Is there an alternative to the small claims court?

emilyj

Out of the blue, my 54-plate Renault Modus diesel would not start. RAC spent 2 hours, said it was one of two electrical components controlling delivery of fuel, towed it to Renault main dealer.

Dealer said they put it on diagnostic machine,and charged me for that, but in fact squeezed the fuel primer bulb and it started so they did nothing more.

I took it home, and next morning called RAC when it would not start. RAC spent another hour with computer and phone call to HQ, said same as first one, towed it back to Dealer, talked to technician (who told him the true story) and reported back to me, telling me to be wary of them trying to sell me something more than one of these two electrical components.

Dealer called 2 days later, said that the fault was the alternator, which would cost £585 to replace. I tried to argue, he said that they knew best. (My local garage would not look at it 'cos it was an electrical fault and beyond them).

I agreed to that, very reluctantly, and a week later he called me to say that replacing the alternator had not worked and now he wanted to replace - guess what?
The IPD unit that both RAC guys said was one of the two components to replace, of course.

Total cost £821.

I challenged the Dealer about replacing the alternator, he said that the alternator was faulty and caused an electrical fault that damaged the IPD.

My question is -is there a cost-effective way of proving that is the case? From talking to people and looking online, I am hearing anything from "that is gobbeldegook talk given to little old ladies (I'm 64)" to "they could have replaced a regulator on the alternator rather than the whole thing".

RAC have no mediation service -their legal deparftment suggested the small claims court.

This is a massive amount of money for me right now so if anyone can point me to where I can find authoritative evidence to challenge the Dealer I would be very grateful!

spiro

I dont think there is anything you can do unless you have the old alternator and can get it tested.

harveybobbles

As with lots of Renault diesels of that age - they suffer with leaky pipes around the fuel primer pump, which the garage pumped. Very simple fix.

emilyj

I think they still have the old alternator. Who would I get to test it, and for what?

emilyj

So should I ask them to check for leaks, and if they replace the fuel primer pumps and pipes to it, will that solve the problem, do you think?

harveybobbles

Highly likely to. As they have already pressed it and the car started. not sure why they replaced the alternator to be honest.

You could google for a local auto electrician and pass him a tenner to test the old alternator, but ideally they need to be attatched to the car.

EDIT: What is the IPD...?!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

i would tell it like this to their management.

1 if the alternator caused the problem then surely the fuse or relay would of blown preventing it.

2. if the altornator had a problem, i would have experienced problems before now.

3. you were told by me and rac what the problem was.

4. you made me pay for a diagnostic that you did not carry out and admitted by your mechanic that he did not do it just pressed the deisel plunger to force diesel through to the engine, to wich i will report to trading standards for that.

5. against my reluctance and instruction, and your ignorance i was pressured into having the alternator changed as your mechanic said it wasnt the idp or whatever that is, so by saying this he had infact admitted to testing it to wich HE DIDNT.

Mankysteve

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

i would tell it like this to their management.

1 if the alternator caused the problem then surely the fuse or relay would of blown preventing it.
Not necessary. Fuses take a bit fo time to blow a high enough voltage would easily fry semi conductor circuits in a few mS

2. if the altornator had a problem, i would have experienced problems before now.
If the fault was intermediate such and the alt was feeding out a very dirty voltage it could damage sentive parts but leave other parts ok
3. you were told by meiv and rac what the problem was.
Arh but what caused it

4. you made me pay for a diagnostic that you did not carry out and admitted by your mechanic that he did not do it just pressed the deisel plunger to force diesel through to the engine, to wich i will report to trading standards for that.
Now you may have case
5. against my reluctance and instruction, and your ignorance i was pressured into having the alternator changed as your mechanic said it wasnt the idp or whatever that is, so by saying this he had infact admitted to testing it to wich HE DIDNT.
Again you need to prove that the alternator was at fault.

Just a bit of devil advocate. You may have a case with the First diagnostic, but it's prefectly in the relm of possible that the alternator was the oringal cause of the fault so you'd need that tested before you can go anywhere with that route.

emilyj

Thanks so much MankySteve. I will see about getting the alternator back for testing.

emilyj

I have now raised the money to pay this bill; I called the garage to say that I would be collecting it at the weekend, and that I would be sending the old Alternator for testing. They said- Oh, it's an exchange part so we don't have it. I said -I don't think it is an exchange part, please check.
He came back and said -no, it isn't an exchange part, but we scrapped it -we can't keep all the parts we change.
I said - In the Code of Practice for the Retail Motor Industry, Secion 6.3, it says that parts will be offered to the customer. so I assumed you would still have the old alternator, plus the packaging from the new part to confirm to me that it actually is a Renault part you put in.
I also said that it's a shame from your point of view, because now when I put in my complaint, you can't prove that the alternator was indeed faulty and needed replacing.
He went very quiet.
We will see what happens when I collect it.

asbokid

Get someone familiar with vehicle mechanics to examine the "new" alternator for newness. Since it has only been fitted for a short time, it should still be virtually spotless. It's very difficult to properly clean an old alternator. Poke your little finger in the vents of the alternator. Grease builds up heavily in there.

Maybe post an invoice that itemises all the costs you paid to this dealer..

emilyj wrote: »

Out of the blue, my 54-plate Renault Modus diesel would not start...Dealer called 2 days later, said that the fault was the alternator, which would cost £585 to replace.

A new alternator for a 2004 Renault 1.5DCi costs around £200. Labour for its fitting should be under £50.

The dealer overcharged you by £350 on the alternator alone..

http://www.buypartsby.co.uk/alternator-final.php?year=2004&Submit=Next&make=Renault&model=Modus&sub=&eng=1.5000

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RENAULT-1-5DCi-ALTERNATOR-A3033-/310260021485?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item483cf038ed