Garage cant fix car but still wants to charge for faulty parts......... Advice please

pcyam

Hi All,
Sorry I posted it on the Motor Forum but dont know how to move it.

My car broke down 3 weeks ago. So RAC towed it back home. I went to a local garage and they looked at the car.
1st week
Day 1 (14-11-11)- They looked and couldnt work out what was wrong.
Day2 (15-11)- Looked at found out one of the injectors had gone! Order parts for following day.
Day3 (16-11)-Part came in, changed it, took i for test drive-car brokedown. Checked car, and another injector gone. Ordered Part for next day
Day4 (17-11) Same happened, replaced part, test drive-brokedown
Day5 (18-11) Wasnt sure thought it might have been injectors. Had a courtesy car-went to work.
2nd week
My sister helped me contact the garage at the beginning of the week as I was away working.
They had another 2 injectors delivered during the course of the week, fitted them and still the car was no working. They said it was due to the no4 injector the first one they replaced) was a faulty injector. They spoke to Renault garage where they brought the part and they were not taking responsibility for the faulty part!!!

Day 9 (23-11)-the courtesy car-a light (looks like a tap) was beeping when I was going back to my accommodation.

Day10 (24-11)-didnt drive the car as I did not know if it was safe to do so. Contacted the garage and they said it should be ok. I could take it to a local garage if I wanted to-but I would be responsible for the costs, and if the car brokedown i would also be responsible!

Day 12 (25-11) They spoke to my sister, said that they were towing my car to Renault garage, for them to inspect the faulty part, that way I would not need to pay for a 5th injector. And the bil currently was £198+VAT x4 (injectors) +labour £35x2 +VAT. Also, they would take a look at the courtesy car on sat morning.

Day13 (26-11)-took the courtesy car for them to look at, they said its fine, its probably just an engine misfire! They had resetted it. Drove car away all fine. Later on that afternoon it starts to beep again.

Week 3,
Day 15(28-11) Renault has the car.
Cant remember which day but was told that renault are trying to fix i as my local garage couldnt fix the problem, Renault in the meantime have put some pipe in (£20 +labour +VAT prob)
Day 19 (2-12) Today. I find out that the car has more problems that it was not the injectors which were the problems, its something which costs £3000+!!!!! Local garage still want me to pay for the labour PLUS the injectors!! and the rest if I want my car fixed.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as I have been told that as they never fixed the problem and the injectors which they put into my car are faulty now! Also, I have been told they should no have jus replaced the injectors they should have checked the pressure and also if 4 injectors go during a short period of time its something else causing it.

I have looked up on trading standards site and I was wondering if anyone experience can tell me

1-Do I need to pay the local garage anything?? As they havent actually fixed anything.
2-They towed my car to another garage left it there because they couldnt fix it! So am I responsible for labour and Parts too at Renault
3- Where do I stand in getting my car back!
4- The courtesy car, do I give it back to them when I get my car back?

Grateful for any advice, as I am really not sure where to go with this and I am worried everyday I am driving to and forth work and home!!

I forgot to say,

Even though the car is mine, Renault will not speak to us, because they say the local garage towed the car there, they are Renault customer. Also, I think the reason they towed it to that particular garage is because the local garage has a friend in th Renault garage, whether or not its the friend that is working on my car I dont know.

Its getting quite serious now because the local garage were getting 'arsey' when they spoke to my sister saying that why were so many people contacting them, and the fact they didnt like it when my sister spoke to Renault directly.

Also, if I dont get to work this week, work will no be happy as they werent pleased with me being off during week 1. plus I have only been in this new job for 3weeks!

TIA
Depressed and worried MSE x

arcon5

I don't know the answer to your dilema, but can advise on two points:

2.
The garage have the contract with the dealer, hence their refusal to talk to you. You don't have to pay them anything, if however you are liable for the cost of this then the chain would go garage pay dealer and you pay garage.

4.
Nobody can answer this, courtesy cars are part of the service and therefore subject to the garages terms. So you need to speak to the garage about how long and when this car needs to be returned.


Back to your dilema, my thoughts are that if you took the car to the garage and said can you fix the fault that has caused this breakdown and they have not then you are not liable for anything other than inspection costs (depending on their terms). However, if they said 'the problem may be this, we can replace it if you would like us to and see..' and you agreed you may well be liable. If though they said yes we can fix the said fault and got it wrong then it is their problem. Although they could also argue 'you asked us to fix a fault for which the symptons was this..' and they performed said work, it may well not be that they haven't fixed a fault as instructed, but simply haven't fixed to fault you referred to (mis-communication).

(Just firing off a few initial thoughs here.)

Flyboy152

But then, they have a duty to carry out the work with all reasonable skill and care. They are deemed as the experts and if they have diagnosed the fault to be the injectors and it isn't, they have to accept some of the liability.