£150 for new car key fob - but 80p for Battery!

davidwood2008

Hi All
This is a consumer question. I went to a local key cutting firm
specialising in car keys. I needed a new battery for my vauxhall omega
1996 model key fob. The key fob is separate from the key and is used
to open / close the central locking and turn on / off the alarm at the
same time.

I was told that you couldn't replace the battery but had to buy a new
fob - for £150. As you couldn't replace the battery. While I was in
the shop I noticed the guy say 2 things to other people that I thought
was a little suss / underhand. (One he charged £80 (again) to do
something to the keyfob - took 2 mins no parts - wouldn't let the guy
come to the car with him - as then he'd know what to do - or know the
'trick of the trade' - plus he charged 2.5% on the credit card - all
merchants don't allow this as far as I'm aware).

Later at home I just wondered..... I open up the fob and noticed that
I had some of the same batterys in the draw - I replaced them - and it
worked perfect on my car! :-s

I ASSUME that there is not legal reason / Vauxhall rule that says you
can't just replace your battery like I did - seems its more just like
a watch - you don't have to buy a watch each time - just a battery
(which cost me 80p retail).

I paid on credit card today - and was told that the key would arrive
in 2 days time - what right do I have to go back tomorrow and say I
want a refund to my card and no new fob - as I only bought it because
I couldn't just put a new battery in.

Many thanks

David

jeannieblue

Bit tricky - personally I'd just tell them as it is and if they won't refund you go to Vauxhall themselves. No company wants their dealers letting them down - or you could perhaps contact Vauxhall first?

davidwood2008

Unfortunately he's not a vauxhall dealership - more a key cutting firm - not part of a chain or professional body.

bethsmummy

I would speak to citazen advice (sp) surely they cant get away with that

anewman

As you paid on credit card you're protected in terms of that for certain things. Not exactly sure of all the precise details, but I wonder if you register a dispute with the credit card company saying the seller used deceitful practice to gain your purchase and you have not yet received the goods - I have doubts whether the credit card company would be receptive to refunding the money. Worth a phone call to your credit card company to ask anyway.

Maybe trading standards would help. Would like to say the police may help re: deceit to obtain money (which AFAIK is a criminal offence) but I doubt they'd give you more than 1 minute of time after you've explained everything to them. Plus he'd argue it's not deceit as he's supplied the fob.

Also see if http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ can help

Also I guess a good complaining session in his shop in front of as many potential customers as possible when you go to collect the fob, but ask for the money back.

From what I can tell, the fob doesn't have a key component? So it will not be cut or made to order as such (i.e. it's not specially made for your car only). Chances are the fob is coded from the car itself, not by some wizardry in the shop. I am guessing once he has this fob and you go to collect it, he'll want access to your car the same way the other guy you saw did. If you deny him access and ask for your money back and stand your ground you might have some luck.

I am presuming he doesn't have the old one?

d123

davidwood2008 wrote: »

Hi All
(One he charged £80 (again) to do
something to the keyfob - took 2 mins no parts - wouldn't let the guy
come to the car with him -

I've changed batteries twice on my fob without problem, just be careful not to allow the little cylinder to fall out (it should be glued in) as it controls the ECU and hence the immobiliser.

With regard to the other repair, what he probably did was "retune" (for want of a better word) the fob by placing it in the ignition and then activating/deactivating the remote locking, look it up in your Vauxhall car manual, if you click the fob too many times while out of range of the car it can drift frequency and become unresponsive.

He is a shark of the worst type to be charging £80 for something taking 2 minutes and costing nothing.:mad:

anewman

d123 wrote: »

He is a shark of the worst type to be charging £80 for something taking 2 minutes and costing nothing.:mad:

£2,400 an hour is the sort of job I'd like. But definitely agree with you.

RaCinG_SnAkE_3

davidwood2008 wrote: »

Hi All
I was told that you couldn't replace the battery but had to buy a new
fob - for £150. As you couldn't replace the battery.

The shop keeper is talking out of his !!!!. There is no reason why you should not be able to simply replace the battery.

Think of it like this...How many (non-rechargeable) battery operated products do you know of that you can't replace the battery in? If a product has a battery that can't be replaced, its usually designed so that it is completely sealed.

I'm generalising a bit here, and I'm sure I'll be given examples going against the above principles, but key fobs are mass produced units whose batteries can't last forever and need to be changed quickly and easily.

Good luck in trying to get your money back. A call to trading standards is definitely worth it I think!

The_Biff

I will be surprised if you get your money back.
Now - quit complaining - write up a poster "£80 for 2 minutes work here" & stand outside. Geta friend with a video cam if you are nervous - in case you get assaulted.
Bet you get your money back within the first hour.

pompeyrich

Resetting a vauxhall key is described here, my sons key stopped working, tried a new battery, still no good but used the method Harveybobbles describes on the link and it all clunked back into life.

custardy

as said,deninatly taking the p.
however a good example where a quick check of the manual before hand helps