The Brake Caliper Specialists were very very slow...
The Brake Caliper Specialists were very very slow...
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28/7/14 update: I've added a post today with the contents of an apology letter that explains a lot. Total time was 15 working days. Pants but at least I have them back now. I'm still not too impressed as my car has been off the road for three weeks thanks to them. It was supposed to be a week. The only saving grace in this was superb Audi Tyneside who let me keep their A5 as long as I needed. Their work was completed in a couple of days.
They had their problems; they've apologised. I'll (hopefully) have my car back the road later today.
Original post below:
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It's been two weeks since I sent them my rear calipers. This morning they tell me it's going to take another week before they are returned. They were in perfect working order but I thought after seven years I might as well get them refurbished as well as painted. At no point has there been any mention of technical problems with the calipers. They are just inept. The original turnaround was to be one week tops. I don't think they touched them until well into week two.
Excuses I've been given thus far:
Day 5: we sacked one of our staff;
Day 7: we didn't receive your calipers until day 3 (they did: they got them on day 2 recorded delivery);
Day 7&12: we're too busy and have too many calipers to paint;
Day 12: we're waiting for parts from Denmark;
Day 15: the guy who paints is sick (but I thought they told me that'd already been painted? Can't be sure about this...)
My car will be sitting in the dealership for more than three weeks thanks to these idiots. Audi Tyneside have been great and have let me keep the courtesy car all this time but the 'Brake Calliper Specialists' are taking the piss now. Audi's work only took a few days but we factored in a week for any complications.
Other than banging my head against a wall I'm not sure what else I can do. Any ideas?
For future reference:
Brake Caliper Specialists on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BrakeCaliperSpecialists
Brake Caliper Painting on the interwebs http://www.brake-caliper-painting.com/
Brake Calipers UK on twitter https://twitter.com/BrakeCalipersUK
28/7/14 update: I've added a post today with the contents of an apology letter that explains a lot. Total time was 15 working days. Pants but at least I have them back now. I'm still not too impressed as my car has been off the road for three weeks thanks to them. It was supposed to be a week. The only saving grace in this was superb Audi Tyneside who let me keep their A5 as long as I needed. Their work was completed in a couple of days.
They had their problems; they've apologised. I'll (hopefully) have my car back the road later today.
Original post below:
----------------
It's been two weeks since I sent them my rear calipers. This morning they tell me it's going to take another week before they are returned. They were in perfect working order but I thought after seven years I might as well get them refurbished as well as painted. At no point has there been any mention of technical problems with the calipers. They are just inept. The original turnaround was to be one week tops. I don't think they touched them until well into week two.
Excuses I've been given thus far:
Day 5: we sacked one of our staff;
Day 7: we didn't receive your calipers until day 3 (they did: they got them on day 2 recorded delivery);
Day 7&12: we're too busy and have too many calipers to paint;
Day 12: we're waiting for parts from Denmark;
Day 15: the guy who paints is sick (but I thought they told me that'd already been painted? Can't be sure about this...)
My car will be sitting in the dealership for more than three weeks thanks to these idiots. Audi Tyneside have been great and have let me keep the courtesy car all this time but the 'Brake Calliper Specialists' are taking the piss now. Audi's work only took a few days but we factored in a week for any complications.
Other than banging my head against a wall I'm not sure what else I can do. Any ideas?
For future reference:
Brake Caliper Specialists on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BrakeCaliperSpecialists
Brake Caliper Painting on the interwebs http://www.brake-caliper-painting.com/
Brake Calipers UK on twitter https://twitter.com/BrakeCalipersUK
Last edited by stu on Mon Jul 28, 2014 11:31 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Terrible service from 'The Brake Caliper Specialists'
I hate ranting so I've asked them to let me know if I've written anything they would disagree with.
Re: Terrible service from 'The Brake Caliper Specialists'
That's a good idea, lots of people will see this so it's in their interest to get their act together. It's disgraceful that they've taken this long already.
Come on BCS, get this sorted and make sure it's a one-off!
Come on BCS, get this sorted and make sure it's a one-off!
2003 C5 RS6 Avant Daytona Grey
- Tile Diver
- 4th Gear
- Posts: 715
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:04 pm
- Location: Hove, East Sussex
Re: Terrible service from 'The Brake Caliper Specialists'
I feel your pain!!!
I had a similar experience with these guys, not once but twice!!!!
Took ages to refurb my front calipers, fortunately I was in no rush as the car was off the road over the winter, still around a month in total though.
Then sent a rear caliper back for a refurb, Paint and a Helicoil a month or so later, it took a couple of weeks to get it back, Helicoil done, but hadn't been painted!!!!!!
I kicked up Fcuk !!! and got £100 refund!!!!
I reckon the work they do is actually of a hight standard, however their service and turnaround isn't up to scratch.
I had a similar experience with these guys, not once but twice!!!!
Took ages to refurb my front calipers, fortunately I was in no rush as the car was off the road over the winter, still around a month in total though.
Then sent a rear caliper back for a refurb, Paint and a Helicoil a month or so later, it took a couple of weeks to get it back, Helicoil done, but hadn't been painted!!!!!!
I kicked up Fcuk !!! and got £100 refund!!!!
I reckon the work they do is actually of a hight standard, however their service and turnaround isn't up to scratch.
B7 RS4 Avant 2007 Daytona Grey
Black Optics / Ti Pack
SS Suspension +
Sunroof
H&R Hubcentric Spacers
Milltek Res / Valved Cat Back
Stage 2 MRC Map
Cold Air Feed
Carbon Clean
Pre-Cats Gutted
447 PS
If in doubt.. Power out!!
Black Optics / Ti Pack
SS Suspension +
Sunroof
H&R Hubcentric Spacers
Milltek Res / Valved Cat Back
Stage 2 MRC Map
Cold Air Feed
Carbon Clean
Pre-Cats Gutted
447 PS
If in doubt.. Power out!!
- Surrey Sam
- Cruising
- Posts: 4195
- Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:34 pm
- Location: Sussex
Re: Terrible service from 'The Brake Caliper Specialists'
Sorry to read this Stu, hope it gets sorted for you soon.
I had been thinking about using the company to re-condition my steel setup but reading this I'm now almost certain that I'll be using Godspeed instead.
I had been thinking about using the company to re-condition my steel setup but reading this I'm now almost certain that I'll be using Godspeed instead.
Sepang Blue B8 RS4, MY14, All option packs, B&O, Adv Key, Adapt Cruise, Pan Roof, Akrapovic Titanium Exhaust, + more.
Previous - Sprint Blue B7 RS4 Avant, Ceramics, Sunroof, SS+, Buckets, FBSW, Bluetooth, 2010+ RNSe
Previous - Phantom Black B7 RS4 Avant, Black Optics, Titan pack, SS+, Buckets, FBSW
Previous - Sprint Blue B7 RS4 Avant, Ceramics, Sunroof, SS+, Buckets, FBSW, Bluetooth, 2010+ RNSe
Previous - Phantom Black B7 RS4 Avant, Black Optics, Titan pack, SS+, Buckets, FBSW
Re: Terrible service from 'The Brake Caliper Specialists'
It's just a shame: Audi Tyneside have bent over backwards when sorting out the SS+ conversion and something as trivial as this is causing the problem. Now I feel like like taking advantage of their generosity with the courtesy car. I'll be returning it tomorrow. Once the calipers are back the car still has to be finished - DRC checked, alignment etc.Tile Diver wrote:I feel your pain!!!
I had a similar experience with these guys, not once but twice!!!!
Took ages to refurb my front calipers, fortunately I was in no rush as the car was off the road over the winter, still around a month in total though.
Then sent a rear caliper back for a refurb, Paint and a Helicoil a month or so later, it took a couple of weeks to get it back, Helicoil done, but hadn't been painted!!!!!!
I kicked up Fcuk !!! and got £100 refund!!!!
I reckon the work they do is actually of a hight standard, however their service and turnaround isn't up to scratch.
Re: Terrible service from 'The Brake Caliper Specialists'
You'd think they'd respond but I see no sign of it. I can't get beyond the (admittedly pleasant) chap who answers the phone but seems unable to effect any change.SuprSi wrote:That's a good idea, lots of people will see this so it's in their interest to get their act together. It's disgraceful that they've taken this long already.
Come on BCS, get this sorted and make sure it's a one-off!
I called this morning and was told the boss (Richard Munt) was going to call me this morning. He didn't.
When called again at lunchtime I was told that he was on another call and he would ring me. He didn't.
On my third attempt at 16.45 and I was told he has gone home for the day that he was 'obviously' too busy to call me. And that he had t go home to book flights. Whatever that means
Re: Terrible service from 'The Brake Caliper Specialists'
Quick update: I saw Richard Munt's mobile on the invoice and called him directly. He is now aware. Very pleasant fella, apologies and explanations offered and accepted. I still want my car back no the road asap! Not sure if I'm any closer.
Fu*k me, a lot of chasing around for a set of poxy calipers but there you go. It's made my Monday more interesting if nothing else.
Fu*k me, a lot of chasing around for a set of poxy calipers but there you go. It's made my Monday more interesting if nothing else.
Re: The Brake Caliper Specialists were very very slow...
As mentioned in the updated original post, here's the contents of the letter with their permission. It's only fair they get to have their say. They had workflow issues. Some avoidable, some preventable, some not. I'll use them again if I know the issues are solved. Calipers were back on 25/7/14. Stu.
---email 22/7/14---
Good Morning,
First of all, please accept my apologies for the broadcast email. I simply don't have time to speak to each customer individually at the moment.
We are currently experiencing some issues with our processes in the workshop. Which has further delayed our turnaround time. We simply do not have enough time in the day to contact each customer, who has calipers in our workshop to give them an update and an expected ETA.
We currently source parts from various suppliers to complete the work we're doing on your calipers, this is not ideal, as we have to await parts to arrive for customers. This can cause delays, even yesterday, I found myself having to order parts from the USA - These parts take 4-6 days to arrive.
The owner of the business in now travelling abroad, to speak to a manufacturer of parts, this is aiming to improve our business and start turning around work a lot quicker. There is only two of us in the office at the moment and we are working as hard as we can to complete jobs and keep you informed. As I understand this is not ideal at all as many of our customers have their cars waiting in garages for their calipers to be returned and this email is to inform you that we do care about your calipers and value our customers above anything else.
As some of you may or may not be aware our painter has actually had an accident as is currently in hospital with a hand related injury therefore we have loads of calipers ready to be painted but no one to actually paint them. We hope he will be returning to us this week and he will be putting in all his time to work on your calipers, I realise that this is our problem and not yours but we decided that you should be informed as this will give you an element of understanding in relation to the delays.
If you have any questions please reply to this email rather than call us as we are constantly in and out of the office attempting to help the technicians in the workshop in any way possible.
Kind Regards,
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---email 22/7/14---
Good Morning,
First of all, please accept my apologies for the broadcast email. I simply don't have time to speak to each customer individually at the moment.
We are currently experiencing some issues with our processes in the workshop. Which has further delayed our turnaround time. We simply do not have enough time in the day to contact each customer, who has calipers in our workshop to give them an update and an expected ETA.
We currently source parts from various suppliers to complete the work we're doing on your calipers, this is not ideal, as we have to await parts to arrive for customers. This can cause delays, even yesterday, I found myself having to order parts from the USA - These parts take 4-6 days to arrive.
The owner of the business in now travelling abroad, to speak to a manufacturer of parts, this is aiming to improve our business and start turning around work a lot quicker. There is only two of us in the office at the moment and we are working as hard as we can to complete jobs and keep you informed. As I understand this is not ideal at all as many of our customers have their cars waiting in garages for their calipers to be returned and this email is to inform you that we do care about your calipers and value our customers above anything else.
As some of you may or may not be aware our painter has actually had an accident as is currently in hospital with a hand related injury therefore we have loads of calipers ready to be painted but no one to actually paint them. We hope he will be returning to us this week and he will be putting in all his time to work on your calipers, I realise that this is our problem and not yours but we decided that you should be informed as this will give you an element of understanding in relation to the delays.
If you have any questions please reply to this email rather than call us as we are constantly in and out of the office attempting to help the technicians in the workshop in any way possible.
Kind Regards,
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