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Thread: My bad experience at Camden GTI

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    121

    My bad experience at Camden GTI

    Hi All,

    I bought a used Skoda Octavia RS yesterday in Sydney, and flew up to drive it home to Melbourne.

    I'd had a pre-purchase inspection which picked up that there wasn't a lot of oil registering on the dipstick. The seller hadn't driven the car much this year, and supposedly had the 45km service done earlier in the year, but it wasn't stamped in the book, so I figured I should get an oil change before driving it home to Melbourne. I then planned to get a dealer service done when I got home. Essentially I just wanted to make sure there was oil in the car so I didn't cook it driving home.

    I rang Camden GTI on the basis that they seem well regarded on this forum. The woman I spoke to said they could do an oil change, and to just drop in. So I did drop in yesterday afternoon. The boss wasn't there, only the mechanics, and I explained the situation and that I just wanted an oil and filter change.

    They didn't have a hoist free, so they jacked up the front and about 45-50 mins later they were done.

    When it came to paying, the mechanic asked if I'd be given a quote, but I explained I'd only been told labour is $110 per hour plus the cost of the oil and filter etc. I figured I'd be up for $200 or so.

    I was then told that their fixed price oil service is $315. I questioned this, and he phoned the boss who confirmed that's their fixed price.

    So I was given an invoice for $315, which included the following items:

    exhaust system inspection - not done
    electric system inspection - not done
    engine belt wear inspection - not sure if it was done
    Engine oil flush - done
    OEM filter replacement - done
    VCDS on-board diagnostics - apparently done
    air filter clean or replacement - not replaced, don't think they cleaned it either
    service reminder reset - done
    30 point safety check, including brake system, tyre inflation, suspension components, system fluid levels, lighting systems - not done

    So not only did they charge me for work that I didn't want done, they didn't even do the work anyway! My instructions were clear, I just wanted an oil/filter change. But their attitude seemed to be that they only do a fixed price service, and if I only wanted half the service I was still going to pay for a full service. If they had explained this to me first I would have gone elsewhere.

    As it turned out the sump plug wasn't tight, hence the low oil. But I now wish I'd just bought a litre or two of oil from the servo to get me home, and then had a full dealer service in Melbourne, as I would rather have put the $315 towards a proper dealer service.

    You can draw your own conclusions about whether I was ripped-off blind and taken advantage of, and whether this is the sort of business you'd want to deal with. I know what I think!
    now: 2008 Octavia RS TSI manual sedan, yellow, Stage 1 tune, 185kw.
    before: MY11 RS TSI manual wagon, race blue, sunroof, tint, MDI
    '74 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 - mint
    '70 Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina - project

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    vic
    Posts
    347
    Users Country Flag
    It's the best to talk to the supervisor first, even it is the next day, before posting here.

    My local dealership for example is also in my opinion sometimes a bit 'odd', but instead of 'naming and shaming' I tend to call up the service manager and point out what went wrong. This way I have already solved a couple of issues I had with my cars after they were at the dealership for various reasons.

    Also Camden GTI has such a good reputation on here that I doubt your post will make anybody think twice before going there.

    Again calling up and explaining what went wrong to the supervisor should always be the first step.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Sydney, NSW
    Posts
    45
    Users Country Flag
    Decent customer service would be the first step
    '02 S3 & '09 R36 Wagon


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    121
    Thread Starter
    Quote Originally Posted by gecko2k View Post
    It's the best to talk to the supervisor first, even it is the next day, before posting here.

    My local dealership for example is also in my opinion sometimes a bit 'odd', but instead of 'naming and shaming' I tend to call up the service manager and point out what went wrong. This way I have already solved a couple of issues I had with my cars after they were at the dealership for various reasons.

    Also Camden GTI has such a good reputation on here that I doubt your post will make anybody think twice before going there.

    Again calling up and explaining what went wrong to the supervisor should always be the first step.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Well I tried to explain my point when I was there, and then the mechanic rang the owner to check the situation. I got a very strong sense that he wasn't much interested in discussing it. Hence I posted on here.
    now: 2008 Octavia RS TSI manual sedan, yellow, Stage 1 tune, 185kw.
    before: MY11 RS TSI manual wagon, race blue, sunroof, tint, MDI
    '74 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 - mint
    '70 Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina - project

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    602
    Users Country Flag
    After the (complete lack of) customer service I received from them I will not deal with them or refer anyone to them.

    Real shame as I would prefer to give my business to a site sponsor.
    08 Golf GTI - SOLD

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW
    Posts
    259
    Users Country Flag
    Sounds like extremely poor customer service and a blatant ripoff.

    Interested to hear what the owner of Camden GTI would post in his defence.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Adelaide hills, SA
    Posts
    9,708
    Users Country Flag
    Quote Originally Posted by Damo105 View Post
    Well I tried to explain my point when I was there, and then the mechanic rang the owner to check the situation. I got a very strong sense that he wasn't much interested in discussing it. Hence I posted on here.
    How much did you want to pay? Or what did you think it would cost you?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    121
    Thread Starter
    Quote Originally Posted by Transporter View Post
    How much did you want to pay? Or what did you think it would cost you?
    Well they quoted $110 per hour for labour, and I figured it was reasonable to charge me one hour labour even if it took less time, plus the oil and filter. I was expecting oil to be about $70 and maybe $30 for the filter, so I thinking it would be $200ish.
    now: 2008 Octavia RS TSI manual sedan, yellow, Stage 1 tune, 185kw.
    before: MY11 RS TSI manual wagon, race blue, sunroof, tint, MDI
    '74 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 - mint
    '70 Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina - project

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Adelaide hills, SA
    Posts
    9,708
    Users Country Flag
    Quote Originally Posted by Damo105 View Post
    Well they quoted $110 per hour for labour, and I figured it was reasonable to charge me one hour labour even if it took less time, plus the oil and filter. I was expecting oil to be about $70 and maybe $30 for the filter, so I thinking it would be $200ish.
    I'm sure it took longer than 50 minutes. There are also charges for oil and the waste disposal as well and to connect diagnostic equipment to reset service interval take some time too. I suppose you wouldn't like, if they didn't reset the service reminder, would you?

    Just a question. You said, you wish you've bought the oil and drove to Melbourne; I just wonder how far would you get, when the drain plug wasn't tight and was leaking oil?

    If it was me, I would just be just happy that they fitted me in and saved me troubles on the way home, the loss of oil and seized engine could cost you a far bit.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Brisbane, QLD
    Posts
    222

    Quote Originally Posted by Transporter View Post
    If it was me, I would just be just happy that they fitted me in and saved me troubles on the way home, the loss of oil and seized engine could cost you a far bit.
    All well and good but they charged him for a standard service when they didn't do a full standard service. I'd be p1ssed off too. The straight labour plus parts charge would have come out $100 cheaper, there's his petrol plus drinks and a feed for the drive back to Melbourne.

    I've never been to a workshop who can't work out their charges based on what they've done, and haven't done.

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