How to test an independent mechanic

[L]

My bike is going in for a service tomorrow at a local Turkish equivilent of St. Eptoe. He seems to be 100% genuine and knows his stuff. Is there something I can do to "test" him when I take it in (a bit rogue trader esque?)

I'm not thinking major sneaky, just something I can do to verify he's done the job well...?

 

[sockpuppet]

Stand there and watch him?

Mark the oil level to see if its been changed?
Mark (small scratch) the cylinder head bolts to see if he removes them (to check tappets).

Ask for all the old parts back to make sure he's changed them.

 

[D6]

if u dont trust him, dont use him
if someone used a tester on me, and i found out, i wouldnt be doing anymore work for him,
asking around other customers is the best thing

 

[DaveGSCymro]

if u dont trust him, dont use him
if someone used a tester on me, and i found out, i wouldnt be doing anymore work for him,
asking around other customers is the best thing

+1

 

[ianboydsnr]

if u dont trust him, dont use him

to right.

my son once arrived stating his car had just been serviced, the oil was black, the mechanic tried to tell me that it only takes a couple of miles to turn oil black

 

[Timpo]

if u dont trust him, dont use him
if someone used a tester on me, and i found out, i wouldnt be doing anymore work for him,
asking around other customers is the best thing

Perfect advice.....
If some twat did a trade test on me and i found out, I wouldn't be too please... and the twat would be made aware of that fact, big time!

Timpo.

 

[L]

Some of you've obviously never had anything done in Turkey...!

Asking around is pointless, as most people here wouldn't have a clue about good service if it came up an bit them on the nose.

If you don't trust em don't use em is good in theory, but we're not exactly spoilt for choice here! The local (and only) dealer here has already fecked over my mates bike (and it was paid for by insurance), so thats not even worth considering...

So this guy is, it would seem, the best alternative available, and I'm as happy as I can be about him using him, but if there was something simple I could do to double check before I start recommending him to some friends...

Lets face it, my first choice would be St. Eptoe, but even his good rates would become expensive when you add in the flights

 

[ExpatinIstanbul]

It's not easy to go down the route of "Don't trust 'em don't use 'em" out here in the badlands of Istanbul. There are very few choices when it comes to mechanics, particularly those with any qualifications. We have to get used to generally poor workmanship for anything we want done, as Turks pretty much accept any crap given to them by "experts". L is just being sensible in finding some way of checking to see if the guy knows his beans.

 

[ExpatinIstanbul]

Ok, so you beat me by one minute. Fecker.

 

[Uinneag]

If I went to a job and saw that someone had marked things to try and catch me out I'd tell them to feck aff

 

[Stewart H]

If they know enough to mark stuff up, why are they paying me?
Anyone trying that one could have their vehicle back with no charge, totally untouched.
Stewart

 

[david a hall]

Can you buy your own sevice items and stay with the bike while he fits them?

 

[rob mac]

ok, I'm going to risk the wrath of some here but, as tradesmen, we all have customers who worry we're ripping them off/don't know what we're doing especially those of us in the motor trade. Far from telling them to "feck aff", I'm proud of the quality of workmanship that comes out of my workshop and more than happy for them to "test" us in anyway they wish, privates, trade or Trading Standards - bring it on. (Obviously this doesn't apply to VAT inspectors (-; )

 

[mike wright]

Any half decent mechanic who said he was doing a certain task or job shouldnt be worried about any marks etc to catch them out if they do the job properly...It wouldnt bother me at all in fact it would probably be a good thing to ensure future business and instore trust in my customers.

 

[Deleted account 111026]

Marks wouldn't bother me either, in fact it would be good to advise the customer of a few extra things he could have marked if he had been really thorough!

 

[Timpo]

Shame you don't put your cunning and scheming mind into methods for maintaining your bike, you'd safe on two counts......

Timpo.

 

[jimbo]

If I went to a job and saw that someone had marked things to try and catch me out I'd tell them to feck aff

I'm quite surprised by this opinion. You know there are cowboys out there? if more people took the trouble to check on the quality of other's work, their might be higher standards generally.

I work in IT, I spend a lot of my time with the Customers Quality assurance's staff. Their job is to check up on me. The idea that you can just 'trust' everybody who you do business with isn't very practical.

 

[araspitfire]

So here I am... (figuratively speaking =)

I have to make a choice between guys who say "go ahead, test me". And guys who say "test me and you can feck off"...

Wonder who I'm more likely to go with?....

Lets face it, there are lots of untrustworthy tradesmen (people) around, and trust is earned, not expected....

It's sort of like saying "I need a deposit, or the ability to take a leen (sp?) out on your vehicle before I work on it... "

Al...

 

[Tarka]

Why the feck don`t you service it yourself ??????????????

Get the parts and spend an enjoyable hour/hour and a half doing the work and know full well that it`s been done.

 

[araspitfire]

Why the feck don`t you service it yourself ??????????????

Get the parts and spend an enjoyable hour/hour and a half doing the work and know full well that it`s been done.

I do.... I was just making a point...

Al...