Help, what do I do now?

[Ally]

OK, short version:

• car developed rattle from water pump area, 4 weeks after being fitted with a new alternator (under warranty).
• garage investigates rattle, reports that timing was out by 4 teeth. Replace timing belt and I get car back.
• I since find out that there's no way the timing was out by 4 teeth. I've had it confirmed by several sources (inc. on here) that if the timing was out by 4 teeth, the car wouldn't run, and also that there would be some permanent damage to the valves. Mine ran fine before, seems to be fine afterwards.
• I wasn't happy with the explanation given to me by the garage and am concerned about long-term damage to the engine.
• Spoke to Renault Customer Services. They suggested getting another Renault dealer to look over the car and carry out a compression test.
• garage carries out a compression test - confirms no permanent damage and nothing wrong with the timing, hence proving that the original garage lied to me regarding there being a problem with the timing.
• garage then presents me with a bill for £62 as their work won't be covered by warranty as they've not found a problem.

I ain't paying this bill. The original garage lied to me about the timing being out by 4 teeth, and on Renault CS advice I got the car checked over by another Renault dealer. Renault CS now say that I've got to take this up with the original garage as it's their "diagnosis" which has led to this situation.

I'll be contacting the original garage first thing tomorrow morning to ask for a written confirmation that they diagnosed the timing as being out by 4 teeth, before heading for their head office. At the moment I'm gonna by £60 down through no fault of my own. Is there anything else I can/should do?

Oh i'm so fcukin angry with that garage

Ally

 

[mini ripper]

Keep your cool! Call them tommorow don't get angry with them. Get the other Garage to confirm thier diagnosis in writing and use this to show the original garage that they were wrong. If this does not work and you feel you have been wronged get another diagnosis from another garage and go to the small claims court if they do not co-opereate at all.
The second garage you will have to pay as it is not thier fault and they will be unable to claim the money back from RCS. You will have to claim the money back from the original garage either through reason or the courts.

 

[ShaunG]

on a 172 engine the water pump is driven by the fan belt. their would of been no need for them to even touch the timing belt. i reckon they left somet loose when they fitted your alternator. and if you took it to a renault dealership they use special tools to lock the crankshaft and the cams up so its fair immpossible to get the timing wrong on 172 engine when fitting a cambelt

 

[Ally]

Cheers for the replies. I'm at home now, a bit cooled off (literaly) after my 5 mile commute by road bike in the pissing rain...

Mini ripper: thanks for the advice. Don't worry, the garage who have my car at the moment have been nothing but helpful, I ain't gonna lose the rag with them. I'll try my hardest with the original garage but can't promise anything . I'll actually stop in and see the service manager in person I think. RCS have actually been quite helpful in this so I ain't losing my faith in Renault either, just a particular large chain of garages...

I'm collecting my car tomorrow and I'll ask for them to put in writing what they've told me about there having been no problem with the timing. Then if I can get a written diagnosis from the original garage who diagnosed that there was a timing problem, I'll have a leg to stand on, I think.

ShaunG - yep, my thoughts too that the original garage fluffed up fitting the replacement alternator and that's what resulted in somethign rattling. I'll never know though.

I'll report back tomorrow!

Ally

 

[Ally]

Well, at least I've got my car back - that's the only good news...

The garage who checked over my car yesterday have found no problems with the valves - compression test results came back as 8.5 bar, and I've got that in writing. I had a chat with their service manager and he confirmed that if there had been a timing problem as diagnosed by the original garage, I'd have known about it (my car would not have performed). It's obvious now that the original diagnosis of a timing problem is incorrect - my car was performing brilliantly (apart from a small rattle) before the original garage diagnosed the "problem".

So, I went back to the original garage who diagnosed the timing problem and asked for a written report on their diagnosis. They refused to give me it because apparently I'm not entitled to that information "as it was warranty work". What a load of bull. Can I ask for it under Freedom Of Information? My next stage is to speak to their service manager but he's not back until 11.00am tomorrow. Should I wait or just go right to their head office? The garage was very defensive and asked if I was making accusations of their mechanics, to which I agreed yes (as I am). Really not impressed.

Any advice?
Cheers
Ally

 

[Ian_182]

Dont pay and keep plugging for the stuff in writting that will make em sweat a bit

ian

 

[Ally]

Had to pay to get my car back - did think about just heading up with my spare key to get my car back but it ain't that garage I've got the issue with.

If I don't get anywhere with the service manager tomorrow I'm going straight to Sir Arnold himself, lol.

 

[rory182]

Arnold Clark have no idea what customer service is, once they have your money they don't care, my dads having problems with them at the mo as is another mate.

The problem is you cant voice your anger in the press anywhere cause Arnold Clark advertise in all the major newspapers, hence they wont publish complaints, watchdog is the way to go! lol

 

[rory182]

I'd grin and bear the £60 and ask Reno CS to write to them, if they're refusing to put it in writing what they told you, then clearly they know they were telling you bullshit.

A warranty clerk goes round the AC stores maybe once a month and thats when they do the paperwork for said warranty work, only thereafter can you get a copy of the printed work sheet - so they told me once anyway!!!

 

[Ally]

Spose it serves me right for thinking an Arnold Clark garage might actually do something right for once...

The garage who inspected Arnold Clark's original work was Parks Renault in Dunfermline - I ain't got complaints with them and they're the ones I had to pay. Now I've just got to chase down Arnold Clark as they're the ones who should be paying for this work for me... although I suspect they'll be tighter than a duck's ar$e.

On a good note, the service bloke at Parks seemed OK. Reported that my car seemed to be performing very well after a "wee blast along the motorway"...

 

[rory182]

for the hassle, dingy the £60 and goto Parks in future, anyone want a window sticker made up?

 

[Ally]

Quality!

So true though, really unimpressed with them.

I'm gonna send that to my boss, he's similarly unimpressed with Arnold Shark. Hhe's just bought a new car but not from Arnold Clark as they only offered him £3500 trade-in for his old car, but the garage he's buying from offered £5200... (Glasses Guide says £5400 - 53 plate Laguna 1.8 basic).

 

[rory182]

my dad wrote a letter of complaint to them stating that our immediate family had spent over £40k there in the last few years and he was appalled with their lack of appreciation of customer service.

letter back said tough s**t basically lol

Basically they just don't get it, I'll try and avoid them in the future, but during my warranty period I'll keep using them.

 

[Andy]

I love complaining me. Get free stuff all the time.

Keep at them.

 

[rory182]

updated version