New front coil spring failed after 3 months - no impact

shaun_from_Africa

badfelafel wrote: »

He has offered to send the spring to the manufacturer - after I pay - but I wouldnt expect anything to come of that.

Just tell him that you will pay but you want your property back (the old spring) and that you will send it off to the manufacturer yourself to see what they think.

shaun_from_Africa

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Personally, I'd swallow the cost of another replacement but I'd also get it done elsewhere. This garage has given you no reason at all to continue using their services so, if you're going to have to pay again, pay someone else.

The spring has already been replaced by the garage concerned.

badfelafel wrote: »

Garage has replaced it but says it is due to impact. (It is the same garage that fitted the spring).

Joe_Horner

Ahh, missed that bit. Pity, but for next time the same holds.

It's also a matter of consumer rights - remember, if a fault shows up early it's assumed to have been there from the start unless the seller can prove otherwise. Last I heard, just saying "they don't just fail" doesn't constitute proof!

If a garage (or any other business) ignores your consumer rights then don't use them.

George_Michael

Houbara wrote: »

Only a new original makers spring will be top spec.All the aftermarket ones coming from Chinese sweatshops will be made of inferior steel. If you have nt paid full price for it you will have got a Chinese component

Richard53 wrote: »

My mechanic says he sees a lot of broken road springs these days, and he puts it down to low-quality steel compared to 20 years ago.

It shouldn't matter if the spring was made of low quality steel or where it was made as the law (Consumer rights act) requires that goods sold by traders to consumers must be fit for the purpose for which those goods are normally supplied and that they must be durable.
As the item in question was specifically designed to be fitted on a road going vehicle, it should have been of a good enough quality to have lasted a reasonable time when subjected to normal everyday conditions experienced on those roads and I don't think that many people would class 3 months use as reasonable.

Ganga

I would also expect any reputable spring manafacturer to exchange f.o.c.a spring that snapped after 3 months,the motor factor that sold it to the garage should be able to assist in this.

Ectophile

Assuming you paid for the spring by a credit or debit card, contact your card provider.


If it cost over £100 and you paid by credit card, ask for a refund under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.


If it was under £100, or you used a debit card, ask for a chargeback. Don't hang about, as there's a time limit on chargebacks.

reeac

At MOT time I was told that both front springs on my then 15 year old XJ8 had the lower ends missing ....no detectable effect on the handling. They were replaced with new ones of German origin. A year later the same thing but my garage replaced them at no cost to me as they had a 2 year guarantee and then sent the broken ones back to the supplier. I never heard of any outcome.

badfelafel

So by way of update...

The AA put me onto a specialist at ACE (he was fantastic) and took a look at photos and said that it looks like product failure and not due to an impact. I went back to the garage with that but they still disputed it (and were even more rude). But in the end they said "you've got something for nothing, take the car away, and never come back here". Like I'd be back after that! Still annoying that the garage owner thinks I was after something for nothing - he fitted a defective part, and we were only lucky it failed at low speed and not on the motorway! But in the end, it is sorted.