Autowerkstatt: Was Profi-Schrauber alles übersehen | Dürfen Die Das? | NDR

NDR Ratgeber

23 Jan 202414:42

Summary

TLDRThis investigation dives into the world of car repair workshops, testing their competence and honesty through a series of undercover visits. The journey begins with a 1998 BMW 5 Series, outwardly modest but mechanically sound, to various workshops including ATU and Pitstop, assessing the quality and necessity of their services. Additionally, the story of a van owner plagued by unsuccessful and costly repairs highlights the challenges faced by consumers in navigating the complexity of car maintenance. Expert opinions and advice from ADAC and Autobild provide insights into the rights of car owners and the reliability of workshop diagnoses, underscoring the importance of vigilance and second opinions in automotive care.

Takeaways

🚗 Cars are filled with complex technology that can be challenging for the average person to understand.
🔧 Expectations for car workshops to have a thorough understanding and ability to diagnose and fix issues accurately.
🚫 Concerns about repairs for issues that may not actually exist, raising ethical and legal questions.
🚕 A case study of a BMW from 1998 used to test various workshops, highlighting issues with service and diagnostics.
🛠 An individual's experience with spending thousands on unsuccessful repairs, showcasing the difficulty of diagnosing some car problems.
📲 Consultation with experts and insiders reveals challenges in the car repair industry, including unnecessary repairs and trust issues.
🚩 Workshops offering comprehensive checks at seemingly low prices, which might not always be financially viable for the workshops.
💸 The financial and emotional toll on car owners who face continuous repair issues without resolution.
📝 The importance of second opinions and the option to resort to arbitration boards for disputes between customers and workshops.
🛡️ Varied results from different workshops for the same vehicle, illustrating the inconsistency in service and diagnostics across the industry.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the video script?
-The main purpose of the script was to investigate the quality and reliability of car repair services by testing different workshops, highlighting the challenges car owners face with car repairs, and exploring how different workshops diagnose and quote repairs.
What specific service did the narrator test at the ATU branch in Hamburg?
-The narrator tested the 'Mobilitäts-Check Plus' at the ATU branch in Hamburg, which is supposed to include a comprehensive check of various car components for a price of 29.99 Euros.
What issues did Holger Seifferth face with his Opel Vivaro?
-Holger Seifferth's Opel Vivaro had a persistent 'exhaust gas purification error', leading to multiple unsuccessful and costly repairs including the replacement of the control unit, water pump, thermostat, and two NOx sensors, with a proposal to replace the catalytic converter and diesel sensor next, all without guarantee of fixing the problem.
What advice did the ADAC representative offer to car owners facing repair issues?
-The ADAC representative advised car owners to consider approaching a conciliation board (Kfz-Schiedsstellen) to resolve disputes between customers and workshops, especially when there's dissatisfaction or mistrust regarding the workshop's services.
What discrepancies did the narrator find during the workshop test with the BMW?
-The narrator found discrepancies in the diagnosis and services provided by different workshops (ATU, pitstop, BMW dealership, and ADAC testing center), with each providing varying levels of detail and identifying different issues with the car.
How did the pitstop workshop's findings differ from ATU's?
-The pitstop workshop found more issues than ATU, including problems with the windshield washer system, battery, and other components, whereas ATU mainly noted that the battery needed replacement and that the differential was rusty.
What was the narrator's observation about the services advertised by workshops compared to what was actually provided?
-The narrator observed that workshops often advertise comprehensive checks but may not fully deliver on these promises, leading to potential safety risks if customers rely solely on these checks to ensure their vehicle's roadworthiness.
How did the ADAC testing center's assessment of the BMW differ from other workshops?
-The ADAC testing center provided a detailed assessment with a 'colorful test protocol' indicating several yellow warnings and red serious defects, highlighting more issues and safety concerns compared to the more limited findings of other workshops.
What is the role of Kfz-Schiedsstellen mentioned in the script?
-Kfz-Schiedsstellen are conciliation boards that help resolve disputes between customers and car repair workshops. Decisions are binding for the workshops, the service is free for customers, and it still allows the option for legal recourse.
What conclusion does the narrator reach at the end of the workshop tests?
-The narrator concludes that different workshops can have significantly varying opinions on a car's condition, and while no workshop attempted to upsell unnecessary repairs, many failed to identify all existing issues, highlighting the importance of thoroughness and transparency in car servicing.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Auto Repair Shop Investigation

The segment explores the complexity of technology in cars and the expectation for car repair shops to navigate these complexities with expertise and honesty. The narrator embarks on a mission to test various workshops by using a 1998 BMW 5 Series with noticeable issues and a due oil service. The journey begins at an ATU branch in Hamburg for a Mobility Check Plus, priced at €29.99, which promises a comprehensive review of the car’s condition. Concurrently, the story of a car owner, Holger Seifferth, is introduced. Holger has invested thousands of euros into unsuccessful repairs for his 2018 Opel Vivaro, which has been plagued by persistent issues, leading to a frustrating and costly ordeal without resolution. The segment highlights the challenges and financial burdens faced by car owners when dealing with car malfunctions and repair shops, setting the stage for an in-depth investigation into the quality and integrity of auto repair services.

05:02

🛠️ Workshop Testing and Expert Advice

This part of the script delves into the intricacies of diagnosing and repairing modern cars, particularly when it comes to electronic faults that can lead to costly and often unnecessary repairs. It discusses a visit to an ATU branch where the car undergoes a detailed inspection, and despite some minor issues found, there's no upselling of unnecessary services. The narrative then shifts to conversations with industry experts and a test of another repair shop, pitstop, which finds additional issues but also does not pressure for unnecessary repairs. The focus is on the importance of second opinions and the difficulty in diagnosing car problems, highlighting the option of arbitration through car arbitration boards for disputes between customers and workshops. The segment emphasizes the challenge of ensuring fair and necessary repairs in the complex landscape of car maintenance.

10:04

🔧 Comparative Workshop Analysis

The final part of the script presents a comparison of different workshop diagnoses for the BMW, including a visit to a BMW dealership and an ADAC test center. The ADAC provides a detailed inspection report showing several critical issues, contrasting with the more optimistic assessments from the workshops visited earlier. This section raises concerns about the reliability of workshop diagnoses and the potential for missed or unnecessary repairs. It also touches on the issue of trust and the responsibility of repair shops to perform only necessary work. The script concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their own experiences with car repairs, fostering community engagement and discussion on the topic.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Car repair shops

Car repair shops are specialized facilities where vehicles are serviced and repaired. The video script explores the reliability and integrity of such workshops through a series of tests at different locations, including ATU and pitstop branches. The focus is on how well these shops identify and address various issues with cars, such as a BMW and an Opel Vivaro, highlighting the challenge consumers face in determining the quality of service and the necessity of repairs suggested by mechanics.

💡Mobility-Check Plus

The Mobility-Check Plus is a comprehensive vehicle inspection service offered by ATU, as mentioned in the script. Priced at 29.99 Euro, it includes diagnostics like reading the error memory, testing the battery and alternator, checking fluids, and assessing the car's safety features. The script uses this service as an example to examine the thoroughness and value of diagnostic checks provided by repair shops, questioning whether such services are financially viable for the workshops and beneficial for the car owner.

💡Opel Vivaro

The Opel Vivaro is a model of van that one of the individuals in the script, Holger Seifferth, owns. His experiences with the vehicle, including repeated failures and expensive, unsuccessful repairs, serve as a case study on the difficulties car owners face when dealing with complex mechanical and electronic issues. The script details his journey through various repairs for an exhaust detoxification error, highlighting the challenges in diagnosing and fixing modern vehicles.

💡Fehlersuche

Fehlersuche translates to 'troubleshooting' or 'fault finding' in English and refers to the process of diagnosing problems with a vehicle. The script discusses how challenging and costly this can be, especially when workshops undertake extensive troubleshooting without resolving the issue, leading to significant financial burdens on the car owner without guaranteeing a functional vehicle.

💡Reparaturkosten

Reparaturkosten means 'repair costs' in English. In the video script, the term is used to discuss the expenses incurred by car owners for repairs, sometimes reaching thousands of Euros without solving the underlying problem. The script highlights the financial impact of such costs, especially when they seem disproportionate to the vehicle's value or when repairs are unsuccessful.

💡Garantieleistungen

Garantieleistungen refers to 'warranty services' in English. The script mentions how a car's warranty, such as the Opel Flex Care warranty, plays a role in covering repair costs. However, limitations and exclusions can leave owners like Holger facing large bills for issues that occur just outside the warranty period, raising questions about the effectiveness and fairness of such guarantees.

💡Kfz-Schiedsstellen

Kfz-Schiedsstellen translates to 'automotive arbitration boards' in English. These entities are mentioned as a resource for resolving disputes between customers and car repair shops. The video script suggests them as an option for individuals who feel they have been unfairly treated or charged by workshops, offering a way to seek justice without immediate recourse to legal action.

💡Prüfprotokoll

Prüfprotokoll means 'inspection report' in English. In the video script, it refers to the detailed report provided by car inspection services, such as the ADAC (German Automobile Club) or a BMW dealership, after evaluating a vehicle. These reports are crucial for understanding the condition of a car, highlighting any safety concerns or maintenance needs that may not have been identified or addressed by previous workshops.

💡TÜV

TÜV stands for 'Technischer Überwachungsverein', a German organization that conducts safety inspections on vehicles. The script mentions TÜV in the context of the ultimate authority on a vehicle's roadworthiness in Germany. The discrepancies between the findings of different repair shops and the TÜV highlight the variability in service quality and the importance of rigorous, independent inspections for vehicle safety.

💡Vertrauensmissbrauch

Vertrauensmissbrauch translates to 'breach of trust' or 'abuse of trust' in English. The script addresses concerns about repair shops possibly exploiting customers' trust, either by recommending unnecessary repairs or failing to perform agreed-upon services. This concept is central to the video's exploration of the automotive repair industry, underscoring the need for transparency and honesty in customer-service provider relationships.

Highlights

Investigating car workshops for quality and honesty in repairs.

A car owner has spent thousands on unsuccessful repairs.

Consulting experts and insiders on car repair practices.

Testing different workshops with a 1998 BMW to assess service quality.

ATU offers a comprehensive mobility check for a low fee, raising questions about its profitability for the workshop.

A car owner's struggle with his Opel Vivaro's persistent issues despite spending a large amount on repairs.

Exploring the effectiveness of a workshop's diagnostics and repairs through a personal case study.

The importance of second opinions and the role of vehicle arbitration panels in resolving disputes.

Experiences with ATU and pitstop reveal discrepancies in service checks and diagnostics.

The ADAC's thorough inspection uncovers significant safety concerns missed by other workshops.

Workshops' varying standards and the challenge of ensuring reliable car repairs.

The necessity for workshops to fulfill advertised services and avoid unnecessary repairs.

The value of arbitration panels in addressing grievances between car owners and workshops.

BMW dealership inspection shows differing opinions on car issues compared to other workshops and ADAC.

Highlighting the importance of comprehensive and honest car service to ensure road safety and customer trust.