Do We Have A Page Where..

[urotsukidoji_badassdemon]

Hi one and all, I think I am getting ripped off man big time by the garage I took my car into for an MOT this week. If you got to the MR2 section, you'll see my posting and it's progress. ID is Urotsukidoji_badassdemon - Failed MOT. I was just wondering if we have like a part where people can put names of garages and shops where they got ripped off and such like, to warn others of them.

[mrrandom]

i think that would be illegal?

[reece]

i think that would be illegal?

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I can’t see a problem of stating where you had really good service so we can recommend that to other users.

On the other hand, if I got ripped off I would warn people on here to be on their guard if they went to the same place in my area.

Eventually there would be a data base of some sort on the t.o.c. so we can refer to it.

Consumer programmes on the television name and shame, watchdog, house of horrors etc, we should do the same, but also name the good place like Envy for example.

[mrrandom]

yeah but they are protected with legal representation n stuff.

I think the " name and shame" page would be a bad idea in some aspects. Yes it would warn the TOC members of bad places to go. But what if one of these places found their business listed on a black list of bad places to take your car? not only is it damaging their businesses respect, but also possily loosing them customers. So I could foresee a law suit of some kind. couldnt u?

[reece]

yeah but they are protected with legal representation n stuff.

I think the " name and shame" page would be a bad idea in some aspects. Yes it would warn the TOC members of bad places to go. But what if one of these places found their business listed on a black list of bad places to take your car? not only is it damaging their businesses respect, but also possily loosing them customers. So I could foresee a law suit of some kind. couldnt u?

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No, it might make them sit up and take notice.

I have a local garage that never ever advertises, all business is through word of mouth of how good and honest they are.

I can’t get a booking for weeks, they are always busy. It’s the quiet garages i have to look out for. I would be grateful if someone told me about a dodgy grease monkey in my town. Garages have questionable reputations to start with. Finding a good one recommended by other Toyota owners would be appreciated.

[mrrandom]

yeah but u arent allowed to criticise people's businesses by name, especially list bad businesses on the internet. it would be breaking some law some way shape or form.

[LORD_ED]

its basically liable

[Red Yaris 54]

its basically liable

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Dont you mean Lible?

[LORD_ED]

u know what i meant

[rickers]

surely if you post bad experiences, and stick to facts there is nothing they can do, right??

rickers

[Boro Sera]

But what if one of these places found their business listed on a black list of bad places to take your car? not only is it damaging their businesses respect, but also possily loosing them customers.

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Surely doing a half assed job and charging too much is damaging their business and losing them customers.! Word of mouth is the most powerful deterrant in the motor trade

Rich

[Chappers]

What if it were done in Gold?

Or is that pretty much the same thing?

[Boro Sera]

There used to be a 'rate the dealer' section for just such an occasion, but it was stopped for various reasons.

don't think doing it in Gold would make any difference either.

The trouble with lists like this is that they can be swayed too easily and the information needs to be constantly checked to see if it still applies. If a place is listed as rubbish and they get a new service manager in who runs the workshop properly and treats customers right, people might never find out if they just check the list and it advises them to avoid the place.

Similarly, someone could have a bad time at a dealer with one model, whereas someone else could get first class service with a different model ( have a read in the Prius forum ! ).

The forums are dotted with posts about bad experiences with dealers/garages. If anyone has a positive experience then why not just post it so others in the area know.

My mechanic still hasn't got my Sera back together yet ( but as I'm doing it myself I can't really complain about me on the forums ! )

Rich

[Karma Supra]

If you talk purely by fact, it is totally legal!

[mrrandom]

yeah but i im almost positive u arent allowed to make a list of "bad" mechanics or dealerships and post it online.

[SMW]

food for thought (no pun intended)

When an ex postal worker was caught handing out anti McDonalds leaflets in London he found himself at the centre of a libel trial.

The case became the longest in UK legal history. The defendant received 2 hours of legal advice and ran his defence on £35 000. McDonalds spent 10 million.

Mr Justice Bell took two hours to read his summary to a packed court room. He ruled that the allegations against McDonald's had not been proved on rainforest destruction, heart disease and cancer, food poisoning, starvation in the Third World and bad working conditions.

He ruled that McDonald's do 1. exploit children with their advertising, 2. falsely advertise their food as nutritious, 3. risk the health of their most regular, long-term customers, 4. are "culpabably responsible" for cruelty to animals, 5. are "strongly antipathetic" to unions and 6. pay their workers low wages.

However The Judge ruled that McDonald's had been libelled and agreed damages: £60,000.

The defendant refused to pay. McDonalds did not pursue payment.

[Boro Sera]

But there's a difference between alledging that someone did something without concrete proof, and saying that company 'A' charged me far too much and didn't do the job properly.

[mrrandom]

as u say, he was convicted of libel. he refused to pay yes, but whats £60,000 to mcdonalds?

[Al J]

There is nothing wrong with you making a true statement about the service you received from any provider just so long as you can back it up with evidence.

Innuendo and general "They weren't much cop" type comments are just asking for trouble, however.

If you've been given a bad deal then sorting them out by complaining or referring them to the OFT seems to make more sense than just having a whinge on here, surely?

[mrrandom]

of course, and at the end of the day, why should TOC put their asses on the line like that. what if an angry dealership owner finds his name on a blacklist of bad dealrships..... LAW SUIT!