Toomey group (Automotive) Nissan,Peugeot,Renault,Va uxhall etc

[sarahgold]

Hello,

my father has recently given up driving due in no small part to the long running problem

he has been made to endure at the hands of Toomey Peugeot.

 

He is a proud man who was an Engineer for all his working life

and for reasons I'm about to explain feels humiliated (not that he ought to be) by the whole experience.

 

He does not know that I have written this as he is insisting that the matter is ended.

 

My father took his Peugeot to Toomey in Nov 2011 with intermittent idle problems

to which Toomey suggested that a electrical component be replaced at a fitted cost of £621.

 

My father paid this and took the car home only for the fault to remain.

 

He then over the course of 5 weeks returned the car several more times spending in total £1243 in parts and labour.

 

The car was not fixed until it was taken to an independent Peugeot garage

where a small wiring problem was fixed for £65 inc parts and labour.

 

My father being proud has requested that I do not get involved,

however I have been speaking to an employee (technician) from Toomey who I have subsequently met

(my babysitters boyfriend) and I have found out this about Toomey aka Laindon Holdings

 

1.Toomey has taken virtually all the large franchises in the Southend on Sea (Essex) area over the last few years.

 

2. The technicians do not earn a basic wage.

If they find nothing wrong with your car (and they always will find a problem) they do not earn a penny.

 

3. Cars are targeted for parts that the technician will be given a long book time to change by the manufacturer regardless of whether it requires changing. Technicians will more often know what part needs changing before they see the car and often this part is not even changed.

 

4. Technicians that don't find faults with cars which the company know are profitable will not last more than a few weeks - staff turn over is brisk

 

5. Sales cars are fitted with second hand parts that are taken from customers cars (that didn't need changing) to save the technician money.The less they spend on getting a sold car ready the more they earn,the trouble is existing customers are paying for newer customers cars to be fixed.

 

6. The company source aftermarket parts and fit them at main dealer prices.

 

7. Customers cars are sometimes targeted by thieves whilst parked outside for parts. It is normal for customers to be told those parts will need to be replaced at their own expense.This has required customers to pay over £1000 for major engine parts.

 

8. The company has expanded too fast and has cash flow problems.

 

9. Any staff that question these practices are swiftly removed. I am in discussion with several people about where I go with this but at this stage would like to make people aware of this company.

 

Sarah.

 

I will be starting a blog shortly to support victims of Toomey,

Edited March 1, 2011 by sarahgold

[Hammy1962]

Pretty damming accusations.

 

Hammy

[Conniff]

I agree with Hammy. Be careful what you accuse them of until you have proof of what you will be saying.

[theminor]

Hello,my father how has recently given up driving due in no small part to the long running problem ...

 

Lets come in at the top:

xxx has taken virtually all the large franchises in the Southend on Sea (Essex) area over the last few years.

 

Well, okay, but of what relevance is this?

 

2. The technicians do not earn a basic wage.If they find nothing wrong with your car (and they always will find a problem) they do not earn a penny.

 

You're suggesting the repair staff are all commission-based? I have to say I find that unlikely (I'm not suggesting you're not telling the truth, just that I'd be surprised). Anyway, in and of itself there's nothing 'unlawful' about that.

 

3. Cars are targeted for parts that the technician will be given a long book time to change by the manufacturer regardless of whether it requires changing. Technicians will more often know what part needs changing before they see the car and often this part is not even changed.

 

If this were true, or much more to the point if it can be shown to be true, its a matter for the local Trading Standards (who will if necessary involve the police). Your job is simply to pass the information to them, and possibly chivvy them along a little now and then to get a satisfactory outcome. What your dad doesn't need is a bankrupt daughter alongside everything else, and losing a libel case could do that and more.

 

4. Technicians that don't find faults with cars which the company know are profitable will not last more than a few weeks - staff turn over is brisk

 

You're suggesting that the management team are actively involved in this '[problem]' and encourage staff to offer unnecessary repairs? Again, not "I know", but "I can prove"?

 

5 Sales cars are fitted with second hand parts that are taken from customers cars (that didn't need changing) to save the technician money.The less they spend on getting a sold car ready the more they earn,the trouble is existing customers are paying for newer customers cars to be fixed.

 

I'm lost here - do you mean that they'll remove parts from customers cars in for repair, and then fit those parts onto stock that they're selling? So what do they tell the customer with a bit missing off his car? "It must have fallen off?!"

 

6. The company source aftermarket parts and fit them at main dealer prices.

 

Its a bit ambiguous here. Do you mean to say the company purchase and fit 'pattern' parts? Well there's nothing wrong there, unless they're passing them off as genuine OEM parts. If that's the case, it should be very straightforward to settle - just ask them to show you the invoice from Ford or whoever for the bit they purchased for your car. If they can't show it, tell them you're refusing to pay until they can.

 

7. Customers cars are sometimes targeted by thieves whilst parked outside for parts. It is normal for customers to be told those parts will need to be replaced at their own expense.

 

They have a duty of care over your car while its with them, and if a theft occurs while they have it then they'll need to claim from their own insurance. If they're not willing to do that, issue a small claims summons!

 

8. The company has expanded too fast and has cash flow problems.

 

Nothing to do with you I'm afraid

 

9. Any staff that question these practices are swiftly removed. I am in discussion with several people about where I go with this but at this stage would like to make people aware of this company. Sarah. I will be starting a blog shortly to support victims of xxx,please pm for more details.

 

Really? And nobody has 'blown the whistle' before? DON'T make people aware - that's TS's problem. They have deep pockets if they get it wrong - you don't. And don't even dream of starting a blog, unless you're going to host it somewhere in Latvia under an assumed name and a disposable email address, and you don't post anything at all that can identify you individually!

[Conniff]

Are you going to come back Sarah and comment on the above posts ??

[theminor]

Are you going to come back Sarah and comment on the above posts ??

Seemingly not then, no

[heliosuk]

This post might be better moved to the transport/vehicle retailers forums wher there is more expertise in the automotive field.

 

Having said that, there are ambiguities in the OP's post that are strictly not allowed by law and are governed by franchise arrangements. So the reality is that the statements made by the OP are based on hearsay.

 

I personally know of Toomeys and the issues described are perhaps not far from the truth but the descriptions given are a bit extreme.

 

It would be fair to compare, I would alledge, that Toomeys are another Arnold Clarke in waiting. Modus operandi is similar.

 

It is a dealer group who I would further alledge rely on sales profits and Bu**er the aftersales back up for customers. Certainly with my dealings with their aftersales department they were for want of a better word "incrdedibly incompentent" not just in technical skills but in basic weeding, wrighting and arifmetic.

 

You would have thought that given their location to Ford of Europes Technical centre ( walking distance) the franchise managers would have been a bit more clued up!!!

 

But no...........that's Toomeys for you.

Edited March 10, 2011 by heliosuk
SP B- said the teacher

[Hammy1962]

But given that the marques sold by the Toomey Group are distant , very, relations, if at all, to Ford, I don't expect they would get past security.

 

Hammy

[heliosuk]

LOL.

 

Meant to imply that given their location to Ford Dunton then it's a pretty certain bet that the "customer" knows someone who can tell them what should happen.