Garage con/misled customer - what action?
Discussion
Hello guys!
A little while back, a reputable garage, (or at least it appeared to be), misdiagnosed my car, charged me £55 for the diagnostic plus and extra £47 worth of work they did to try to rectify the problem, which didn't work.
Then they quoted me £1200 for an ESP module (including labour).
After a few mini heart attacks, and a bit of digging around, it turned out to be a faulty relay, coming in at £7.00 plus all the labour. The car is now absolutely fine - and it cost me £180 in total!
So, was I being done over by the previous garage, or maybe it was a genuine mistake on their part - but nevertheless, we are talking about a £1000 difference to sort out an issue that wasn't there!
Is there any action I can take? Is it worth asking for a refund?
Thanks all!
A little while back, a reputable garage, (or at least it appeared to be), misdiagnosed my car, charged me £55 for the diagnostic plus and extra £47 worth of work they did to try to rectify the problem, which didn't work.
Then they quoted me £1200 for an ESP module (including labour).
After a few mini heart attacks, and a bit of digging around, it turned out to be a faulty relay, coming in at £7.00 plus all the labour. The car is now absolutely fine - and it cost me £180 in total!
So, was I being done over by the previous garage, or maybe it was a genuine mistake on their part - but nevertheless, we are talking about a £1000 difference to sort out an issue that wasn't there!
Is there any action I can take? Is it worth asking for a refund?
Thanks all!
Diagnosing cars is not often black and white. Who knows, they may be trying it on, they may be crap.
Even the main dealers have the meter running whilst they 'trial and error' looking for the fault.
It's why a good Inde specialist is worth their weight in gold and should be lavished with beer whenever you are passing through.
Take it up with them, but I doubt you'll get the money back for the time they have put in so far, even if you think they were barking up the wrong tree.
Even the main dealers have the meter running whilst they 'trial and error' looking for the fault.
It's why a good Inde specialist is worth their weight in gold and should be lavished with beer whenever you are passing through.
Take it up with them, but I doubt you'll get the money back for the time they have put in so far, even if you think they were barking up the wrong tree.
Sounds like he wants his money back for the diagnostic. They charged him nearly £200 to tell him that he needed a new ECU for £1200. The actual problem was a £7 relay. If they'd told him, try the £7 relay but if it doesnt work then it's s £1200 new ecu then fair enough but they didnt.
Instead they've charged him nearly £200 for incorrect advice and to try and scam him for a grand. I can understand he's pee'd of as he's wasted the £200 on crap advice from someone incompetent.
If it was a specialist (on the particular car/make) I would expect them to know about the relay solution. Main dealers though are often scoundrels in this regard and are either lazy, incompetent or dishonest and probably did know the cheaper solution. Take your pick.
I personally think that he will struggle to get his money back to be honest.
Instead they've charged him nearly £200 for incorrect advice and to try and scam him for a grand. I can understand he's pee'd of as he's wasted the £200 on crap advice from someone incompetent.
If it was a specialist (on the particular car/make) I would expect them to know about the relay solution. Main dealers though are often scoundrels in this regard and are either lazy, incompetent or dishonest and probably did know the cheaper solution. Take your pick.
I personally think that he will struggle to get his money back to be honest.
Say for instance a relay isn't powering an ECU correctly, it will appear to the diagnostics that the ECU isn't working correctly. On a dealer system it may say "check relay", if it is a known issue. Thrid party diagnostic readers would just show the issue with the ECU. This is where a specialist is worth seeking out as they would know that the relay links to the ECU.
What is also quite common is connectors not being fully seated then working out, the dealer replaces the ECU, pushing the connectors in fully, fixing the problem.
What is also quite common is connectors not being fully seated then working out, the dealer replaces the ECU, pushing the connectors in fully, fixing the problem.
Some of this outrageously overpriced estimating is plain scamming. However,some of it is a result of cynical garages getting tired of customers saying that they don't want to pay to find out whats wrong with the car, they only want to pay to fix it......
Also what is a customer or indeed the garage to do if the diagnostic scan points at an expensive part, because a faulty cheaper part is fogging the electronic diagnostic process. We have all heard it now - the machine says fit this bit and it's a grand!!rong fueled
The answer without doubt to use an independent specialist that you can trust. Familiarity with the type will reduce diagnostic time, labour rates will be lower than a main dealer, main dealer ridiculous protocols are not forced on the customer- for example insisting that a diesel engine is replaced after being wrongly fueled despite having been evacuated
Also what is a customer or indeed the garage to do if the diagnostic scan points at an expensive part, because a faulty cheaper part is fogging the electronic diagnostic process. We have all heard it now - the machine says fit this bit and it's a grand!!rong fueled
The answer without doubt to use an independent specialist that you can trust. Familiarity with the type will reduce diagnostic time, labour rates will be lower than a main dealer, main dealer ridiculous protocols are not forced on the customer- for example insisting that a diesel engine is replaced after being wrongly fueled despite having been evacuated
I'm by no means an auto electrician, but I'm pretty sure the first thing to check in any electrical fault would be the fuse. If that doesn't fix it, try the switch, and if that doesn't work you may need to replace the part in question.
In vehicle electrics, the relay is effectively a switch, so I would expect this to be tested prior to any expensive parts between deemed as 'failed'.
Having said that, I should confess to having the dash off a kit car on Sunday trying to find an electrical fault before discoving that the battery was flat.........
In vehicle electrics, the relay is effectively a switch, so I would expect this to be tested prior to any expensive parts between deemed as 'failed'.
Having said that, I should confess to having the dash off a kit car on Sunday trying to find an electrical fault before discoving that the battery was flat.........
Lewisp12 said:
Hello guys!
A little while back, a reputable garage, (or at least it appeared to be), misdiagnosed my car, charged me £55 for the diagnostic plus and extra £47 worth of work they did to try to rectify the problem, which didn't work.
Then they quoted me £1200 for an ESP module (including labour).
After a few mini heart attacks, and a bit of digging around, it turned out to be a faulty relay, coming in at £7.00 plus all the labour. The car is now absolutely fine - and it cost me £180 in total!
So, was I being done over by the previous garage, or maybe it was a genuine mistake on their part - but nevertheless, we are talking about a £1000 difference to sort out an issue that wasn't there!
Is there any action I can take? Is it worth asking for a refund?
Thanks all!
It was obviously a mistake if they had been trying to scam you they would have fitted the £7 bit fixing the fault and done the extra work on top because otherwise it would be obvious they hadn't fixed the fault.A little while back, a reputable garage, (or at least it appeared to be), misdiagnosed my car, charged me £55 for the diagnostic plus and extra £47 worth of work they did to try to rectify the problem, which didn't work.
Then they quoted me £1200 for an ESP module (including labour).
After a few mini heart attacks, and a bit of digging around, it turned out to be a faulty relay, coming in at £7.00 plus all the labour. The car is now absolutely fine - and it cost me £180 in total!
So, was I being done over by the previous garage, or maybe it was a genuine mistake on their part - but nevertheless, we are talking about a £1000 difference to sort out an issue that wasn't there!
Is there any action I can take? Is it worth asking for a refund?
Thanks all!
Thanks for your comments guys. Appreciate it!
I guess I'll just take this as a learning curve.
I hope some people learn something from this thread, and in future go straight to an Independant specialist!
In my case, I used TM Motors - specialising in Mercedes. Fantastic customer service, very helpful and straight to the point and a very tidy workshop!
It will now become my regular garage! Very impressed!
I guess I'll just take this as a learning curve.
I hope some people learn something from this thread, and in future go straight to an Independant specialist!
In my case, I used TM Motors - specialising in Mercedes. Fantastic customer service, very helpful and straight to the point and a very tidy workshop!
It will now become my regular garage! Very impressed!
Matt UK said:
Diagnosing cars is not often black and white. Who knows, they may be trying it on, they may be crap.
Even the main dealers have the meter running whilst they 'trial and error' looking for the fault.
It's why a good Inde specialist is worth their weight in gold and should be lavished with beer whenever you are passing through.
Take it up with them, but I doubt you'll get the money back for the time they have put in so far, even if you think they were barking up the wrong tree.
+1Even the main dealers have the meter running whilst they 'trial and error' looking for the fault.
It's why a good Inde specialist is worth their weight in gold and should be lavished with beer whenever you are passing through.
Take it up with them, but I doubt you'll get the money back for the time they have put in so far, even if you think they were barking up the wrong tree.
2 experiences of this -
Toyota main agent - took my gt4 Celica in with a misfire, told me new turbo required at £1200......was actually a spark plug lead down (fixed for £45 at a mates)
Ford main dealer - took my cosworth in with a intermittent non start problem... Charged me £100 for diagnostics and couldn't fix it.. said it was beyond them. Lucas fitter who subcontracted at my then place of work sorted it for free... Oxidized circuit board connector, cleaned up and reconnected.
Dealers are generally only good for keeping up FSH through simple services.
Toyota main agent - took my gt4 Celica in with a misfire, told me new turbo required at £1200......was actually a spark plug lead down (fixed for £45 at a mates)
Ford main dealer - took my cosworth in with a intermittent non start problem... Charged me £100 for diagnostics and couldn't fix it.. said it was beyond them. Lucas fitter who subcontracted at my then place of work sorted it for free... Oxidized circuit board connector, cleaned up and reconnected.
Dealers are generally only good for keeping up FSH through simple services.
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