Paying car garage but unfixed problem

Jade-20

Hi All,

I sent my 02 plate Vauxhall Corsa into a local garage for repair on Monday after what seemed like the clutch had gone.

They told me it was the slave cylinder in the gearbox and it will be £150 plus an extra £70 if a new clutch is needed.

Yesterday they rang me and told me all was done for a total of £240 with a new slave cylinder & clutch but not to go pick it up because they are waiting on 1 more part to arrive (vacuum) so to pick it up at 2pm today instead.

Early this morning i got a call from them saying they have bad news and the clutch still isnt working even though they've done the cylinder and clutch and its too serious of a problem for them to fix now. They want me to still pay the bill of £240 and basically tow my car away and see a specialist.

Do you think i should pay them for this work even though yesterday they told me the car was basically ready to take home after a final part was delivered ?

vax2002

Is this a easytronic box ?
I can not think of anything else, its a 4 part clutch that could be fitted by anyone with a bit of knowledge.

AlexisV

I suppose the question is - was the new clutch needed or not?

I would pay the initial £150 and tell them to take it to the specialist for a full diagnosis. Only they can determine whether the clutch was needed - which was a stipulation of whether it was to be replaced or not.

Valvoltec

Sounds unbelivable to me a mechanic with 25 years experience.Diagnosing a clutch problem,and fitting a replacement is not rocket science.A competent person could easily make such a diagnosis,and it would be confirmed once parts are removed.
What specialist or they referring you too,what were the symptons with the car,when you took it there,what is the problem now,the local trading standards in derbyshire used to have a guy who would intervene in cases like this,he often used the garage we worked at.We would strip there work down he would photograph it,and then prosecute them.
I am not best placed to advise you the legalities of paying the bill or if the garage has a right to hold on to the car,perhaps you have membership of the AA or similar and you could ask them to intervene or attend with you,maybe the garage is a member of a trade association.
Definitely get the old parts they fitted,and ask for a full written report and bill,on the diagnosis and work carried out,and what they suspect is wrong now.
I would be beside myself to return a customers car in an unusable state,and expect them to pay for a repair that had not cured there problem.
Sorry your having such problems,post again with more details hope I can Help Sean

Jade-20

Sorry it may of been the way I worded it, they arnt looking to help refer me to a specialist... Their looking to get paid the £240 bill and me get a family member to tow my car home and gave me the advice of no local garage can fix this and to find a vauxhall specialist.

I took it in with what felt like the clutch cable had gone as my boyfriend had to 'bang' it into gear to get it there but then we was told the 2002 are hydraulic not cable hence the harder, more expensive job.

As a 20year old girl of only driving 3months so far I'm starting to suspect their taking full advantage and either want more money out of me or genuinly have no idea what their doing. I asked what the problem is now and they just keep saying the clutch isn't pumping? And theres a noise coming from the gearbox with 1st and 2nd gear?

They haven't even rang me since and are closed all weekend now so I'm thinking of getting maybe citizens advice of my rights before handing my money over.

s_b

so as asked
is it the easytronic or a proper 5 speed manwell

SHIPSHAPE

s_b wrote: »

so as asked
is it the easytronic or a proper 5 speed manwell

Manwell? He was on Fawlty Towers wasn't he?:D

Jade-20

As I said... I'm a 20year old girl new driver... I haven't got any idea what you mean by that

s_b

Jade-20 wrote: »

As I said... I'm a 20year old girl new driver... I haven't got any idea what you mean by that

you cannot be serious

s_b

SHIPSHAPE wrote: »

Manwell? He was on Fawlty Towers wasn't he?:D

indeed he was
and this is smack on head:D

oreilly died the other week too :sad:

Jamie1981

Hi Jade-20, is it a manual gearbox whereby you physically have to change up and down the gears yourself using the clutch pedal or is it an automatic?

If it is the manual they have a common problem with the gear linkage needing replaced. The garage you have taken it to should be able to diagnose this if they were competent.