Need advice on problems at the garage
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Hello all, I am seeking advice on what to do next about problems at the car mechanic.
I own a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 (17 years old), 80k miles on the clock, cost me £475 originally through a friend and ran like a dream.
I broke down, got towed to the local garage who told me that it has a blown head gasket and will cost me £400 to repair. I thought this was worth it as during the year I had already paid for a whole new exhaust, oil/fuel filters and other bits and pieces, so I told him to go ahead and do the work.
They rang me a few days later to say that they skimmed the warped head and put everything back together with new head gasket and the car would not start, they said the starter motor burnt out when they tried to turn it over so they chucked in a used one from a scrap car they had (they are also breakers), and eventually got it started only to find out the valve pressures where not right, they then told me they checked the head again and that it had a crack in the head.
My option was to pay them £75 (half price) for a used head from a different model car, they told me it's half price due to the issues they have had and the extra waiting time. I paid the extra £75 (which now totals more than the cars worth) and then got the car back from them.
After driving around for a day it was pouring out smoke from the exhaust, filling up the street, the power was different than before and caused many power issues on gear changes, also it sounded very clicky, I checked the oil and it said empty, so I put in half a litre and checked 5 mins later...still said empty. I checked underneath and there was no leak, so I put in a whole litre of oil and the stick still said empty, at this point I took it back and explained the issue, they said they will find the problem and fix it for free due to warranty. They told me it was the valve seals, and that they put new ones on for free aswell as a new head gasket! (which i originally paid them for anyway). and another week without the car.
When I collected it the 2nd time, they told me of the work they had done and that it seems to be fine now, but to drive it for a few days to test. So I drove it around over the weekend and still had exactly the same problems as before, only this time the power was now even less, it also trickled along at about 2/4mph in gear 1 after traffic lights, until I just had to put it in gear 2 and slam my foot down to get it going. It was also still smoking but not as much as before. I checked the oil when I collected the car as they said they had topped it up, but the stick still told me empty, and after putting in another half litre this time round...still said empty, but no leak underneath.
They had admitted a few times that they messed up when working on it, which is why I got a half price head and no charge to fit the seals.
Now I take it back for the 3rd time, and this is what I am told..."We think we know where the problem is now and it's coming from the bottom, so what we can do is charge you another £150 for a complete full engine from another car that they can get from a trusted scrapyard, who has run the other car around and works fine"!!! and that they will fit it for free because of them messing up.
I was shocked and told them I don't really like the sound of that but is that my only option, to which they replied "well the 2nd option is we can get the parts for the bottom of the engine which will cost around 150-200 for the part itself and fix it for free, and that there is no guarantee it fully fixes the problem, so my best option is this used engine from a different model that is 4 years newer than mine".
Again "due to miss-diagnosis, the work is free" exact words.
So this would total about £675-£725 (for a car worth about £450).
At first I figured if that is my only option and will guarantee the car works, then do the job.
Now I just spoke to my insurance and asked how it will affect my insurance, they told me that unless it's an exact make and model, an exact swap, that my car will be un-insurable.
Which leaves me feeling hopeless, and I have until morning to find a solution, so that I can call the garage with.
Please help
I own a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 (17 years old), 80k miles on the clock, cost me £475 originally through a friend and ran like a dream.
I broke down, got towed to the local garage who told me that it has a blown head gasket and will cost me £400 to repair. I thought this was worth it as during the year I had already paid for a whole new exhaust, oil/fuel filters and other bits and pieces, so I told him to go ahead and do the work.
They rang me a few days later to say that they skimmed the warped head and put everything back together with new head gasket and the car would not start, they said the starter motor burnt out when they tried to turn it over so they chucked in a used one from a scrap car they had (they are also breakers), and eventually got it started only to find out the valve pressures where not right, they then told me they checked the head again and that it had a crack in the head.
My option was to pay them £75 (half price) for a used head from a different model car, they told me it's half price due to the issues they have had and the extra waiting time. I paid the extra £75 (which now totals more than the cars worth) and then got the car back from them.
After driving around for a day it was pouring out smoke from the exhaust, filling up the street, the power was different than before and caused many power issues on gear changes, also it sounded very clicky, I checked the oil and it said empty, so I put in half a litre and checked 5 mins later...still said empty. I checked underneath and there was no leak, so I put in a whole litre of oil and the stick still said empty, at this point I took it back and explained the issue, they said they will find the problem and fix it for free due to warranty. They told me it was the valve seals, and that they put new ones on for free aswell as a new head gasket! (which i originally paid them for anyway). and another week without the car.
When I collected it the 2nd time, they told me of the work they had done and that it seems to be fine now, but to drive it for a few days to test. So I drove it around over the weekend and still had exactly the same problems as before, only this time the power was now even less, it also trickled along at about 2/4mph in gear 1 after traffic lights, until I just had to put it in gear 2 and slam my foot down to get it going. It was also still smoking but not as much as before. I checked the oil when I collected the car as they said they had topped it up, but the stick still told me empty, and after putting in another half litre this time round...still said empty, but no leak underneath.
They had admitted a few times that they messed up when working on it, which is why I got a half price head and no charge to fit the seals.
Now I take it back for the 3rd time, and this is what I am told..."We think we know where the problem is now and it's coming from the bottom, so what we can do is charge you another £150 for a complete full engine from another car that they can get from a trusted scrapyard, who has run the other car around and works fine"!!! and that they will fit it for free because of them messing up.
I was shocked and told them I don't really like the sound of that but is that my only option, to which they replied "well the 2nd option is we can get the parts for the bottom of the engine which will cost around 150-200 for the part itself and fix it for free, and that there is no guarantee it fully fixes the problem, so my best option is this used engine from a different model that is 4 years newer than mine".
Again "due to miss-diagnosis, the work is free" exact words.
So this would total about £675-£725 (for a car worth about £450).
At first I figured if that is my only option and will guarantee the car works, then do the job.
Now I just spoke to my insurance and asked how it will affect my insurance, they told me that unless it's an exact make and model, an exact swap, that my car will be un-insurable.
Which leaves me feeling hopeless, and I have until morning to find a solution, so that I can call the garage with.
Please help
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Comments
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Now I just spoke to my insurance and asked how it will affect my insurance, they told me that unless it's an exact make and model, an exact swap, that my car will be un-insurable.
Nonsense, it only needs to be the same displacement (1.6), taking it from the same model (ie Astra) means it'll just be easier to fit, as it will drop straight in with all it's ancillary parts attached.
Once the V5 is updated with the new engine number, it's fully legal.
What you did was speak to some numpty in a call centre, who's working from a set of generic desk instructions. Which undoubtedly only takes into account boy racers swapping in bigger engines.“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”
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Dont go back to that garage, they dont know what they are doing, they are crooks.0
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Strider590 wrote: »Nonsense, it only needs to be the same displacement (1.6), taking it from the same model (ie Astra) means it'll just be easier to fit, as it will drop straight in with all it's ancillary parts attached.
Once the V5 is updated with the new engine number, it's fully legal.
What you did was speak to some numpty in a call centre, who's working from a set of generic desk instructions. Which undoubtedly only takes into account boy racers swapping in bigger engines.
It is a 1.6 which I explained to them, but comes from a Meriva, not an Astra.0 -
sevenhills wrote: »Dont go back to that garage, they dont know what they are doing, they are crooks.
I already decided I will use a different garage in the future, but for the current problem I must have some options?.0 -
Is there any law where I can get a refund, or do I just have to take the hit?.0
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Consumer Rights Act would apply, but the rights for services are that if a service is not carried out with reasonable care & skill, you can require repeat performance. Likewise, information given by the trader (or on their behalf) about the contract is binding if its something the consumer would have perhaps based a decision about the service/entering the contract on it. If these conditions are not met, you have the right to repeat performance and if that doesn't solve it, the right to a price reduction (up to the whole contract price - ie a full refund).
The problem you may have is proving they failed to carry it out with reasonable care & skill/promised the repair would fix the problem as I'm assuming this was all said in person/on a phone call rather than in any form of writing.You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride0 -
unholyangel wrote: »
The problem you may have is proving they failed to carry it out with reasonable care & skill/promised the repair would fix the problem as I'm assuming this was all said in person/on a phone call rather than in any form of writing.
Yup, it was all in person and on the phone, the only evidence I have of anything is a receipt for the head and head gasket work.
I assume I can't have this engine put in if it does make insurance void (will have to check again), and also I'm afraid to pay £200 for another part to be fitted in case it does not actually fix the problem again...
But without those options I also have an unusable car that would cost another £500+ if I took it to another garage to get sorted out, making total spend over a grand, and to be honest the original £500 spent was all my savings, so could not afford to take it somewhere else now anyway, and all down to mis-diagnosis by a professional.0 -
Also my car is an SXI, If I have a lousy Meriva engine going into it, then it would be no where near the power of what my current is.0
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Also my car is an SXI, If I have a lousy Meriva engine going into it, then it would be no where near the power of what my current is.
If it's the same engine and same output, of course it would.
Start listening to what people are telling you. A replacement like-for-like engine does not invalidate your insurance. I wouldn't even bother mentioning it. Do you ring them every time you replace a bulb or wiper blade? No.0 -
It had no power to start with they wont find an engine with less power.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0
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