Auto Doc - A word of warning

[DHallworth]

Good afternoon, all!

If anybody is considering ordering parts from AutoDoc, I'd strongly advise against it as when you have problems, their customer service is non existent and they will never refund the entire cost of your order!

On 12th May I ordered 2 new height sensors for my Range Rover. Upon fitting them to the car and following the correct tightening procedure as per the workshop manual, both sensors broke.

It turns out that the body of the height sensor stood proud of the mounting points which meant that they snapped when tightened. You can quite clearly see this when using a straight edge across the sensor in the images below:

After discussing this with the supplier they asked me to return the items to them using a prepaid shipping label. I packed the items and took them to the post office and 8 weeks later received an email stating that my claim had been accepted and that they'd be refunding my money.

5 days later I got a message from PayPal advising that I'd received a partial refund from Autodoc. When looking, the refund was £8.43 short of the amount that I'd paid. I questioned this and have been told that because Autodoc had to pay a courier to deliver the faulty items they sent me they won't be refunding the entire amount.

So... in a nutshell, THEY send me parts that are quite clearly flawed, I then go out of my way to provide the packaging and make a trip to the Post Office to return the parts but they withhold the cost of postage from the refund.

It has taken me months to get to the point of actually getting a refund and now they are refusing to refund the cost of postage. Admittedly, it's less then £10, but it's the principle that stinks. Especially as it took them over 2 WEEKS to deliver the items to me in the first place!

I'd love to say this was the first issue I'd had with Autodoc but I've received broken parts from them in the past as well.

Buyers, be warned!

David.

[mickthemaverick]

Thanks for the heads up on that David, I for one will not be buying from them.

[CitroJim]

That's a bit mean and cheeky of them David I've recently bought and taken delivery of some AX brake drums and wheel bearings from them...

They look OK but until I try to fit them I'll not know...

One thing I was not happy about was how they delivered my parcel to a neighbour but never told me about it. I only knew when my neighbour staggered up to me clutching a heavy box!

That may be the courtier rather than Autodoc though...

I'll be very circumspect about using them in future.

[ksanturion10]

In one of my purchases they've send me wrong rear corner spheres, actually more expensive, than the ones I've ordered, but I think they refunded them fully - I always go for the free delivery, so they didn't have to refund such. The bad thing was, that when the time has come to order again, with the refunded amount, the prices of the initial spheres were doubled, so being a cheap arse, as many on this forum , I had to order for the same amount, but with lower quality - and this sucks really .
Still its quite a gesture, that they took them back, as anything can happen on the way back, and you can't prove, that the eventual damage is not done by you. In the case of a part, that has been damaged during the assembly, and nevertheless it is a wrong one, here you won't get a refund even in a non-online seller (car parts shop) - so I would be glad in that particular situation, hence the delivery expenses.
Don't have an affiliation with them, despite you can think the opposite from my posts .
Have done several orders, and generally the price-to-quality ratio is quite good in my view.

BR
Martin

[Gibbo2286]

Most sellers say in their sales info that return postage has to be paid by the buyer, it's against the distance selling regulations even for 'change of mind' returns for the first fourteen days but it's disregarded and brushed aside if you challenge it.

Most people can't be bothered to make a big fuss for such a small amount of money so they get away with it.

[ksanturion10]

I'm rereading your post, and actually they've sent me free return protocol, because the mistake was theirs. But I made sure, that the spheres were in the exact condition I've received them.

[DHallworth]

Well, after sending AUTODOC the link to 6 forums and screenshots to several posts on Facebook, they have agreed to refund the cost of postage on the faulty items that they sent me.

It’s not the value of it that bothers me, it’s less then a tenner, it’s the principle. If I’d ordered the wrong parts then it would be my fault, they’ve sent me faulty parts which have been accepted back as a warranty claim.

Anyway, end of, I won’t be using them again.

[mickthemaverick]

It's a shame that you had to go to those lengths to get your fully justified refund, but maybe it will make them more aware that their potential customer base is not daft and so it may make them pull their socks up!! Still All's well...........etc.

[ksanturion10]

If I’d ordered the wrong parts then it would be my fault, they’ve sent me faulty parts which have been accepted back as a warranty claim.

Good that they took back the broken parts and refunded them fully
Yesterday received doubled prices of some items I wanted to buy from a local shop, well guess I will have to go again for the free delivery

[CitroJim]

I'll report more fully on them soon as I've just ordered a whole stash of parts for Daffodil

They are very keenly priced...

[ksanturion10]

Yes, but it will be better if you receive your parcel at your door, this time

[CitroJim]

Yes, but it will be better if you receive your parcel at your door, this time

Yes! Very true Fingers crossed

[CitroJim]

I've now used them twice and in general I'm very satisfied with them...

Having said that, I've not had to return anything as yet...