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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want my car back?

23 replies

Brunelofbrio · 05/02/2025 17:01

My car ( 10 year old Citroen people carrier) developed a fault about a month ago. Took it to the local ‘French car’ garage and 250 quid down it was sorted (I hoped).

Then 2.5 weeks ago it went wrong again ( so less than 2 weeks after the original repair it went wrong again. So back to the garage - and it’s still there!

DH and I keep chasing to be told ‘we haven’t had a chance to look at it yet / we can’t work it out…’
last time I spoke they even laughed and told me about a customer who just gave up and abandoned their car 😱.

AIBU to think WTAF and to ask if anyone can give me advice on how to deal with this?

OP posts:
AlertCat · 05/02/2025 17:36

Can you get an appointment at another garage? It’s your car, if you can take it elsewhere I don’t see how they could justifiably stop you. And then never use them again!

Bubblegumtatoos · 05/02/2025 17:58

Always use local independent garages.

Original poster
Brunelofbrio · 05/02/2025 18:20

Bubblegumtatoos · 05/02/2025 17:58

Always use local independent garages.

and yet that is exactly where my car is stuck!

OP posts:
Catza · 05/02/2025 18:45

We've had our car in a garage for 7 months. They couldn't find a fault, then they found it but didn't quite know how to fix it. We eventually took it elsewhere.
We only kept it there for so long because we have a company car we could use.
I'd call around other garages.

OliveWah · 05/02/2025 18:57

Is it the same issue that you paid this garage to have repaired in the first instance? If so, I would assume that the cost is being borne by them this time. I would give them a deadline (say by the end of Friday) and if they have no news for you (and by news, I mean either "It's repaired, come and pick it up", or "We know what's wrong, it'll be ready on Tuesday") by the deadline, then I would tell them you'll be taking it to another garage and sending them the bill.

Original poster
Brunelofbrio · 15/04/2025 14:04

So to update. The car is still at the siding garage. Relations between us and the garage are as you might imagine declining. aibu to think 4 months should be long enough to find and fix a fault or admit defeat?

Had another ‘discussion’ with them today and got the same ‘ well look at it again tomorrow’ and then we’ve got to do our proper work first. I was exasperated but not rude and the woman at the garage went off on one - twice before I put the phone down.

because I asked ( again) for a courtesy car and suggested that I would like the garage to make my car a priority- given that it has been so long.

WTF do I do now? Does anyone have any experience of the car ombudsman.

The garage is a small local business - owned by the mechanic and the woman in the office - so nowhere to escalate it too

We have to date authorised work to £1000 - for a part which should have fixed the problem … I’m guessing we have to pay this off - remove the car from them and go elsewhere?

OP posts:
ThisIsMyYearToFindMyself · 15/04/2025 14:06

Are there no other suitable garages within a reasonable distance? I’d not be happy to continue with them at this point.

Original poster
Brunelofbrio · 15/04/2025 14:27

We would take it to one in our nearest big town. But we would have to pay again for all the exploration work- which is supposedly covered under the warranty which was done back in January…

OP posts:
DPotter · 15/04/2025 14:58

Go and collect the car. take it to another garage. Ask around locally for a recommendation. Do it now - put a post out on local facebook group. Then phone for an appointment.

They haven't done any work this time, so why do you owe them anything ?

DPotter · 15/04/2025 15:02

Brunelofbrio · 15/04/2025 14:27

We would take it to one in our nearest big town. But we would have to pay again for all the exploration work- which is supposedly covered under the warranty which was done back in January…

But if you do nothing, you'll be without your car for even longer. Look up Sunk Costs fallacy - you are a living, breathing example

Your choices are to wait or do something else. Remember you can't change someone else's behaviour - only how you react to their behaviour. This company is giving you shitty service and will continue to do so as they seem to take pride in it. You can sit at home and take or get on the phone, book an appointment at another garage and move your car there.

faerietales · 15/04/2025 15:11

Why on earth have you just left it there for four months?

Keroppi · 15/04/2025 15:18

Personally I'd go in and drive it somewhere else
Especially if the woman on the phone was so rude! I wouldn't pay anything more either. Unless they can show you itemised receipt of the part being fitted etc
If they've just got the part then take it with you
Sexism usually works sadly, is DH dad or yours useful/knowledgable and happy to argue?

wibdib · 15/04/2025 15:22

Try speaking to your local Trading Standards and get them involved.

Alternatively contact the main head office for the car, explain the problem you’re experiencing and see what can be done to help…

we had problems with a Vauxhall that suddenly had problems about a week after the end of its warranty period. We took it to the local garage three times and it still didn’t end up fixed. In desperation we spoke to the garage we had bought it from, new, but a long way away from where we now lived do not practical to drive there to get it looked at. They gave us the contact number of Vauxhall to speak to the right person, who said they were in the process of taking the license (not sure of technical term!) away from the garage to do their authorised repairs and instead we’re getting another authorised dealer to open a branch in town, so they would look at it for us for free as it had happened so close to the end of the warranty.
The mechanic at the new garage was fab - it was a small temp place while they were building the fancy dealership, but he asked if we would mind him having the car for 3 or 4 days and for him to use it to drive back and forth to work for those times as it was an intermittent fault so he wanted to catch it happening and explore what it might be, particularly trying if car had been sitting overnight or going out for a second drive just after finishing a first drive etc etc. He figured it out, sorted it and did a great job and we used them as a garage for many years - have sold car now but dh bought a van from them so we still use them now.
The other garage was one that had authorised status for several different car brands and although the garage brand is still around they only have one branch instead of the three that they used to have in town and are authorised for far fewer brands than they used to be. So it’s always worth getting heard office involved as they can authorise more investigations as a minimum!

Good luck!

TheReturnOfFeathersMcGraw · 15/04/2025 15:26

Turn up at the garage without warning and take the car away

Sounds seriously dodgy and Id be worried something had happened to the car. If they refuse to give you your car then you call the police

Moveoverdarlin · 15/04/2025 15:30

Is It physically drivable? If so, go and get it now. Take it to the Citroen garage tomorrow.

After 4 days I would have done this. 4 months? Check the mileage when you get it, they’ve probably been driving it for the last four months and put 4000 miles on the clock.

Pickledpoppetpickle · 15/04/2025 15:34

Leave an honest review…,put my car in 4 mo the ago and still not sorted. Fobbed off every time I enquire. Can’t seem to get it back. Police is my remaining option. Very disappointing. 1 star.

Badbadbunny · 15/04/2025 15:39

You need to stop phoning the woman and get down there and walk into the workshop area and speak directly to the owner/mechanic. The woman on the phone is just a gatekeeper and probably not passing on your messages/urgency to the owner/mechanic who probably thinks you're happy to leave it there until he gets around to it. Talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey!

Shade17 · 15/04/2025 16:29

TheReturnOfFeathersMcGraw · 15/04/2025 15:26

Turn up at the garage without warning and take the car away

Sounds seriously dodgy and Id be worried something had happened to the car. If they refuse to give you your car then you call the police

Not if there’s an outstanding bill they won’t be. I agree though that it’s best to visit in person and don’t leave without a clear agreement on the way forward. It may be that they’re happy to see the back of it, or it may be that it’s in pieces and you have to arrange transportation to another garage.

TheReturnOfFeathersMcGraw · 15/04/2025 16:36

@Shade17 is there an outstanding bill? I thought the whole point was that they haven't even looked at the car yet, so what would OP owe them for?

Shade17 · 15/04/2025 16:40

TheReturnOfFeathersMcGraw · 15/04/2025 16:36

@Shade17 is there an outstanding bill? I thought the whole point was that they haven't even looked at the car yet, so what would OP owe them for?

The story from the garage as per the OP seems to change from not having had time to not knowing what’s wrong with it. They may have done nothing all or they may have spent time on diagnosis and taken it apart, we don’t know. This is why it’s important for OP to get down there in person and actually see the car for themselves.

Sharptonguedwoman · 15/04/2025 16:49

Happened to a friend. Car with serious fault (windows wouldn't wind down). Car taken to our usually lovely, local, helpful garage who said a part had to come from abroad, took months etc, In the end, friend took car to another local garage. 20 minute mend and no cost.
Get your car and try somewhere else.

OliveWah · 15/04/2025 19:43

Why are you letting them treat you like this?

Can I check I've got this right:

-Your car needed a repair, which the garage completed, so you collected the car.
-Shortly after, the fault recurred, so you returned it to the garage.
-Garage have investigated and found it needs a new part.
-The garage have quoted that new part and labour for fitting are priced at £1,000.
-After 4 months, the garage have not fitted the new part.

So as far as I can see, they investigated and quoted for a repair (neither of which are usually chargeable), then have failed to carry out the repair in a suitable timeframe.

I really would just go there, tell them they've had 4 months to complete the job, which is 3 and a half months too long, and you will be taking your car to a garage who have the capacity to complete the repair.

Shade17 · 18/04/2025 09:39

Any news OP? Have you visited in person?

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