Problems with Dealer

[marcomanaco]

Hello Guys, All started 7 months ago when I got my Megane 225 engine to start a swap on my Clio 197. What should be a great moment of a Clio owner became a sad experience I did with a car workshop.

Looking for a company to do the needed changes and getting new parts, I found good comments about SteC and his garage SC Auto Electrics. After chatting about needed fitmemts, parts and prices, I placed an order for adapting my wiring loom, ECU and buy a custom Intercooler, alloy boost pipes, exhaust parts and Intake. I get straight away the Invoice, paid it and sent both looms and ECUs to SC Auto Electrics in Bolton.


So now after 7 months of my order and payment, beside of a beautiful Clio 197 s stocked in a garage, promises, less money in my pocket, is a ECU and a incomplete wiring loom.

 

[Yiannis197]

oh dear, another disappointed customer then...

Sorry to hear that mate, hope you sort your beast out asap.

 

[montana]

Since you have named and shamed spread the word on social media too ...

 

[chris mcm]

I've been wondering how [MENTION=3203]Rogue[/MENTION] 's turned out in the end after he shared his grievances

 

[litchy]

Not sure the purpose of the forum is to allow people to just post slanderous comments without them be substantiated. Anyway, not sure of the circumstance in this case and I know Rouge wasn't happy too but it's not my experience. Not saying everything is perfect and I've had issues with my own car but cars are never a science and the last time I looked Renault don't do a Clio with 250 engine in it!!! It's not like this conversion's been done for over a decade like the Vag and jap stuff. Also there is not a tuner in this country that someone wouldn't be unhappy about. Ktecs taken a kicking on here for years and they aren't alone. I'm not sirprised that the forum has zero representation from any tuner on here and that's a shame cause we would all benefit from that. I must admit, I wouldn't cause the nature of people is always to take interest when things go wrong and they end up having to defend themselves in a public arena when often the customer isn't entirely truthful about the situation.

Let's all have a little perspective on this, I except that this person is not happy but Ste isnt the barometer of things that go wrong in Renaults nor should individual complaints become the gospal of everything that's comes out that garage, in fact it's quite the opposite. Hes done loads of work on Clio 197/200 that aren't on this forum.

He's done more conversions that all other tuners put together and there's not one out there I don't think he's not had a hand in. People don't know that without his programming, people would have had to buy brand new ecu's cause this was the case prior to his work.

He's just a small business that would benefit by allowing Ste to get on doing what he does best and that's someone that really knows his stuff, and employ someone to do the communication side of things like deal with customers and someone to answer the phone. The new business I know is taking that onboard. The rest of the stuff in the context of the world of making stuff work when it shouldnt do, he is second to none out there.

*disclaimer* I'm not related, I've never had a beer with him, never been in his house, not his child's godparent, never went to school with him, not his business partner and we've never had a sexual relationship.....

 

[marcomanaco]

I think 7 months says everything. I know the world is not perfect and everyone has some issues, therefore I was quite comprehensive and patient. But this is just disrespectful to customers. What would you say if every time you call you don't get answer, someone says to you he is not there, or he is busy he calls you back. Or leave your number blablabla You know actually, in this 7 months he never called me 1 single time back.

So I know there is no perfect tuner, but at least you have to try, and not just telling people's stories about dispatch has been lost in postage service, and search for days after a tracking number and never find it. And then to say new kit is almost ready and 3 months after you get a single incomplete wiring loom. So I think I was fair enough and was quite patient. Believe me when I say that this is not the way I wanted, but it is the way it has turn out. I try to understand, but just can't where is the problem on ship parts that customers have paid for???

 

[antnee]

I disagree Litchy, sponsoring a forum/club is a 2 way thing. It should be a trustworthy company that the members can rely on, so if there are big issues (such as this one, not my parcel took an extra day for delivery) then it is right that the club members (and Admin) should know. Obviously SC Autos need to put across their side of the issue, hopefully the frustration that has led the paying customer to go public about an issue should be a wake up call to the sponsor to try and sort out the issue in a way which is agreeable to all parties. Also if the company isn't responding to direct contact, then how else can the issue be resolved?

I have seen this sort of problem crop up for many traders, decent, hardworking folk show how good quality their product is but then become swamped with business, so much so that they can't cope which then causes the name of the company to become tainted. It is a shame, a lot of small companies who supply the aftermarket/tuning market are often started by one person who is very knowledgeable, it then becomes very hard to expand the business with the right people who have the right skills.

 

[Rogue]

I've been wondering how [MENTION=3203]Rogue[/MENTION] 's turned out in the end after he shared his grievances

Car's fine pal. Unfortunately Ste wrecked the experience for me and I have no desire for it now. Hence why it's up for sale.

I've said all I've had to say on SC Auto's, but I'm everyone take note of the OP's comments. Even after I had my rant and sent him an email at the end, he still didn't bother to come back to me. I had to pay someone else to fix his mistakes.

Say's it all really. IMO, he should be banned from the forum as a trader, and if I were still Admin, he would have been done so a long long time ago.

 

[stanners]

The google review doesn't paint a very good picture of them.............

 

[litchy]

Each to their own. Shame cause not saying that there haven't been issues but typically the many happy customers will always be lost to the unfortunate negative experiences. The forum isn't the barometer of everyone's experiences I guess and people have the option to not use him or anyone else I guess. Like most things, I make my own judgement based on my own experiences than others cause it it was just reviews, I would never of bought a French car in the first place.

 

[Kazumz]

A review is a two way thing, good and bad. SteC has received both in the past. This just adds to many negative reviews against his many positive reviews. Still up to the individual if they wish to use SteC to do their conversions, a review doesn't always change someones mind.

 

[Steve Murr]

Apparently there is a new name, was just reading on CS a similar experience with another owner

due to the name change legal procedings cannot be served.

 

[Rogue]

The fact that there's a company name change says it all. (Possibly).

 

[litchy]

Said it before and I'll say it again. The idea of polarising one trader based on individual experiences is wrong. Companies make mistakes. Some are fixable and others unfortunately are not. When your on the receiving end, it's not great as I have been but you have the choice to vote with your feet and take the work elsewhere. This is no revelation as we all work for companies with unhappy customers as do we all make mistakes. Like I said, the idea to polarise on the negatives when we all know there's many positives to his work is a absolute joke. As I've been told by a very experience tuner, the idea that they would come anyway near forums is a distant memory. Said it just a platform to defend things that without context which often can't be shared and the tuner normally ends up with the thick end of it.

This forum isn't without its critics too and like I said, unfortunately many of voted with their feet.. Glass houses springs to mind. Yep members are entitled to have their say but the least you'd expect is some impartiality from moderators. Maybe they should thank everyone for posts eh or none at all in these instances.

 

[Pav]

thats why this section has been set up Wilson..everyone has their right to express their experiences...POSITIVE or NEGATIVE..
like you said before..there are many satisfied customers who can add to this..
and dont worry,this section is very closely monitored..we would never let it turn into a slagging match..
hope this helps
clio 197/200 staff

 

[litchy]

thats why this section has been set up Wilson..everyone has their right to express their experiences...POSITIVE or NEGATIVE..
like you said before..there are many satisfied customers who can add to this..
and dont worry,this section is very closely monitored..we would never let it turn into a slagging match..
hope this helps
clio 197/200 staff

That's not the point @Pav. If a moderator only thanks the posts that he agrees with, that gives the impression that's the forums view as that's what they represent isn't it, the forum? The forum represents Traders too. Yes people can make their own opinions and share their own views but that's for them to form without influence. I've been on here long enough to remember the mess previous mods got themselves into. I would suggest the forum tread carefully because it has no idea of the context of any complaint and might find itself embroiled in all kinds of legalities whilst it's seen to be promoting them.

 

[Chris]

The forum rules clear that litchy. See bottom of the board.

People have a right to express there opinions on a public board, if it gets hateful or out of hand then it will be moderated as such but if someone has an experience with a business then they have the right to express it, good or bad. This is also why this new subforum has been made, in a months time someone might leave a fantastic experience of this particular business.

Also noting that a moderator is such, a moderator, not an owner of the site, and behind the status is a person with views and opinions also. Do agree there is a line that has to be drawn with it though and we do represent the site.

 

[litchy]

The forum rules clear that litchy. See bottom of the board.

People have a right to express there opinions on a public board, if it gets hateful or out of hand then it will be moderated as such but if someone has an experience with a business then they have the right to express it, good or bad. This is also why this new subforum has been made, in a months time someone might leave a fantastic experience of this particular business.

Also noting that a moderator is such, a moderator, not an owner of the site, and behind the status is a person with views and opinions also. Do agree there is a line that has to be drawn with it though and we do represent the site.

Im not suggesting members don't have any rights to express their views, I'm simply expressing my own. Regarding moderators, the only view in my opinion they should be sharing is the forums. They can't represent their own and the forums unless they are the same I guess. People do take on board what they say as they do have influence. In my limited experience this has been a negative influence previous as people have used it in the past to better their own personal and private concern. You can't have mods being seen to be having any influence in subjects as the credibility of the forum as previously will go down the pan and people will leave. We have lost some good guys with a long history of being on here because of it.

Most of the time, the mods have no knowledge of the context of the complaints anyway.

 

[marcomanaco]

Little Update,

Manage to talk with the Dealer on the phone today. We agreed that the missing parts would be sent within 1 week so that I normally have them in 2 weeks.
Hope that this time everything works out flawlessly, as for my part I want to solve this in friendly and correct way. I try also to understand that person since
I am very comprehensive guy.

For my friends here on the forum, the last thing I wanted was to split people's opinions. Just had something in my throat that I had to spit out.

 

[Chris]

I understand completely what you're saying, unfortunately with that logic we basically can't say anything about any subject. For example ive just posted on a question regarding strut braces. I could have said that I don't like them and they are wasting there money, which in turn could affect the business of a company that makes them. Where do you draw the line? Admitted I for one wouldn't enter a topic like this one, saying "don't use this company", but like I just said, where is the line drawn as moderators? We have opinions like any other members.