A few weeks ago, I called out the RAC to my home as my car would not start. The patrolman quickly diagnosed the problem as a worn out starter motor and managed to bump start the car. As garages nearby were fully booked for weeks he suggested that the car be fixed by Jordans, a garage he was well acquainted with, about 3 miles away. They gave me a single figure estimate which I accepted and performed the repair. A few days later, I drove the car down to Bournemouth and I noticed a rattling noise coming from under the bonnet. I discovered that a plastic container holding wiring looms above the engine was lying on the engine, it was originally fixed to a heavy plastic trim fixed over the bulkhead in front of the windscreen. There are 3 tabs on the side of the plastic container which fit into slots on the edge of the bulkhead trim. Two of the slots were broken so could no longer support the plastic container so Jordans just left it on top of the engine. They also incorrectly fitted a heavy battery cable into the plastic container instead of another lightweight loom tube which was hanging loose on top of the engine. The weight of the battery cable and its shorter length made it impossible to manoever the plastic container tabs into the bulkhead trim. Also, another trim fitted to the top of the inlet manifold had not been replaced and was left floating under the bonnet, this could have made its way into the radiator.
When I approached Jordans about all this damage, they responded that 'they are all like that'. That is nonsense, just a month earlier I had the rocker cover gasket replaced which required removal of the plastic container and bulkhead trim and they both were undamaged when the car was returned to me. I also asked for a detailed invoice, I wanted to ensure that as well as the starter motor replacement that the inlet manifold gaskets had been replaced as the inlet manifold needs to be moved out of the way to gain access to the starter motor.
I have had to buy a new bulkhead trim from Germany which was very expensive plus the screws that bolt it to the bulkhead which hadn't been replaced and put it all back together myself, as I'm a retired 73 year old with limited funds.
I've never dealt with such an incompetant and dishonest garage. As the RAC patrolman strongly recommended this garage and was being well acquainted with the manager and mechanics, I will be ending my RAC membership at the end of the current term and will migrate to the AA.