Problem with Garage

[Craig52]

Last week I had my car MOTed by the local garage there was a couple of small things needed to get it through but I was happy to let the garage do the work as the work and MOT came to £100.

As I picked up the car the mechanic informed me that there was a slight noise that he thought was the timing belt and if I intended to keep the car I should have it looked at....so I agreed to fetch it back after the weekend so he could have a look and give me a price for the work.

He phoned me in the afternoon telling me that the timing belt was worn and needed replacing and the cost would be £150...I agreed to the price and asked him to do the work and contact me when it was done so I could pick up my car.

the following day after not hearing from him I contacted him by phone to ask if it was ready....he told me he had done the work but was struggling to get the car to run properly and he would contact me when it was ready.

Now almost a week has gone by and he is still unable to get the car running right..he claims to have tried a multitude of things and had other people look at it but they too have been unable to figure out the problem.

Now I have two concerns firstly where do I stand legally if as I suspect he has damaged the engine when doing the original job and also the car was running fine until he changed the timing belt so I do not think I should be charged any more than the quoted price should he manage to sort the problem.

The guy is not a back street cowboy and is well thought of in the area but I would be greatful for any advice as to where I stand should he become awkward if and when the job is completed.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[Logie143]

Re: Problem with Garage

Hi Craig.

Is this issue still on going?
Timing belts can cause a lot of issues if incorrectly fitted. Timing belt manufacturers often recommend specialist training and tools for fitting these as it can involve a lot of work to actually get to the side of the engine to fit, which could involve removing components.

It sounds to me like something has gone wrong with the fitting and the garage is trying to cover that up until they can fix it.

If this is still a problem give me a buzz back, I won't say where I work, but I work in that industry so get to see the side that consumers unfortunately don't.

Best of luck!

Logie

[Craig52]

Re: Problem with Garage

Hi Logie

thanks for replying. and yep still got a problem with them...he now says he has sent the car (a Peugeot 307 diesel btw) to a specialist diesel engineer as he has no idea why it won't run right...he has told me that I will only be charged for the original job that he quoted me and he has supplied me with alternative transport although I do wonder if he has indeed sent the car elsewhere or if he is still tinkering around hoping to get it going...on Monday the 1/2/16 if he still has it three weeks will have gone by and I am going to have to insist on ether a replacement car of the age and quality of mine....or for him to reimburse me for the original cost of what I paid for the vehicle £3400 last year....although I can see this ending up in the hands of the court tbh....any advice you could give would be gratefully accepted and thanks again for taking an interest in my problem

[Kati]

Re: Problem with Garage

[MENTION=7]Tools[/MENTION] [MENTION=39710]des8[/MENTION] ... any ideas/advice?? xx

[Logie143]

Re: Problem with Garage

It seems to me that they are trying to correct the fault, I would give them the opportunity to do that as they are obviously doing everything they can to reduce the impact on you. If you're truly concerned it may be worth contacting some local diesel specialists to see if they have your car to put your mind at rest. I honestly think the court route would be a last resort, diesels are more complex so maybe a bit of sleuthing and keeping communications up with the garage

[Sparkie1723]

Re: Problem with Garage

Question..... in order for me to assist you with some details/advice.
Was the car running OK on the old Cam Belt?
Sparkie

[Craig52]

Re: Problem with Garage

Hi Sparkie

Yes the car was running perfect the only reason I had him change the belt was because he said he thought there was a noise from it

- - - Updated - - -

In all honesty Logie the guy seems a genuine nice bloke who is as gutted about what has happed as me

[des8]

Re: Problem with Garage

It seems to me that your local garage is being very fair.
They quoted a price for a job.... have admitted there is still a problem which they are trying to sort..... have supplied a courtesy car..... have assured you they will honour the quote.
I wish all garages were this fair, 'cos then we wouldn't hear about so many problems on LB1

[Sparkie1723]

Re: Problem with Garage

[QUOTE=Craig52;615571]Hi Sparkie

Yes the car was running perfect the only reason I had him change the belt was because he said he thought there was a noise from it

Thanks for that
1. He thought there was a noise from it............................BULLS**T sorry for being blunt.

You do not "think things"..... if you are a proper real qualified engineer ...you take steps to prove it. You know the old saying.........Thought..........Thought wrong
Too many people are being told by garages we had to replace this and had to replace that....when it was more likely than not only one part was faulty and they replaced what they thought it was, then when that didn't fix the problem ....replaced another one and so on until they hit the one that was the cause..........but they do not fit the old part back....I had experience of this many many times.
It is possible and more likely that the noise was from the automatic adjuster which is a common fault.
If the belt was changed and by some accident one of the pulleys that are controlled by the Cambelt/Timing belt moved just slightly this can upset the running of the engine even if it starts OK .......just 1 belt tooth out can cause this. I have seen this many times in my profession as an Auto electrical engineer working in various garages..........some with good technicians....some with just replacement parts " technicians", have you heard the engine run since? ....If you have is the noise still there?
The gear wheels/pulleys are marked and are easily lined up ....however some times if a new gear/pulley has been replaced previously .........there is a possibility that the replaced pulley did not have a mark on it and it has been "guessed" where it should be.

Sparkie

Just my view based on considerable experience in the motor trade ( Now retired)

[Dazbrad]

Re: Problem with Garage

I have to be honest, as des8 has stated, this trader, no matter his lack of skill, is being very reasonable.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 states that a service must be performed with 'Reasonable Care & Skill'. Where this is not the case, as you describe. you can get the trader to repeat his performance however many times required until the problem is resolved. This should be free of charge.

If the car is damaged beyond repair, you maybe able to make a claim for 'Consequential Loss'. This is usually the market value of the car at the current time.

The trader may even try to resolve this by offering you a like-for-like car or something.

Eitherway, formalise your complaint and send a copy to the trader by recorded delivery, keeping a copy for yourself. Ask in that letter whether the trader is a member of an ADR scheme(mediation). Also, set a deadline for the trader to respond by.

Good Luck.

[Craig52]

Re: Problem with Garage

Well...Just heard from the garage....he has taken my car to a diesel specialist who has just informed him that the problem is that the timing chain is loose...they have quoted him £650 to correct the problem which he says was causing the noise that he first diagnosed as the timing belt.

He like me feels this is excessive and informed me that he might "have a go" himself although he will need to get some special tools.

Now in my opinion firstly he misdiagnosed the problem as he told me he thought the noise was the timing belt and also although I am no mechanic I do feel that the timing chain could possibly have been disturbed by him installing the timing belt ?

I have told him that I will speak to him again on Monday and was hoping that maybe Sparkie 1723 or someone else with mechanical know how might be able to assist me with the issue of weather or not his work would have caused the chain to loosen or if as he claims this was a long standing issue that could have gone at any time.

Thanks all for your help so far

[Tools]

Re: Problem with Garage

There is either a timing chain or a timing belt, not both. If the garage did not know this then IMO they shouldn't be trusted to work on your car in the 1st place.

The cost is not your concern, you agreed a price for them to do a job (that probably didn't need doing in the 1st place), tell them that unless you have the car back ASAP you will be arranging for it to be collected by a Peugeot dealer to carry out the repairs and be billing them as well as contacting your local Trading Standards

Can you Private Message me the full registration of your car and I will see which it has fitted

[Tools]

Re: Problem with Garage

Got it thanks

It is fitted with a timing belt not chain. The timing of the injector pump is quite critical and sometimes difficult to set up correctly. I suspect this is the cause of the poor running, unless they have damaged something else in the process of fitting it.

[des8]

Re: Problem with Garage

I suspect that if the timing belt is loose, the tensioner is not functioning properly, or the idler pulley is failing.
This would account for the rattle your mechanic heard.

[Tools]

Re: Problem with Garage

Any respecting garage would insist on fitting a complete timing belt kit though don't you think des?

These comprise of a new timing belt, idler and tensioner. I have always insisted on it and always used dealer parts or preferably Gates.