Booked the car in at a garage I have never used before but is in the good garage scheme for two new front springs. I agreed the price and let them get on with the work.
Just went to pick up my car and saw two brand new looking but slightly soild rear springs of a Corsa on the floor. My heart sank I then get billed £160 for two new rear springs.
I went mad at this point. "My machanic says these are broken but front ones are fine". I said me and a friend fitted those two months ago and I have a receipt to proof they are just 2 months old. I then went into the garage area (he kept saying I am not insured I said I don't care" picked up my good rear springs and asked him to show me the damage he went quiet and said they will put them back on and then replace my front ones . I am going to collect later.
Hopefully they will do a good job and they will fix their mistake. If they had refused I think the police would have got involved probably to arrest me.
I am very very annoyed that they have tried to lie that my rear springs had snapped though when there is nothing wrong with them in the slightest. When they realised I knew what I was talking about they backed down and agreed to fix their mistake. If I had been clueless however I would have been ripped off to the tune of £160.
I also have a report in writing with my reg on it saying my front springs are snapped and I will show them that. I shall also take my old broken rear spring if they start being funny.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 03/07/2009 at 11:25
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Something doesn't add up here. If they'd done the rears as well as the fronts you'd asked for, I would say that they were trying it on. The thing is, by just doing the rears, they're not making any more money out of you than they would had they just done the job you'd asked for in the first place.
My biggest concern is they'd send a car back out with a dangerous fault unfixed. Unless of course the report telling you the fronts have gone is also wrong.
I remember when a Peugeot dealer tried to tell me, with a straight face, that the 406 HDi I'd just run out of diesel would need a new ECU as a result. Funny enough, the back down and miraculous "work around" came when I demanded their "diagnosis" in writing.
Cheers
DP
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It would be interesting to see photos of those front springs when they are off, Rattle.
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Indeed I will try and get them back and post on here. I know for a fact a bit has snapped off them both (the second explosion and rattle confirms that). But it will be interesting to see just how bad they were. I will ask for my old springs back :).
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The setup seems to be business man runs garage, I asked business man for quote on two front springs as fragments have fallen into the cup (there is no cup on the rear). Some where down the line there has been a communication issue and the machanics thought they were replacing the rears. He then said machanic said front ones are fine rear ones are snapped. I showed him my rears which looked in 10000% as new condition and he then agreed to put them back on and do my fronts the price we agreed.
I am going to show them the report in writing that says my front springs need doing :).
Going back now to see where they are upto and I am hoping everything will be ok but extremely worried now as I am leaving for wales early tomorrow.
I've had two machanics look at my front springs both said they are ok for now but do need replacing, so I thought I may as well it before trying to climb Snowdonia in them with four people in the car.l
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so I thought I may as well it before trying to climb Snowdonia in them with four people in >> the car.
I'd leave the car at the bottom and walk up Snowdon ;-) Snowdonia being the National Park.
Edited by rtj70 on 02/07/2009 at 16:37
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"I'd leave the car at the bottom and walk up Snowdon ;-) "
I'd take the train up Snowdon and walk down, after a good and long lunch....
Edited by rtj70 on 02/07/2009 at 16:37
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We did the train once - it was quite expensive. Actually very expensive.
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it before trying to climb Snowdonia >>
The moon has moved from Anglesey to Snowdonia!
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=73...7
p.s. don't forget to post some pictures of your car on the moon, next to the WWII plane, so that we know it wasn't our imagination.
Edited by jbif on 02/07/2009 at 16:46
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Well remembered jbif - bearing in mind that Llanberis is about ten minutes from the Britannia bridge I'm sure the trip into near moon orbit is allowed.
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Well remembered jbif >>
I also had in mind the following two threads when I posted my reply at Thu 2 Jul 09 16:09 to Mapmaker [which has now been hidden]:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=75787
Trip to Wales advice & temp Insurance problem
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=75997
Insurance and springs problem
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I think one message here is that whenever your car goes in for anything less simple than a MoT, you specify the work in writing, along with the date, car model and reg.no. In this case 'Please replace both front springs'. If necessary leave a second copy on the driver's seat in case the first one stays in the office.
Where would you be if you had not seen your 'old' springs? You might have driven home none the wiser ...
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So:
1. You have a "written report" from "your mechanic".
2. You have front springs that are fine, as confirmed by "two" machanics (sic) but you're replacing them anyway. What if the clutch goes before the springs would have needed replacing? You don't get bangernomics, do you?
3. However, fortunately, although you replaced the rear springs yourself the other week, but were this time forced to take it into a garage for another disaster, but it's OK because you " I knew what I was talking about".
4. I've bitten again, and am annoyed at myself.
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4. I've bitten again and am annoyed at myself.
I know - but it's a bit like stumbling across a long-lost script for an episode of Some Mothers do 'ave 'em :-)
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I logged on and read your previous post too late, Rattle. I would be very interested to know who these people are by private Email. I wonder if they are the same local garage who tried to tell a customer of mine that two CV boots on a Nissan would be the best part of £1000 !!!
If you're happy to wait, I can do the fronts in a couple of weeks...I,m away same time as you.
Ted
Edited by 1400ted on 02/07/2009 at 17:39
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I'm sorry you're still having problems with the car but I think you find it quite cathartic telling us about it.
This site would be so less interesting if we all ran around in reliable cars.
Hope you get it sorted and enjoy your 40th anniversary trip.
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Will show a picture later but the front springs were clearly quite broken with a nice sharp edge waiting to puncture a tyre. Garage admitted it was their mistake etc etc but as soon as I started the engine I could hear a big blow from the back box. I've known my back box was in bad condition but it was not blowing so I wasn't fussed but now the car is down on power as a result of preasure changes. Got car booked in with a different fast fit centre first thing in the morning for a new back box then hopefully it will all be fine.
Garage has done the front springs now and they did need doing, the annoying thing is if it wasn't for the trip they could have waited till ted got back but I would not have been happy leaving it. The springs which ted put on are now back on my rear :).
Been quoted £40 by the fast fit for the exhaust so even if it lasts 12 months I can't complain.
Mapmaker the report said my front springs were broken, the garage I took it today originaly told me they were fine, but since removing have addmited I was right and they were clearly broken.
The pictures will confirm all :). Just got to get this exhaust fixed first thing tomorrow now, this is my fault because I should have replaced it earlier
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. The springs which ted put onare now back on my rear :).
Just take a lot of care sitting down on your trip !
Exhaust tailpipe went on the Suzi on Tuesday and it had it's MOT y'day.......passed ok.....emissions good...C3 also passed y'day......expensive day.
Ted
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>>Mapmaker the report said my front springs were broken
Report??? What is this, a school?
Who else on this site has ever had a "report" for his car? (Save for a report in the event of an insurance claim, or major dispute?)
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a long-lost script for an episode of Some Mothers do 'ave 'em :-) >>
nah, I disagree. It is the new series which started on 27 January 2007 and this is only episode 159 according to the site stats.
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