Nightmare garage repairs

Honest_Hood

At the end of October 09 I noticed the oil light on my car was on (55 plate Audi A4 1.8T). I took the car to a local VW/Audi 'specialist' who said they couldn't find any fault and switched the dashboard light back off. (Apparently there was no pressure issues when they tested it...I'm not a mechanic so no idea). I paid them £800 for the pleasure, which included a full service, couple new tyres.
End of November I noticed my oil light came on whilst on the motorway and having driven the car for a further 4 miles the car came to a stop.....Engine seized.
Took car back to same garage who said that a blockage had stopped the oil circulating which in turn overheated the engine, which caused something to collapse and then take all the belts with it?...They recommended a new engine however having asked if there was any other way of fixing the car they said they would remove the cylinder head and see what damage there was.
Having removed the head they said that the bottom end was fine and I should get a cylinder head and gaskets etc etc. I then bought these parts (£400) however having re-built it they got back to me to say that the bottom end was too bad and that I'd have get a new one.
I then bought a new engine (£900) and having re-built that they then said my Turbo had gone too? rough estimate of £300 for new one.
I've now been told by friends, colleagues and other mechanics that I shouldn't pay a penny to have the car repaired as the initial oil light problem was never dealt with (although garage deny this to the hilt)...I'm no mechanic so I've no idea...and given the fact I bought a series of parts on the back of their advice, which are no longer required....apparently they would have known the bottom end was done if it had been examined properly.

Still don't have my car back, still not paid any bill and looking for any good advice out there?

Sidmon

Was it a Main Dealer, an independent Audi specialist, or just a normal none specialist independent garage?

Cool_Username

That is a f**king nightmare mate.

Honest_Hood

It's an idependent VW/Audi specialist garage.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

They couldn't find the initial fault which is fair enough.

You then noticed the oil light, and continued to drive, when you should have pulled over immediately (fair enough if there was no hard shoulder).

The garage recommended a new engine, I take it you thought this was too expensive, so they offered an alternative.

They repaired the engine, but discovered more faults. At this point, you're quite free to sell the parts you bought online, so you haven't lost all of that £400.

Then, a new engine arrives (presumably without a turbo) and they discover that your old turbo, which they'd planned to transplant, is dead. Perfectly believable, since the engine was starved of oil the turbo was likely was also.


What I'd dispute here is the diagnosis that the original engine could be repaired. That was speculative on their part, and unless they told you that such a repair carried inherent risks, I think you could argue about paying for that. The scratches are of course their problem, and you shouldn't be charged for that.

Honest_Hood

Pew Pew Pew Lasers! Many thanks. The garage gave me an almost identical answer.

The problem I have is that the oil light came on for a reason and thats why I took the car to the garage to find the fault. It's not ideal being told 'we couldn't find the fault' when it has turned out to be so serious that a new engine is required.

I appreciate in an ideal world I would have stopped the car and had it towed, however, after the garage had switched the light off they told me to bring it back in should it re-appear and they would take another look. If they had said; if the light come on again stop the car immediately and get it towed here then I would have.

I've also been told that when they removed the cylinder head it would have been very apparent (if done correctly) that the bottom end had seized and therefore stopped the whole process of buying a new head. This I have been told is also the case with the turbo when the engine was re-built the first time.

Thanks again for your advice.

iamana1ias

Honest_Hood wrote: »

I appreciate in an ideal world I would have stopped the car and had it towed, however, after the garage had switched the light off they told me to bring it back in should it re-appear and they would take another look. If they had said; if the light come on again stop the car immediately and get it towed here then I would have.

Your manual will say that

Honest_Hood

computershack wrote: »

The oil light came on because the pressure dropped. It is extremely plausible for it to be something intermittent such as a temporary blockage.

The problem is that in order to diagnose it correctly, it would require the engine to be removed and to be stripped down. That is two days work to take out, strip, examine, rebuild and replace plus a full engine gasket,cambelt set and probably head bolts too. At £50 an hour, I doubt you'd be willing to pay £1000 psrts & labour for diagnosis costs. And there lies the rub. If people aren't prepared to pay the cost of properly diagnosing faults then garages have to give a "best guess". Sometimes it means situations like yours occur.

Thanks, can you give any feedback on your opinions regarding the initial diagnosis that the bottom end was fine when it turned out not to be?

Since I'm sure I'll be charged for the labour when they took everything apart, can you confirm this is something that should have been picked up on?

Also when the engine was re-built (with new head) would they have known at this time that the Turbo had gone. The garage did say that the car started up and ran but it poured out black smoke.

Thanks

Honest_Hood

That great thanks.

I've had so many 'mechanics' telling me I was getting done over however I've always been dubious as the garage has a really good reputation.

One thing i do know from all this is that I'm not the first person to have a major problem with the 1.8T engine. So many forums with similar engine problems.

hewhoisnotintheknow

OP will you buy another VAG product?

atrixblue.-MFR-.

agree with other posters here.

1. without taking off the head and then turning the crank to see if it was seized they wouldnt of know it was seized, e.g a valve or two may have stuck down in the head stopping a piston moving in turn none of them would turn with the head on, take the head off you see the pistons you turn the crank and then if it doesnt budge its seized.

2. as no oil was pumping round the system the turbo would of been starved of oil and pressure put on it may have caused a hair line crack or seal to go visually may have been sound but re fitting would of highlighted the problem, it may be cheaper to ask the garage if they can send the turbo off to be reconditioned rather than buy another one.

3. as garage could find no previous fault with the first diagnosis (engine wise no pressure drop car not smokeing) it was put down to the oil temp sensor so the engine management light was erased and customer told to bring the car back in the event that the same symptoms happen to bring the car back (common practice in garages to erase the light if no visable engine probs). your engine management or oil light illuminated again but in this case the oil was next to nothing in the engine so power loss would be evident, smokeing (exhaust pushing out smoke) would be evident, excessive engine noise would be evident, engine temp would read high, but you still drove the car that was your choice.
you cannot really blame the garage for telling you to bring it back when it was back on as you had a choice, have it towed back when it came back on (just incase it was something serious was wrong) or risk driving it there and a hope and whim everything would be ok. your choice was to drive it as you made the assumption it was just the light playing up and made it an expensive drive to the garage.
4. the garage gave you a choice before the work was carried out.
1. buy a new engine (the cheapest and most economic option in my opinion)
2. strip the engine and go from there.(not the cheapest as its time consumeing, and more faults can arise during the strip e.g burnt/bent valves,seats,stems,srings,camseals,worn cam loabs,damged waterpump, big end bearings burn, pistons warp sometimes melt bottom end may have a damage water or oil return, channel hair line crack crank seals may be damaged crank may have warped. the list goes on forever when a cars engine overheats..and enevatably snaps the belts too.

i believe the garage has been good with you and honest.

believe me i'm not haveing a go at you in anyway, this is my opinion and my advice is just that now the engine is 95% working that 5% being a broken turbo see if they can send it off to someone like BTN turbo for them to recondition it rather than swap it for a new one. hope goes well for you and your practically new car, be carefull when you get it back as the same applies to reconed engines they must be run in first like a brand new car and i'd change the oil and oil filter at about 500 mile's (some engine remanufacturing company requires you do so no to void the warranty).