Garage has had my car over six months
Discussion
Hi All
The clutch slave cylinder failed six months ago and I found a local "classics" car repair garage.
To cut a long story short, I eventually agreed that the bottom end needed a new bearing and "while you're at it" we may as well do an engine re-build.
It's an A Series 1275cc engine.
The issue is that that was six months ago. I've also been stupid and paid for parts as we've gone along, in my mind trying to support a local business with cash flow.
I've been down to see the car - it's in pieces, the bonnet removed, the engine out and in pieces.
The issue is that I cannot get them to agree when it will be finished. I'm at my wits end.
Comms started well, with pictures via WhatsApp and now all I get is "We'll let you know when it's finished" and "You shouldn't have bought a classic car" - it's not some Italian exotica, it's an old British classic (I'm not saying what it is).
I think six months is more than reasonable in my mind to rebuild an A-Series 1275 engine.
The question is, WTF can I do? I've been down there, I have the guys number etc etc.
What is the next step (ignoring the "find some thugs and arrange collection"?
ETA - I've tried the man to man, let's be reasonable and nothing changes....
The clutch slave cylinder failed six months ago and I found a local "classics" car repair garage.
To cut a long story short, I eventually agreed that the bottom end needed a new bearing and "while you're at it" we may as well do an engine re-build.
It's an A Series 1275cc engine.
The issue is that that was six months ago. I've also been stupid and paid for parts as we've gone along, in my mind trying to support a local business with cash flow.
I've been down to see the car - it's in pieces, the bonnet removed, the engine out and in pieces.
The issue is that I cannot get them to agree when it will be finished. I'm at my wits end.
Comms started well, with pictures via WhatsApp and now all I get is "We'll let you know when it's finished" and "You shouldn't have bought a classic car" - it's not some Italian exotica, it's an old British classic (I'm not saying what it is).
I think six months is more than reasonable in my mind to rebuild an A-Series 1275 engine.
The question is, WTF can I do? I've been down there, I have the guys number etc etc.
What is the next step (ignoring the "find some thugs and arrange collection"?
ETA - I've tried the man to man, let's be reasonable and nothing changes....
Edited by JohnnyUK on Friday 31st March 12:49
P. ONeill said:
Go and talk to him in person, not via WhatsApp. You’ll get a better idea of where you stand. Maybe he doesn’t have the time, or maybe he just can’t be bothered.
Thanks - yes, I've tried that a couple of weeks ago. I thought I had got through to him - we shook hands etc!Since then....nothing has changed.
JohnnyUK said:
Hi All
The clutch slave cylinder failed six months ago and I found a local "classics" car repair garage.
To cut a long story short, I eventually agreed that the bottom end needed a new bearing and "while you're at it" we may as well do an engine re-build.
It's an A Series 1275cc engine.
The issue is that that was six months ago. I've also been stupid and paid for parts as we've gone along, in my mind trying to support a local business with cash flow.
I've been down to see the car - it's in pieces, the bonnet removed, the engine out and in pieces.
The issue is that I cannot get them to agree when it will be finished. I'm at my wits end.
Comms started well, with pictures via WhatsApp and now all I get is "We'll let you know when it's finished" and "You shouldn't have bought a classic car" - it's not some Italian exotica, it's an old British classic (I'm not saying what it is).
I think six months is more than reasonable in my mind to rebuild an A-Series 1275 engine.
The question is, WTF can I do? I've been down there, I have the guys number etc etc.
What is the next step (ignoring the "find some thugs and arrange collection"?
ETA - I've tried the man to man, let's be reasonable and nothing changes....
Mini?The clutch slave cylinder failed six months ago and I found a local "classics" car repair garage.
To cut a long story short, I eventually agreed that the bottom end needed a new bearing and "while you're at it" we may as well do an engine re-build.
It's an A Series 1275cc engine.
The issue is that that was six months ago. I've also been stupid and paid for parts as we've gone along, in my mind trying to support a local business with cash flow.
I've been down to see the car - it's in pieces, the bonnet removed, the engine out and in pieces.
The issue is that I cannot get them to agree when it will be finished. I'm at my wits end.
Comms started well, with pictures via WhatsApp and now all I get is "We'll let you know when it's finished" and "You shouldn't have bought a classic car" - it's not some Italian exotica, it's an old British classic (I'm not saying what it is).
I think six months is more than reasonable in my mind to rebuild an A-Series 1275 engine.
The question is, WTF can I do? I've been down there, I have the guys number etc etc.
What is the next step (ignoring the "find some thugs and arrange collection"?
ETA - I've tried the man to man, let's be reasonable and nothing changes....
Edited by JohnnyUK on Friday 31st March 12:49
Ask him to tell you how much he wants for the 'work' done so far.
Pay him - or he's likely to keep the car until he is, which he has a legal right to do (lien) - & get the car collected.
Presumably there's a remedy in civil law if he then won't play but I've no idea what that might be.
Pay him - or he's likely to keep the car until he is, which he has a legal right to do (lien) - & get the car collected.
Presumably there's a remedy in civil law if he then won't play but I've no idea what that might be.
Edited by paintman on Friday 31st March 14:48
Just become a polite pain in his bum, appear randomly every week or so, asking how it's going, when finished etc.
He'll soon get fed up with you, recognise your going to be there consistently annoying him until he finishes, and that should be motivation enough. Might take a month or so until he cottons on though!
He'll soon get fed up with you, recognise your going to be there consistently annoying him until he finishes, and that should be motivation enough. Might take a month or so until he cottons on though!
Was a timeframe price / quote / estimate ever agreed?
Tell him you need to car back and in one piece for a set date for an owners event / show and that if he can't complete by then you'll take the car elsewhere. Get this down in writing even if its an email / text message of him agreeing to a summary of a verbal discussion with the points listed.
Get some quotes for the work that has been completed from elsewhere and to complete what is done. You'll pay him for the work completed which you've worked out to be X based on quotes from elsewhere and the price agreed with him for the whole job.
Ideally X will be agreed price minus cost to complete but we all know he will ask for more for a myriad of reasons. It will cost you more as parts might be missing, you'll need to arrange for transport but its probably worth it to get the job done.
edit: hes problably doing jobs that have a deadline....setting one means at some point you get to the front of the queue
Tell him you need to car back and in one piece for a set date for an owners event / show and that if he can't complete by then you'll take the car elsewhere. Get this down in writing even if its an email / text message of him agreeing to a summary of a verbal discussion with the points listed.
Get some quotes for the work that has been completed from elsewhere and to complete what is done. You'll pay him for the work completed which you've worked out to be X based on quotes from elsewhere and the price agreed with him for the whole job.
Ideally X will be agreed price minus cost to complete but we all know he will ask for more for a myriad of reasons. It will cost you more as parts might be missing, you'll need to arrange for transport but its probably worth it to get the job done.
edit: hes problably doing jobs that have a deadline....setting one means at some point you get to the front of the queue
This last point is the nub of it. He who presses hardest gets his car done first.
Having paid him as the work has gone along was not the best idea.
I am a freelancer, and can be guilty on occasion of a combination of doing the most fun job first, doing the easiest job first, doing the job I know I can invoice and get paid for first, and doing the job whose deadline is earliest first. It is just human nature. I respond quickest to clients who remind me that they need the job finished.
Hence all this week I have been looking after my largest client first and foremost, and now have to spend the weekend working on the others because they have deadlines.
Having paid him as the work has gone along was not the best idea.
I am a freelancer, and can be guilty on occasion of a combination of doing the most fun job first, doing the easiest job first, doing the job I know I can invoice and get paid for first, and doing the job whose deadline is earliest first. It is just human nature. I respond quickest to clients who remind me that they need the job finished.
Hence all this week I have been looking after my largest client first and foremost, and now have to spend the weekend working on the others because they have deadlines.
My dad and I rebuilt a 1275 in a weekend when I was a kid, he's taking the proverbial... Get him to agree to a timescale, in writing, and then if he goes beyond that, you need to be looking at something more serious. Having paid up front, with a promise to have the work completed, which he is repeatedly refusing/failing to do, one could argue he's made a financial gain from a false representation. In the real world though, it sounds like small claims court and trading standards are on the cards.
I have been in this position more than once; have you asked him exactly what the issue is? Parts? Money?
Try to find out WHY your job isn't getting done and think of a creative solution.
Does he know what he's doing with engines? Is he now out of his comfort zone? Has he quoted a stupidly cheap price on it?
There is probably a reason....to him...why it's not being done.
Maybe take the car back and leave him with the engine only, or take the engine somewhere else and bring it back done.
Try to find out WHY your job isn't getting done and think of a creative solution.
Does he know what he's doing with engines? Is he now out of his comfort zone? Has he quoted a stupidly cheap price on it?
There is probably a reason....to him...why it's not being done.
Maybe take the car back and leave him with the engine only, or take the engine somewhere else and bring it back done.
I'd ask him what the issue is but I'm going to guess that it's a lack of staff/time unless it's a one man band operation. As above, if you haven't put a date on it you're always going to be at the back of the queue. Stick a date on completion, a couple weeks, and tell him that you'll just pick it up and take it somewhere else if he doesn't want to do it.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff