Bad MX5 wiring after "Specialist" work

[sbridgey]

So my MX5 was suffering with a starting problem and whilst trying to diagnose it I popped down to the local specialist for a part to test, after seeing that wasn't the issue they offered to look at it to see what was up.

What they found was an alarm stopping the car starting and lots of dodgy wiring including the use of speaker wire for 12 volts.

I was told they would strip the alarm out and fix the wiring for me, they had the car for about 5 days to do all of this.

When I got the car back the radio didn't work so I had to take it back and they fixed it.

They had left a hole in the dash ready for a 12v socket which today I decided to fit.

I took the main panel below the steering wheel to be greeted with this.

IMG_0691 by sbridgey, on Flickr

That is an exposed live 12v wire.

Then I found this.

IMG_0693 by sbridgey, on Flickr

The end of a cable which just connected to earth approx 20cm away.

So after seeing this I decided to check what they had done behind the head unit.

I was to be greeted with this.

IMG_0696 by sbridgey, on Flickr

IMG_0697 by sbridgey, on Flickr

IMG_0698 by sbridgey, on Flickr

IMG_0700 by sbridgey, on Flickr

IMG_0701 by sbridgey, on Flickr

What you can see is exposed 12v wires and 12v running through speaker wire which is not exactly ideal.

Now considering I was told this was all going to be fixed as they deemed my car a "fire hazard" and wanted to fix it, what should I do?

As of yet I haven't contacted the garage, mainly as its a Sunday today, but I am also now over 70 miles away from them.

I wont name the specialist at the moment but they are not Clio related.

 

[BoatNonce]

Wow.

 

[Matt Cup]

That's some pretty poor amateur wiring there.... I'd be on the phone to them on Monday!

 

[Beef-Mc]

Accident waiting to happen that! I'd speak to them again and get then to rectify it, after that then I'd take ot further.

 

[AdDaMan]

wtf..

 

[sbridgey]

That's some pretty poor amateur wiring there.... I'd be on the phone to them on Monday!

yep, well the previous owner did the wiring, their job was to rectify it!

I am gonna send them an email now with all of those pictures in and see what they want to do.

 

[Daniel]

Proper pikey!

 

[AlexW]

I hope they don't call them selves Auto electricians. If I'd found one bit of dodgy wiring on a car, I'd then go checking the rest out, and rectify it all!

Hopefully, if they agree to sort it, they do a decent job, or else find yourself a decent local auto electrican (I'd have offered my services if you were closer)

 

[sbridgey]

I hope they don't call them selves Auto electricians. If I'd found one bit of dodgy wiring on a car, I'd then go checking the rest out, and rectify it all!

Hopefully, if they agree to sort it, they do a decent job, or else find yourself a decent local auto electrican (I'd have offered my services if you were closer)

They don't call themselves Auto Electricians thankfully.

Thanks for the offer but I can probably do it myself as I only went there 'cos I was at uni, now I am home I have access to the proper tools and wiring to fix it.

 

[MicKPM]

I'd give them a job

 

[Adamm.]

I'd give them a job

Making tea?

Completely unsatisfactory that though, not sure you have a right to get any money back until they've had a chance to rectify it.

 

[MicKPM]

Nagh, I'd let them loose on all the cars the dodgy car traders and taxi drivers bring in for massive jobs which in their experience won't cost anymore than £5

 

[DannyR]

I'd ring and say your dash started smoking and you took bits out and saw the wiring!

 

[MicKPM]

I wouldn't want them anywhere near my car again

 

[Thrill]

If you paid, I would be demanding a refund!

 

[Scrooge]

Nice.

 

[daveski]

Are you sure you didn't do this yourself sbridgey?

 

[M@tt_182]

Did you have a keyfob immobiliser fitted? When we had a MK1 MX5 the garage lost the fob and they did a similar job....

 

[Ianboom]

I hate those crimp connectors!

That's shocking work, i'd expect my 8 year old to do a better job!

 

[sbridgey]

Are you sure you didn't do this yourself sbridgey?

Haha! Nope my BMW wiring wasn't that bad was it?

 

[Gray]

If they managed to produce that mess the first time I WOULD NOT be letting them touch the car again.

 

[Budgie]

If they managed to produce that mess the first time I WOULD NOT be letting them touch the car again.

This.

I'd be pushing for some kind of refund, and take the car elsewhere.

 

[Cub.]

Yep, full refund and then take it to somewhere decent. Like Mick. He loves solving wiring problems iirc.

 

[Addicted]

Jeez Si, that looks very poor work!

Hope it all gets resolved!

 

[MicKPM]

Haha! Nope my BMW wiring wasn't that bad was it?

No comment lol

Yep, full refund and then take it to somewhere decent. Like Mick. He loves solving wiring problems iirc.

I only work on French scrap Cub

 

[Cub.]

Ha ha! There is plenty of that floating around at the moment

 

[Dan@SJM]

Ha ha! There is plenty of that floating around at the moment

Not wiring but I had a corker in this morning

 

[Goodj]

About right for a Mk.Pikey

But, in seriousness, SERIOUSLY! FFS

 

[sbridgey]

Just spoke to the garage on the phone, they tried claiming that they left it safe etc. etc.

So i told them how it was and that it was really not safe in any way so they have offered to tidy it up free of charge.

So I just hope they do a better job second time round as they refuse to give a refund.

 

[Daniel]

Did you pay them on a credit card?

 

[sbridgey]

Unfortunately they only accepted cash or bank transfer. So I paid cash.

 

[Daniel]

The sign of a completely legitimate business! lol

 

[Cub.]

The sign of a completely legitimate business! lol

This. By the looks of it, you shouldn't even have paid them in buttons. b*****ds.

 

[Mr Burns]

Wow, they really did that?

I know you know I know who they are.

 

[sbridgey]

Wow, they really did that?

I know you know I know who they are.

Yeah it's them. They didn't do all of it, it was their job to fix it though as they were going on about how awful and dangerous it was.

 

[Dan@SJM]

Tbf though, I don't take card. Costs for me as a small business far outweigh the positives.

 

[sbridgey]

Tbf though, I don't take card. Costs for me as a small business far outweigh the positives.

That was my thought really.

Now I wont be able to get the car to them to resolve until the end of january, do I fix some of the problems to get the headunit working now, or do i wait?

 

[Daniel]

Tbf though, I don't take card. Costs for me as a small business far outweigh the positives.

As a new business You get two years free banking and it costs you less than 1.5% per transaction. Not to mention skint people can still have work done by paying on a credit card.

 

[Dan@SJM]

To have a wireless streamline it's £35/month + 2% on each transaction. All of my customers are happy with cash..

 

[Alastair.]

Thats properly bad, how someone could let a car out like that is pretty crazy.