Garage ruined engine when car took in for MOT
Comments
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WestonDave wrote: »Whilst "asking nicely" doesn't seem a good option, you need to consider the alternative. If you want the garage to accept responsibility (assuming it doesn't confess that the trainee was drag racing it down the nearest dual carriage way!) you will need to prove (not suggest) that they've done something wrong in the process. That will most likely involve you paying for an expert independent motor engineer to examine the car and report that the likely cause of failure was what happened in the MOT testing not a pre-existing weakness in a component etc. I suspect proving that will be very hard - looking at say a snapped cam belt isn't easily going to say whether that snap was due to a one off testing procedure or a manufacturing flaw that has gone un-noticed up to now but cause premature failure or just wear and tear due to the driving methods used. You could easily end up spending more than the cost of a repair on that report only to find it doesn't help you.
I'd start with a charm/sob story approach - the fact that the garage is wanting to discuss things hints that they might just be willing to be helpful and sympathetic rather than just pushing the smoking wreck outside and saying "tough". See where that gets you before starting being too assertive about rights etc. A decent person running a garage will not want an unhappy customer even if the problem wasn't really their fault - and I suspect they don't like seeing cars "blow up" on their watch either.
Thanks a lot for your response. It helps. But it does appear that there are no 'rights' as such and she will be relying on their approach to customer satisfaction rather than doing something because they have to.
Just wanted to be clear about where she stands before going all guns blazing and making a prat of myself!0 -
Joe_Horner wrote: »If it's a diesel then the DVSA guidance is that the garage should check service history with the presenter before stating the test - particulsrly regarding cam belt changes. At 8 years old the car is probably overdue a new belt regardless of mileage unless it's already been done.
If she was asked and said it was ok then there's mot much comeback because the test had to be carried out. If she wasn't asked then she may have some leverage.
Well it is actually a diesel. I don't know if they did check that with her she said she just left them the keys in the morning and they phoned up in the afternoon. Sounds like it's worth mentioning tomorrow... thanks!0 -
She has rights to them doing the job properly - the problem with rights is that they aren't worth much if you can't enforce them which you can't if you can't prove its their fault.
Might be worth getting on a Fiat specialist forum and seeing if they can give any technical advice either before you go into the garage or afterwards once you know more about exactly what happened.Adventure before Dementia!0 -
You need the fault diagnosed, I would be tempted to get it towed to another garage in case they try to cover up a mistake. Do you have RAC or AA cover? Could ask them to attend site and find out what's happened. I would'nt get fobbed off with waiting for the owner. Get down there now and see the car and find out what happened.0
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The OP might benefit from a second opinion if they are looking at a written off car.0
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The OP might benefit from a second opinion if they are looking at a written off car.
They may well, but possibly the least useful person to give that would be the average roadside breakdown recovery bod. I've lost count of the number of random misdiagnoses I've read or heard about here, on other forums, and from friends and colleagues.0 -
The way I see it your friend was under the obligation to present the car in 'testable' condition.
If it couldn't withstand revving to the speed required for the smoke test then it obviously wasn't in testable condition, and could have failed at any time.
Loads of big clear warning signs about that requirement at every MOT station.
My local guys check the oil-level and the oil temperature before doing the smoke test.0 -
Diesel engine, 8 years old, 55,000 miles. Perhaps it's had a lot of tootling about on short trips which has led to an unusually high level of wear on the engine and its components? Has its service schedule been adapted to match the pattern of driving?
As others have said, until you speak to the garage you don't know what's failed and it does sound as if they may make some sort of proposal - offering to "sort it out"? I'd agree that an innocent charm offensive should be the stance you take and then assess your options once you know what the failure was and what, if anything, the garage are offering by way of assistance.0
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