Elaine Q

Poor Attitude of Service Manager

I bought my car from this dealership ten years ago and had no problems with the actual purchase. This review is about the service I received when there was a problem with the car. I went over a pothole recently, and my car developed a rattle over the left front wheel. I took it to National Tyres in Accrington. They found a plastic component had broken off inside the wheel well. They replaced it - for free - and advised me to take it into the dealership if the rattling did not stop. I had been reluctant to do this, because I do not like dealing dealing with the service manager at Rufus Carr. I have found him to be rude and dismissive in the past. No one likes to be belittled, especially when spending money; his attitude had made me nervous of going in to collect my car. Unfortunately, the rattling started again, so on July 1st, I took my vehicle to Rufus Carr, and asked them to investigate the rattling. The service manager phoned me later. He told me, amongst other things, that my car had been extremely poorly maintained, and had obviously never had any money spent on it. He told me that he did not know how I had been driving it, and that it was not fit or safe to drive, although, curiously, he did let me drive it home. He told me that the car needed between £3,000 and £4,000 spending on it, but that it would not be worth it. He did not find the cause of the rattle. I took the car to an independent garage for a second opinion. The mechanic there told me that it was an honest car for its age, and that there was nothing seriously wrong with it. He showed me underneath the car where the corrosion was, and explained that eventually it would need the parts, as listed by the service manager at Rufus Carr, replacing, but that it was not imminent. He told me that the total cost of the work would be about £700, very different from the £3,000 to £4,000 quoted by the service manager at Rufus Carr. He also found the cause of the rattle, a broken spring, which the service manager at Rufus Carr had failed to do, probably because he could not be bothered to look hard enough, or possibly due to lack of experience. In conclusion, I would not recommend this garage because of the attitude of the service manager. If you are prepared to travel a few miles, I would recommend National Tyres or Belgarth Garages in Accrington. They are all good lads there, and have never made me feel uncomfortable. I will not be going back to Rufus Carr in Clitheroe.