

Then you should have their balls in a vice.

They should have records of parts used - ask him to look them up!