Mechanic has broken my car

Jumblebumble

  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault. 

My understanding is that all Car Bonnets have a primary latch and a backup safety latch
You are very unlucky that both failed. I bet the mechanic will not back up what he told you in writing.
I hear every week people engaging  my business telling me that their old knackered piece of kit has never failed before and so it must be my fault
How an oil leak causes relays and glow plugs and injectors and fuel pump to fail  is anyone's guess.
I like to tell them it  was raining yesterday

AdrianC

Jumblebumble said:

  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault. 

My understanding is that all Car Bonnets have a primary latch and a backup safety latch
You are very unlucky that both failed.

More likely is that the mechanic didn't latch the primary properly... and the secondary was seized through lack of basic maintenance - a little bit of lubrication every now and then.

You may remember the Renault Clio "bonnet latch" fiasco that Watchdog were shouting about some years ago. That's what that was.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/03_march/28/watchdog.shtml

/https://www.cdn.renault.com/content/dam/Renault/UK/brand-and-editorial/Aftersales/Customer Relations/clio-ii-bonnet-guide.pdf

unhappydriver

Jumblebumble said:

  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault. 

My understanding is that all Car Bonnets have a primary latch and a backup safety latch
You are very unlucky that both failed. I bet the mechanic will not back up what he told you in writing.
I hear every week people engaging  my business telling me that their old knackered piece of kit has never failed before and so it must be my fault
How an oil leak causes relays and glow plugs and injectors and fuel pump to fail  is anyone's guess.
I like to tell them it  was raining yesterday

The thing is, if the bonnet had ever flown up in the past and smashed the windscreen - you'd know about it.  It's not something that could just happen without you noticing it.  They literally didn't put it back on properly.    And the new one that they've fitted doesn't sit right either.  I'd just driven the car to Wales the week before - it ran smoothly as anything.  It might not be a brand new car, but if you look after something, age doesn't have to mean it's knackered.   And this car genuinely wasn't until they got their hands on it.    I think if I'd had odd problems with the car here and there, I might have agreed that it was starting to wear a bit.   I think if they had fixed the oil seal and then had 1 other fault - maybe fair enough.  But to have one thing after another with only 4 days between each one....hmm.   

[Deleted User]

unhappydriver said:

Had my car for 5 years.  Never had any problems with it.  In January noticed a small oil leak, thought I'd better get it checked.  Dropped it in at garage and they said it needed a replacement oil seal.  Upshot was it took them 3 weeks to do this - in the process they didn't fit the bonnet back on the car correctly and it flew off when they test drove it, and crumpled and smashed the windscreen.  Repaired it but then car broke down for the first time ever - 4 days after getting it back from them.  They said it was the relay, then said it was the glow plugs.  Got that repaired but then car broken down another 4 days later.  This time said it was fuel pump then said it was injector seals.  Got it back from them and this time oil leak reappeared.  Took it back into them (at this point it was March).  They messed around saying lack of staff etc, then transferred it to another garage without telling me.  The garage owner then said the engine was knackered and nothing to do with the other issues (!) just a coincidence.  Recommended that I tell insurance company that it had driven through flood water and been damaged and get it written off.  Obviously refused to do that and told them to repair it.  Next day garage shut down for lock down - without telling me, ringing me, texting me.  Kept the car until end of May when finally reopened.  Put second hand engine in, but when went to collect car, now air con not working and lights on dashboard saying power steering faulty - garage owner said due to battery being a bit flat and lights will go off after a couple of days.  But a couple of days later, oil leak back and then car broke down again.  Clearly can't take it back there - they've taken a car that was running fine, to a car that has been damaged inside and out.  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault.  Asked for public liability insurance, took a picture (it had expired 2 months earlier!) and contacted company who had no record of insurance policy.  Where do I stand?  At moment I have no car but have paid out for clearly faulty repairs.

Did they stop teaching paragraphs at school?!

unhappydriver

[DELETED USER] said:

unhappydriver said:

Had my car for 5 years.  Never had any problems with it.  In January noticed a small oil leak, thought I'd better get it checked.  Dropped it in at garage and they said it needed a replacement oil seal.  Upshot was it took them 3 weeks to do this - in the process they didn't fit the bonnet back on the car correctly and it flew off when they test drove it, and crumpled and smashed the windscreen.  Repaired it but then car broke down for the first time ever - 4 days after getting it back from them.  They said it was the relay, then said it was the glow plugs.  Got that repaired but then car broken down another 4 days later.  This time said it was fuel pump then said it was injector seals.  Got it back from them and this time oil leak reappeared.  Took it back into them (at this point it was March).  They messed around saying lack of staff etc, then transferred it to another garage without telling me.  The garage owner then said the engine was knackered and nothing to do with the other issues (!) just a coincidence.  Recommended that I tell insurance company that it had driven through flood water and been damaged and get it written off.  Obviously refused to do that and told them to repair it.  Next day garage shut down for lock down - without telling me, ringing me, texting me.  Kept the car until end of May when finally reopened.  Put second hand engine in, but when went to collect car, now air con not working and lights on dashboard saying power steering faulty - garage owner said due to battery being a bit flat and lights will go off after a couple of days.  But a couple of days later, oil leak back and then car broke down again.  Clearly can't take it back there - they've taken a car that was running fine, to a car that has been damaged inside and out.  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault.  Asked for public liability insurance, took a picture (it had expired 2 months earlier!) and contacted company who had no record of insurance policy.  Where do I stand?  At moment I have no car but have paid out for clearly faulty repairs.

Did they stop teaching paragraphs at school?!

At about the same time they stopped teaching the definition of helpfulness clearly

Jumblebumble

unhappydriver said:

Jumblebumble said:

  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault. 

My understanding is that all Car Bonnets have a primary latch and a backup safety latch
You are very unlucky that both failed. I bet the mechanic will not back up what he told you in writing.
I hear every week people engaging  my business telling me that their old knackered piece of kit has never failed before and so it must be my fault
How an oil leak causes relays and glow plugs and injectors and fuel pump to fail  is anyone's guess.
I like to tell them it  was raining yesterday

The thing is, if the bonnet had ever flown up in the past and smashed the windscreen - you'd know about it.  It's not something that could just happen without you noticing it.  They literally didn't put it back on properly.    And the new one that they've fitted doesn't sit right either.  I'd just driven the car to Wales the week before - it ran smoothly as anything.  It might not be a brand new car, but if you look after something, age doesn't have to mean it's knackered.   And this car genuinely wasn't until they got their hands on it.    I think if I'd had odd problems with the car here and there, I might have agreed that it was starting to wear a bit.   I think if they had fixed the oil seal and then had 1 other fault - maybe fair enough.  But to have one thing after another with only 4 days between each one....hmm.   

Can I just clarify
Did they remove the bonnet from the car to fix the oil leak ?
It was removed did the flying open damage the mountings ?
Is the new bonnet an OEM part or is it a pattern part ?

mattyprice4004

fred246 said:

It's the same as it's always been. Take your car to a garage. They wreck it. They tell lies. The customer pays.

Awww, beaten to Fred bingo again! 

unhappydriver

Jumblebumble said:

unhappydriver said:

Jumblebumble said:

  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault. 

My understanding is that all Car Bonnets have a primary latch and a backup safety latch
You are very unlucky that both failed. I bet the mechanic will not back up what he told you in writing.
I hear every week people engaging  my business telling me that their old knackered piece of kit has never failed before and so it must be my fault
How an oil leak causes relays and glow plugs and injectors and fuel pump to fail  is anyone's guess.
I like to tell them it  was raining yesterday

The thing is, if the bonnet had ever flown up in the past and smashed the windscreen - you'd know about it.  It's not something that could just happen without you noticing it.  They literally didn't put it back on properly.    And the new one that they've fitted doesn't sit right either.  I'd just driven the car to Wales the week before - it ran smoothly as anything.  It might not be a brand new car, but if you look after something, age doesn't have to mean it's knackered.   And this car genuinely wasn't until they got their hands on it.    I think if I'd had odd problems with the car here and there, I might have agreed that it was starting to wear a bit.   I think if they had fixed the oil seal and then had 1 other fault - maybe fair enough.  But to have one thing after another with only 4 days between each one....hmm.   

Can I just clarify
Did they remove the bonnet from the car to fix the oil leak ?
It was removed did the flying open damage the mountings ?
Is the new bonnet an OEM part or is it a pattern part ?

They removed the bonnet on 2 occasions.  When I first took it in.  They stripped the car down apparently as the oil leak was hard to get to, but then had problems with their supplier for the oil seal.  Apparently the part was sent out but got lost.  Then it was delivered but not the right part.  And then they didn't know when the right one would arrive.  So at that point, they put the car back together and said I could be driving it. 
Then when they got the oil seal, they took the front end of the car off again (including the bonnet again) and fitted the seal.  Then they put the car back together and took it for a test drive (they said), to make sure the oil wasn't leaking as they drove it.   During the test drive, the bonnet flew up into the air and hit the windscreen, crumpling the bonnet.  They had to pull over the side of the road, remove the bonnet which was damaged beyond repair and wouldn't fit back on the car, and then drive the car back to the garage minus a bonnet. 
I don't know if the flying open damaged the mounting (it certainly doesn't sit perfect on the car now). 
 I don't know if the new bonnet is an OEM part?

[Deleted User]

unhappydriver said:

[DELETED USER] said:

unhappydriver said:

Had my car for 5 years.  Never had any problems with it.  In January noticed a small oil leak, thought I'd better get it checked.  Dropped it in at garage and they said it needed a replacement oil seal.  Upshot was it took them 3 weeks to do this - in the process they didn't fit the bonnet back on the car correctly and it flew off when they test drove it, and crumpled and smashed the windscreen.  Repaired it but then car broke down for the first time ever - 4 days after getting it back from them.  They said it was the relay, then said it was the glow plugs.  Got that repaired but then car broken down another 4 days later.  This time said it was fuel pump then said it was injector seals.  Got it back from them and this time oil leak reappeared.  Took it back into them (at this point it was March).  They messed around saying lack of staff etc, then transferred it to another garage without telling me.  The garage owner then said the engine was knackered and nothing to do with the other issues (!) just a coincidence.  Recommended that I tell insurance company that it had driven through flood water and been damaged and get it written off.  Obviously refused to do that and told them to repair it.  Next day garage shut down for lock down - without telling me, ringing me, texting me.  Kept the car until end of May when finally reopened.  Put second hand engine in, but when went to collect car, now air con not working and lights on dashboard saying power steering faulty - garage owner said due to battery being a bit flat and lights will go off after a couple of days.  But a couple of days later, oil leak back and then car broke down again.  Clearly can't take it back there - they've taken a car that was running fine, to a car that has been damaged inside and out.  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault.  Asked for public liability insurance, took a picture (it had expired 2 months earlier!) and contacted company who had no record of insurance policy.  Where do I stand?  At moment I have no car but have paid out for clearly faulty repairs.

Did they stop teaching paragraphs at school?!

At about the same time they stopped teaching the definition of helpfulness clearly

It would be really helpful if the OP used some paragraphs to make their wall of text a bit more readable. If they had I might have actually bothered reading it and offered some useful advice.

Jumblebumble

unhappydriver said:

Jumblebumble said:

unhappydriver said:

Jumblebumble said:

  Garage owner also lied and tried to make out bonnet coming open was due to faulty clasp and not mechanic error - despite it never having happened before, and mechanic telling me directly it was his fault. 

My understanding is that all Car Bonnets have a primary latch and a backup safety latch
You are very unlucky that both failed. I bet the mechanic will not back up what he told you in writing.
I hear every week people engaging  my business telling me that their old knackered piece of kit has never failed before and so it must be my fault
How an oil leak causes relays and glow plugs and injectors and fuel pump to fail  is anyone's guess.
I like to tell them it  was raining yesterday

The thing is, if the bonnet had ever flown up in the past and smashed the windscreen - you'd know about it.  It's not something that could just happen without you noticing it.  They literally didn't put it back on properly.    And the new one that they've fitted doesn't sit right either.  I'd just driven the car to Wales the week before - it ran smoothly as anything.  It might not be a brand new car, but if you look after something, age doesn't have to mean it's knackered.   And this car genuinely wasn't until they got their hands on it.    I think if I'd had odd problems with the car here and there, I might have agreed that it was starting to wear a bit.   I think if they had fixed the oil seal and then had 1 other fault - maybe fair enough.  But to have one thing after another with only 4 days between each one....hmm.   

Can I just clarify
Did they remove the bonnet from the car to fix the oil leak ?
It was removed did the flying open damage the mountings ?
Is the new bonnet an OEM part or is it a pattern part ?

They removed the bonnet on 2 occasions.  When I first took it in.  They stripped the car down apparently as the oil leak was hard to get to, but then had problems with their supplier for the oil seal.  Apparently the part was sent out but got lost.  Then it was delivered but not the right part.  And then they didn't know when the right one would arrive.  So at that point, they put the car back together and said I could be driving it. 
Then when they got the oil seal, they took the front end of the car off again (including the bonnet again) and fitted the seal.  Then they put the car back together and took it for a test drive (they said), to make sure the oil wasn't leaking as they drove it.   During the test drive, the bonnet flew up into the air and hit the windscreen, crumpling the bonnet.  They had to pull over the side of the road, remove the bonnet which was damaged beyond repair and wouldn't fit back on the car, and then drive the car back to the garage minus a bonnet. 
I don't know if the flying open damaged the mounting (it certainly doesn't sit perfect on the car now). 
 I don't know if the new bonnet is an OEM part?

I have to say I personally would not be willing to drive any car that had the bonnet fly up twice without the car being declared safe by a main dealer at the very least 
In your case The main dealer will do nothing of the sort as the bonnet does not fit right and therefore I would be pursuing this clown in the small claims court and unfortunately scrap the car