Garage have made a warranty mistake

Shevek

Evening all!

Yesterday I took my 3 years, 2 months old car in for a service at my nearby franchised dealer.

I got a phone call in the afternoon saying that they'd found an issue and would order the part over night to fit in the morning (this morning).

They did not mention a price or even ask if it was OK to go ahead with the repair.

Knowing that the warranty should have run out around 2 months ago, I specifically asked what the charge would be for the part and was told that it was covered by the warranty.

I collected the car and settled the invoice this afternoon. The invoice stated the part and labour as a warranty fix.

Around 2 hours later I received this via SMS (they have my mobile number for service updates and reminders):

"HAVE LEFT MESSAGE, PLEASE CALL [...] AT [...] AS FAN IS NOT WARRANTY AS WARRANTY RAN OUT 19/04/2010, THANK YOU [...]"

(I've excluded the name of the person, business and the phone number)

There was no message left on any of the voicemail numbers of mine that they have.

I assume they are going to ask me to pay for the part and/or labour.

Do they have any legal basis to ask me to pay?

TIA

jd82

No but legally I think they may be entitled to put the car back as they found it. You never authorised the work on the basis you have to pay.

At least this is how I understand it. So if you keep the fan then you may have to legally pay. Hopefulyl a legal expert will be able to explain better.

Shevek

Thanks jd82...

What if they have binned the part they took off and are unable to restore it to how it was before?

Judas

Shevek wrote: »

Thanks jd82...

What if they have binned the part they took off and are unable to restore it to how it was before?

I doubt it will have been disposed as of yet.
What did they say when you called back?

Shevek

I haven't called yet - I don't see why I should have to pay for the call.

They haven't actually left any message as they stated in the SMS.

I'm waiting for them to call me back.

steveo3002

theyd usualy keep the parts to send back on warrenty

skiddlydiddly

If it escalates, maybe offer to pay half?You could say if you'd known you'd have to pay that you would have shopped around for a better price to justify this.I doubt they could force you to come back with your car to have it removed but it seems like an honest mistake so I would try and be reasonable about it.

Wee_Willy_Harris

Being blunt, it's their mistake and their loss. They quoted you a price (nothing), invoiced that price and you paid it. Same principle as miss-priced items in a shop. There's nothing stopping them asking you to rectify their mistake, but there's equaly nothing stopping you declining their kind offer.

That's the black and white..... However..... You MAY find it uncomfortable to deal with them ih the future, which may prove inconvenient to you. Equaly, they would be perfectly intitled to refuse your custom (unlikely). So, how you resolve this is entirely down to you, your good will and your consience.

Hammyman

Seconded. When my local Ford dealership replaced a part during a service, when it was done they phoned me to tell me they'd serviced it and replaced a part but because they'd not got authorisation - the mechanic was on autopilot - then it was free.

skiddlydiddly

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

Being blunt, it's their mistake and their loss. They quoted you a price (nothing), invoiced that price and you paid it. Same principle as miss-priced items in a shop. There's nothing stopping them asking you to rectify their mistake, but there's equaly nothing stopping you declining their kind offer.

That's the black and white..... However..... You MAY find it uncomfortable to deal with them ih the future, which may prove inconvenient to you. Equaly, they would be perfectly intitled to refuse your custom (unlikely). So, how you resolve this is entirely down to you, your good will and your consience.

Thats my POV really.If they are a good garage why risk alientaing yourself from them.Plus I think anyone can make a mistake and whoever made it will probably get a bollocking for this as it is.

I'd initially offer to pay half for the reasons i stated above and go from there.They may accept it as a show of good customer relations.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Their mistake, their problem. If in future they're arsey about it, shop elsewhere.