Service Standard Practice

mjh2014
mjh2014 Forum Participant Posts: 130
edited May 2016 in Caravans #1

We have just had our caravan serviced by our usual approved workshop. We picked it up from storage and towed it 100 miles for a weekend getaway. We set up the van as usual but found that everything had been left on. The gas had been connected all the way,
the immersion heater had been on, the fridge was on and trying to use the gas. The lights were on inside cupboards and all the taps had been left open (we use the shower as a wardrobe which was rather unfortunate when we connected the water!).  When we asked
about this, the workshop manager said it was 'standard practice' to leave everything on and open. This is our third service and we don't remember this happening before? Is it really standard practice?

We've learned a lesson, anyway, and will certainly check everything is off and disconnected before setting off after the next service.

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2016 #2

    I'd go somewhere else next time, mjh. That's sounds pretty much like rubbish to me.

  • papgeno
    papgeno Forum Participant Posts: 2,158
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #3

    After the last service I checked our caravan to find the door to the toilet cassette compartment unlocked and all the taps closed and water left in the heater boiler and this was in January!

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2016 #4

    Ours seems to turn everything off. Even switches I did not know we had or had forgotten about. After the last service I thought the 12 volt lighting had failed, because I forgot about the lighting master switch, which I never turn off. Also the TV booster
    which has a switch where you cannot see it. Our last van did not have a switch on the booster so that had me puzzled for a while. I agree with TW I would go somewhere else.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585 ✭
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    edited May 2016 #5

    In over thirty years and having used several firms for service we have never got the caravan back with anything switched on. They do have to test everything but they should all be turned off with the possible exception of the water drain valve. I would look
    elsewhere.

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
    500 Comments
    edited May 2016 #6

    the only thing they should have left open was the taps if they had drained the water heater, if they had you may have burnt the ellement out unless you have the Aldi heating. Must admitt l always check the van out before l leave the service my dealer has
    a person who goes through everything they have done on a check list, normally pick the things you had wrong their. Incidentley after a service its your responseability to check the wheel nuts after 50 miles with a torque wrench

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2016 #7

    well, at least it looks like they actually used every switch and tap etc....

    if the van came back in exactly the same state as when you dropped it of, how would you know any of the light switches, taps, boiler etc had actually been touched?

    oh yes, youd have a piece of paper and a large bill.....Sad

  • mjh2014
    mjh2014 Forum Participant Posts: 130
    edited May 2016 #8

    Thanks everyone for your replies. We did indeed get an itemised sheet and a large bill! It was the gas being left connected and on which really concerned us, especially as they towed the van from the workshop back to storage for us in that state. 

    They also managed to break the vent fly screen in the shower, which is not as bad as it sounds, as it's an old van and one or two things are rather brittle, but it's that they didn't say anything thats annoying. The water pump inlet spigot was also snapped.

    Trouble is, we're over a bit of a barrel as the workshop and storage are one, and it's the only storage nearby. Our poor van went in immaculate and now has several dings and a long scrape from another a-frame. Hey ho.

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