Engine rebuild - small claims or another route?

[Hoink]

Hi everyone, I'm after some help.

This is light on detail as I don't want to give any specifics away.

I've had my car booked in for some engine work this year and the garage are simply not progressing despite me paying for parts and having several promises of end dates. I do not want this to drag on indefinitely and am worried I'm going to end up with a car and no engine...despite paying for it.

A sketchy timeline below hopefully shows the history:

• Start of March - car and engine supplied to the garage
• Mid March - a number of additional things ordered due to missing parts (the garage now has a complete engine). I pay for the parts.
• End of March - claims there is a problem with the bottom end. Offers a full rebuild. Sends a new list of parts needed. I pay for the parts.

On looking back, the garage now has the equivalent of almost 2 engines.

So, it continues:

• A lot of phonecalls chasing progress.
• End of June - chased via email. Comes back with excuses as to why he can't progress (blaming other people he is waiting on).
• More phonecalls chasing.
• July - he promises August as a finish date.
• August - that date has passed. He is now claiming there are more issues which need money sending over. I have refused to send the money and have advised that if the car is not finished I will want a full refund for all parts (several thousand) and the original parts returning.

We now have a new finish date promised and he will stick to the budget of what I have already paid.

What are my options?

The garage does have a decent reputation for the type of car in question but he is taking far too much work on and mine keeps getting pushed back.

I now feel like I've been taken for a ride on this but have been distracted with several personal issues this year so have had my eye off the ball. He sounded nervous when I suggested refund/original parts returning.

My thinking was keep on his back until the new date passes, asking for regular updates and turning up at the garage every few days. If he then misses this date to go down the small claims route. Would I have a case?

I have emails, evidence of invoices and money spent. I don't, however, have evidence of the original parts I supplied with the car other than my purchase receipts.

What are your thoughts?

(yes...I know I've dropped a bk on this. I feel sick at the thought and not sleeping)