Stood up by mechanic after unsuccessful fix and now being ignored.

rapidon

Hi guys.

A couple of weeks ago my car started making an awful rattling sound when the clutch was depressed. I took it to local garage who said it needs a new Dual Mass Flywheel (DMF) but they couldn't fit it for a couple of weeks due to Covid backlog. Living rurally with three kids and one car, I looked around for someone with more availability and found a mobile mechanic who could come sooner. I got new flywheel and clutch from ebay (I still believe them to be correct parts purchased using parts numbers from oe catalogue) and he was to do labour. He seemed great at first, mentioned a couple of extra little things he resolved along the way and wouldn't take any extra money despite taking longer than expected. He told a lot of tall stories but seemed to know what he was doing. I paid him the day he was supposed to finish as we had to wait for an extra part which my clutch kit didn't include (slave cylinder) and I felt it was my responsibility - he hadn't asked for payment. I wasn't provided with an invoice.

Regrettably, on completion he started the car and knocking was worse than ever. He blamed faulty DMF and said that I should get a replacement and he'd refit and send the bill to parts company! I was gutted but at least glad he was saying it wouldn't cost me any extra. So he booked me in again and I ordered a new DMF. The parts company said they needed a report from mechanic to complete the refund for the original which mechanic agreed to do that night. But that night, nothing came. I chased him up the next day and again he said he'd do it that night but nothing. I spoke to him a couple of times since about him coming back to refit and getting the report and he always sounded positive but nothing showed up. Then last night I messaged him to confirm that he'll be here but got no reply and of course today he didn't show up and won't answer his phone.

So I looked up his company on information.service.gov.uk and it turns out, the day he originally came to change DMF, he was issued a "notice for compulsory strike-off" for not filing his accounts and unless he sorts it out within two months, his company is to be dissolved. Today he has apparently submitted his accounts, only every field on the "Micro Accounts" sheet is £0. I don't understand all this but I'm guessing he's submitted a blank form in a bid to get them off his back.

So now I don't know what to do. If I don't hear from him anymore I'll loose all the original fitment and parts costs. And, judging by his accounting, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy I'm going to have much luck getting money out of. I've sent him a few friendly, calm messages attempting to sound understanding and asking him to get in touch, trying to keep him onside. As I see it I really need the report stating that the DMF is faulty from him at the least and ideally an invoice. I've sent a few calm, friendly messages, attempting to sound understanding hoping to get these out of him but nothing. Now, my intention is to contact him threating to complain everywhere and anywhere I can (trading standards, reviews, HMRC, courts) if he doesn't provide the report and invoice. But perhaps anyone has some advice first?
Thanks!

attila_123

I’d cut your losses with the mobile mechanic unfortunately. Take it somewhere for an inspection of the issue and be prepared to but a new dmf if it needs it. If you’re not precious you could go gor a cheaper single mass conversion

Spank

I can't see why he owes you money, he fitted the clutch (& more) and you paid him for that. The clutch refund could be a write-off, but you can try sending them a link for the "notice for compulsory strike-off" and explain how he is incommunicado, they might say tough, but might be willing to help.

Grumpy_chap

You need to:
1. Write off the losses on the internet part and labour.
2.  Book the car into a proper garage who do the full job, parts and labour.
3.  Hire a car if you need transport in the meantime until the garage can schedule the job to be done.

KimJongUn88

Just goes to show that you can't trust mobil mechanics.  They don't have a bricks and mortar address that you can track them down to and if they decide to ignore your calls, there's not much you can do about it. Usually they're not very good at what they do either because they can't hold down a proper job at a proper garage and instead they wander round in an old van with a satchel full of tools trying to scratch a living. 

Also, you've made a rod for your own by supplying your own parts.  When there's a problem with a part whether it be broken upon fitting or not the right one, it's down to you to sort it out at your own cost.  If you would have gone to a regular garage, they would have had to remedy the situation if the part was wrong or didn't work properly.

rapidon

KimJongUn88 said:

Also, you've made a rod for your own by supplying your own parts.  When there's a problem with a part whether it be broken upon fitting or not the right one, it's down to you to sort it out at your own cost.  If you would have gone to a regular garage, they would have had to remedy the situation if the part was wrong or didn't work properly.

Up to me to sort out yes, but still if a parts company supplies a faulty part, I should in theory be entitled to labour refund from parts company as consequential damages, so in theory no financial loss to doing it this way. In fact if he had purchase the part on my behalf and fitted and it had gone wrong and then he had ignored me, I'd be in the same situation.

KimJongUn88 said:

Just goes to show that you can't trust mobil mechanics.

This is more to the point I think. Never again! I only did so because all garages had a delay, 

Spank said:

I can't see why he owes you money, he fitted the clutch (& more) and you paid him for that.

The issue is that I don't know if, as he says, the part is faulty or if, in fact, he messed up the fitment and that is why he is now burying his head in the sand. He only owes me money in the latter case. In the former case he owes me the report that the part is faulty, as promised. He also promised to refit and bill parts company, I didn't request that, it was his own suggestion. By not showing up he has left me carless for longer, causing further expense and preventing me from claiming from parts company.

I get that I have to take the car to another garage, I really came on here to look for advice on how to deal with him. He has left me high and dry and does have a company with a registered address I can peruse. I can't see it being fruitful but as a student with kids I could really do with giving it a shot because it's making a huge difference to our finances. Without even a faulty part report I lose big. 

AdrianC

rapidon said:

KimJongUn88 said:

Also, you've made a rod for your own by supplying your own parts.  When there's a problem with a part whether it be broken upon fitting or not the right one, it's down to you to sort it out at your own cost.  If you would have gone to a regular garage, they would have had to remedy the situation if the part was wrong or didn't work properly.

Up to me to sort out yes, but still if a parts company supplies a faulty part, I should in theory be entitled to labour refund from parts company as consequential damages, so in theory no financial loss to doing it this way.

But you get into a pointing game.
Was the part faulty? Did he break it by fitting it badly?
Was it the wrong part in the first place, ordered wrongly by you...?
And you also close off the "I'll order another, fit that, then return the duff one for a refund" route - it becomes a question of returning it, waiting for the supplier to exchange, all the while your car is in bits. Unless you want to take the financial risk of ordering another one in the meantime.

If you wanted to order it yourself to save a couple of quid, that's a false economy.
If he wanted you to order it, why? Is his credit no good with his suppliers...?

In fact if he had purchase the part on my behalf and fitted and it had gone wrong and then he had ignored me, I'd be in the same situation. 

Indeed - but only because he's now done a runner. You're always going to be stuffed in that situation.

williamgriffin

rapidon said:

KimJongUn88 said:

Also, you've made a rod for your own by supplying your own parts.  When there's a problem with a part whether it be broken upon fitting or not the right one, it's down to you to sort it out at your own cost.  If you would have gone to a regular garage, they would have had to remedy the situation if the part was wrong or didn't work properly.

Up to me to sort out yes, but still if a parts company supplies a faulty part, I should in theory be entitled to labour refund from parts company as consequential damages, so in theory no financial loss to doing it this way. In fact if he had purchase the part on my behalf and fitted and it had gone wrong and then he had ignored me, I'd be in the same situation.

KimJongUn88 said:

Just goes to show that you can't trust mobil mechanics.

This is more to the point I think. Never again! I only did so because all garages had a delay, 

Spank said:

I can't see why he owes you money, he fitted the clutch (& more) and you paid him for that.

The issue is that I don't know if, as he says, the part is faulty or if, in fact, he messed up the fitment and that is why he is now burying his head in the sand. He only owes me money in the latter case. In the former case he owes me the report that the part is faulty, as promised. He also promised to refit and bill parts company, I didn't request that, it was his own suggestion. By not showing up he has left me carless for longer, causing further expense and preventing me from claiming from parts company.

I get that I have to take the car to another garage, I really came on here to look for advice on how to deal with him. He has left me high and dry and does have a company with a registered address I can peruse. I can't see it being fruitful but as a student with kids I could really do with giving it a shot because it's making a huge difference to our finances. Without even a faulty part report I lose big. 

Sounds like he'll liquidate the current company and start again to you sue him. 

AdrianC

williamgriffin said:

Sounds like he'll liquidate the current company and start again to you sue him. 

Except you can't, because your contract was with the previous company, which no longer exists.

Jack_Cork

Not sure I want to buy a DMF off ebay, unless it was a credible supplier. Lots of grey parts out there

fred246

I've never seen a Dual Mass Flywheel that wasn't grey.