Unhappy with work of local garage.
Discussion
Hi, I'm very un-happy with some work I had done to my car by a local garage, and just wanted to know if you guys think that I have been over-charged or agree that the service has been s
te, or am I just getting worked up over nothing?
Long story short, the clutch blew in my S2000 and damaged the gearbox and engine at the same time. When I first had the car recovered to the garage we thought it was only clutch & gearbox damage.
After the garage had the car for about 2 weeks they told me they had sourced a gearbox for £250 and a new clutch and fitting would likely come in at under £1000.
Fast forward another week or so I phoned them again to find out if it was ready, to be told that the engine was cracked and would need replacing.
For around 2 weeks I waited for them to find an engine, but they told me they were having trouble finding one.
Finally I was told that they had sourced an engine and it had arrived, and would be fitted soon.
After 10 weeks I finally was told it was ready to be collected, but with an invoice emailed to me, of £6573. Whilst I had the work being done I did ask a few times on what the total bill would likely be, only to be told there was nobody there at the time who could tell me.
When I arrived I saw a beaten up S2000 in their yard, so I asked if they had taken the engine out of that one. They told me the only way they could source one. So I have been charged for them buying an entire S2000 at £3600 + 20% VAT just for the engine. They also implied they were doing me a favour by not charging me the £250 they paid for the first gearbox they bought.
In all I got invoiced for:
Aircon pressure test: £50
Aircon re-charge: £85
18 hours labour: £1260
S2000 engine assembly: £3600
Clutch: £385
Oil filter: £22
Oil: £56.25
+ VAT for a total of £6573.
Not one time in the 10 weeks they had the car, did the garage contact me. I had to phone them every time, and my calls were not once returned.
The car came back to me with a bad idle, almost cutting out when stationary, and with an oil leak. So I took it back and they fixed those issues. Next a water pipe burst, so it went back to them again. Now the car is drinking a lot of oil, from max to below the low mark in under 300 miles, and is chucking out loads of blue smoke & stinks of burning oil when on VTEC, so its gone back to them again this morning. Likely worn piston rings or valve stem seals from what I've read on S2000 owners forums, seeing as it only smokes on VTEC.
Do you think I've been over-charged for the work I've had done? I've found S2000 engines for around the £2500 mark so I'm pissed off that I've been charged for an entire salvage S2000 & 20% VAT, and my car still isn't running properly.
Long story short, 15 weeks & £6500 later my car still isn't running, while the garage are making money on the parts they sell from the salvage car that I paid for. Is this normal practise and I'm just getting worked up, or do I have the right to be pissed off?
Thanks.
te, or am I just getting worked up over nothing?Long story short, the clutch blew in my S2000 and damaged the gearbox and engine at the same time. When I first had the car recovered to the garage we thought it was only clutch & gearbox damage.
After the garage had the car for about 2 weeks they told me they had sourced a gearbox for £250 and a new clutch and fitting would likely come in at under £1000.
Fast forward another week or so I phoned them again to find out if it was ready, to be told that the engine was cracked and would need replacing.
For around 2 weeks I waited for them to find an engine, but they told me they were having trouble finding one.
Finally I was told that they had sourced an engine and it had arrived, and would be fitted soon.
After 10 weeks I finally was told it was ready to be collected, but with an invoice emailed to me, of £6573. Whilst I had the work being done I did ask a few times on what the total bill would likely be, only to be told there was nobody there at the time who could tell me.
When I arrived I saw a beaten up S2000 in their yard, so I asked if they had taken the engine out of that one. They told me the only way they could source one. So I have been charged for them buying an entire S2000 at £3600 + 20% VAT just for the engine. They also implied they were doing me a favour by not charging me the £250 they paid for the first gearbox they bought.
In all I got invoiced for:
Aircon pressure test: £50
Aircon re-charge: £85
18 hours labour: £1260
S2000 engine assembly: £3600
Clutch: £385
Oil filter: £22
Oil: £56.25
+ VAT for a total of £6573.
Not one time in the 10 weeks they had the car, did the garage contact me. I had to phone them every time, and my calls were not once returned.
The car came back to me with a bad idle, almost cutting out when stationary, and with an oil leak. So I took it back and they fixed those issues. Next a water pipe burst, so it went back to them again. Now the car is drinking a lot of oil, from max to below the low mark in under 300 miles, and is chucking out loads of blue smoke & stinks of burning oil when on VTEC, so its gone back to them again this morning. Likely worn piston rings or valve stem seals from what I've read on S2000 owners forums, seeing as it only smokes on VTEC.
Do you think I've been over-charged for the work I've had done? I've found S2000 engines for around the £2500 mark so I'm pissed off that I've been charged for an entire salvage S2000 & 20% VAT, and my car still isn't running properly.
Long story short, 15 weeks & £6500 later my car still isn't running, while the garage are making money on the parts they sell from the salvage car that I paid for. Is this normal practise and I'm just getting worked up, or do I have the right to be pissed off?
Thanks.
randlemarcus said:
If they charged you the full price for the donor car, surely any resultant parts that weren't need should also be yours, or at least be credited back to you as they are sold. There has to be money in everything else?
That's what I was thinking, but I was hoping somebody on here may know my full rights?Figglesworth said:
They just told me they had found one and had it in their possession mate
What I'm getting at is with "Finally I was told that they had sourced an engine and it had arrived, and would be fitted soon." I'd have thought cost would have been queried or mentioned at some point?OP, sounds like you have had a terrible time of it.
However, didn't you think at some point that querying this and getting an answer was crucial before letting them continue? I know they are taking the pee, but you seem to have let them carry on. You should have been at the garage the moment they told you the engine was cracked.
However, didn't you think at some point that querying this and getting an answer was crucial before letting them continue? I know they are taking the pee, but you seem to have let them carry on. You should have been at the garage the moment they told you the engine was cracked.
Figglesworth said:
In all I got invoiced for:
18 hours labour: £1260
S2000 engine assembly: £3600
Do you think I've been over-charged for the work I've had done? I've found S2000 engines for around the £2500 mark
How long would it have taken you to find that engine, without using any pre-existing contacts? Would you have paid their labour rate to do that hunting around?18 hours labour: £1260
S2000 engine assembly: £3600
Do you think I've been over-charged for the work I've had done? I've found S2000 engines for around the £2500 mark
Figglesworth said:
while the garage are making money on the parts they sell from the salvage car that I paid for.
Did the labour they charged you for include stripping the engine and box out of that donor?Did you give them carte blanche to source an engine any way they could, with no cap on cost?
Edited by TooMany2cvs on Wednesday 23 November 16:59
Figglesworth said:
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: What did you tell them to do once they found an engine?
They just told me they had found one and had it in their possession mate, again price wasn't discussed The garage might not have wanted one but I'd have been having one!
It does sound like they have had your pants down but to be fair, you've let me get away with it. You shouldve got a written quote at EVERY step of this. No quote given = take your car elsewhere.
Why/how/where was the engine cracked? Did you even look at it to assess it? Or just accept their 'word'?
Madness IMHO..
Nanook said:
Sounds like the engine they've stuck in your car is mince, what happened to your old one though?
Looking at the OP's Reader's Cars thread...http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
[quote=FigglesworthSome news! It was the clutch plate that came loose and thought the gearbox was the best place to exit. Luckily a new gearbox on 60k miles from an 05 car only cost £270 and a new clutch won't be too bad. Let's hope it's back on the road by next week.
Figglesworth said:
Great news, my engine block has also cracked in the process! Currently sourcing a new engine.
Can't quite see how that'd work, but there we go.TooMany2cvs said:
Figglesworth said:
In all I got invoiced for:
18 hours labour: £1260
S2000 engine assembly: £3600
Do you think I've been over-charged for the work I've had done? I've found S2000 engines for around the £2500 mark
How long would it have taken you to find that engine, without using any pre-existing contacts? Would you have paid their labour rate to do that hunting around?18 hours labour: £1260
S2000 engine assembly: £3600
Do you think I've been over-charged for the work I've had done? I've found S2000 engines for around the £2500 mark
Figglesworth said:
while the garage are making money on the parts they sell from the salvage car that I paid for.
Did the labour they charged you for include stripping the engine and box out of that donor?Did you give them carte blanche to source an engine any way they could, with no cap on cost?
Edited by TooMany2cvs on Wednesday 23 November 16:59
DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.
In all honesty I should have asked more questions yes, and they are a performance and classic car specialist who also specialise in Honda engines. I was recommended them by a friend, and I thought they were a good garage reading their reviews, so I trusted that they would have done the work in the most cost effective way. Obviously I made a mistake there. I did see my old engine, and it was cracked on the block, I've got no idea how a clutch failure managed to do so much damage though.
Regarding my old engine block, I sold it to one of the mechanics who works there for £250. I did check it over and it was pretty messed up so I didnt want to keep it really.
Edited by Figglesworth on Wednesday 23 November 17:44
This whole sorry saga is just unbelievable,how a garage can work like this beats me,it's just outrageous.Firstly the garage should have kept you up to date with the costs.Given you an estimate before they proceeded with the job(and the purchase of the donor car).This donor car issue I don't understand.
From what you have said they have invoiced you the full purchase price of the car? So the car in the yard without an engine belongs to you.Its of no use to you,they keep it and pay you something for it,or you take it away and sell it.
Mind you this is just crazy,are you really going to pay these idiots anything? how old is your car? if you had been quoted over £6K up front would you have authorised the repair? I don't think so.
There are some good legal eagles on here so expect some good advice.
From what you have said they have invoiced you the full purchase price of the car? So the car in the yard without an engine belongs to you.Its of no use to you,they keep it and pay you something for it,or you take it away and sell it.
Mind you this is just crazy,are you really going to pay these idiots anything? how old is your car? if you had been quoted over £6K up front would you have authorised the repair? I don't think so.
There are some good legal eagles on here so expect some good advice.
That sounds like a complete nightmare OP. I empathize with your situation and I truly wish there was something that I could do to help you.
I know this is tough to hear in hindsight but you should have been the one to source the engine and go back to them with the information. I have learned alot in my years about dealing with businesses and at 35 years of age I have learned to be open to the suggestions of whatever business I am dealing with however I always do my own due-diligence and then depending on what I find I will of course then make a decision.
Also, and this is probably the most important part, I have learned to document as much as I can BUT within reason of course. As for garages, well truth be told its been years since i've had to deal with independent ones, or have work carried out that wasn't complimentary or covered by the manufactuting warranty. But believe me when i tell you that such a situation does nothing to deter incompetency.
Regardless, warranty or not, out of pocket expense or not, I make it very clear to whom ever that I am to be kept reasonbly informed and no work is to be done without my knowledge or consent.
I know this is tough to hear in hindsight but you should have been the one to source the engine and go back to them with the information. I have learned alot in my years about dealing with businesses and at 35 years of age I have learned to be open to the suggestions of whatever business I am dealing with however I always do my own due-diligence and then depending on what I find I will of course then make a decision.
Also, and this is probably the most important part, I have learned to document as much as I can BUT within reason of course. As for garages, well truth be told its been years since i've had to deal with independent ones, or have work carried out that wasn't complimentary or covered by the manufactuting warranty. But believe me when i tell you that such a situation does nothing to deter incompetency.
Regardless, warranty or not, out of pocket expense or not, I make it very clear to whom ever that I am to be kept reasonbly informed and no work is to be done without my knowledge or consent.
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