LSUK - unbelievable!

[Phil. S]

I just had to pass this story on about my experience with the auto-electronics company LSUK. I’ve no doubt that this company is generally good, and for all I know my experience may be completely unique. But it was not a good experience…

I’d been having problems starting my Westfield for a couple of weeks, and things had been getting worse.  I was about to set off on the 5 hour drive up to Cadwell Park on the day before the track day (fantastic day, btw), when I decided I really should get the starter sorted out before I go on track. It wouldn’t be good if I spun and stalled it and couldn’t restart it. So I went round various places seeing if they could fix it and ended up at LSUK.

The auto-electrician (let’s call him Bob: I don’t know his real name) took off the starter motor and went round the back to test it. After ten minutes he came round to the reception desk with my starter in pieces and said that it was dead and not worth repairing, so I should buy a new one. I agreed.

But once he fitted the new one he couldn’t get it to work. At this point I asked whether he was sure the original one was faulty and that it wasn’t a battery, wiring or alternator problem. He said that the old Starter was definitely knackered, but tested the other things anyway to shut me up and said they were fine. He then wired in a relay between the battery and the new starter motor, but still it wouldn’t work. Another half hour passed while he checked the earths and wiring. Still no progress.

He then connected up a jump starter to the battery, and the starter motor worked. He told me to hold the revs up for a few minutes. I then turned the engine off and started it again without the jump starter. It started. Bob then advised me just to rev the engine up for a few minutes before I turned it off and it would be fine.

At this point I was quite baffled. Why should I have to do this if the alternator and battery were fine? Bob just said that the battery was probably a bit flat where I had been trying to start the engine, and the car had been idle for a few weeks (which it had). So I paid up (£168! and set off for Cadwell.

After a couple of hours I filled up with petrol and pressed the ignition button. Nothing. Got a push start from the petrol attendant and a customer (thanks), and set off. Luckily on the morning of the track day the car started, but wouldn’t start up under its own steam again. So I started each session with a bump start.

On Thursday I return to LSUK and told them what I thought, i.e. that there was nothing wrong with my original starter motor, that they should put it back on, give me my money back and find the real fault. They said that my old starter was definitely faulty and that to make sure, Bob had tested it again after I left. OK, I said, dig it out, and show me the test you ran. They did this, and it was, of course, fine.

A different auto-electrician (call him Rob) did a few tests on my car (after I waited for an hour for him to finish another job). He disconnected the battery and hooked up a new one. The starter worked fine. My old battery had had it! Unbelievable! Rob then spent an hour and a half finding a battery small enough, checking a few connection, and putting my old starter motor back on. I was now half an hour late for a meeting, but the starter worked so I was happy.

They refunded what I paid for the new starter motor, and sorted out an invoice for the battery (£46 + labour). The attendant asked Rob how long he spent on the job and came back and said “four and a half”. “Four and a half what”, I said. “Four and a half hours”. “Don’t be bl**** stupid, I haven’t been here four and a half hours, and I spent an hour waiting for your electrician to finish another job”. Went back out. Came back. “Two hours”. Seemed like a lot to change a battery to me, but I was weary by now and late. OK, how much then. Battery, labour, vat…. £175. At this point something snapped inside and I lost my cool in a way I cannot remember doing before, ever. £130 labour to change a battery, and tighten up a connection on the battery cut-off switch,  after the way they had messed me about! The assistant manager intervened and asked whether £84 would be ok. This calmed me down and I agreed to pay (apologizing profusely for shouting at the attendant).

Off I went, happy at least that my car was sorted out. But when I got home I noticed that the refund for the original work was £10 short! They’d even cocked up the refund! So another trip back down to the local LSUK. They wanted me to wait while they figured out what had gone wrong. I politely pointed out that I don’t give a F*** what went wrong, I just want my ten quid. The manager came out, gave me the money, and off I went.

A truly unbelievable example of gross incompetence. What did Bob do to test my starter motor? Why couldn’t he spot a defective battery? How hard is it to refund what I paid, and how could they think it would be a good idea to try and charge me for four and half hours work to change a battery? They made your average Halfords muppet look like he has the technical knowledge of Blatman! (No offence Blatters).

Glad I got that off my chest.

[blankczechbook]

having done a stint in halfrauds - there are as always good and bad stories....

shame you didn't have a multimeter to have had a look with too - electrics are a piece of p*** mostly.

until they go wrong...

[wildwesty]

Phil,

Frustrating and unnessassary, glad its sorted now and at least it didnt spoil your day.

BTW- did your mate with the Lotus get his alarm sorted?

Mike (next door in paddock)

[Phil. S]

having done a stint in halfrauds - there are as always good and bad stories....

Point taken. As I said in my opening paragraph, I only meant to tell my story, not to generalise to all LSUK branches. The dig at Halfords was just a bit of fun (though I remember a hilarious dialogue on here a few months ago about someone trying to order a part with the part number, but without knowing which car it was from).  As you say, there are good and bad in every store, and the staff are not to blame if they have daft systems.

[Phil. S]

BTW- did your mate with the Lotus get his alarm sorted?

Mike (next door in paddock)

Mark trailered his Lotus home after lunch. He had planned to take it straight round to Stratton motors who he bought it from and who had supposedly fixed the problem the day before. But he was too angry and tired so left it. He has written a very long letter expressing his unhappiness. This was his fourth track day in the Lotus and the 4th time it had broken down. Three of those times had been with the same problem! Puts my probelm into perspective. But we made a good pair: neither of our cars would start!

[blankczechbook]

i am now in a parts/service centre in czech and where the halfrauds guys don't always have parts books or lookup books from suppliers - it now looked easy - try doing it when you have extra sodding letters ěščřžýáíůú.....makes searching more fun  

glad you got it sorted  - although for that price it should be gold plated....RAC fitted battery on a breakdown call out after a visit to kemble.... 55quid if i recall....parts only - labour covered by policy.

get AA or RAC.

[jeff oakley]

I would suggest to you that a call to the head office in Sheffield will get you a better response than the one you had. We deal with this company a lot and they are usually very good indeed. It strikes me that iether Bob was incompetent, or on a bonus. And Rob was competant but under instructions to not make it cheap as they did not want to pay for their lack of skill. If you want the address I can get it for you.

Jeff

[Buzz Billsberry]

shame you didn't have a multimeter to have had a look with too - electrics are a piece of p*** mostly.

until they go wrong...

Ahh but that would be a little too professional from LSUK who incidentally will be changing there name later in the year according to BBC's watchdog u ain't the 1st and u won't be the last, they shall we say; have a bit of a reputation.

I'm pleased you had a good rant and got it sorted at least you're mobile again

Frustrating oooohhhhh  I bet

Buzz

[Phil. S]

I would suggest to you that a call to the head office in Sheffield will get you a better response than the one you had. We deal with this company a lot and they are usually very good indeed. It strikes me that iether Bob was incompetent, or on a bonus. And Rob was competant but under instructions to not make it cheap as they did not want to pay for their lack of skill. If you want the address I can get it for you.

Jeff

I'll think about pursuing it further, but at the moment I just want to forget about it to be honest. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Rob made it clear to me afterwards that he told the assistant to put four and a half hours labour on the work sheet, but not to charge me for that. The assistant either didn't hear the second bit, or forgot it walking back to the counter. Sounds like some sort of internal scam to me, but it didn't help things.