Concerning Service

I am writing to formally raise a serious concern regarding the service I received at two different Supa Quick branches—Mossel Bay and Bellville (Dunlop)—within the span of a few days. The experience has left me both confused and deeply concerned about the safety and integrity of your services.

On 3 May 2025, I had all four shocks on my vehicle replaced at Supa Quick Mossel Bay. I dealt with Mr. Jaques Vermeulen. Unfortunately, arranging the service was frustrating, as Mr. Vermeulen failed to follow up with pricing and required multiple calls from my side to confirm an appointment. Additionally, there was a misunderstanding—he had begun an oil change despite me never requesting a full service. Thankfully, I was able to intervene in time, and he acknowledged it was his error.

Before leaving for Cape Town the following day—with only myself and my three-year-old daughter in the car—I asked Mr. Vermeulen specifically whether the vehicle was safe for the trip. He assured me everything was in good working order, and even gave me his business card in case of emergencies.

However, on 5 May 2025, as I was driving to work, I noticed a noise from the car, followed by the ABS warning light turning on. Concerned, I visited Supa Quick Bellville (Dunlop). I requested a minor service and asked them to inspect the source of the ABS warning and the noise. I also specified that the oil had just been replaced, and a fresh oil change would not be necessary.

Despite not receiving any feedback throughout the morning, I called around 13:30 and spoke with Ryan, who informed me that the wheel bearings were severely worn and likely responsible for both the noise and the ABS issue. He mentioned it was so serious that he had to stop a test drive almost immediately due to safety concerns. He strongly advised that I park the car and not drive it until the bearings were replaced, as there was a risk of the wheels coming off. Naturally, I was extremely alarmed, especially having just driven over 400 km with my child in the car.

Ryan quoted R3,800 for the wheel bearing replacement and R1,750 for what he referred to as a “normal” service. However, I had previously been quoted R1,250 for a minor service. I informed him that I had only requested a minor service, not a more expensive option. After some discussion, he offered a reduced total of R3,100 for both the bearings and service, which I accepted under pressure given the safety concerns.

Upon collection, I asked Ryan to show me the damaged bearings. He did, and explained their proximity to the shocks. This led me to question why the Mossel Bay branch had not noticed such a critical issue just two days earlier. Ryan himself expressed surprise that it had not been picked up.

I contacted Mr. Vermeulen to express my concern. He was shocked and insisted that, with his 32 years of experience, such wear would have been evident during their inspection. He offered to call Ryan directly. After speaking with him, Mr. Vermeulen phoned me back and stated that he believed I had been taken advantage of at the Bellville branch, implying that the diagnosis had been exaggerated. He claimed Ryan told him the bearings were not in urgent need of replacement and that they could have waited.

This directly contradicts what I was told by Ryan, who strongly advised against driving the vehicle until the bearings were replaced. When I confronted Ryan about this, he denied Mr. Vermeulen’s version of events and stood by his original assessment. He even sent me photos of the worn bearings to support his position.

At this point, I am at a complete loss as to whom to believe. Either:

The Mossel Bay branch failed to properly inspect my vehicle, putting me and my child’s lives at risk; or

The Bellville branch misrepresented the urgency of the issue and took advantage of a stressful situation for financial gain.

Both possibilities are unacceptable and reflect poorly on your brand. I am therefore requesting a full and independent investigation into this matter. This includes reviewing service records, parts replaced, and communication logs from both branches.

In total, I spent R6,600 at Supa Quick in a span of 48 hours, and yet I am left feeling unsafe, misled, and extremely disappointed. If this issue is not resolved adequately, I will have no choice but to seek legal advice regarding possible negligence or misconduct.