The stories you will read here are actual situations that were related to us by the vehicle owners themselves about the things that happen, or are told to women and men by garage personnel to allay their fears:......to make you feel that they are doing you a great favour by being Mr. NICE GUY. Right? Wrong!!

A single woman, senior citizen, with a 1992 Toyota took her car to a garage for its first clutch replacement after 7 years.

The new clutch assembly lasted 4 months! She returned to the garage, only to be told that the smell was, in fact, caused by a burnt out clutch plate. When she asked how come, she was told:

"It must be the way you drive."

"Nonsense", she replied,"the first clutch lasted seven years, and my driving habits do not change with each clutch replacement."

She turned and walked out, taking the car to another garage on our advice. Their analysis showed that:

1. The clutch was an offshore part (inferior material)

2. The flywheel had not been machined (she had been charged for machining)

3. There had been no free play adjustment on the clutch pedal travel. This is why the clutch burned out prematurely.

She went back to the original garage, armed with this information. Upon telling them what had been found as the cause, they denied it was their fault! The boss explained with this gem of intelligence!

"The real truth of the matter is this, madam. As people get older they naturally shrink in height. This is what happened to your car. As it got older it started to shrink and this caused premature failure of the clutch."

They refused to repair it, saying the warranty didn't cover shrinkage!

For another Horror Story go to Chrysler Schmysler

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