Potential issues with garage
Discussion
Right, a bit of an update
It's been over a month since the initial visit, and I've since taken the car back twice - it's spent 3 and a half weeks there. It was dropped off the weekend before last and it still isn't fixed: they don't appear to know what the problem is exactly, and I've had to call them for updates (they didn't call me for an entire week whilst they had it)
Each time I've taken it back, they've said they've tested it and everything is working, and yet within minutes of turning the lights on the problem comes back again. So clearly the testing has not been very thorough.
I'm going to call them again at the end of the week and see what's happening, but I'm wondering how to deal with the situation.
1) If it's not fixed, would I be within my rights to simply ask for the car back, along with my £500, as they've wasted literally weeks and haven't got anywhere.
2) If they find the problem and give me a bill of, say £700, I was going to ask to deduct the initial £500 off the final bill, so I would pay, for example £200.
Or would you take the view that if it's not fixed, I'm not entitled to anything and should be grateful they've not charged me for the extra labour since the £500 (if indeed there is any, and they're not fobbing me off).
I'm not out for "compensayshun" or anything, I just think their service has been utterly shocking, and begrudge giving them any money at all, let alone money for a repair that hasn't worked.
It's been over a month since the initial visit, and I've since taken the car back twice - it's spent 3 and a half weeks there. It was dropped off the weekend before last and it still isn't fixed: they don't appear to know what the problem is exactly, and I've had to call them for updates (they didn't call me for an entire week whilst they had it)
Each time I've taken it back, they've said they've tested it and everything is working, and yet within minutes of turning the lights on the problem comes back again. So clearly the testing has not been very thorough.
I'm going to call them again at the end of the week and see what's happening, but I'm wondering how to deal with the situation.
1) If it's not fixed, would I be within my rights to simply ask for the car back, along with my £500, as they've wasted literally weeks and haven't got anywhere.
2) If they find the problem and give me a bill of, say £700, I was going to ask to deduct the initial £500 off the final bill, so I would pay, for example £200.
Or would you take the view that if it's not fixed, I'm not entitled to anything and should be grateful they've not charged me for the extra labour since the £500 (if indeed there is any, and they're not fobbing me off).
I'm not out for "compensayshun" or anything, I just think their service has been utterly shocking, and begrudge giving them any money at all, let alone money for a repair that hasn't worked.
I do diagnosis of complex (very complex) systems in an IT capacity.
In my line of work, we stopped talking about bugs and started describing the issues as "behaviour" and "symptoms" a long time ago.
I do not, and would not - do diagnosis of complex issues on a fixed-price basis. Every issue is a voyage of discovery - it might be discovered in 5 minutes, or never, or somewhere in between.
I bet you wouldn't do diagnosis work on a fixed price basis either. Why should this specialist?
In my line of work, we stopped talking about bugs and started describing the issues as "behaviour" and "symptoms" a long time ago.
I do not, and would not - do diagnosis of complex issues on a fixed-price basis. Every issue is a voyage of discovery - it might be discovered in 5 minutes, or never, or somewhere in between.
I bet you wouldn't do diagnosis work on a fixed price basis either. Why should this specialist?
What is it people don't understand?!
He hasn't giving them a fixed price to resolve the issue. He simply said anything up to £500, fire away but anything over that call me just so I can be prepared.
He's asked them to fix the problem but requested they call him once the 'fix' reaches a certain price.
He hasn't giving them a fixed price to resolve the issue. He simply said anything up to £500, fire away but anything over that call me just so I can be prepared.
He's asked them to fix the problem but requested they call him once the 'fix' reaches a certain price.
JoPo1 said:
What is it people don't understand?!
He hasn't giving them a fixed price to resolve the issue. He simply said anything up to £500, fire away but anything over that call me just so I can be prepared.
He's asked them to fix the problem but requested they call him once the 'fix' reaches a certain price.
He's been charged £500 for the work done so far, and is now pissed off that it's not been solved for the £499.99 he's already paid, and is talking about asking for his money back. It's not that hard to understand.He hasn't giving them a fixed price to resolve the issue. He simply said anything up to £500, fire away but anything over that call me just so I can be prepared.
He's asked them to fix the problem but requested they call him once the 'fix' reaches a certain price.
CraigyMc said:
He's been charged £500 for the work done so far, and is now pissed off that it's not been solved for the £499.99 he's already paid, and is talking about asking for his money back. It's not that hard to understand.
It's not that which I'm pissed off about. I'm pissed off that their communication has been terrible, their testing has been pretty much non existent and that after several weeks we're no closer to solving the problem than we were when I first brought it in.I work in electronics and I do realise that these things can be complex and require extensive diagnosis. However, there's a difference between taking the time to do a thorough job and taking the piss.
CraigyMc said:
JoPo1 said:
What is it people don't understand?!
He hasn't giving them a fixed price to resolve the issue. He simply said anything up to £500, fire away but anything over that call me just so I can be prepared.
He's asked them to fix the problem but requested they call him once the 'fix' reaches a certain price.
He's been charged £500 for the work done so far, and is now pissed off that it's not been solved for the £499.99 he's already paid, and is talking about asking for his money back. It's not that hard to understand.He hasn't giving them a fixed price to resolve the issue. He simply said anything up to £500, fire away but anything over that call me just so I can be prepared.
He's asked them to fix the problem but requested they call him once the 'fix' reaches a certain price.
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