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?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
xjay1337 said:
I would also seek legal advice.
Sounds like cowboys.
Surprises me why people in this day and age don't go to trusted garages who specialise in certain cars.
This garage specialises in modern and classic sports cars, who also do Honda engine conversions into lotus Elise's, and one of the mechanics owns an S2000 powered car and another ones wife has an S2000. They were meant to be specialists with a good reputation, shame they've taken the piss.Sounds like cowboys.
Surprises me why people in this day and age don't go to trusted garages who specialise in certain cars.
Monkeylegend said:
OP, if they specialise in Honda engine conversions etc, did you check the engine no to confirm it was definitely your block? Did you see it in your car before they removed it. The long periods of silence would concern me.
Let's hope they haven't taken your engine and swapped it for a lesser engine and charged you for the privilege. Sorry that's my devious mind working, they wouldn't do that.
I did inspect my old engine when I went to pick the car up, it was cracked and beyond repair, unfortunately. Let's hope they haven't taken your engine and swapped it for a lesser engine and charged you for the privilege. Sorry that's my devious mind working, they wouldn't do that.
Out of interest, if the new engine they have fitted is fubar, is there anyway I can just get them to take it back out and ask for my money back? I really don't want them working on my car anymore.
Jakg said:
Most of the issues have been picked up by the other posters - but I'm a bit stumped by this.
If your engine was scrap, and the best way out was a replacement - why would anyone want the old, cracked, block?
It was the mechanic with an S2000 powered classic, he wanted it for spare parts, that's what he told me anyway.If your engine was scrap, and the best way out was a replacement - why would anyone want the old, cracked, block?
hora said:
What I don't understand is if a bill is going to be large the garage will broach the subject. If it's going to more or less equal the value of the car definitely so. OP have you got anything written, email, etc to a outlined price?
I got emailed an invoice after being told my car was ready. I had asked multiple times on the phone how much the total was but was told ''nobody is here to answer that for you'. Whenever I did. All I got was an email PDF.After contemplating going into the garage and going mental at them, I've decided it's probably best to continue any more communication in writing. So I will be sending them an email listing my problems and questions I want answered, and see what they say. That will most likely be the best result, and if I'm not satisfied with the response I get, I will indeed by seeking legal advice and potential action.
Let's hope this gets sorted!
Let's hope this gets sorted!
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff