In a tricky situation with a garage

Gordon_Hose

If they *thought* it was as simple as plugging it in and changing some settings, but now after more investigation it's a new ECU you might have an issue. How do you prove the garage caused the fault? You already said the car only started on the 2nd or 3rd attempt, so it already had an issue.

Often cars go in for minor work, and it turns out to be a complete !!!!!! of a job.

wiseguydigital

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

If they *thought* it was as simple as plugging it in and changing some settings, but now after more investigation it's a new ECU you might have an issue. How do you prove the garage caused the fault? You already said the car only started on the 2nd or 3rd attempt, so it already had an issue.

Often cars go in for minor work, and it turns out to be a complete !!!!!! of a job.

The biggest issues I have are a) that the car was fine before - not 100% technically 'working', but not much of an issue day to day and b) that we have not been informed of any costs, even though we have rung every day to ask them to tell us. The garage has just tinkered away on the car and we have said explicitly from the start that we were not going to spend a fortune on the car and wanted quotes from the start. If it was going to be an expensive job, we would have happily kept it as it was, as it wasn't worth in any way £700 to fix. They should have told me up front before carrying out the work.

Gordon_Hose

What have the dealer said about it?

wiseguydigital

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

What have the dealer said about it?

Well we find out tomorrow when I speak to the manager. They offered to knock off a few hours of work.

BTW, I know we have different opinions on this, but thanks for your time in responding Gordon. It's good to try and see things from both angles.

Gordon_Hose

Yeah, sorry if I'm being a bit blunt like.

It's just however you look at it, your motor went in with an immobiliser issue...sometimes small non-descript issues can, indeed, develop into bigger faults through no fault of the garage.

Maybe the garage can put the car back to the state it was beforehand, or if they knock enough money off repair it for you?

I think you're gonna find it hard to fight this one really. I know it's not what you wanted to hear!

wiseguydigital

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Yeah, sorry if I'm being a bit blunt like.

It's just however you look at it, your motor went in with an immobiliser issue...sometimes small non-descript issues can, indeed, develop into bigger faults through no fault of the garage.

Maybe the garage can put the car back to the state it was beforehand, or if they knock enough money off repair it for you?

I think you're gonna find it hard to fight this one really. I know it's not what you wanted to hear!

Well we'll see how it goes, but thanks anyway Gordon.

Gordon_Hose

Let us know

wiseguydigital

Well, just to round this off. A conclusion was reached today and the final outcome was that we pay for a new part which has fixed the car (don't know exactly what it is though) and not the labour. The car nows starts again and the final cost was just over £100. Their service was very courteous after our initial falling-out a few weeks ago. Eventually it was a satisfactory outcome for us, and one in which we walked away feeling confident again in Renault.

ontheroad_2

They didn't mention a crank sensor in all the stuff they were trying out at the garage did they? My car is a 10-year old renault, and last year i was having exactly the same issue as you, car not starting first or 2nd time, turning over fine every time though. It took me a while and 3 mechanics, but eventually found one who knew his renault stuff (not a renault dealership garage) and fitted a new crank sensor. It was about £70, and the car has started fine ever since.