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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To tell the garage to keep the bloody car!

18 replies

howxxxmuch · 07/03/2019 20:40

So I bought a car July 2017 and paid to get the cam belt done by the dealer as it had 80k miles on it. It broke after 14 months and the dealer I'd bought it from wouldn't get involved just passed me to the manufacturer. They wouldn't do anything as the part warranty was only a year.

Therefore ended up booking it into a local garage for repair after they had said it would cost about "about a grand or so".

So that was in December and after I have been chasing them for weeks and just getting told it'll be ready the end of the week and they'd phone and let me know how much it was going to cost, it's ready!

But it's going to cost two and a half grand. It's not bloody worth that amount and if I'd had a clue it was going to be about two and a half times the estimate I'd not have had it done

So am I being unreasonable to tell them to keep it and sell it to recover their costs?
For background I'm on mat leave and that will wipe out my savings and potentially mean going back to work early

OP posts:

Absofuckinglutely · 07/03/2019 20:45

This is madness.

Firstly, which garage keeps you car for that long? Secondly, I can't imagine any garage that would ever do work to the value of £2.5k without getting authorisation from the owner first.
A cam belt change isn't £1k worth of work. What else have they done?

You're being had here. It sounds completely ridiculous.

UrsulaPandress · 07/03/2019 20:47

Bizarre.

Original poster

howxxxmuch · 07/03/2019 21:08

I know!!! I queried the cost and he said they had to replace the sump as well so I asked why they hadn't called me and he avoided the question.

With regards to the length of time it's taken, they were closed over Christmas and he's been on holiday twice this year I need to fucking retrain.

OP posts:

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 07/03/2019 21:17

He can't start replacing things, he should have spoken to you first and I'd be making that clear to them.

Bigonesmallone3 · 07/03/2019 21:22

No work should be carried out on your car without your permission.
I think you need to put on your big girls pants and fight this

The amount of time they have had your car is unacceptable
They gave you a quote for a reason
The work thing i just stated
They can't do work of there own accord and expect you to pay!

tanstaafl · 07/03/2019 21:23

He’s going on holiday a third time if you pay that bill.

Offer £1250 and get the car back?

ATBhinchers · 07/03/2019 21:29

Go straight to small claims. You're being had over here.

Original poster

howxxxmuch · 07/03/2019 22:05

I'm going to ask to see the invoice for a breakdown of costs. Discuss the whole additional work thing and see what he says.

He says the engineers bill for fixing the head is over a grand!

I'll try to have my big girl pants on but their are not a good fit none of my pants are since DD my husband wants to go and say something but want to try and deal with it first. Doesn't help that I know his mum and don't want to cause trouble but feel like I've been taken for a ride.

I've had loads of trouble with cars and mechanics in the past and hate the feeling that it's likely because I'm a woman

OP posts:

GruciusMalfoy · 07/03/2019 22:11

Utter bullshit. They cannot give you one quote and then come back with a bill for £1k more. They are trying it.

You must have the patience of a saint to have your car with them for so long!

19lottie82 · 07/03/2019 22:12

I own a garage with my husband and no way should they have done the work without authorisation. Stand your ground and tell them you will pay £1200 max.

Catzpyjamas · 07/03/2019 22:16

See if they are a member of a trade body like Motor Ombudsman and get advice from them?

Whisky2014 · 07/03/2019 22:18

Nope, id refuse to pay that on the grounds they didn't seek approval from me

youngfarmer · 07/03/2019 22:23

Anything beyond the original quote should have had approval from you

FrangipaniBlue · 07/03/2019 22:35

He says the engineers bill for fixing the head is over a grand!

What has fixing the head got to do with either a cam belt or a sump?!

You're definitely being had I'd say

justasking111 · 07/03/2019 22:37

I wonder if the AA can be of help here. I know they investigate things like this.

dottycat123 · 07/03/2019 22:46

That's a huge amount of money, they shouldn't be adding 150% to the bill without agreement. Head gasket replacement is time consuming so will add up hours of labour but the cost and time taken is ridiculous. A tip for the future is clearly say ' if it's going to cost more than £x ring before you start' and ask them to keep any parts removed so you can view the problem. Even if you know nothing about mechanics this will raise suspicion that you do or know someone who does. I was rung by a garage doing my MOT to be told my brake pads needed replacement, My dh had changed them the week before. I asked to view the worn discs and suddenly they were going to be ok.

Original poster

howxxxmuch · 08/03/2019 00:24

Dottycat that's brilliant advice and I'll definitely do that in future!

The head was damaged when the cam belt failed which I knew but everything else has thrown me. I will talk to them tomorrow but still annoyed. Mind you husband has suggested I leave it there to see how long it will be before they chase me!

OP posts:

Original poster

howxxxmuch · 21/03/2019 18:49

Update: DH spoke to the garage and explained how unhappy we were with the bill and they have agreed to give us the scrap page value of the car and they will keep it and sell it. So we aren't out of pocket other then the inconvenience of not having the car for ages!

OP posts:

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