I took my Kia Picanto in for it's 60 000 km service, on Tuesday 1 March 2011. Chantelle phoned me to say that the clutch needed repairs and it would cost aproximately R6000.00. I then informed her that I have a maintenance plan. Surely they need to check these details before phoning a client informing them of what is wrong on their vehicle. Then I was told that they would have to take photo's and submit to see if the maintenance plan would cover the cost. This meant that the car has to stay overnight. No problem. The following morning - Wednesday 2 March at 7:52am I got a call from Chantelle, same girl I dealt with booking my car in for the service, informing me the clutch needs to be repaired, that she would just like to follow up and hear if I am happy with my car after the service that was done on Tuesday. ???? I'm confused, they still have my car ??? I informed her of such. I then received a phone call at about 14:00 or just after on Wednesday, 2 March, informing me that my car would be ready to be picked up by 17:00 that afternoon. 5 minutes later Chantell phones back, so sorry but they still need to do something on the clutch and the car will not be ready byt 17:00, it will have to stay overnight, will be ready by 11:00 on Wednesday 3 March.

No please understand my complaint is really about the type of interaction I have with this particular individual and that they seem completely incompetant. This morning Wednesday, 3 March round 8:00 I get a phone call infoming me that the maintenance plan does not cover the clutch grease ?? and that there will be a cost of R196.00 for that. Fine I have to pay it, what am I gonna do ??? and I ask when the car will be ready, I'm assured at 11:00 as discussed yesterday. At 10:30 Chantelle phones again, the test drove the car and the clutch cable is faulty, which is not covered by the maintenance plan and the warranty of the car has run out on 1 February 2011. So now I have to pay in total R1002.00 probably exl VAT. She didn't specify this.

I am not upset that I have to pay for these things, I understand that service plans run out, and that maintenance plans do not cover certain things. My frustration here is how I, the client and paying for some services are being treated. This girl is clueless, and I also feel that surely they, the KIA garage, need to inform you ahead of starting the service that your waranty on the car has expired, and that means you will pay for the service if you don't have a maintenance plan. Also your maintenance plan will run out on this date.

And the whole admin of this branch seems in shambles, even when phoning them to follow up on my vehicle status, I got cut off twice while waiting to be put through to the service desk where they can assist me.

I won't be going back there, I will find another KIA garage that actually provides a service.