Help- do we have any rights for an alternative vehicle?

[Bristol66]

help- guarenteed car part repeatedly failing, when can we insist on a courtesy car?

Dear pistonheads,

A garage fixed a part in our gearbox, in our only car. Guaranteed 12months. It went wrong again within a few days, it went back. Yesterday -within a week it’s gone again.
The fault means it will cut power completely so we can’t drive it safely.
It is an hour round trip to return it, and they won’t provide a courtesy car.
Last time we had to hire a car, which they refused to help with but now we are looking at doing the same over Christmas, for weeks.

Before we contact them tomorrow do we have any rights? We have a round U.K. relatives Christmas to perform - we have to have a car. Does anyone know?

Hugh thanks 🙏🏽
Lucy

[MightyBadger]

Garages don’t have to provide a courtesy car, a lot don’t even have them.

The guarantee you have on gearbox just covers it being fixed again.

Is the car a new purchase? Did you buy it from the garage fixing the gearbox?

[ingenieur]

You'd have to provide some details about the age of the car and the way it was purchased and where you bought it from. The rights which would cover you would be consumer rights and it isn't really possible to know which rights you do have without the extra details.

I imagine with it going wrong repeatedly they probably didn't actually replace the part and just reset something.

[Bonzo1930]

Without more information as per the previous op I think the very short to the point answer is no, sorry that's not really want to hear.
Courtesy cars are just that a courtesy the garage is under no obligation to lend you a car even if the car was brand new

[Bristol66]

It's a 2014 Skoda Yeti which was not purchased from the garage doing the repairs.
The problem seemed to be the mechatronic unit on an auto gearbox.
They replaced the unit with a reconditioned one and gave a 6 month warranty
The same problem appeared to happen after a week or so. Went back and allegedly was replaced.
Fine for a few days and then D or R flashing on screen and gearbox not engaging for a while

[sherman]

Is the garage a VAG specialist. If not take the car to one. Sack your current garage. Take the financial hit and get the car properly fixed. With an auto box it could be as much software as hardware issues.

[ingenieur]

I doubt they fixed the mechatronic unit as it's just a little computer inside the gearbox. Hardly likely to go wrong in the first place, is very expensive and has to be coded to the vehicle to make it work which requires specialist equipment for VAG cars.

My money would be on some sort of mechanical issue with the gearbox and I don't think it will be the valve body. Could be issues with the way the valve body and mechatronic has been reassembled if they even did open it up.

You probably want a transmission specialist rather than a vehicle specific specialist.

If you can't be without a car it might make more sense to sell yours as a 'spares and repairs' sale and buy something cheap to fill the gap while you consider your next move.