Help! Garage still have my car & I think I am about to be taken to the cleaners......

anaisby

vansboy wrote: »

At a guess, your radiator expansion tank cap was missing - the round metal lid, about 2 inches in accross is what you mentioned being missing. Have you had to top up this plastic container, that fills up your radiator, recently & maybe forgot to put it back on, or perhaps not on tight enouigh & it's got lost?

Anyway, shouldn't have expected them to do the test without it, not ABANDON, just not even start doing it!!

As Baz mentions, sometimes it does take a while to reach the correct engine temperature for the emission test to be done right.

Also the head gasket fault - often enough to make you scrap the car, due to it being an expensive repair, is common on this engine. The garage would make you aware of this fault, as it'd be pretty obvious to them, even if you'd not had any of the following problems...

overheating
engine turning over lots & lots of times before starting
loss of water from radiator expansion tank
yellow mayonaisse looking substance in the oil filler cap, in the engine itself
oil level in the engine, reading very high on the dipstick (means that if you've not overfilled it, water has got into it, from the cooling ststem

Not wishing to appear patronising, with these points as identified, but just trying to put them into simplistic terms.

Let us know how you get on!!

Hi,
I am about to go over to the garage now, I have borrowed my Dads car for today. The garage have not called me back after Saturday. I do get the feeling they are trying. I havent called them today so far as I am now ill with a stomach bug - its like the old No 7 bus isnt it.

Thanks to everyone for their comments, it has really helped.

Vansboy, I was wondering, the garage said that the item they replaced, the lid where you put the water into the engine, didnt cost much for the part but was very labour intensive to put back on. Does this sound right to you? Just trying to prepare myself. I guess I will ask them to show me what they have done if I am presented with a whopping great bill. The car isnt worth that much.
I have not had any of the problems you listed above which may be a bit strange. I can now at least ask the question. If the head gasket goes it would cost more to repair than the car is worth!

Wish me luck!
Kind regards,
AN

jaws77

Labour intestine to fit a rad cap???? !!!!!!....

Takes about as much effort as opening a jar.

Don't let them take you for a ride.

vansboy

I was guessing the radiator exansion tank cap, was the 'part', but maybe it was a damged tank, or something different - I'm intrigued now!!!

VB

anaisby

Hi There,
Sorry it has taken me so long to let you know what happened, I have been unwell and it has been school holidays..........
It turns out the garage was genuine and trying their best to help.
Got the car sorted and then traded it in against a newer one, thought it was about time.
Thanks to everyone for their help and advice, its scary when you dont understand these things and feel you are about to be ripped off.

AN

peter999

anaisby wrote: »

Hi There,
Sorry it has taken me so long to let you know what happened, I have been unwell and it has been school holidays..........
It turns out the garage was genuine and trying their best to help.
Got the car sorted and then traded it in against a newer one, thought it was about time.
Thanks to everyone for their help and advice, its scary when you dont understand these things and feel you are about to be ripped off.

AN

Did you buy new car from same garage !! :eek:

If one garage is being pedantic, next time find a garage willing to adjust emissions & be more helpful.

Failing emissions test is classic trick to sell new car/new exhaust etc.

peter999