Shoddy Workmanship and Wrong Vehicle Assessments

Do not take your vehicle to Bosch Service Centre Carnival Mall, Brakpan as they are ******.

In November 2024, I took my vehicle to Bosch Car Service Carnival Auto for a CV joint replacement. Both the inner and outer CV joints were replaced, as reflected in Invoice IN-000794, for which I paid R7,500.

In December 2024, I returned the vehicle due to unusual noises and extreme vibrations occurring at speeds over 80 km/h on the highway. Given that I drive over 100 km daily, I require a reliable vehicle. Despite these issues, I was charged R1,000 for a full vehicle assessment, as Bosch claimed that the symptoms I described could not have resulted from the CV joint replacement.

When I collected my vehicle, the noise and vibrations had disappeared, but Bosch did not disclose what they had done to rectify the issue. However, the assessment report suddenly indicated that my vehicle had exhaust and steering rack issues, which were not mentioned before.

Subsequent Findings and Additional Costs In February 2025, I sought a second opinion from Casseys Auto in Springs, a Ford-accredited repair center. Their assessment revealed that:

There was no issue with my exhaust as previously claimed by Bosch. The CV joints and driveshaft required rework due to missing clamps, and some parts had been secured with cable ties, indicating poor workmanship. As a result, I had to redo the CV joints and driveshaft at Casseys Auto, incurring significant additional costs. In total, I spent R8,500 at Bosch for repairs that were not properly completed and had to pay thousands more at Casseys Auto to rectify their work.

On Monday morning, I contacted Bosch to discuss my concerns. The receptionist informed me that:

The manager was unavailable, but she would request a callback. My vehicle would need to remain at their workshop while they removed the CV joints and sent them to the manufacturer for inspection. If the failure was due to me supplying my own CV joints, there would be no cover. I clarified that Bosch had supp**** and fitted their own CV joints. She questioned why I had not brought the vehicle back for a full assessment, despite the fact that I had done so in December.