Suspect Main Dealer has deliberately damaged CV boot!
Discussion
I took my car in for a Cambelt and service to a main dealer after then gave me a great price by matching a quote.
I was really please with the service, but they said that during the service they had found a split CV boot and said it would be £130 to sort. I was slightly surprised as 4 weeks ago the car had sailed through its MOT at my usual garage so I said I'd get back to them.
Any way, I've just got back from my garage and after seeing the split CV boot and talking to the mechanics it really does look like a very clean/brand new hole in the boot.
The grease is brand new and the split is way too neat to have been caused by a stone or a wear and tear split. It really does look suspicious.
So what do I do?
Pics below:
Cheers.
I was really please with the service, but they said that during the service they had found a split CV boot and said it would be £130 to sort. I was slightly surprised as 4 weeks ago the car had sailed through its MOT at my usual garage so I said I'd get back to them.
Any way, I've just got back from my garage and after seeing the split CV boot and talking to the mechanics it really does look like a very clean/brand new hole in the boot.
The grease is brand new and the split is way too neat to have been caused by a stone or a wear and tear split. It really does look suspicious.
So what do I do?
Pics below:
Cheers.
Hi,
Where has it split? I can't see it in your pictures, unless it is where it is clamped onto the cv joint.
Is that a Vauxhall? if it is you don't have to take remove shaft from the car as there should be enough
movement once the circlip is released to remove the shaft from the joint making the job alot easier.
This makes £130 steep.
Andy..
Where has it split? I can't see it in your pictures, unless it is where it is clamped onto the cv joint.
Is that a Vauxhall? if it is you don't have to take remove shaft from the car as there should be enough
movement once the circlip is released to remove the shaft from the joint making the job alot easier.
This makes £130 steep.
Andy..
vrooom said:
That is typical garage scam.
But can I do anything about it?First thoughts were contacting Trading Standards - but before that should I confront the main dealer
I'm trying to keep an open mind about this, but there is no chance they are going to admit to it are they?
Daft thing is I was really impressed by the service as they were so friendly and helpful with other things.
Ozzie Osmond said:
vrooom said:
That is typical garage scam internet drivel.
Why do you suspect a scam at the main dealer as opposed to incompetence at the other garage? And if so, why did you go to the main dealer anyway? Your car has a problem; live with it; don't look for someone to blame.TBH, For whatever reason VW cars really eat CV boots. And the Golf5/Touran/3C Passat onwards boots are a much harder plastic than earlier items. IMHO this is not an unusaul failure and I do wonder what sort of "split" you expect to see with regards to a boot. A jagged line? Not normally.
I honestly don't think I have a chance unfortunately - but if you are not a troll can you explain why the other garage can possibly be incompetent? What I want to know is if there is any path I should attempt to go down, other than bending over taking off the VW garage?
I don't want to believe that any garage would do this, but I honestly can not see how else this could have been caused.
The slit in the boot is too clean to be caused by a tear.
The grease is that fresh and clean it has only just started coming out.
If the hole had happened after the MOT and before it went into the main dealer their would be grease everywhere over the back of the wheel and suspension.
I've got much more important things to do that create conspiracy theories about car garages for the entertainment of PHers.
I don't want to believe that any garage would do this, but I honestly can not see how else this could have been caused.
The slit in the boot is too clean to be caused by a tear.
The grease is that fresh and clean it has only just started coming out.
If the hole had happened after the MOT and before it went into the main dealer their would be grease everywhere over the back of the wheel and suspension.
I've got much more important things to do that create conspiracy theories about car garages for the entertainment of PHers.
Rich_W said:
It won't have been caused by an intrusion, more by the plastic failing. And I've seen enough of these to annoy me.
On a side note, maybe the MOT tester missed it?
No chance the MOT tester would have missed it - it was very obvious - I've used them before and they are very good - the MOT was 4 weeks ago, if the boot was split then there would be grease all over the place - this has only just started to come out.On a side note, maybe the MOT tester missed it?
Thing is this doesn't look like any split CV boots I've seen - or the mechanics that have seen many more than I have. It looks like a cut.
Maybe I have been very unlucky, but it doesn't feel right to me.
It seems highly unlikely to me. What has the garage got to gain?, in the short term a whopping £130 of income, more than likely they were trying to show you how professional they are by bringing an existing fault to your attention in an attempt to gain you as a valued customer.
CV boots don't last forever and it is pefectly plausible that it has gone between the MOT and this repair. As mentioned they are a rigid plastic, not flexible rubber and will go without showing any previous signs of deterioration. I should think that the grease coming out of it would look like new, they wouldn't have filled it with old looking grease at the factory.
Sometimes the garage can't win, they point out a defect and get accused of causing it or they don't mention it and when it's found a day later, they're incompetent.
CV boots don't last forever and it is pefectly plausible that it has gone between the MOT and this repair. As mentioned they are a rigid plastic, not flexible rubber and will go without showing any previous signs of deterioration. I should think that the grease coming out of it would look like new, they wouldn't have filled it with old looking grease at the factory.
Sometimes the garage can't win, they point out a defect and get accused of causing it or they don't mention it and when it's found a day later, they're incompetent.
I see what you're saying, but the other garage has nothing to gain from what they said.
They offered the opinion that the split didn't seem right - I am sure of their integrity - and they gain nothing from saying so. There is no way this hole is 4 weeks old so they have nothing to worry about.
Forget about the specifics of my case for a moment and lets just say that you did think that a garage was being dodgy, what course of action could one take?
What I want to know is if I want to complain how should approach it?
They offered the opinion that the split didn't seem right - I am sure of their integrity - and they gain nothing from saying so. There is no way this hole is 4 weeks old so they have nothing to worry about.
Forget about the specifics of my case for a moment and lets just say that you did think that a garage was being dodgy, what course of action could one take?
What I want to know is if I want to complain how should approach it?
mcford said:
Sometimes the garage can't win, they point out a defect and get accused of causing it or they don't mention it and when it's found a day later, they're incompetent.
Exactly!People buy these s
t cars, things wear out/fail. And the garage are the s? Most of our customers get phonecalls to judge out performance. Had a car while back. We sorted him a lot of discount as goodwill as he was out of warranty. Gave him a 30% ish discount on the other work he had done and he STILL slated us. IMO It seems a sizeable chunk of customers are tts!It also sounds like you posted with your mind made up and even though you ask for opinions, you only want to hear something that supports your concern that the garage has deliberately tampered with your car, presumably in an attempt to drum up more work.
In my opinion this sounds ridiculous. But if you are so convinced what option do you have other than to confront them?
In my opinion this sounds ridiculous. But if you are so convinced what option do you have other than to confront them?
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