Garage damaged my car

Birkets

Hi, I'm looking for some direction about how to get a garage to rectify damage they caused. Took my car for a specific suspension repair to a local, well recommended garage. First warning sign should have been 3 staff all not wearing masks either on drop off or pick up. They called an hour after drop off, I missed it and when I returned the call 45 mins later I was told they had already done extra work and would be charging me for it, which was removal of the grill to get access as the bonnet was locked. I have a Ford Focus which have seaparate security key for the bonnet.( I couldn't lay my hands on my main keys so took the spare, hoping they wouldnt need it but found my keys half an hour later.) Turned out they had removed the lock for the bonnet and helpfully advised they had 'fixed the problem'. Also when they phoned to say it was ready, they said I could now access it with a long handle screwdriver. If they'd waited 45 mins for my call then they could have had the key and avoided damaging my car. In correspondence they've tried to tell me that I gave authorisation for the work, I didn't, I was advised after the fact that they'd done the work, and now it turns out that they'd done something different than advised on the phone so not really an issue of permission at that stage. They've also then said the lock was damaged, this was the first mention if it and a change in their story to try to fob me off. The only way it could be broken without use of the key is if they damaged it themselves. They're not denying they did it but they're refusing to repair it. What are my options?

williamgriffin

Birkets said:

Hi, I'm looking for some direction about how to get a garage to rectify damage they caused. Took my car for a specific suspension repair to a local, well recommended garage. First warning sign should have been 3 staff all not wearing masks either on drop off or pick up. They called an hour after drop off, I missed it and when I returned the call 45 mins later I was told they had already done extra work and would be charging me for it, which was removal of the grill to get access as the bonnet was locked. I have a Ford Focus which have seaparate security key for the bonnet.( I couldn't lay my hands on my main keys so took the spare, hoping they wouldnt need it but found my keys half an hour later.) Turned out they had removed the lock for the bonnet and helpfully advised they had 'fixed the problem'. Also when they phoned to say it was ready, they said I could now access it with a long handle screwdriver. If they'd waited 45 mins for my call then they could have had the key and avoided damaging my car. In correspondence they've tried to tell me that I gave authorisation for the work, I didn't, I was advised after the fact that they'd done the work, and now it turns out that they'd done something different than advised on the phone so not really an issue of permission at that stage. They've also then said the lock was damaged, this was the first mention if it and a change in their story to try to fob me off. The only way it could be broken without use of the key is if they damaged it themselves. They're not denying they did it but they're refusing to repair it. What are my options?

How did you expect them to do the job without the key? My ignition key opens the bonnet. 

TadleyBaggie

The Ford Focus bonnet lock is a notoriously bad design and is a failure waiting to happen.

mattyprice4004

You hoped a garage wouldn't need access under the bonnet when doing suspension work? Seriously? 

This could have been easily avoided by a light scattering of common sense; if you can't find the bonnet key then ring the garage and say you'll have to drop it off once you've found them.

Do you think they want your car clogging up their ramp (for free) while you faff about ignoring your phone and then finding your keys to drop off with them? Time is money, and waiting for someone to turn up with keys isn't a good use of that time.

fred246

My experience is that it's normal procedure for a garage to damage your car. The only way to avoid it is to do your own car repairs.

George_Michael

And without fail, fred arrives to slag off all garages.

williamgriffin

fred246 said:

My experience is that it's normal procedure for a garage to damage your car. The only way to avoid it is to do your own car repairs.

But you don't use them, so what experience is that?

AdrianC

Birkets said:

I have a Ford Focus which have seaparate security key for the bonnet.( I couldn't lay my hands on my main keys so took the spare, hoping they wouldnt need it but found my keys half an hour later.) Turned out they had removed the lock for the bonnet and helpfully advised they had 'fixed the problem'.

When did you last use that spare key to open the bonnet?

Robbo66

fred246 said:

My experience is that it's normal procedure for a garage to damage your car. The only way to avoid it is to do your own car repairs.

Why do you bother commenting on the forum you never actually answer any posters question or offer any real solutions.
Also I do have the knowledge to do a lot of the repairs to my car but still prefer to use a garage and have never had a garage damage my car.

anotheruser

mattyprice4004 said:

You hoped a garage wouldn't need access under the bonnet when doing suspension work? Seriously? 

This could have been easily avoided by a light scattering of common sense; if you can't find the bonnet key then ring the garage and say you'll have to drop it off once you've found them.

Do you think they want your car clogging up their ramp (for free) while you faff about ignoring your phone and then finding your keys to drop off with them? Time is money, and waiting for someone to turn up with keys isn't a good use of that time.

Woah there little buddy.
No need to get so defensive!  Let's help the OP with their question, not lambast them for being stupid.

1) Yes, the OP was silly not to provide a key.
2) I hardly think any garage would clog up their own ramps with a car they're not working on at that moment.
3) No where did the OP say they were ignoring their phone.  I miss calls frequently.  Perhaps the OP is a surgeon and was carrying out an operation at the time of the call?  Extreme but possible,
4) The garage likely left it outside of their workshop when they discovered they couldn't do any work to it.  Why they decided to break into the car without SPEAKING to the owner first, I don't know.  That's just bad practice.


I have two keys for my Focus, one a flip version, the other not.  I presume both open the lock.  Not sure what version of the Focus the OP has as the MK1 and MK2 do not have a separate security key to open the bonnet, so I guess it's the MK3 variant?

AdrianC

anotheruser said:

I have two keys for my Focus, one a flip version, the other not.  I presume both open the lock.

The OP doesn't seem to have answered my question about this.

AdrianC said:

Birkets said:

I have a Ford Focus which have seaparate security key for the bonnet.( I couldn't lay my hands on my main keys so took the spare, hoping they wouldnt need it but found my keys half an hour later.) Turned out they had removed the lock for the bonnet and helpfully advised they had 'fixed the problem'.

When did you last use that spare key to open the bonnet?

If the OP has driven the car there using a key that doesn't open the bonnet, the garage have tried to phone him, and the bonnet locks do have a reputation for failure, 2+2+2 = 6?

Should they wait until the OP reappears to collect the car that evening, and then say "Ah, right. We've not touched the car, because we had one attempt to get hold of you then gave up"?