[DaveO]

Dispute over car repair : Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:37 pm  

Anyone got any advice on how to proceed over a dispute over a car repair?

My wifes car was in with a main dealer service department to have a new ignition key barrel fitted. On picking it up they also told us they had replaced a "steering column pin". We didn't ask them to do that but they did anyway.

On driving the car off we noticed that the steering now stiffens up markedly about half way round the lock in either direction. I reckon the steering knuckle joint is now misaligned and that this occurred when they were fitting the steering column pin. It wasn't doing this prior when we dropped it off for repair.

The dealer is saying this is a new and separate fault and nothing to do with them so of course they are saying we must pay for it to be fixed.

This is ridiculous and I already know it is a legal requirement for a garage to fix any new faults they introduce when repairing a car free of charge.

Trouble is they are flat out denying responsibility. I am putting my complaint in writing and asking them to resolve it as a first step but don't expect anything but another denial. I was wondering how else I can get them to accept they are liable? Anyone any ideas?

Getting second opinion could be costly if it requires the steering column to be disassembled to check. Given the sequence of events it seems obvious they screwed it up and I should not need to go this far.

Re: Dispute over car repair : Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:48 pm  

DaveO wrote:

Anyone got any advice on how to proceed over a dispute over a car repair?

My wifes car was in with a main dealer service department to have a new ignition key barrel fitted. On picking it up they also told us they had replaced a "steering column pin". We didn't ask them to do that but they did anyway.

On driving the car off we noticed that the steering now stiffens up markedly about half way round the lock in either direction. I reckon the steering knuckle joint is now misaligned and that this occurred when they were fitting the steering column pin. It wasn't doing this prior when we dropped it off for repair.

The dealer is saying this is a new and separate fault and nothing to do with them so of course they are saying we must pay for it to be fixed.

This is ridiculous and I already know it is a legal requirement for a garage to fix any new faults they introduce when repairing a car free of charge.

Trouble is they are flat out denying responsibility. I am putting my complaint in writing and asking them to resolve it as a first step but don't expect anything but another denial. I was wondering how else I can get them to accept they are liable? Anyone any ideas?

Getting second opinion could be costly if it requires the steering column to be disassembled to check. Given the sequence of events it seems obvious they screwed it up and I should not need to go this far.

How much did it cost for them to replace the steering column pin? If it was a reasonable amount surely they should have 'phoned to ask you if you wanted it doing? If not, could that be one of your lines of attack - that they did unauthorised work ..... Not sure it will help alot?

If they do not respond properly to your letter why not follow up with another letter (copied into head office of the manufacturer whose cars they sell) saying as they will not accept liability can you appoint an independent expert to provide a second opinion and if he agrees with you they repair it free of charge and they pick up his bill? Better still, don't send the second letter at first but write and say you are dissatisfied and if they cannot remedy the situation to your satisfaction you will copy future correspondencer to the manufacturer.

Re: Dispute over car repair : Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:56 pm  

DaveO wrote: .. I am putting my complaint in writing and asking them to resolve it as a first step... Good first step IMO. If they just flatly deny it, I'd contact your local Trading Standards dept and see what they say. http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/index.cfm

DaveO wrote: .. I am putting my complaint in writing and asking them to resolve it as a first step... Good first step IMO. If they just flatly deny it, I'd contact your local Trading Standards dept and see what they say. http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/index.cfm

[DaveO]

Re: Dispute over car repair : Wed Oct 09, 2013 1:39 pm  

El Barbudo wrote: Good first step IMO. If they just flatly deny it, I'd contact your local Trading Standards dept and see what they say. http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/index.cfm I subsequently found an organisation called Motorcode which is an arbitration service in disputes like this (the dealer is part of the scheme). The AA pointed me in their direction. Motorcode seemed to think my stance was entirely reasonable so if there is no joy with the formal complaint I will see what they have to say about taking it further.

El Barbudo wrote: Good first step IMO. If they just flatly deny it, I'd contact your local Trading Standards dept and see what they say. http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/index.cfm I subsequently found an organisation called Motorcode which is an arbitration service in disputes like this (the dealer is part of the scheme). The AA pointed me in their direction. Motorcode seemed to think my stance was entirely reasonable so if there is no joy with the formal complaint I will see what they have to say about taking it further.

Re: Dispute over car repair : Wed Oct 09, 2013 6:01 pm  

DaveO wrote:

I subsequently found an organisation called Motorcode which is an arbitration service in disputes like this (the dealer is part of the scheme). The AA pointed me in their direction. Motorcode seemed to think my stance was entirely reasonable so if there is no joy with the formal complaint I will see what they have to say about taking it further.

Having similar, bought an "extended warranty" on a vehicle (used), been told it needs to go to a main dealer for diagnostics, but they wont pay for that part....even though the main dealer is the one I bought it from.

Re: Dispute over car repair : Wed Oct 09, 2013 6:17 pm  

Standee wrote:

Having similar, bought an "extended warranty" on a vehicle (used), been told it needs to go to a main dealer for diagnostics, but they wont pay for that part....even though the main dealer is the one I bought it from.

When I bought my last used car (or the one before last) it came with a 12 month "extended warranty", ten months later the clutch gave up the ghost so I got it replaced at my expense because "fair wear and tear" on a three year old car is what came to mind as an excuse not to cover it under warranty and if I thought of it then you can bet your last penny thats what they would think - so at the renewal I got some flash young kid ring me every night for a week trying to convince me that their extended warranty was well worth the renewal cost.

I told him I'd just replaced the clutch, he told me they would have paid for that, I told them that they wouldn't have, he insisted that EVERYTHING was covered under their warranty even things that wore out, rather than call him a liar I just acted interested and then asked if they'd send me some sales info or better still the actual contract so that I could see for myself that things that wore out were covered for their £150 a year (or whatever it was), but of course as you'd expect they weren't allowed to send copies of the contract out until you'd agreed to take up the policy, but you had 14 days to cancel it - told him I'd rather not have the hassle but if they ever changed their mind about getting people to pay for stuff that they haven't even seen yet then I may be interested.

Telesales con merchants is what came to mind.

Re: Dispute over car repair : Wed Oct 09, 2013 6:33 pm  

Very generally, there's a piece in the current Which? magazine that, in effect, suggests that extended warranties – certainly when it comes to white goods – are essentially a rip off.

Which, of course, may be why retailers sell them so hard.

Re: Dispute over car repair : Thu Oct 10, 2013 1:58 am  

They are almost universally a ripoff. Common conditions are stuff like to keep the warranty valid you have to have car serviced by a main dealer within 7 days or 100 miles of the service interval

Re: Dispute over car repair : Thu Oct 10, 2013 11:24 am  

I'm about to start a dispute with Mazda after they told me my 4yo car that is running normally and has done less than 30000 miles requires a new turbo and pipes, total cost £1985. They are refusing to assist as I didn't have the last service done by them. My BiL who works in the trade has advised me to contact the SMMT