Garage wants to scrap my car

OlliesDad

Hi,

I am having a dilemma with a car i bought. I bought a Peugeot 206 in a private sale. While driving it home the head gasket went and it was recovered to a garage from whom I was quoted £600 for the repair. I have an ex colleague who is a mechanic for another garage and he said they could do it for £350 plus £70 for them to collect the car and take it to their garage, to which i agreed.

They looked at the car and found the engine was warped, meaning that the car was a write off. I decided to sell for spares and put an advert on ebay. In the meantime, my ex colleague rang to say somebody had offered him £300 and was i happy to accept, which i was.

So i have been chasing the mechanic for 3 days for the money and he called me to advise that the sale hadn't gone through and i had till the end of the day to collect the car as it was using space or they would scrap it and use the money to pay the recovery person that got the car to them.

Now i know i will need to pay the £70 recovery fee, but what would be the best course of action as i don't have the cash at the moment to pay for the recovery back to my house.

Can they legally crush the car? and can they legally give me four hours notice (or do they have a duty of care for my car)?

Thanks,

Anihilator

I doubt they would scrap it.
They would likely repair it and sell it on once its theres.
If you dont have the cash to settle the debts or repair it then you probably are best just accepting their offer.

OlliesDad

Anihilator wrote: »

I doubt they would scrap it.
They would likely repair it and sell it on once its theres.
If you dont have the cash to settle the debts or repair it then you probably are best just accepting their offer.

I will have the cash in the next few days, but as they have only given four hours i won't have it. As it was there mechanic who delayed and then lost the sale (fair enough it wasnt neccesarily his fault) they surely must give more time. I know i can get £3-400 on ebay, and my only debt is the £70 recovery fee.

tomstickland

Swap another engine into it.

OlliesDad

tomstickland wrote: »

Swap another engine into it.

For somebody technically minded this would be an easy solution, but as the cost for this would be too much in time and money.

pinkshoes

Is the £70 the initial recovery fee, the fee for garage 2 to collect it from garage 1, or the cost to get it taken to your house?

It's hardly fair they quoted to fix it, took possession of it, then changed their mind and give you 4 hours to collect!

hartcjhart

if the car is taxed mot'd and insured get them to park it on the road and keep hold of the keys untill you can pay them

when they say the engine is warped do you mean the cylinder head

Hintza

Just ask them if they can wait a day or so. BUT do you really want a wreck sitting at your door?

OlliesDad

Pink Shoes - The £70 is for the initial collection, which i don't mind paying.

hartcjhart - They said that the "block" is warped, which means that it isn't worth repairing. Theres no tax on it, so can't sit on the road.

hintza - on the outside the car looks immaculate so its not a wreck, so i am going to sell it for spares (hopefully make a few hundred).

Well i rang the garage and told him i will collect it at the weekend, and if he crushes it he can pay me the value. He mumbled something but then said OK and hung up.

Happy days.

tomstickland

OlliesDad wrote: »

For somebody technically minded this would be an easy solution, but as the cost for this would be too much in time and money.

It's a days work, some garages will do it quite cheaply.

i am going to sell it for spares (hopefully make a few hundred).

Good luck, they don't normally make that sort of money.

Hintza

You will then have the wreck at your door. My point being will you get round to selling the bits? (Great if you do)