Is this reasonable?

[richb]

Son has a Peugeot 306 Diesel Turbo that has a busted engine. He's just finished Uni so hasn't got much cash but as the car is sound decided to get a 're-con' engine fitted. Place near Heathrow agree to fit a replacement engine (with 12 months warranty) for £895 - they agree by e-mail to pick-up on flat-bed and deliver back f.o.c. as part of the deal.

Bloke then rings and says the cylinder head's warped and because he can't use it for reconditioning that'll be another £200! Plus a few other bits and bobs like water pump and fuel lines he wants £1400. A fair difference to £895 (less a discount for cash) .

So ask yourself, if the car needs a replacement engine then surely he should expect the old one to be knackered!!! What if it had a hole in the block doh!

Son decides £1400 is too rich and says he won't proceed with the job - now the bloke wants £270 before he'll give the car back to cover hos costs so far. All in all he's got over a barrel.

So what do the collective Pistonheads think is a reasonable resolution before I go and negotiate with the bloke on my son's behalf? Rich...

[dougc]

To my mind a recon engine means a new (to your car) engine salvaged and rebuilt from a scrapper.

£1400 would buy you at least 1 306TD on Autotrader so don't bother getting the old one fixed. Offer the knucklehead £200 to get the old car back or you'll report his offer of a cash only job to the local IR. Strip it and sell the bits on eBay, use the £900 you were going to spend on a re-build to buy a new car.

Edit for spallong

Edited by dougc on Tuesday 23 January 20:56

[richb]

dougc said:

or you'll report his offer of a cash only job to the local IR.

Thanks, that bit I like!

[Balmoral Green]

I would want to see reference to the rebuilders specifically mentioned exclusions on a contract, or something amounting to that anyway. Sounds to me like he is in breach of the agreement with your son. He can do it the easy way or the hard way. See him in court, make it clear you wont mess about, solicitor will be acting within days etc. Tell him you want to be fair though, so want to know his side of the story/agreement with your son, see documents etc to pass to your solicitor. Hell, dont just bluff, take legal advice anyway.

[richb]

Balmoral Green said:

Hell, dont just bluff, take legal advice anyway.

I don't want to be unreasonable, I guess he's done some work to get the head off so if he delivers it back for a resonable fee (considering he was prepared to do it for free) then ok. On the other hand my gliding syndicate partner is a solicitor (and curcuit judge) so I have legal advice ready to hand

[Parrot of Doom]

Any spare keys for the car?

I'd be tempted to sneak in and take it back.

[momentofmadness]

richb said:

Balmoral Green said:

Hell, dont just bluff, take legal advice anyway.

I don't want to be unreasonable, I guess he's done some work to get the head off so if he delivers it back for a resonable fee (considering he was prepared to do it for free) then ok. On the other hand my gliding syndicate partner is a solicitor (and curcuit judge) so I have legal advice ready to hand

I'm sure one suitably worded letter on the appropriate headed paper will have the desired effect

[richb]

Probably, but it'd be a bit obvious loading it onto a trailer given it won't have a head on

[dougc]

richb said:

dougc said:

or you'll report his offer of a cash only job to the local IR.

Thanks, that bit I like!

Unlikely I know - as suggested, something official looking would probably do the trick along with an offer for a couple of hours labour for work done so far.

[Scrooloose]

richb said:

Son has a Peugeot 306 Diesel Turbo that has a busted engine. He's just finished Uni so hasn't got much cash but as the car is sound decided to get a 're-con' engine fitted. Place near Heathrow agree to fit a replacement engine (with 12 months warranty) for £895 - they agree by e-mail to pick-up on flat-bed and deliver back f.o.c. as part of the deal.

Bloke then rings and says the cylinder head's warped and because he can't use it for reconditioning that'll be another £200! Plus a few other bits and bobs like water pump and fuel lines he wants £1400. A fair difference to £895 (less a discount for cash) .

So ask yourself, if the car needs a replacement engine then surely he should expect the old one to be knackered!!! What if it had a hole in the block doh!

Son decides £1400 is too rich and says he won't proceed with the job - now the bloke wants £270 before he'll give the car back to cover hos costs so far. All in all he's got over a barrel.

So what do the collective Pistonheads think is a reasonable resolution before I go and negotiate with the bloke on my son's behalf? Rich...

I think that this company was on watchdog. Apparently the owner can get violent if you disagree with him.

Proceed with caution!!!


Edited to add:


www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/transport/transport_20061219.shtml

Edited by Scrooloose on Tuesday 23 January 21:52

[jamiebae]

A lot of 'refurb engine' places are pretty dodgy really. If you can get the car back take it to a good independant garage and get them to do it but don't pay the money this place want. If they do their business that way then I doubt it'll be a well done re-con engine. If they were going to use the old water pump then it definately won't be.

Get the car back and run a mile if you can.

[richb]

Scrooloose said:

I think that this company was on watchdog. Apparently the owner can get violent if you disagree with him.

Proceed with caution!!!

It certainly looks like it!
Doh!!! Kids eh!

[Ribol]

I don't know how old it is and condition etc but is it worth having back?

[sparkythecat]

richb said:

Scrooloose said:

I think that this company was on watchdog. Apparently the owner can get violent if you disagree with him.

Proceed with caution!!!

It certainly looks like it!
Doh!!! Kids eh!

I saw this on Watchdog. Customers got their cars back with the removed engines on the back seat. What a mess. They paraded on a good few people who'd been completely ripped off. It was criminal and yet nothing really seems to have been done about it.

[FrootBat]

Parrot of Doom said:

Any spare keys for the car?

I'd be tempted to sneak in and take it back.

although I believe in this case to do so would be theft

[Frederick]

FrootBat said:

Parrot of Doom said:

Any spare keys for the car?

I'd be tempted to sneak in and take it back.

although I believe in this case to do so would be theft

I know of someone who has fallen foul of these lot - sounds like a favoured tactic of theirs (presuming they are an engines place, near heathrow) is to tell you it will be "£very reasonable" to fix it, then when they get their mitts on it it suddenly becomes "£remortgage" to fix it, or "£turpin" to give the car back...

[Big Giant Head]

Bang out of order - but easily solved.

Your best course of action is to go to the police station closest to their premises and tell your story.
Tell the desk sergeant that all you want is to get your car back but that you are 1) scared to go there alone
and 2) concerned that what they have offered you as a cash deal is outside of the law. "Any chance of a couple
of burly lads coming down there with me" will get a grinning and excellent response from most police stations.
Local CID love this kind of thing.

Go down there with the rozzers and get your car back.

Failing that go for the single scary £100 solicitors letter.

Case solved.

[Ribol]

Big Giant Head said:

Local CID love this kind of thing.

Go down there with the rozzers and get your car back.

Failing that go for the single scary £100 solicitors letter.

Case solved.

I don't think you know what sort of people the OP is dealing with. They have been getting away with this for over 10 years(apart for on one occasion I know of), don't know how, but they have. I bet the BIB won't want to know - scary solicitor's letters are given to the dog to eat.
Hence my question above - is it worth having back.

[german tony]

Well if the local rozzers can't help perhaps the circuit judge may be able to pull some strings down at the lodge.

[Ribol]

german tony said:

Well if the local rozzers can't help perhaps the circuit judge may be able to pull some strings down at the lodge.

I think he must have to let this continue, this lot should have been banged up years ago.