18 March - Portsmouth Motorcycles try to rip off my tyres!

New tyres all round – does that work for a bike?



    “That’ll be £349.00, please.”

    “I’m sorry?” I recoiled visibly.

    “£349.00”.

    “What for – what did you do?” I begged.


I’d waited for 3-hours for what had been billed a 1 hour operation to dismount the old tyres and replace them with a set of Michelin Road Pilot 2s. It turned out the Puncture Safe I had loaded into them had made a mess over the equipment and workshop floor. I had been punished then to wait until they’d finally cleaned it all up and part of the cost was going to be inclusive of the extended labour.

Bastards; trying that on. I’ve heard a couple of bad press stories aboyut the place but they’ve gotten away with their behaviour through a closed shop and supportive (and generally nice bloke) manager denying anything so awful could occur to a customer of theirs. And here I am. Being victimised.

Facts:

  • The parts department lads had recommended the Puncture Safe and gladly taken £25 for it despite my enquiring if it’d be popular with the fitters.

  • I had been given the estimate of £220 to beat any other price inclusive all labour, disposal, valves and balancing.


    "But, all that blue gunk stuff yiou put in your tyres has left my kit in a right state - its taken me hours to clean up and a whole roll of blue paper..." He excaimed.

    "I hope I've not been waiting for you to clean up the workshop while I'm getting later and later for work." I enquire.

    "No, no. Of course not, but its taken longer for some siezed bolts and the labour adds up."

    "I'm sorry; I came here to have the tyres fitted as per the quote (£240, made by the mechanic who serviced Shadowfax last week) and that's all I'm paying". I press.

    "It's the blue stuff - sorry, but I can't not charge you for the extra time its caused". Replies the obviously angry fitter.

    "The blue stuff was recommended and sold to me by your parts guys up stairs. Any issues you have with it should be raised with them. What's more," I say triumphantly holding up a brand new package of Puncturesafe, "I've just been sold another one 3hrs ago!"

    "Ah."


He disappeared for 10-minutes. On return he was calmer – still cussing – but calmer. £220 it is then.

I’m really displeased that I was “punished” and would love to have had something more to compensate I was late for the second time that week because of them. The first was the guy booking the appointment and telling me Tuesday, which was actually the delivery day. He had meant Thursday.

Thanks, guys. 'Close call with a rocket propelled grenade.

In their defence, I do get a discount with them now so I guess I can stick with them while they play ball nice.

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