Mervyn Stewart Service
1 - 20 of 79 Posts
Joined
·
1,569 Posts
IMHO they have improved over the past 5 years, in fact the past few times they've had my car car it's been returned cleaned inside & out and undamaged, the standard of courtesy cars has been improving too, started with Punto's then 147's while the past few times I've had 159's.
this is all superficial though, I would be (hard to pick the right word) wary about the quality of workmanship in the workshop, I can't think of any big examples, but over the years little things that have happened have formed this opinion, (the way they drive customers cars around the very small service centre hasn't helped)
it boils down to this, if there was an alternative locally, I would try them out.
PS, not wanting to ruin my 1 post / day average (how did it get that high)
I've always thought they are really missing out by not having the service reception at the showroom. I know I would rather nose around the new cars and maybe chat to a salesman than listen to people booking their cars in while waiting for a lift back to work, (that's another thing they've always been good at), I'm sure the salesmen would also like to see the constant stream of Alfisti coming through the showroom doors to pounce on. It would surely be worth it to have a few parking spaces and someone to drive the cars around to the service centre?
this is all superficial though, I would be (hard to pick the right word) wary about the quality of workmanship in the workshop, I can't think of any big examples, but over the years little things that have happened have formed this opinion, (the way they drive customers cars around the very small service centre hasn't helped)
it boils down to this, if there was an alternative locally, I would try them out.
PS, not wanting to ruin my 1 post / day average (how did it get that high)
I've always thought they are really missing out by not having the service reception at the showroom. I know I would rather nose around the new cars and maybe chat to a salesman than listen to people booking their cars in while waiting for a lift back to work, (that's another thing they've always been good at), I'm sure the salesmen would also like to see the constant stream of Alfisti coming through the showroom doors to pounce on. It would surely be worth it to have a few parking spaces and someone to drive the cars around to the service centre?
Joined
·
1,569 Posts
a couple of pointsThat's a good point Marksie.I usually walk over to the showroom while waiting for my car.
First - Do you bring a tent?, just in case :lol:, (we really aren't helping to persuade Ovation here are we)
Second - WALK
, ask them for a lift over next time, they have always been pretty good at lifts, although I haven't been over many times since Jimmy retired (top man :thumbs, He was back from retirement for a week or so last time. I wonder how many people on here know him.Third - The only times I've been in the showroom is when I'm leaving my wife's car to SMW next door, which is very rare, and not really a good business plan for MS to rely on.
Fourth - for Ovation, it's still worth it
Joined
·
2,994 Posts
My gripe is that they will only do the bare minimum and there is no flexibility at all. It would seem that they try and cram as much work into a day as possible with no allowances for a job over running. The wifes car was booked in to have a coolant leak diagnosed and we told them the car was to be ready at lunch time.
I left work, picked the wife up and went over at lunch time only to find the car exactly where it had been left that morning. I complained and was met with complete indifference.
The excuse was that another job had over run and the technician hadn't told them. What??? The fact the car is sitting outside the window and hasn't moved wouldn't have been a clue as to the fact it wasn't going to be ready when the customer required it?
When the problem was diagnosed as a seal at the oil cooler, the car was booked in again. When the wife left it in I told her to mention the rattle from the front (suspected drop links - an issue on the Bravo) and the fact the rear washer wasn't working. They refused to even look at these saying they had too much work on and couldn't possibly even look at these issues. The car would need booked in again, they said.
I got my first opportunity to look at the washer issue this morning and quickly found a pipe had come adrift under the bonnet. It was a bit tricky to fish out one end and reconnect but 10 minutes and all was well again. It wouldn't have taken them long to confirm the diagnosis of drop links causing the rattle at the front as the car would have been up on the ramp anyway.
I want to go back to Alfa again but the fact that we are tied to Mervyn Stewart would definitely put me off after this experience. I shall be looking elsewhere to get the suspension issue sorted out now.
I left work, picked the wife up and went over at lunch time only to find the car exactly where it had been left that morning. I complained and was met with complete indifference.
The excuse was that another job had over run and the technician hadn't told them. What??? The fact the car is sitting outside the window and hasn't moved wouldn't have been a clue as to the fact it wasn't going to be ready when the customer required it?
When the problem was diagnosed as a seal at the oil cooler, the car was booked in again. When the wife left it in I told her to mention the rattle from the front (suspected drop links - an issue on the Bravo) and the fact the rear washer wasn't working. They refused to even look at these saying they had too much work on and couldn't possibly even look at these issues. The car would need booked in again, they said.
I got my first opportunity to look at the washer issue this morning and quickly found a pipe had come adrift under the bonnet. It was a bit tricky to fish out one end and reconnect but 10 minutes and all was well again. It wouldn't have taken them long to confirm the diagnosis of drop links causing the rattle at the front as the car would have been up on the ramp anyway.
I want to go back to Alfa again but the fact that we are tied to Mervyn Stewart would definitely put me off after this experience. I shall be looking elsewhere to get the suspension issue sorted out now.
Joined
·
3,263 Posts
I find their parts department is fairly crap, they are useless at working out what I need. I supplied them with eper part numbers but they still wanted a chassis number (which is understandable in fairness to them) but then refused to give me the parts without fitting them. I now refuse to contact them and buy all of my parts from the dealers on AO which is a pity because I like to support "local" businesses.
Joined
·
234 Posts
You all come over as a pretty good bunch of people, yet you are scaring the hell out of me Not too hard to understand why there is such a crap choice of 159's on usedcarNI.
Can anyone point me in the direction of a good Alfa mechanic in the north-west IF I do decide to continue in my crazy quest
Not too hard to understand why there is such a crap choice of 159's on usedcarNI. Can anyone point me in the direction of a good Alfa mechanic in the north-west IF I do decide to continue in my crazy quest
Joined
·
3,263 Posts
You all come over as a pretty good bunch of people, yet you are scaring the hell out of me
Can anyone point me in the direction of a good Alfa mechanic in the north-west IF I do decide to continue in my crazy quest
Which part of the county are you from? I'm from "the" city and I can reccomend a meachnic who did my timing belt, very, very good reputation and easy to pay.
Joined
·
599 Posts
Interesting reading. I had a positive experience with MS a few years ago when i needed a new wiring loom in my 166. It had been burning out ECU's for 12 months + and MS were pretty good and got to the bottom of the problem.
I called in a few times and was pushing for a lease deal on a 159. They half heartedly called me back to try to sell me one, but never followed up on lease query.
Same experience with parts dept. They ordered the wrong seat heater switch all because they couldn't be arsed to walk 10 yards to look at the broken one
Bought my car from roadsides and wasn't competely surprised when they lost Alfa.
Eurofix is the place to go. John and Gerard will keep you on the road.
I called in a few times and was pushing for a lease deal on a 159. They half heartedly called me back to try to sell me one, but never followed up on lease query.
Same experience with parts dept. They ordered the wrong seat heater switch all because they couldn't be arsed to walk 10 yards to look at the broken one
Bought my car from roadsides and wasn't competely surprised when they lost Alfa.
Eurofix is the place to go. John and Gerard will keep you on the road.
Joined
·
2,994 Posts
I dealt with Roadside for years and they generally were pretty good. I doubt any franchised dealer is perfect but at least if I raised an issue with Roadside they'd check it out and tell me what was needed.Interesting reading. I had a positive experience with MS a few years ago when i needed a new wiring loom in my 166. It had been burning out ECU's for 12 months + and MS were pretty good and got to the bottom of the problem.
I called in a few times and was pushing for a lease deal on a 159. They half heartedly called me back to try to sell me one, but never followed up on lease query.
Same experience with parts dept. They ordered the wrong seat heater switch all because they couldn't be arsed to walk 10 yards to look at the broken one
Bought my car from roadsides and wasn't competely surprised when they lost Alfa.
Eurofix is the place to go. John and Gerard will keep you on the road.
There have been mixed reviews of Eurofix on here too, although I don't have any personal experience with them.
Joined
·
23 Posts
Went onto the forum a minute ago there to vent some steam about MS and couldn't believe I found this post about Mervyn Stewart. I went in today to get some parts for my wifes GT and am still ragin about the attitude displayed by the boy on the counter. Wanted chassis no for the car which is fair enough, but I was in there a few weeks ago and went through the whole palaver to get the chassis noumber for the care and get everything logged on their computer. So, went in again today, ask for the parts, exhange registration number only to be told I didn't buy the car there...I said, yes I know and went through an exchange for a few minutes only to be told repeatedly that they couldn't find the car on the computer and couldn't do anything.
In fact the first time I was there I told him I bought the car in another Alfa dealer in NI and he told me I couldn't have as they are the only Alfa dealer in the Province, he knew damn well that Roadside in Coleraine has only lost their dealership last year, but made me go through the whole thing to then smugly tell me- oh, but they are not an Alfa dealer anymore.
So I said fair enough stuff it, and went to leave to go to Eurofix when magically the car 'appeared' on the computer again. That's a GT sir isn't it? I said how do you know if its not on the computer? The as if by magic, my name, address and postcode appeared, but still no chassis number! Despite me writing it down and handing it straight to the guy to put into the computer a few weeks ago. Siad he didn't enter it
Needless to say, I will not be back unless there are no other options available and I am completely stuck.
Based on this exchange and the stinkin attitude the first time I was there a few weeks ago, I would definietly not recommend them. They have been the only downside to three years of alfa ownership - Roadside were brilliant compared to facing that pedantic ****.
In fact the first time I was there I told him I bought the car in another Alfa dealer in NI and he told me I couldn't have as they are the only Alfa dealer in the Province, he knew damn well that Roadside in Coleraine has only lost their dealership last year, but made me go through the whole thing to then smugly tell me- oh, but they are not an Alfa dealer anymore
.So I said fair enough stuff it, and went to leave to go to Eurofix when magically the car 'appeared' on the computer again. That's a GT sir isn't it? I said how do you know if its not on the computer?
The as if by magic, my name, address and postcode appeared, but still no chassis number! Despite me writing it down and handing it straight to the guy to put into the computer a few weeks ago. Siad he didn't enter itNeedless to say, I will not be back unless there are no other options available and I am completely stuck.
Based on this exchange and the stinkin attitude the first time I was there a few weeks ago, I would definietly not recommend them. They have been the only downside to three years of alfa ownership - Roadside were brilliant compared to facing that pedantic ****.
Joined
·
7,798 Posts
I would call the manager of MS in the morning and tell him exzactly what happened and lead him by the nose to this thread! That usually achieves results! In fact if it had been me i would have told him to go and get his manager ie the Dealership manager and i would have given the manager a bollocking about the attitude of his staff.
Joined
·
2,994 Posts
Funnily enough, I asked for the service manager after the disinterest shown by the reception staff only to be told:"I'm sorry, he's on leave"I would call the manager of MS in the morning and tell him exzactly what happened and lead him by the nose to this thread! That usually achieves results! In fact if it had been me i would have told him to go and get his manager ie the Dealership manager and i would have given the manager a bollocking about the attitude of his staff.
Joined
·
7,798 Posts
Shocking!Funnily enough, I asked for the service manager after the disinterest shown by the reception staff only to be told:"I'm sorry, he's on leave"
And they are the only Alfa Dealership in N.Ireland
1 - 20 of 79 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!