Opinion on NRMA Motorserve Mechanics?

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NRMA Insurance

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  Amaris on 23/07/2018 - 13:19

  They try to upsell like crazy

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  wolfazrael123 on 23/07/2018 - 14:08

  +1

  True experience.

  I had a flat tyre on a Sunday morning early last year outside my home, and I was with Coles road side assistance. So they sent an NRMA vehicle to save me and that block was kind enough to give me a $50 worth of coupon for flat tyre repair in NRMA. There is an NRMA service center like 300 meters away from my home. Never been there before. I took my tyre there for repair and the reception lady convinced me to do my annual service there for $169, which is like $29 higher than the other block charged me. But because of the convenience of location I took the offer and went there in two weeks.

  I received a call in like one hour, quoting me for tyre rotation and balancing, light bulb change, light cover change, shocking absorber change due to leeking and all sorts of stuff with a total of like at least $4000. My 11 year old honda accord euro would worth no more than 8k in the market I believe not to mention all the scratches and dents and other damage to the body which is obvious to everyone and could reduce the value to I say no more than 5k.

  I allowed the bulb change and something tyre rotation and balance kind of stuff and was shocked (afterwards) that they charged me something really ridiculous like around $50 for the bulb change. And the service itself was $190 (non member). I argued for at least 10 minutes to get the service reduced to 149 as offered by their staff, but I had no idea at that moment that the bulb should cost no more than $10, and I forgot that I only replaced all 4 tyres like 3 months ago there was little chance that I really needed rotation. Put it this way apart from this service, during the 5 years of driving this car apart from when I replace tyres, I was only requested to do rotation and balance twice, and the other time was like more than one year after replacing tyres. So I paid around $290 in total. I checked with the original mechanics who serviced my car previously, and he said there is no reason to spend that amount of money to replace anything in that list (other than light bulb). And after one and half year, my car runs perfectly fine apart from replacement of some other stuffs which stopped working during the time, which I knew that the problem was at least genuine.

  Not going there anymore for sure.

  • 

    SimbaGirl on 23/07/2018 - 17:21

    I had a similar experience with an RAC (WA) service centre. My partner usually did oil changes and other maintenance and minor repairs on my Commodore wagon (which was about 13 years old at the time) but it had been a while since the car had a full service, so I decided to try RAC as there was a service centre close to home and I’d been a member of their roadside assistance . Like you, a couple of hours after dropping the car off, I got a phone call with a massive list of “urgent/vital” repairs that supposedly needed doing “as soon as possible”, and yep, would have totalled at least $3000 worth of work. I remember one thing that stuck in my mind was that they wanted $77 to adjust the handbrake.

    I don’t know whether they thought I was a complete idiot or, being female, I obviously had absolutely no idea about cars and would say “oh yes, please go ahead and do all that.” No chance. I knew perfectly well that some of the stuff didn’t need doing - rang my partner to tell him about it, and he nearly went through the roof. I rang them back and told them that I only wanted the service done, and they became quite insistent that this other work had to be done. NO, it didn’t, please just do the service at this time and I’ll have to consider the rest (said that just to get them off the phone, as I was at work!). Later in the day, get an SMS saying the car is ready to be picked up. About half an hour later, get another SMS, followed about another 20 minutes later by a phone call “when are you coming to collect your car?” Told them when I dropped the car off that I couldn’t pick it up until after 4pm, when I finished work, so told them again. Was just leaving work and got ANOTHER phone call - they got a rather terse response saying I was coming to get the car NOW. Get to the service centre, go up to the counter and was told “oh, the car’s not ready, it hasn’t been detailed yet”. WTF??? Two text messages and two phone calls harassing me to pick the car up, and it’s NOT READY?????

    The cost for the standard service wasn’t exactly cheap, but thought I’d pay a bit more as I could “trust” them. Like hell … never used one of their service centres again and would never recommend them to anyone else. Had the car checked over by a mechanic friend a few months later, and none of the stuff they’d listed needed doing at all.

    • 

      wolfazrael123 on 24/07/2018 - 12:01

      I'm glad you didn't get ripped off.

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  retiredfeline on 23/07/2018 - 14:12

  I got the first non-mfr logbook service there recently. There were no problems with the service, but then my car is in good condition. I felt that it was more expensive than I could have got elsewhere. They flagged an upcoming brake service needed but I got this done elsewhere for about 2/3rds the price Motorserve quoted even though I had to pay for the pink slip separately.

  If you look at reviews, they are just so so despite carrying a trusted brand name.

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  Flibbs on 23/07/2018 - 15:33

  1st time they put in a heaver grade engine oil than recommended. When I complained the head mechanic said they always put heavier oil in older cars. I had to point out to him that a 3 year old car with 40,000k on the clock is hardly an older car. After a bit of back and forth they reluctantly put the correct oil in.

  2nd time they failed to tighten the wheel nuts.

  There won't be a third time

  • 

    HighAndDry on 23/07/2018 - 18:57

    2nd time they failed to tighten the wheel nuts.

    The F***… I'd be livid. That's not just some oversight, that seriously could hurt somebody.

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  FoxJump on 23/07/2018 - 17:56

  Ive had one NRMA service at Gladesville
  They forgot to stamp the logbook. I took it back a week later to get stamped. They stamped it.

  I assume everything else was ok.
  But these stories scare me.

  • 

    wolfazrael123 on 24/07/2018 - 12:07

    there could be good managers and good staffs in some NRMA service center. You just need to be careful with what they quote you other than the service you requested.

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  SydneySwan on 24/07/2018 - 09:27

  I booked a service there in June. Quote was $179. When I turned up, advised I was misinformed - price should have been $429 but they will do it for $389. Reason given my vehicle uses special really expensive oil (?) - it is a Jeep Compass. I told them that was more than the dealer charged so they immediately dropped down to $289. i told them it had to be $179. They wouldn't do it so I cancelled and left.

  This was NRMA service at Artarmon.

  I won't be going there again.

  • 

    FoxJump on 24/07/2018 - 21:20

    Wow.

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  Moomt on 24/07/2018 - 10:27

  I went to the NRMA after my vehicles manufacturers service were exorbitantly priced. I was happy for the first couple of years and then the manager left. Then it all went downhill. I was advised I needed new brakes when I put my vehicle in before a family road trip from NSW to QLD. I was hesitant of their recommendation and took my vehicle to KTAS after reading good reviews on them in my area - they put my vehicle on the hoist, cleaned the dust off and told me I did not need new brakes! KTAS advised this is a common complaint from customers - being told they need new brakes when they don't.
  12 months later - new brakes were required. NRMA quoted me $1300 for front and back. KTAS was $400.00.
  Suffice to say - KTAS all the way for me - BIG thumbs down for NRMA.

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  Amaris on 24/07/2018 - 18:36

  Wonder if these are actually NRMA owned or just franchises

  • 

    SydneySwan on 24/07/2018 - 21:50

    I believe they are all NRMA owned.

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  kaitoo1412 on 26/11/2018 - 15:48

  took my car to NRMA Artarmon for service last Dec. dropped it off on Friday in the morning and agreed that I would be able to pick up my car at the end of the day. They even said that I can come back after hours since they will leave the key in a security box outside their front door and text me the passcode to access it. Waited all day and did not receive any news from them about my car, so I start ringing around 4pm to make sure that it will be ready by the end of the day. Brushed me off saying that it was being worked on, but no estimated finish time. I start making my way over to them and called on the way to check again (this was at almost 5pm, they close at 5), they said they can't find my car!! Got to the place and I can see my car parked exactly where I left it in the morning. Apparently the guy in the morning did not check my car in properly and hence they had not serviced my car at all! They tried to send me off without a car, but I relented that I needed a car for the weekend. In the end they offered a free lease car for the weekend and said they will service the car on Saturday. Got a call on Saturday and instead of the 179 service I requested, I was quoted 4000+ to change my brakes, tyres and a few other things, and they were very insistent that these are all essential. I refused and told them I only want the service originally requested.
  Never again will I go back to NRMA for servicing, especially reading that I am not the odd case here.

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  zond on 26/11/2018 - 15:59

  I used NRMA Seven Hills for a while. For straight 3 years I bled like bloodbath by their upselling.
  I just switched a normal non-brand servicing this year who has reliable records.
  Never to NRMA again.
  They even once changed my newish wiper blades and that started giving noises.