MOT’d Mary’s bike today down at London Scooters (on Crucifix lane, South side river, between London and Tower Bridge), since it was just a 5 minute walk from my office. I had spent yesterday giving it a full check ready; testing lights, indicators, brake lights, horn, killswitch, side stand cut out, brakes, tyres etc, all the usual stuff, all good and nowt obviously bad. Picked it up this afternoon and they tell me it needed a new headlight bulb - £5.99 + £12.50 for 15min labour + VAT. Hmmm.
Checking receipt again now, I now notice they apparently fitted a H7 Halogen bulb. A CBF500 takes a H4 bulb… Quite how you fit H7 bulb on a CBF 500 is beyond me. It has a dual filament H4 bulb to cover dipped and main beams (unlike a single filament H7 bulb).
So, I got pondering and went back over the helmet cam footage from when I took the bike round to the garage (I always ride with a camera). Low and behold, it’s pretty clear the headlight was working a treat as I rode it into the garage…
So, either my bike blew the headlight bulb at some point in the minutes between me parking the bike up in their garage and them testing it. Or they’re pulling a fast one here. Nevertheless, I’ll be back in there tomorrow for a chat.
Anyway, just popped back round now. Chap there just wanted to argue the toss. ‘we wouldn’t change a bulb unless it needed it’, ‘just saved you time coming back, seeing it blown, then retested it’, ‘been here 14 years, we’re busy place, not in business of ripping customers off’, yadayada.
So there you have it, that’s the exemplary customer service you can expect from this place. Avoid London Scooters like the plague.
Bleeding heck, that Ruben chap just called me up to argue some more! Still convinced I’m in the wrong and that he’s got CCTV footage from his garage to show I only had sidelights working… He was less than pleased I put up a poor review online and felt the need to argue with me more to resolve it. This man excels at customer service.
Back in the day when I worked at a Honda Dealership part of our MOT terms and conditions included if we had an MOT failure due to a blown bulb we’d always replace it at cost plus labour to achieve a pass. However, we’d also always present the customer with the failed bulb too.
TBH I’m less fussed about their policy to just fix something minor to achieve a pass, that I can understand. Rather, I’m unconvinced there was truly anything to fix in this instance, especially after seeing my helmet cam footage.
The H7 bulb invoice - they just dismissed it as a standard invoice listing…
Not checked if a newish looking bulb has indeed been fitted, will do tonight.
Hard to say how bright side light is on own, the CBF dipped light is on permanently (except when you press the starter button). Earlier footage from camera also shows a pretty solid white light reflection of the light against the back of a van I was following on the way to the garage. I’ll see if I can dig out some more shots.
As for presenting the old bulb, yeah that would perhaps have helped convince me, but I don’t think I could identify if it was really a bulb that originated from my bike or not…
The thing with bulbs is they can fail at any moment, you’ve probably already heard this from the garage. If the bike is of a certain age and to the best of your knowledge its on the original bulb hey ho.
I’d check the bulb to see if its got a newish look about it, if it has call it a draw. However if it appears to be a little weathered…
Just seen the price too, Euro Car Parts knock out branded H4’s and H7’s for 99p + VAT
I’ve a CBF500 too, that head light was working fine when you dropped it off. Has the same light pattern as mine. Side light is way softer, even with an upgraded LED bulb.
Most annoying that, I’d definitely be rather pissed at such poor service and will avoid that place, even though it is not far from my place of work.
OK, just checked inside headlight and it does indeed appear to be a new bulb. So take it as you will…
The fact alone he was super rude and argued to the toss, and then phoned me up later specially to argue some more, has just put me off this place even more.
I would certainly share the footage and the scenario to the local trading standards officer. You may find out that there have been similar complaints about London Scooters.
OK, just checked inside headlight and it does indeed appear to be a new bulb. So take it as you will...
The fact alone he was super rude and argued to the toss, and then phoned me up later specially to argue some more, has just put me off this place even more.
Arfa
I think that the dodgy light bulb replacement is now only part of the "crime" done. Servicing bikes is super commoditised and anyone can do it, main differentiator has to be customer service. I took the liberty and posted a negative review on Google, anything that helps getting LB voice heard
