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AIBU?

To complain about a shoddy repair to my car

6 replies

Aberchips · 26/01/2016 12:41

I'm more wanting to canvass opinion about whether complaining will get me anywhere to be honest. (Long one sorry!) Will post in motoring also.

In brief: My car (5 years old, regularly serviced & generally in good condition, average mileage) developed a problem with its power steering over Xmas which the local garage could not repair so they advised me to take it in to the dealer.

I did this - they quoted me an eye watering amount of £2,100 to fix it but said that the manufacturer had agreed to make a discount to this as the problem was rare and unusual for a well maintained car. The repair took around 2 weeks as waiting for parts & ended up costing me £1700 in the end.

Collected the car from the dealer after it was repaired. Drove home fine, took kids to school next day & then went into town with my 3 year old son (about 25 miles in total) on the way back home car stopped with a huge bang & then wouldn't move without a loud banging sound. As they'd taken my steering apart recently I was reluctant to drive any further for safety reasons!

I have breakdown cover so they took me back to the dealer ( wasting almost a whole day in waiting around etc) who inspected it & told me that the prop shaft ( connects the front & rear wheels I think) has "collapsed" & it was likely "to do with the work they carried out".

I got the car back yesterday - they didn't charge me anything more, but when I went to pick it up said very little to me. After some digging on my part the service manager said that "some bolts had come loose" & it was "an oversight on their part". No apology at all from them- it was as if they didn't care.

My question is - do you think writing to the dealership/ dealership head office/ manufacturer to complain about 1) unsafe work 2) their attitude to their mistake will get me anywhere? They didn't obviously charge me to put it right, but the fact that they didn't check the car over properly before returning it worries me, their attitude stinks & the whole thing has left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't really want anything material from them, but just feel like they should know how unhappy I am & how their dealerships treat their customers.

What would you do? Thanks for reading btw if you've got this far!!

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steppedonlego · 26/01/2016 13:12

You could literally be talking about me. Is it a Vauxhall? I had the exact same issue with power steering and it cost a similar amount.

I would definitely write and complain. The dealerships are very closely monitored and they will be interested to know if one of them isn't up to standard.

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goodnightdarthvader1 · 26/01/2016 13:17

I'd write, that's really shoddy.

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Aberchips · 26/01/2016 13:19

thanks steppedon no it's a Honda. I know I should really just don't want to get into a protracted argument with them. Will sit down & plan out a letter to them.

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Aberchips · 26/01/2016 13:20

thanks steppedon no it's a Honda. I know I should really just don't want to get into a protracted argument with them. Will sit down & plan out a letter to them.

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Aberchips · 26/01/2016 13:53

Ooops - sorry - don't know why it's replied twice for me!

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WMittens · 26/01/2016 14:23

My question is - do you think writing to the dealership/ dealership head office/ manufacturer to complain about 1) unsafe work 2) their attitude to their mistake will get me anywhere? They didn't obviously charge me to put it right, but the fact that they didn't check the car over properly before returning it worries me, their attitude stinks & the whole thing has left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't really want anything material from them, but just feel like they should know how unhappy I am & how their dealerships treat their customers.

You first say "will writing to the HO get me anywhere" and then say "I don't really want anything material from them", so where do you want to get?

If you want them to know you're unhappy, write to them saying as much.

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