Car in garage

[Rainyday578]

Car broke down last week. The mechanic we regularly use advised over the phone what the problem is likely to be, although he could not do the labour as he is off long term sick. Towed the car to another garage explaining what needed done and that the car wasn’t starting. The job was complete and car still didn’t start, mechanic advised a sensor was needed. Sensor was ordered and fitted but car still won’t start. The bill is now around 2k and the garage basically wants to wash their hands with it as they don’t know what else to do and it being on the ramps is prevented them from doing other jobs?

AIBU to think this is unacceptable? The garage chose to take on the car, but now it’s not a clear easy fix they expect two grand while handing back a car that won’t start.

It's hard when a garage has been told what the problem is (could be), that is what it's been booked in for, they've done the work as requested.
You may have to pay the £2k and then start diagnostics from the beginning to try and find out the cause, but it will cost you as the car had been booked as a 'fix' not diagnostic tests.
Best to take the car to the garage, tell them everything that has happened in the lead up to the break down and start from there. It's very difficult to diagnose a car problem without having eyes on the car.

It was explained to the garage that the reason for it breaking down was unknown but was what know was X job needed done (it needed done prior to it breaking down). They aren’t really willing to do anymore work. I wouldn’t have paid the money to have it towed there had I know they weren’t going to get it back to driving condition.

The car is already in the garage. They want paying.

You're basically stuck OP.

Unless the garage agree a reduction, you will have to pay the 2k and start the diagnosis procedure over again at a different garage.

Just be aware though, you might find it difficult to get anyone else to look at it. Garages generally don't like taking on other mechanics work, especially if the problem still hasn't been fixed.

Is the car worth more than 2k?

Hang on... they took in a car that doesn't start. They 'investigated' the cause of the non-start condition and told you that a sensor needed replacing, but the car still does not start and they're billing you anyway?

Shoddy garage. Don't pay them a penny. Take your car elsewhere.

Yes one job that needed done was known and we were already seeking a garage to do it. Car then broke down and we found this garage, told them car needed X job AND had broken down (unsure why). Garage took it in, completed the known job then when that didn’t fix non-start they diagnosed sensor. Replaced sensor which didn’t fix the non-start. Now want payment and return car which still won’t start.

If it's a sensor, I'm guessing it's the crank positioning sensor, or maybe even the camshaft positioning sensor. Both sensors feed information back to the engine's computer about fuel injection, air intake, ignition timing etc. If that sensor is dead, the engine won't start beyond the starter motor trying to turn the engine over.

Does the starter motor try to turn the engine over? Or is it completely dead when you turn the key (or press the button)?

I understand with the abundance of electronics in cars these days makes diagnostics boring and tedious, but this is sheer laziness/incompetence on their part.

I still maintain you should not pay them anything until a proper investigation has been carried out. They sound like cowboys.

You’re right it was crank sensor. DH suggested camshaft and by all accounts the mechanic was pretty dismissive over it. Engine trying to start but then cutting out (so not completely dead). He was making comments on as you said the diagnostics due to electronics. Giving off a vibe that he can’t be arse with it really.

So what does your bill itemise? What car have you got?
There should be working times that has taken to replace the crank sensor to replace, how many hours labour have they charged? There is a certain book time for every car and every part. You can find this out by calling a service dept or parts dept for your cars manufacturer. If you have been charged more than the book time, you need to know what the extra hours of labour entailed. Crank sensors are a relatively cheap part considering how much other car parts cost. £2k seems excessive for this part. If you told them to replace the sensor, you should be only charged book time as you have requested the work and there shouldn't be any diagnostic for this issue.

In addition, if a local independent garage are working on a car they don't specialise in, they may not have the full software. It may be worth booking your car in for diagnostic at a main dealership.

What was the first job that needed doing?

TBH there should be a dozen reasons why it's not starting. Could be a faulty replacment sensor. Could be they had to set the timing and messed it up. Could be a faulty fuel system. A faulty plug or coil pack.

See if you can work out a reduced fee to take the car away. Obviously if they want their money then you'll have to pay.

Unless they pay they won’t be able to take the car elsewhere. Presumably the first job which the OP requested doing is the bulk of the £2k, the crank position sensor shouldn’t be especially expensive. There maybe some negotiation, perhaps they’ll waive the labour charge for the crank position sensor and only charge the part out at cost or similar.

It could be anything. Crank sensors are usually a first port of call to change if the battery/alternator/starter motor have been checked. It's one of the cheapest parts that could cause a starting issue. After that, it's anyones guess and will need full diag.

I picked my car up Friday after a clutch, flywheel, timing belt, new injectors and seals and a steering rack at an independent. All of this cost just under £4k, just to give an idea of what I had done for the price. Obviously location, age/manufacturer of car etc will make a difference.

I was a service manager at a dealership, if I can help I will.

As far as I understand it:

The car had some work done to it. Then later on, the car broke down and wouldn't start. The non-start condition isn't related to the previous work. The car broke down and was taken to a garage. That garage diagnosed a faulty/dead crank positioning sensor, and so put a new one in to replace it. The car still doesn't start, as in the condition hasn't changed.

The work the garage did prior will have been invoiced, which is fair enough. They did that work, therefore they get paid for said work.

But now a garage has replaced a sensor in an attempt to fix the non-start condition. I can understand the parts and labour for replacing the sensor, but the new sensor is either faulty (in which case you don't charge the customer), or the sensor is not the problem and the garage is trying to upsell the customer by fixing a problem that doesn't exist.

Don't pay them until they've properly investigated the non-start condition.

Clutch was the big job. But to be clear the garage was not only asked to fix the clutch, it was made clear it needed a clutch repair and had broken down. They have fixed the clutch and diagnosed the sensor for the non-start which has not worked. Now do not want to continue with it.

Thank you for all the insightful comments, they’ve been very helpful with my limited car knowledge!