Problem with garage - where do I stand?

Beckyy

Beckyy wrote: »

Update:

I've had my car in for an MOT at a seperate garage. They sorted it and corrected the other garages errors.

The first garage had put a new ofs headlight unit in, but had put the lamp back in incorrectly and the angle it was at has burned the reflective area above the lamp. The garage I took it to told me not to pay for the unit unless they replace it as it's damaged. I don't want them touching my car again really, so am I in my rights to refuse to pay for it? Do I need to give them it back? Can easily fit a new one myself.

They had also tightened my handbrake but not slackened it at the back (or something similar) so it was rubbing on my wheel hub, which was what the noise I was getting when driving was.

They had also failed the car for having a jammed midde rear seatbelt which was only an advisory (2 other garages have confirmed). They had put a new seatbet in, but had not connected the cable (it's still unconnected) and I had to find a knut myself to secure it. Can I hand them back the belt and refuse to pay for it?

They did put in new brake adjusters at the back though.

So... what am I obligated to pay for? And how much labour would be fair considering I had to pay to have their mistakes rectified.

I took my car for it's MOT to a garage that was recommended to me. It wasn't until after the test I realised they weren't an MOT test centre, they did the work and used another garage for the tests.

My car failed on a few things (middle-rear seat belt had jammed the day before, handbrake below efficiency, back brake and headlamp unit insecure). They also told me it needed new front tyres on the phone and I agreed to have them fitted, but found after it was only an advisory. I paid for the tyres and test fee and arranged to return it for the work and retest.

They had my car for a full day knowing that I needed it for work the following morning, but when I called to see if it was ready they said that they needed another part and it wouldn't be ready til the next day. I said I needed it for work, they said it would be more labour to put it back together and take it apart the next day. I picked it up and they had left it without a handbrake, and the brakes felt very unresponsive. I returned it the following afternoon, they blamed the brakes on the handbrake not being in.

I asked it if could be ready for the next afternoon and they said it shouldn't be a problem. When I went to check how it was going they said they couldn't retest it because they didn't have a knut to hold in the new middle-rear seatbelt and asked if I had the old one (we had unbolted the reel before we took it in). My OH found one which fitted and they said they would finish adjusting the handbrake and have it retested and ready in an hour. We went back an hour and a half later and they said there was still a problem with the handbrake and it wasn't efficient enough for the test. Upon driving home my brakes again don't feel 100%, my handbrake lever is the tightest it's ever been and I have a ticking noise coming from the wheels as I drive.

Worried they've done more harm than good I have taken it to a different garage who are a test centre and are known to us, they are going to test it and do the work for me.

Where do I stand on what I owe the garage who messed me around? I'm not trying to avoid paying for work, but I don't want to be taken for a ride. They were very vague with their quotes, nothing was written, and they wouldn't give me exact prices on what they were doing, even when they changed what needed to be done. They had it for 3 days and put in a new light unit, new seat belt, possibly a brake disk and messed around with my handbrake. The light unit was no different to the past 3 tests which it passed and I've been told by 2 other MOT centres that I don't need the middle rear seat belt to pass.

forgotmyname

You tell them the brakes are worse than before you took them in.
And you want them sorted.

You cant have your car and get the work done though. I see a bit of six of one and half a dozen of the other here.

You took the car in after having tinkered with it and left bolts out.

They were working on the car and you said you had to have it back so a hasty job to put it back together. Now they are slotting your car in between other jobs they had booked in, Because they hadnt planned on having to put it back together and you taking it away and having to redo all that work when you bring it back.

Take it back say the brakes are worse and you want it fixed. But you cant do that and say i need the car back in 1 hour.

They have done work on the car so need paying.

Beckyy

Sorry I didn't explain that properly.

The seatbelt jammed the day before my test, we unbolted it (1 knut) to hoover underneath as thought it had some sand stuck in it. I told them when I needed to car by initially and they said they could have it done by then, I understand that if they didn't know they needed the part it couldn't be helped, but I made it clear than I had to had to drive it the following day - I didn't suddenly spring it on them an hour before. Each time I've said I'd bring it back at times which suited us both, and they have said they coud get the work done and have it finished and each time they haven't and have changed their mind over what needs to be done. They had the car for over 3 full days and the jobs were relatively basic.

They left it in what I felt was an unsafe state, and I'm not happy with their workmanship so am taking it elsewhere. I want to know what I am obligated to pay them for, as I'm not avoiding this, but don't want to be charged for labour for them just messing around with it instead of doing what actually needed done. For example, if the new garage says my handbrake only needed tightening do I pay them for all the time they spent 'adjusting it' and failing to get it sorted when it was a simple task?

jaybeetoo

Should you be driving a car that has failed an MOT anyway?

Beckyy

Hi jaybetoo there'a already a few threads about that floating around, it's where I stand with what I owe the garage that I'm unsure about.

jaybeetoo

Beckyy I understand but I'm concerned that you appear to have been driving an uninsured car on a public road.

Chopper_Read

jaybeetoo wrote: »

Beckyy I understand but I'm concerned that you appear to have been driving an uninsured car on a public road.

Where does it say she hasn't got insurance?

jaybeetoo

If Beckyy took the car away from the garage after it has failed an MOT to use it for work she would not be insured and she could also be done for not having an MOT. She would only be insured to get the car repaired or to take it for another test.

As Beckyy says, this discussion should be in a separate thread. Sorry, I didn't mean to high jack this thread!

Westmead_Fan

so the brakes were iffy & you still drove the car which failed a mot which meant it was in a unroadworthy condition to be on the road, good job you was not involved in an accident or you would be in a very sticky situation.

if they had to do stuff on the car, put it back together next day strip it down again this will need to be paid for.

ask them for the total cost & break it down to see what they are charging you they might not charge as much as you think.

forgotmyname

Comments above.. Uninsured its not uninsured.

Not roadworthy though, That is correct. You should not have driven it in that state. And the driver is 100% responsible for the vehicle.
Had this argument with transport managers in the past. Trying to send people out in vehicles with obvious defects.

Failed new MOT overides the old MOT. Still not clear on this one. Seen evidence that suggests both.

But nothing recently dated and 100% reliable.

jaybeetoo

forgotmyname wrote: »

Comments above.. Uninsured its not uninsured.

My insurance policy say I must keep my car in a "roadworthy condition".

Either way, it sounds like that car should not have been driven on the road and the OP could have found herself in trouble with the Police if stopped or involved in an accident.