Ever had that gut feeling that something's not right?

[crofty1984]

Have you ever cancelled a sale/work because something didn't "feel" right?

I had to this weekend. Went to a scrappy to get 3 hubs for my 205 (long story). Spent a couple of hours while the guy is trying to pull them off the "donor" cars.
I asked if they fit parts too, thinking I might be able to drive home with my new hubs.
Turns out no, but booked me in for a couple of days after. Thing is, he starts saying things like "don't worry, we'll let you know if it's unsafe - oh when was the last MOT, oh it's been a while then - Is that the standard bumper - How much did you pay for those alloys?"

I just got the feeling he was eyeing it up for spares and there was a good chance I'd turn up to pick it up to be faced with "Oh, the car's mysteriously lethal all of a sudden, but don't worry, we'll give you £200 scrap for it!"

In the end I cancelled and I'll take it to my local garage for the work.

Anyone else?

[trickywoo]

Yes. Not all the time but often.

[MrBrightSi]

At the end of the day not being in the situation you talk about means we cant judge if it was paranoia or justified worry.

However, often if it doesn't feel right it isn't.


Probably made the best call.

[Captain Muppet]

crofty1984 said:

Have you ever cancelled a sale/work because something didn't "feel" right?

I haven't, but in your situation I think I'd have done the same.

Or I'd have let them harvest my car for parts and always regretted not cancelling it.

Definitely one of those two options.

[littlebasher]

I'd say that asking a scrapyard to fix your car would be analogous to asking a butcher to spay your cat.

[motco]

There used to be a scrappie in the backstreets of Reading and he specialised in Fiat Uno parts. I went to get a driveshaft for my then-teenaged son's Uno and he managed to undo the big nut on the hub of the shaft I was buying, with the driveshaft lying on the ground, by repeatedly bashing it with a club hammer. That, chaps, is the sort of finesse in scrapyards!

[Mastodon2]

Why would you ask a scrap yard to fit parts?

[Matt UK]

If it feels wrong, it normally is

[StottyZr]

Usually the gut feeling is completely correct.

Each and every time I drop my car off at a garage I know somehow somebody is going to try and fk me.

Right this second my BMW's in for an engine change. It was over 2weeks ago that I authorised the work to proceed. I've not heard a peep since.

Past experiance would suggest they've already royaly fked up and are going to attempt to make me pay for it.

[Krikkit]

StottyZr said:

Usually the gut feeling is completely correct.

Each and every time I drop my car off at a garage I know somehow somebody is going to try and fk me.

Right this second my BMW's in for an engine change. It was over 2weeks ago that I authorised the work to proceed. I've not heard a peep since.

Past experience would suggest they've already royally fked up and are going to attempt to make me pay for it.

That always used to be my feeling - so now I've started doing it at home... I suppose I get busy fking myself instead!

[m44kts]

Gut instinct is usually right, earlier this year I viewed a vehicle, it seemed spot on, garage owners were rough but friendly enough, sorted a bit of a deal with my car in p/x plus cash, went home, deliberated on the car, rang them a few days later to say I'd like to go ahead so they asked if I could send a deposit, had to do a bank transfer as they didn't take cards, this should have been the first sign.

I asked if they could hold on to the car for a week or so as mine still had a private plate on that I needed to put on retention, they said it would be fine to just do the deal with the plate still on the car and they would hang on for the V5 if I went and sorted the plate transfer.

They said they would just use the car for post office runs until the original plate was back then they could sell it on, I wasn't happy with that as the car would obviously still be in my name and it could be used for anything so suggested as they had my deposit, I'll do the deal when the V5 was back. That night I decided to google the garage name and found out they already had a few CCJ's, they'd been on rogue traders and garages from hell for selling cars with dangerous faults but having full MOT's. then I found a review site where about 37 out of 40 reviews have said they were cowboys, people had traded cars in then got speeding fines months later etc.

Glad I dodged the bullet on that one, I lost my deposit but it could have been a lot worse

[crofty1984]

littlebasher said:

I'd say that asking a scrapyard to fix your car would be analogous to asking a butcher to spay your cat.

In my defence, they did have proper 4 post lifts and bays to do the work in, but I get your point.

[smartphone hater]

crofty1984 said:

In my defence, they did have proper 4 post lifts and bays to do the work in, but I get your point.

A lot of scrap yards do mechanical work as well, it's not unusual at all.

[surveyor]

I've had a scrappy fit an Engine before now. Admittedly they were sorting out their cock-up when they sold a 950cc as a 1200cc by mistake and were not keen on paying my mechanics bill.

I was quite happy because I was frankly furious that he'd handed the car back to me in that state. Drove like a pig. That was the third engine change, after the initial second hand unit's oil pump seized up...