Airport Parking - Car Broken

sexki11en

uktim29 wrote: »

Could it just had not been put into neutral when parked? Then the fault happen?

Yes, of course it could. However, the onus is on them to prove this to us and as it stands, they won't discuss it with us and to date have lied to us 3 times already. Plus they can't explain why the mileage trip was reset and the clock zero'd when that can only be done by disconnecting the battery!

Apeart from anything else, it's basic customer service that if you break a customers car, you pull them aside when they go to collect it and explain, not give them the keys and leave them to go and find out for themselves that it's broken.

SK x

pinkshoes

uktim29 wrote: »

Could it just had not been put into neutral when parked? Then the fault happen?

Generally when I park, my car is in 1st, 2nd or reverse... 3rd gear is an odd one to park in.

They must have known that the car had developed a fault whilst in their care, so should have insurance inplace to deal with this sort of thing.

maninthestreet

sexki11en wrote: »

Yes, of course it could. However, the onus is on them to prove this to us and as it stands, they won't discuss it with us and to date have lied to us 3 times already. Plus they can't explain why the mileage trip was reset and the clock zero'd when that can only be done by disconnecting the battery!

Apeart from anything else, it's basic customer service that if you break a customers car, you pull them aside when they go to collect it and explain, not give them the keys and leave them to go and find out for themselves that it's broken.

SK x

You say you saw one of the car park employees actually driving the car - is this at the time you dropped it off, or some or time? Were there any other witnesses to this?

sexki11en

maninthestreet wrote: »

You say you saw one of the car park employees actually driving the car - is this at the time you dropped it off, or some or time? Were there any other witnesses to this?

When we dropped it off, we left it in the customer parking bay. They then got in and drove it to a spot a short distance away. When we returned, it wasn't in the same spot as when we left.

They said first off it was like that when they got in it, till I insisted i'd seen someone drive it. Then they changed the story to it was moved from the parking bay to a temporary spot, then when the guy got in to move it a second time, it 'just wouldn't work' so they pushed it to the spot where we went to collect it.

As far as I know, there was no one else around apart from staff to witness this (of course, we weren't aware we'd need any witnesses), but I am wondering how long they keep their CCTV for as this was on the 6th September. Our problem is, no one answers the phones in 'customer service' to find out any answers.

SK x

fruity1_2

Park and ride means that they will move the car to a suitable spot for the duration (never had a problem with this myself) If the car was not then financially repairable on return, I would suggest it was down to the car and not their fault. Keeping a mental/written note of mileage for MOT, etc, is normal, but if you reset it to -000000 - so can they!

Belnahua

When you say stuck in 3rd gear, does the clutch still disengage and re-engage.

That would mean then that they did a heck of a lot of 3rd gear starts, which also means a knackered burnt clutch plate - does it smell of burning clutch? That would be a big give away.

Just a quick check also, are you sure the gearbox is dead? I had this happen once to an old car of mine, the gear linkage broke (rather a bolt fell out leaving the gear lever floppy), which meant the car was stuck in 5th. It was a small repair and no serious damage.

sexki11en

Belnahua wrote: »

When you say stuck in 3rd gear, does the clutch still disengage and re-engage.

That would mean then that they did a heck of a lot of 3rd gear starts, which also means a knackered burnt clutch plate - does it smell of burning clutch? That would be a big give away.

Just a quick check also, are you sure the gearbox is dead? I had this happen once to an old car of mine, the gear linkage broke (rather a bolt fell out leaving the gear lever floppy), which meant the car was stuck in 5th. It was a small repair and no serious damage.

Hi there. I'm no expert so bear with me on the terms I use here lol. Some cable that connects to the engine has snapped off completely which means a whole new gearbox according to the AA guy. He said it could be welded but that would only be a short term measure. There WAS a smell of burning clutch even lingering 24 hours after the car had been moved.

The problem for us is if we undertake such a big repair now (and they wouldn't cover it), something else could go wrong soon. We've put a lot of money into the car so far, so it made more sense to bite the bullet and buy a new (second hand) one since the company woul;dn't even talk to us about it.

SK x

Daytona_nev

Isn't there the posibility the gear box going was imminent? Even if the gear box did go whilst they were parking it, it hardly their fault.

The zeroising of the trip counter is dodgy, though how you can prove misuse is another matter.

sexki11en

Daytona_nev wrote: »

Isn't there the posibility the gear box going was imminent? Even if the gear box did go whilst they were parking it, it hardly their fault.

The zeroising of the trip counter is dodgy, though how you can prove misuse is another matter.

Yes there is the possibility that it could have 'just gone' but if it was just mechanical failiure, why will no one talk to us about it and why was no report filed when it actually happened? They had nothing in writing which seems odd to me that you damage a customers car and don't have to log it somehow. Then like you said, there is the issue of the mileage trip being zero'd and the clock being re set which the battery would have had to be disconnected to do!

To be honest, if we'd had an apology in the beginning and a report was filed and thingds were done properly, we wouldn't be kicking up this fuss but then to be lied to on top of everything.....something doesn't add up and I want to know what.

SK x

Belnahua

sexki11en wrote: »

Hi there. I'm no expert so bear with me on the terms I use here lol. Some cable that connects to the engine has snapped off completely which means a whole new gearbox according to the AA guy. He said it could be welded but that would only be a short term measure. There WAS a smell of burning clutch even lingering 24 hours after the car had been moved.

The problem for us is if we undertake such a big repair now (and they wouldn't cover it), something else could go wrong soon. We've put a lot of money into the car so far, so it made more sense to bite the bullet and buy a new (second hand) one since the company woul;dn't even talk to us about it.

SK x

Looks like they got it stuck in 3rd and burnt the clutch out!

Also it does sound sort of dodgy, surely a cable would be a standard part that could fail and be easily replaced? What make and model was the car - I know it's too late now, but I'm curious that a cable snapped, and rendered you needing a whole new gearbox - sounds like a make of car to avoid in future!