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Original poster

Would you say something to the garage or not?

47 replies

DingsBum · 01/06/2023 08:36

I have a large vehicle (over 3.5t) which I took for an MOT and service a few weeks ago. This week I used it for the first time this year, driving a lot of miles most of which was on the motorway.

On arrival, someone else pointed out that there was something sticking out slightly from under my bonnet. It was the handle of a large adjustable spanner that came completely free when I took hold of it and pulled very gently - that is to say, it wasn't tightly wedged in and could have fallen out at any time. I hadn't noticed it when wandering round the vehicle before I left so presumably it had been left on top of the engine by the mechanics and slid down whilst I was driving.

I keep thinking about what could have happened if it had either fallen out, or worse, fallen in to the actual engine and damaged something or caused engine failure while I was on the motorway! Obviously it didn't and that's great, nobody is hurt, it's all fine, but it could have been literally catastrophic....

DH says I should just consider myself the new owner of what is apparently an expensive make of said spanner, and not use the MOT place again.

I think I should pop in and tell them so they can be more careful in future but not return the spanner

Just to be absolutely clear I am not expecting com-pen-SAY-shun or even an apology, but I do personally think it was a potentially very dangerous mistake for them to have made and they should take it on board and be more careful.

WWYD MNers?

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 01/06/2023 08:43

I would be furious and telling them. You should at least get an apology. And then I’d never use them again.

chupachucks · 01/06/2023 08:45

Why would you keep the spanner, lots of mechanics buy their own tools and they cost a fortune spanners can be pretty dammed expensive. I'm pretty certain it was not intended, mistakes happen to every one and no one is going to forget to loose expensive tools to them because you complain.

These things happen were only human.

Original poster
DingsBum · 01/06/2023 08:48

I bought my own vehicle and it also cost a fortune. I can't imagine the garage would have been keen to claim the spanner as their own had it got fallen down and got wedged in the drive belt while I was doing 60 on the M6....

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 01/06/2023 08:49

Bizarrely, I've just discovered I have been driving round with what I assume is a tyre wrench of some sort sitting in the "crevice" where the wipers go under the bonnet. For 5 months. It's fairly hefty! No one has been under the bonnet since I had a tyre and the battery replaced last year and I discovered it filling up my screen wash.

In my case I probably won't bother telling the garage as it's been so long.

RedHelenB · 01/06/2023 08:50

Not a big deal but I would return it and explain what happened.

chupachucks · 01/06/2023 08:54

DingsBum · 01/06/2023 08:48

I bought my own vehicle and it also cost a fortune. I can't imagine the garage would have been keen to claim the spanner as their own had it got fallen down and got wedged in the drive belt while I was doing 60 on the M6....

It didn't thought did it, just return the property that is not yours and did not buy and either inform them or ask for a quick apology if your so bothered mountain out of a mole hill.

There are a million "what Ifs" occur every day,

Hugasauras · 01/06/2023 08:55

I'd just take it back and say what had happened. I don't think it's that big a deal really and sounds a bit like you're catastrophising a bit when the overwlemingly likely outcome was that nothing would have happened. I don't think I'd really give it much thought.

Lambstails · 01/06/2023 08:55

I probably wouldn't return it, for the simple reason it's the sort of thing that if you walked in with it and explained, they might well try and laugh it off to detract you from the potential seriousness of their oversight- which would wind me up even more!

Fandabedodgy · 01/06/2023 09:01

I don't think engines work like you think they do and the risk from the left over spanner is minimal

It's not the same as a surgeon leaving a scape inside your abdomen.

Just return the spanner and get on with your life.

Whatthediddlyfeck · 01/06/2023 09:02

I’d return the spanner without a lecture and get on with living my life

wotsitsorhoops · 01/06/2023 09:25

I`d also return the spanner

My son is an apprentice mechanic and his tools cost him a lot of money he cant afford to loose. He also support his GF and new daughter on a very low wage.

Just because the garage makes a lot of money does not mean he does.

I know he would be devastated if he lost one of his tools by accident and would struggle to replace them, mistakes happen to any one.

existingusername · 01/06/2023 09:29

Mots aren't allowed to remove anything the bonnet will not have been opened. could have been left from a previous service not the mot.

pimplebum · 01/06/2023 09:31

Have you never made a mistake at work ?
Be kind let them know they made a mistake so they can be more careful in future
Let them reassure you that what you are angry / stressed about isn't mechanically possible
Do you need that tool?

SleepingisanArt · 01/06/2023 09:36

My thought here is if you knew you were about to 'use the car for the first time this year' you didn't do basic checks before you set off. Before a long trip we always check oil, washer levels (even though the car will tell us about both), tyre pressure etc and by opening the bonnet would have seen the spanner.

Thatladdo · 01/06/2023 09:37

existingusername · 01/06/2023 09:29

Mots aren't allowed to remove anything the bonnet will not have been opened. could have been left from a previous service not the mot.

The bonnet should have been opened to check for play in top mounts and to check conditions of your brake master cylinder/pipework

SoupDragon · 01/06/2023 09:37

existingusername · 01/06/2023 09:29

Mots aren't allowed to remove anything the bonnet will not have been opened. could have been left from a previous service not the mot.

The OP clearly says she took it in for an MOT and service.

SoupDragon · 01/06/2023 09:38

SleepingisanArt · 01/06/2023 09:36

My thought here is if you knew you were about to 'use the car for the first time this year' you didn't do basic checks before you set off. Before a long trip we always check oil, washer levels (even though the car will tell us about both), tyre pressure etc and by opening the bonnet would have seen the spanner.

Even when it had a service a couple of weeks before?

existingusername · 01/06/2023 09:39

Top mounts are checked through play in the wheels. It's more likely that spanner came from someone or somewhere else. I'm a Mechanic of 7/8 years....

Thatladdo · 01/06/2023 09:40

Fandabedodgy · 01/06/2023 09:01

I don't think engines work like you think they do and the risk from the left over spanner is minimal

It's not the same as a surgeon leaving a scape inside your abdomen.

Just return the spanner and get on with your life.

Aside from falling from the engine bay and hitting someone / someones car, motorbike of pedestrian etc it could easily find its way between a belt or into a cooling fan.
A good mechanic checks their tools at the end of the job, every tool has a place - if its missing you find it.

existingusername · 01/06/2023 09:41

It was more likely from the service not the mot. Master cylinder isn't checked it has a break test on rollers they are not allowed to open or remove anything during mot.

existingusername · 01/06/2023 09:42

Brake

SoupDragon · 01/06/2023 09:43

existingusername · 01/06/2023 09:41

It was more likely from the service not the mot. Master cylinder isn't checked it has a break test on rollers they are not allowed to open or remove anything during mot.

So, from the same garage then like the OP said, rather than some random other place you tried to say must have left it there?

NightAndShiningArmour · 01/06/2023 09:45

I work for a chain of garages. A “what if” at work isn’t just a boo boo, it’s a “near miss” and you should indeed let them know.

Im not advocating that you return the spanner though. They’ve fucked up - and this is a fuck up, not a “oh everybody makes mistakes” - and the loss of a piece of equipment is a VERY light consequence for this fuck up.

SweetiePi3 · 01/06/2023 09:47

If people have expensive tools, surely they should look after them, the same way anyone else would look after her phone, purse, keys etc.
I would go there and ask if anyone was missing something and if they said no, then can I keep this?

SpringNotSprung · 01/06/2023 09:48

Just return it nicely with a "look what I found" and a tinkly laugh. Absolutely no point having a word with the garage, it won't respond.

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