Help with mechanic doing unauthorised repairs

summer78

Some advice would be great please. I don't like feeling like I have done the wrong thing I'm not sure I have. I am trading in my car but the night before trading it in it felt like the gearbox wasn't working and the car limped back home. I got lots of quotes of mechanics and one came in at £280 for a new gearbox. He said he would come on Friday and fix it. Great I thought. Friday came and he needed a part so now it was Monday that it would be fixed. So Monday came and went I called and was told it would be ready Tuesday morning as it was taking longer than expected. Tuesday morning I called and asked what the final bill would be and it was now £380 as there was cylinder damage. I said this is more than I was quoted but ok. Clarified they wouldn't take cheque for payment and said I would have the payment ready when they were to drop the car off later that day. Tuesday afternoon at 4pm I called again to see where the car is and now am informed they put it back together and it isn't working. He wanted to take it the next day to a friends garage to have another look at the gearbox. I said ok but I don't want to be spending any more than the £380 on the car as I'm trading it in. I said clearly if its going to end up more than this please can you ring me as I only have the £380 to spend.

Anyway Wednesday afternoon I called him as heard nothing and he said its all fixed and the friend has charged £108 to do it. I said I told you not to spend anymore money on the car. He was annoyed and said well its going to come out of my pocket then. The car has finally just been delivered 8pm Thursday night so very late and he tried to get me to pay for the extra £108. I said I didn't authorise this I'm grateful you fixed the car but I did make it clear I only had £380 to spend. So he left after i paid £380 Am I in the right?

DUTR

What do you think?

arcon5

In short. Yes you are.

If he spent more money having it fixed its not your problem, you both agreed what was to be done and for how much and that's what you got and what you paid

Retrogamer

You paid him to fix a problem and he was incapable of doing it, so he paid his friend to do it and wants you to pay both of them?
Sounds like a right chancer to me to be honest.

Hintza

Retrogamer wrote: »

Sounds like a right chancer to me to be honest.

Perhaps, but I wouldn't necessarily say so.

This is why it helps to cultivate a mechanic you trust.

colino

If it went into limp home mode it sounds like an auto. What work did he actually claim to do, £280 certainly doesn't cover replacing a gearbox.

Strider590

colino wrote: »

If it went into limp home mode it sounds like an auto. What work did he actually claim to do, £280 certainly doesn't cover replacing a gearbox.

Glad it's not just me thinking that......

londonTiger

I gearbox is more complicated than an engine. I wonder if it's a common fault and just replaced a component like a differential or sonethibg

summer78

Thanks all for the comments I think after reflection I did make the right choice. Although I didn't have the extra cash anyway to pay I did want to feel I had morally made the right call. Cheers for all of the advice :-)

forgotmyname

londonTiger wrote: »

I gearbox is more complicated than an engine. I wonder if it's a common fault and just replaced a component like a differential or sonethibg

A couple of shafts with some cogs on is more complicated than an engine with twin cams and 16 valves? Are you sure?

I can rebuild a gearbox in less time than it takes to rebuild and engine.

No bores to hone, No timing to set. etc...

verityboo

forgotmyname wrote: »

A couple of shafts with some cogs on is more complicated than an engine with twin cams and 16 valves? Are you sure?

I can rebuild a gearbox in less time than it takes to rebuild and engine.

No bores to hone, No timing to set. etc...

I think the comment was made because the OP implies it is an auto box (but does not make 100% clear). An auto box is more than a couple of shafts and cogs!