New Engine head wrecks my engine

[Robert the Bruce]

A garage put a new second hand (60000 miles) cylinder head on my Cherokee.

Four weeks later it dropped a valve and wrecked the rest of my engine. The head itself had a one year warranty on it and the work had a one year guarantee from the garage.

My question is. What liability does the garage have to restore my car to a serviceable position, and what might I be reasonable expected to pay to get my car back on the road?

[InitialDave]

Unless it is some kind of special-snowflake specification, I'd say chucking a good used engine in it is your fastest, cheapest solution.

No idea on the liability situation, I'm afraid. Did you purchase the head and get the garge to fit it, or did the garage handle sourcing the head also?

[Jimmyarm]

Dave has hit the nail on the head (hehe) with the question about who supplied the 'head'.

If you did, then your recourse is to the supplier. If the garage did then I'd be looking at them for rectifying (which in all likelyhood will be a second hand engine).

[rallycross]

I've had stuff like this happen to me and you just have to take it on the chin and move on, if you are not fitting new parts then you can't expect much of a warranty.

Used parts warranty is really only to guarantee you are buying a part that works at the time it's fitted so other than it works fine when fitted you are not covered weeks later due to it being a used part.

If you are lucky the garage will give you a discounted rate to change over the engine for another complete engine, anything under £350 is a good price for an engine swap.

[Robert the Bruce]

@InitialDave and @JimmyArm

The engine head was supplied by the garage.

[davepoth]

Robert the Bruce said:

@InitialDave and @JimmyArm

The engine head was supplied by the garage.

That does simplify matters a little. Definitely have a chat with them, but don't get aggressive. They could have done everything perfectly and still have this happen.

[Qwert1e]

If the same garage

• Sold you the head with a one year warranty, and
• Put a one year warranty on their work

then I reckon you have a potential claim against them for complete rectification at no cost to yourself.

[balls-out]

Typically guarantees cover the item, ie a new head, but NOT consequential damages ie the engine.
So if you buy a guaranteed torch that breaks, you get a new torch rather than a new set of clothes and new watch when you fall into a canal in the dark.