Advice needed please! RE: car repairs
Discussion
I had my car towed to a garage 5 weeks ago after it just cut out while driving. Garage rang me and said my engine was kaput due to no oil, would cost £1500 to recondition it, i said do it. Popped in a week later to see if it was done and the guy said they'd lost my number and had since found out it was the ecu, said £900 for a second hand one, no warranty or £1500 for a new one which could take weeks to come. I was getting desperate so said go with the second hand one, he again reiterated no warranty.
Went back a week later said he would ring when done, no call so went back again, he said they had tried coding the ecu and it wouldn't work and id have to pay £380 for the ecu as i agreed to have it without warranty. I said no way, i didnt agree to a broken one.
He rang me later and said he'd pay for the ecu and said the total bill was £550! £300 for diagnostic, £50 for towing and £200 labour.
Am i doing right to dispute this? He has just given me a diagnostic report with his garage name on it, ive asked for the original and am awaiting a reply. 5 weeks he's had my car!
Any advice would be appreciated.
Went back a week later said he would ring when done, no call so went back again, he said they had tried coding the ecu and it wouldn't work and id have to pay £380 for the ecu as i agreed to have it without warranty. I said no way, i didnt agree to a broken one.
He rang me later and said he'd pay for the ecu and said the total bill was £550! £300 for diagnostic, £50 for towing and £200 labour.
Am i doing right to dispute this? He has just given me a diagnostic report with his garage name on it, ive asked for the original and am awaiting a reply. 5 weeks he's had my car!
Any advice would be appreciated.
If he can’t tell an engine mechanically wrecked due to lack of oil from an ECU fault he is clearly clueless and trying to make a living by scamming people..
The ECU didn’t work, the diagnostic labour was incompetent.
Get your car back and tell him to stick his bill where the sun does not shine. If he wants to play games get a solicitor and tell him he will also be paying for car hire until your car is returned and that his legal bill is growing. If you want to be much nicer than I would be then offer to pay for the tow and not one penny more.
The ECU didn’t work, the diagnostic labour was incompetent.
Get your car back and tell him to stick his bill where the sun does not shine. If he wants to play games get a solicitor and tell him he will also be paying for car hire until your car is returned and that his legal bill is growing. If you want to be much nicer than I would be then offer to pay for the tow and not one penny more.
He said i can't have my car till I've paid the bill and he'll take me to court. I've rung citizen advice who have said the same.
He's clearly trying to con me. I'd love ro get a solicitor but my finances dont stretch that far.
I'm a woman by the way so he probably thought i'd pay with no query.
He's clearly trying to con me. I'd love ro get a solicitor but my finances dont stretch that far.
I'm a woman by the way so he probably thought i'd pay with no query.
Welcome to PH, sorry to hear about the troubles you are having with the garage.
I'm a woman by the way so he probably thought i'd pay with no query.I wouldn't be so quick as to assume it is because of your gender, we get many similar tales to yours posted here and it seems bad garages will rip off any gender without discrimination!
Hankat said:
I'm a woman by the way so he probably thought i'd pay with no query.
stevemcs said:
I'm confused, has it had an engine rebuild or just an ECU ?
I thought that, but from bill it looks like agreed (to) but avoided engine rebuild as garage mistaken (oil must have been low to confuse it), went for ECU, got duff one, garage took the hit on cost and updated on bill so far.Customer to make decision or pay if taking car away..
Is this correct OP?
Edited by NFT on Saturday 16th December 19:07
NFT said:
I thought that, but from bill it looks like agreed (to) but avoided engine rebuild as garage mistaken (oil must have been low to confuse it), went for ECU, got duff one, garage took the hit on cost and updated on bill so far.
Customer to make decision or pay if taking car away..
Is this correct OP?
Customer to make decision or pay if taking car away..
Is this correct OP?
Edited by NFT on Saturday 16th December 19:07
Sorry i'm new to all this but basically spot on. Said engine was knackerd then said it was ecu. I said ok to an ecu with no warranty not a broken one.
I've spoken to a few garages who've all said theyd send an ecu off for testing and repair.
The diagnostic report says 'diagnostic scan showed no fault on ecu' then ends with ''outlined fault with ecu' im confused.
I've spoken to a few garages who've all said theyd send an ecu off for testing and repair.
The diagnostic report says 'diagnostic scan showed no fault on ecu' then ends with ''outlined fault with ecu' im confused.
Hankat said:
He said i can't have my car till I've paid the bill and he'll take me to court. I've rung citizen advice who have said the same.
He's clearly trying to con me. I'd love ro get a solicitor but my finances dont stretch that far.
Check both your household and car insurance to see if you have legal cover. If so then they might be able to help, and will at least give you a bit of guidance.He's clearly trying to con me. I'd love ro get a solicitor but my finances dont stretch that far.
QJumper said:
Check both your household and car insurance to see if you have legal cover. If so then they might be able to help, and will at least give you a bit of guidance.
I used the rac helpline and they just said what citizen advice said. The right to a proper repair under the civil rights act. I told the garage this but he wants his money and i have a feeling he wont give in easy. I've never disputed a bill but this feels very wrong.Tje invoice says:
Coding ECU: £250 vat 20% £300
Labour: 3 hours £50 vat 20% 180
Recovery: £50 20%vat £60
He said he had a dignostic electrician but hasn't as yet given me his report, Just a report with his garage name on. Ive told him i want the name of the diagnotic electrican and his report. No reply as yet.
Coding ECU: £250 vat 20% £300
Labour: 3 hours £50 vat 20% 180
Recovery: £50 20%vat £60
He said he had a dignostic electrician but hasn't as yet given me his report, Just a report with his garage name on. Ive told him i want the name of the diagnotic electrican and his report. No reply as yet.
Hankat said:
Gary C said:
So to be clear
Initial thought, engine failure and a quote of 1500
Then ECU, replace with no warranty 900
ECU replaced and didn't work so they want 500 for a car that still doesn't work ?
Initial thought, engine failure and a quote of 1500
Then ECU, replace with no warranty 900
ECU replaced and didn't work so they want 500 for a car that still doesn't work ?
£540 and yes. He got quite cross when i said i wasnt paying for the broken ECU
Looks like you do owe him the recovery cost & diagnostic but I would pay the recovery, refuse the ECU and pay half the diagnostic based on the crap service.
Edited by Gary C on Saturday 16th December 19:37
I’ve found Citizen’s Advice to be very good with this sort of stuff.
Unfortunately that’s not to say that you’ll get your money back.
They will probably say, as someone else has said, pay up, get the car out of there and then persue them for recompense through the small claims court. (This is not expensive as you do this yourself).
Unfortunately that’s not to say that you’ll get your money back.
They will probably say, as someone else has said, pay up, get the car out of there and then persue them for recompense through the small claims court. (This is not expensive as you do this yourself).
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