motorcycle repair advice please

houghton19

I took my bike it to a local guy who works out of his home, upon completion he has offered a receipt so i assume he is registered as a business ect. He has had my bike for about 4 month, he says he has changed the carbs but this didnt resolve the problem...... my bill is £400 and not fixed. He now says my engine is cracked and needs a new engine fit (which he says he has done) wanting a extra £500...

The bloke has now stopped answering all my calls and i still have no bike. What should my next point of action be now he isnt replying to my phone calls. Would this be a police issue or not as its just a civil problem?

I haven't paid him a penny yet so only down on the bike not financially yet.

Thanks.

Tim.

visidigi

So have you refused to pay the £900? Whats the state of play given you havent paid anything yet? Are you just wanting your bike back for the original £400?

TonyMMM

All depends on what you actually agreed to him doing at the time you gave him the bike, and any subsequent agreements you have made.

You will owe him for the agreed work he has done. He can't charge you for anything not agreed - if he put in a new engine without any discussion or agreement, then you would be entitled not to pay that part of the bill (and he would be entitled to put the old cracked engine back before returning the bike).

In no way is it a police matter.

pinkshoes

Well you can either pay the £400 to get it back, or pay the extra to have time fixed.

Even experts can't know exactly what's wrong with an engine, so he did what he felt was most likely to solve it, and it didn't work, so is now moving onto step 2.

Could you source the part and do it yourself?

houghton19

I don't have a problem with the paying the £900 IF the bike is fixed. He said I could pay the £400 for original work and owe the extra (which is nice). The problem I have is I feel 4 month to fix a bike is too long for the amount going to be paid & the fact he is doing other peoples before mine, I have heard the phrases "it will be done by the end of the week" & "it's just About finished" soooo many times. Now the fact he doesn't answer my calls is annoying and I just want my bike back working. If I'd known the waif/ hassle I'd have taken it else where. It only went in for a service!!!! My tax and mot will be out of date by the time I get it back and I'm paying insurance for nothing.

pinkshoes

houghton19 wrote: »

I don't have a problem with the paying the £900 IF the bike is fixed. He said I could pay the £400 for original work and owe the extra (which is nice). The problem I have is I feel 4 month to fix a bike is too long for the amount going to be paid & the fact he is doing other peoples before mine, I have heard the phrases "it will be done by the end of the week" & "it's just About finished" soooo many times. Now the fact he doesn't answer my calls is annoying and I just want my bike back working. If I'd known the waif/ hassle I'd have taken it else where. It only went in for a service!!!! My tax and mot will be out of date by the time I get it back and I'm paying insurance for nothing.

Then pay the £400 to get it back then take it somewhere else.

I'd want a breakdown of how much was parts and how much labour, and perhaps seek a reduction in the labour bill.

Atidi

When you first took your bike to this bloke, what did you say to him and what was his response?

Now the new engine is fitted, is the bike fixed? If not, what is wrong with it?
If the bloke won't answer your calls, have you tried withholding your number, or even calling from an entirely different phone? e.g. a call box?

If all else fails, why don't you visit the bloke? Perhaps he's no longer there? Perhaps your bike is no longer there too? :eek:

zaax

where did you meet this guy you gave your bike to?

houghton19

Think we may be sorted. I don't have a problem paying for the service. My problem was I couldn't get in touch. He had ignored over 30 calls. No reply to texts and his car was never at his house. I wanted to know how I could get the bike back and my legal rights. Hoping it's ready tomoz.

houghton19

Sorry atidi missed your post.

I bought the bike and after a few days it wouldn't start when wet. The guy said it was prob the plugs so I bought the stuff for a service. This didn't work. Then he changed the carbs. No joy. Thinks the engine is cracked. He seems to be happy with how it's running and hopfully get it back today. Yeah I tried off withheld number at different times to I was usually calling.

I think I have been conned by previous owner. I'm wondering if it's been a track bike with pressure on the engine. 1 of the problems of buying a 2nd hand bike. Hopefully sorted and everything now. Thanks guys.