Car repairs didn't fix the problem

Trampas

Its a consumer issue more than a motor question but feel free to move mods.

Herself got her car fixed the other week as it was leaking coolant. Paid €70 for them to look at it and they said the problem was a switch and cost around €130 to fix. total €200

So we got if fixed.

Couple of weeks later same problem occurred again. So they have taken it back in again and said it looks like an internal problem and will cost around €800 at least to fix but we will not know exactly what the problem is until we open it up.

Only back in the country after been away all week so they still have the car and I haven't given them the go ahead to fix it as the car is a 00 but shouldn't really matter as part of my question

My question is what am I entitled to?

Should I be entitled to my €130 for repaired part from the first fix as it was clearly not the problem.

If I go a head and get it fixed should it be cost - €200 for the unrequired fix.

or nothing at all.

Thanks

EKRIUQ

From experience the mechanics will claim they fixed another problem that the car had wrong with it even if it wasn't the fault you wanted fixed.

Are you entitled to €130 for repaired part from the first fix as it was clearly not the problem?

Possibly

Will they give you €130 for repaired part from the first fix as it was clearly not the problem?

Highly unlikely, but no harm in asking

Lizzykins

I've gone down this road with mechanics. Left my car in which was leaking oil. Told garage we thought it was worn piston rings. Ignored our comments. "Fixed" car at a cost of 2k-replacing a myriad of small things. I freaked as the estimate for repair was 1600. Three weeks later no oil in car and left it back again. THIS time the piston rings were done but we were told when we were on our way to collect the car that was supposedly ready for us that suddenly the water pump was kaput and it had to be replaced!!!! Complete s****. Got a call an hour later to say pump was miraculously replaced even though they told us they didn't have the part in stock!!!
Another 800 euro later and nuclear meltdown from me and we had the car back. I might add it is a 00 reg Focus.
Never ever will I go to an independent garage. I think you might get a better service from a main dealer.

Trampas

It is a main dealer who tried to fix it.

Lizzykins

There's no harm in making the case that you left the car in to be fixed and it's not fixed. So if they misdiagnosed the problem then it's their hard luck. Mind you as someone else said they may say that the first problem was there too and needed to be fixed. Best of luck with them.

Trampas

went up and picked the car up.

Tried to say I owed him a half an hour labour for looking at it.

I was like :eek:

He literally said when they "found" the first problem that is all they looked for and that was it.

Don't seem to make sure that isn't the only problem.

ended up getting the car back with no charge as no way I was leaving their without the car and paying for anything.

This place must forget it is a dying trading and that should be looking for customers instead of driving them away.

Say will get a new 2nd hand car which we will not be buying from then.

Thanks for your replies.

smelltheglove

You can try to your hearts content..... I brought a car running pretty much perfect bar one thing for a service with the forsd garage and got back a car that had lods of trouble. The one thing was the car was missing a beat when starting, chugging, so I left it in saying a friend said maybe it was a spark plug, the guy said to me, well your friend is no f***ing mechanic as diesels dont have sparks. 600 later oil filters etc changed brakes done and problem solved, very expensive since my best friend was a mechanic but since the car had always been serviced by ford on time each time i thought I'd go with them.

My car started smoking, fumes inside just a week later, so I called them and complained, they tried to say that I never told them about the engine chugging, I was very happily able to recall the exact moment as I was so surprised at the ignorance of it. Hubbie brought the car back the next day and they insisted there was nothing wrong, guy getting 2 mechanics to stand by him very intimadting insisting it was perfect and I was imagining things! Following week, car broke down in the middle of nowhere9 pm at night and I had to sit in it with baby less than a year old waiting for recovery for a couple of hours. The fuel pump was gone, aparently it had been replaced / serviced whatever they do.

GOt that fixed and another couple of weeks later the alternator went, didnt have the money for a new one so a local guy re conditioned it and asked had I recently gotten the car serviced, I said yes and he said what I thought all along, something dodgy with that service, your oil pump (i think) is fine, no leak, but there is oil on the alternator which caused the damage to it, this would most likely have happened when they changed the pump............ yet still I got no comeback, the car I loved so much ended up being scrapped not long after, I couldnt afford to keep repairing it, traded it in, and the garage tole me that the day after they took it they couldnt get it to start agin...

The lesson I have learnt is to only ever get a trustworthy friend or recommended person to look after my car. I would love to hear though if you get anything back.