Review for you all to read.
Toomey Renault – Southend on sea.
My car is low mileage as it has been dry stored for the past 2 years by its previous owner. He went to America and upon return decided to part exchange the car for something a little bigger. One Mercedes later and a small independent car dealer then ended up with the Renaultsport Clio. A week later I buy it and its mine. At the time the car dealer had informed me that he had it serviced and stamped the book to show that he had done it. As it wasn’t an official stamp I thought I had better get it serviced again to get it up to date.
After trying to use the Renault online service booker I waited a couple of days without hearing a thing from Renault in Basildon so decided instead to contact my local dealership which was Toomey Renault Southend. After calling up initially on the general number I spoke to a lady called Audrey who then tried transferring me through to the servicing department. Someone then answered the phone and put it back down again, So I ended up going back through to reception where Audrey informed me she would try again, This process went on for 15 minutes.
Eventually I got through to servicing department where I was then speaking to someone called Darren. A young gentlemen who it seems was not computer literate and was also deaf (This will be confirmed when my car is dropped off for servicing), After giving my registration I got told that my car wasn’t on his system (Fair enough it had a registration change just before I bought it), So I explained to him that It was a Renaultsport Clio 172 that I would like it to come in for a 24k service he asked for the mileage so I told him 17,500 then pure silence, At the same time I asked if he could note that I was having a problem with the Satellite Navigation (Which was factory fitted) so he marked this down on the worksheet as well so that when my car was in they could check this out as well. After all this I thought that things were all ready and in place. How wrong could I be………..
Day of the service comes round. Dropped the car off 8.30 like I was asked to by young Darren, Walked in to be greeted by a young lady (Whose name I didn’t get) to tell her I parked the car out the front and that it is in for a service and Satellite Navigation problem. She asked for the registration – Gave it to her. She informed me she had nothing booked in under that registration (Hmm Young Darren not taking down details properly…..), Next question was my name – Gave that to her – again no record, Postcode – No Record. This is where I should have turned around and walked out. But after giving all my details again to the young lady she put it all through again, only for her to print it out and I noticed my address (with the wrong postcode, Wrong Name, Wrong Registration on it), After checking the worksheet my name has changed to Mr Harrogate – Name of my road, My car was something random with the last 3 letters the wrong way round, and so was my postcode. Fantastic so now I am late for work because I am just spent the past 15 minutes going through details that someone didn’t take down correctly in the first place. Give the lady her due she asked if I needed a lift anywhere which was nice of her, At this point I checked what details had been put down 24k service and investigate the sat nav problem. He actually got something right.
So after this little mistake I left it with them. Went to work, got sent home early which was a bonus, Went to Gym. I receive a call at just before 1pm. Car has had its service (Things looking up) Sat Nav doesn’t turn on though (Which funnily enough is what I told them) did I want to authorise investigating why but it would cost me, How much I ask? Hour and a Half at labour rate. After laughing she then proceeded to tell me the screen didn’t work and would probably need a new one which she has a price for. £953.00 after almost dying with laughter I said to her did they have any idea what was wrong with it. No idea and a new screen would probably be needed which again she told me was £953.00. Now to me this sounds like we can’t be bothered to look as to why your old one doesn’t work but we will charge you near on a £1000 for a new screen which we would be happy to fit. So after saying to her not to worry about it I will come and pick the car up, I Made my way to the garage.
Upon arriving at the garage there was no one there, I wait at reception to be greeted to the next person who yet again makes a mockery of any customer service skills he might think he has. Step into the frame Andy Lacovou service receptionist and a know it all attitude. After running though the service book to show me that he used his magic stamp on it, He then shows me the receipt. To which I then see that apparently there has been Shell Helix 10w/40w used in the car. So I ask the wealth of knowledge that is Mr Lacovou ‘Is this the correct oil marked on here’ yes that’s the standard oil that we use. So I then point out that my car is a Renaultsport and that it’s the wrong grade of Oil. To which he then replied that he would go and check, If I would like to take a seat he will get someone to wash my car. I then said to him ‘Don’t worry about washing the car, Its fine just check the oil please’ He said fine, went out to the service area, Next problem is that the dealership has lost the keys to my car, Fantastic so now not only do I have the wrong oil, I now have no keys to go with it. Mr Lacovou is now frantically looking for keys for my car asking his colleagues if they have seen them, ‘I have given them to the valet he has just taken it round the corner’ By this time it now appears as though my car is about to pressure washed and gone over with a stoney mitt. Fear Not as Andy Lacovou will go tell him to stop he can quite clearly see that I am unhappy (His words not mine), Things are looking up you think, He is actually thinking of the customer for a change, Then back he comes – I was too late he put his chemicals on it so he is steaming them off, Let me go find out about the oil. To say at this present moment in time I am gobsmacked is an understatement.
By this time when I was waiting I went and spoke to a sales gentlemen enquiring about the new Renaultsport 197 Clio. When will it be released – October. Another sign that it’s not only the service staff that have no idea there sales team are in the same boat as well. I just walked away thinking I am surprised that anyone would buy a car off someone that clearly has no knowledge in what he is selling.
By this time I was just about ready to start having a go, but let’s see what they come back with in regards to the oil. In the meantime we are left standing at the desk my car has been chemically cleaned and parked back round the front, From a distance looks fine, The valet comes in with the keys, Gives them to reception and then I am giving them while they sort out the oil fiasco. I go outside quickly check the car not paying much attention as I am more concerned about the oil issue, get the additional warranty book as that has to be stamped as well and go back inside. 30 minutes later I am then greeted by Mr Lacovou with a new receipt that now shows 5/40w. Great so how come the last one showed 10/40w and this one show 5/40w what did you put in my car? ‘I don’t know, but this receipt is correct, I don’t know what more you want me to do’ He Says. By this stage I am extremely fed up I asked him to write down that if it is found that 10/40w oil is used and it is found to have damaged my engine that Toomeys would be responsible for replacing it. His answer was ‘No, but we are a Renault main dealer so if something does go wrong we will fix it’ to say that he inspired confidence is a lie. However I asked him for a copy of the original receipt and he told me that he can’t give that to me. So he needs to speak to his manager – Nick Rowntree. Bearded gentlemen just told him to give me a copy which is what he did.
Go outside go to get in car and to top it all after requesting they didn’t wash my car. They have caused small scratches all over it when they cleaned it. To say that I am happy with the service is a lie; to say that the dealership is the worst that I have ever experienced is the truth. Not only did they not listen to what I asked for, What I said and what I told them, But they then used the wrong oil, scratched my car when cleaning it, Got all my details wrong that I Told them over the phone, Told me that they wanted me to pay a thousand pound for a new sat nav screen that may not even be needed and then spoke to me as If I was in the wrong when I told them what they should have already known, It’s a Renaultsport it takes 5/40w oil, The manufactured date I gave them everything they needed and they can’t even carry out a basic service without mucking it up.
So lets recap –
My car went in for a service – It got this – Wrong Oil used but still a service it sort of got.
My car went in a problem with the screen not coming on – I get a phone call informing me the screen doesn’t come on – Would I like to buy a new one for £953 – Er No.
not heard of a good one yet!
