Garage Bill

almaca

My daughter took her car to a local garage to look at the brakes which were faulty. They inspected the car and told her what work needed done, and gave her an estimate or quote, which was very high. She did not give her agreement for them to go ahead but left the car in the garage while she got quotes from other garages and another one gave her a price almost half of what she had been given by the first garage.

She tried to 'phone them all day to say she was going elsewhere but they wouldn't answer their 'phone. When she called in at the end of the day, the garage said they'd already done the repair even although she hadn't given them permission to do so.

What are her rights, especially as they still have her car?

forgotmyname

Why didnt she just go and collect the car when they quoted the price?

How long had she left the car there? Guessing its not a storage yard whilst people get quotes elsewhere.

1. Pay them and never use them again?

2 Pay them the costs to inspect and get them to remove the parts they fitted?

3. Don't pay them and hope you can take them to the small claims before they scrap the car?

shinytop

If the car isn't locked away, find the spare key and remove the car. Then simply return and negotiate a fair price based on your cheapest quote.

System

When my local Ford dealer did a minor repair after a service without authorisation they contacted me, held their hands up and said there would be no charge.

Her rights are to demand the garage return the car to the condition it was in before they repaired it and give her the car back. They can't demand payment for work not authorised.

agrinnall

I'd offer to pay them the amount quoted by the other garage first.

PDC

How did the other garages manage to quote without seeing the car when the first garage needed to?

interstellaflyer

PDC wrote: »

How did the other garages manage to quote without seeing the car when the first garage needed to?

Probably because the other garage had told the Ops daughter what was needed so she got quotes based on that work.

Alfrescodave

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Probably because the other garage had told the Ops daughter what was needed so she got quotes based on that work.

What's the betting that the second garage revise their quote upwards once the car is on their premises.?

interstellaflyer

Alfrescodave wrote: »

What's the betting that the second garage revise their quote upwards once the car is on their premises.?

Yep I guess they’ve just given a ball park figure without seeing the vehicle

ladymoneymagnet

Hi I have a similar issue. Took my car to the garage for MOT and service. Went to get the car, £570 bill. They had put on new brake shoes and brake pads without discussing it with me. So shocked, paid half the bill as not enough money. Now two months later had a reminder for rest of bill. I stupidly had hoped they might forget about it, I think! Family and friends think it's awful that I was not consulted. They have passed my dispute into their 'credit department'. I have said I will get legal advice but unsure how to proceed. Thoughts appreciated please! 

AdrianC

"My brakes need some work. How much?"
Well, how long IS that piece of string?

The garage that have seen the car know whether it's just pads, whether the discs need doing, whether the calipers and/or handbrake cables are shagged, whether the pipes are rotten... What quality of parts are being used? Chocolate cheapies, or OEM quality?

The garage that have been phoned don't even know what colour the paint is.