Poor Service from Car Service City Sunninghill

When one takes their car for a service, you would expect it to be performing better instead of worse after the service. The Sunninghill branch of Car Service City is very questionable when conducting their business.

I booked my VW Citi Golf in for a minor service, replacement of the cam belt and repair of the oil pressure switch. My car was dropped off at 7.00am and I was promised my car at 16.30pm. When I arrived at 16.30, my car was not ready and I was told I would have to wait until 18.00pm for collection.

When I collected my car at 18.00pm I paid R10 763,00 for the work done. No car wash or valet had been done as the mechanic had only just finished working on my car. As I drove my car home, I noticed a big difference in performance… or should I say lack of performance. My car was usually a quick, quiet and economical little runner that has never given me any problems. My car was now sluggish, considerably lacking in power and could barely make it up a hill in first gear. The timing was out of sync and the engine was idling like a tractor. My car had quite obviously never been taken on a test drive, yet a quarter tank of petrol was missing.

I informed Car Service City who advised me to bring my car back. Again I dropped off my car off at 7.00am and was promised it at 16.30pm. At 16.30 my car was not ready again and the mechanic was still working on my car. At 18.00pm I received my car. As I drove my car home I found that there was little improvement. My car was revving like a plane due for take-off and the general performance of my engine was too terrible for words. Full of jerks and wanting to “cut out” when I slowed down.

At home I looked inside my engine and found an oily rag that had never been removed (Could have caused many problems if it got stuck in my fan belt). The radiator had no water in it and the oil level was so low that I had to immediately top it up. They obviously put in insufficient oil after the oil change. Am I going back to Car Service City? If this is what a R10 763,00 service gives you, then the answer is definitely NO! Two unsuccessful attempts to repair my car! It was an ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!

I then realised what had probably been happening:

1. My car got serviced last on both occasions. They had run out of time and it just became a quick rushed job. Hence no test drive to ensure that it was performing adequately. No car wash or valet as there was no time. I had greasy finger prints and oil marks all over my bonnet and bumper. 2. I had asked the manager/owner to test drive my car with me so I could explain the problems. He declined stating he was too busy with a client. 3. A young girl with little car knowledge had checked my car in. There was no interaction with the mechanic or workshop supervisor to discuss specific problems needing attention. 4. A gross lack of skilled staff. The mechanics are obviously not trained to do their job. Working on a simple VW Citi Golf would not be so difficult if they were properly trained to perform a car service. 5. No workshop supervision making certain that cars are being serviced according to schedule, in accordance with the job card, washed and checked afterwards. 6. Too many cars are being booked in every day, hence certain cars like mine, were only attended to at 16.30pm resulting in poor workmanship and deliberate “cutting of corners”. 7. No attention to detail and proper follow up on complaints.

At no stage did I even receive an apology nor an offer of a refund from Car Service City. They clearly had not performed a proper service nor did they have the skilled staff to do so. A quick rushed job at 16.30 was all they could manage… on both occasions. Absolutely poor, poor service! In fact, nothing more than a “clown show”.