Looking for advice with regards to a Garage and where I stand!

[Lordman]

Wasn't really sure on where to post this however I am looking for some advice:

Recently I collected my car from the garage where it has taken the mechanic 4 months to replace the sump gasket (joke I know), I finally get to the garage (this saturday just been) to collect my car.

When I collected the I approached the front desk to which I informed a staff member I was here to collect my car. The staff member asked what car I was picking up, to which I replied "The Renault Clio".
He responded with "Ok, wait here and I shall go and get the keys", the member of staff returned with the keys and escorted me to the parking lot where the car was stored.

On the way to the parking lot, the member of staff called a few of his colleagues checking whether it was ok for me to take the car. To which they replied "yes thats fine".
I was then handed over the keys and the staff member said goodbye and left.

I sat in the parking lot for about 20 minutes while I got the car towed away (no tax or insurance). Although I didn't actually approve the work I was aware that they were going to charge me £75, however at no point while I was at the garage did a member of staff prompt me to pay. I just got given the keys and was waved goodbye.

2 days later the garage is now chasing up me up for payment.


I would really appreciate some information/advice on where I stand with this.
Would I be correct in saying that the garage is at fault therefore I should not have to return to pay?


Many Thanks
Andrew

 

[Robiniho77]

lol... Hmmmm

I was in the shop and asked where the chocolate buttons were.. the lady gave them to me but never said for me to pay...

Surely you left thinking "havent had to pay here, result"...

Depends if you wanna fight a battle against the garage for taking too long which is what I think your getting at.

 

[gadso]

Why was the Clio in the garage ?

 

[Robiniho77]

Why was the Clio in the garage ?

:banghead:

Recently I collected my car from the garage where it has taken the mechanic 4 months to replace the sump gasket (joke I know)

 

[gadso]

Yes right I can read lol but he goes on to say !
Although I didn't actually approve the work I was aware that they were going to charge me £75,

 

[Lordman]

lol... Hmmmm

I was in the shop and asked where the chocolate buttons were.. the lady gave them to me but never said for me to pay...

Surely you left thinking "havent had to pay here, result"...

Depends if you wanna fight a battle against the garage for taking too long which is what I think your getting at.

I see what your driving at but when your at a garage everything is locked away, staff confer with one-another and then hand over the keys once you have payed.
The fact they handed over the keys and sent me on my way makes it their fault surely.

Only when the guy left did and said goodbye did I think 'I haven't paid. Overall the car has been at the garage nearly a year, due to them naffing around swapping the engine.

Can they sue me for not paying?

 

[Stu172cup]

I run my own small Garage - No Payment , No Keys is how i operate on Cash customers , Account is 30 days , no settlement on account on 30 days , anything ive got of theirs doesnt get touched , and if its finished they dont get it back.

why has it taken 4 months to do?

 

[S1MON]

If you were aware they were going to charge you £75 you should pay it imo, you just sound like a cheapskate.

 

[Lordman]

Yes right I can read lol but he goes on to say !
Although I didn't actually approve the work I was aware that they were going to charge me £75,

They took out my old engine due to the head exploding, they put a working engine in the car (which a friend at the garage supplied for free). I payed far too much, £700 in labour to fit it, and have its cambelt done.
Minutes after driving it away i noticed a leak, to which I returned the vehicle to the garage, it then stayed there for 3 months before they decided to do anything with it.

 

[Brookie.]

If I were you I'd keep quiet and see what happens, out of principle. They clearly haven't rushed to get the work done on your car so kindly return the favour!

 

[richd]

The way you really need to look at this is, what would you do if some guy drove off from you, and owed you £75, and you knew his car, his reg, and where he lived.

if it was me i would go back and pay.

 

[Lordman]

If you were aware they were going to charge you £75 you should pay it imo, you just sound like a cheapskate.

I am aware it seems like that but when a garage has your car for 9-10 months without carrying out any work you sort of get a little hacked off.
One the work was completed I had to shell out £700in labour just for an engine swap.

 

[Lordman]

I run my own small Garage - No Payment , No Keys is how i operate on Cash customers , Account is 30 days , no settlement on account on 30 days , anything ive got of theirs doesnt get touched , and if its finished they dont get it back.

why has it taken 4 months to do?

Im not really sure why it has taken 4 months, I was told to take it back on a certain date for them to have a look at the problem (around 20 days after reporting the problem to the garage).
I reported it the day it was driven out of the garage (from the original reason why it was in there). It then sat there for months without them carrying out any work.

Why tell me to bring it in on a certain date if they aren't going to look at it?
I wanted it sorted as I informed them I wanted it fixed just so that I could sell it.

 

[Lordman]

The way you really need to look at this is, what would you do if some guy drove off from you, and owed you £75, and you knew his car, his reg, and where he lived.

if it was me i would go back and pay.

I didn't just drive off though, It was ran through the service team before I drove off with the car?
At no point was I running out the door because I had gotten away with not paying.

Previously upon the original bill for the engine swap I had to pay to get my keys handed to me. (Like what Stu172cup is saying above)

 

[Mar172]

I think I would give that garage a miss 4 months for a sump gasket .

 

[con1981]

They fitted the engine they've had £700 off you to fit. You have been ripped mate. Let them whistle for £75.

I was quoted £900 for an engine and fitment so 700 it's defo excessive

 

[Tin cup]

If it was me I'd send them a post dated cheque for 4 months time

 

[Lordman]

They fitted the engine they've had £700 off you to fit. You have been ripped mate. Let them whistle for £75.

I was quoted £900 for an engine and fitment so 700 it's defo excessive

I realise that, I was a little shocked, but I didn't squabble and I payed up. After all I did approve for them to carry out the work.

 

[Adam G]

As it's taken them that long, then I'd say that you're somewhat justified in letting them chase you for it.

 

[Stu172cup]

They fitted the engine they've had £700 off you to fit. You have been ripped mate. Let them whistle for £75.

I was quoted £900 for an engine and fitment so 700 it's defo excessive

Because Garages work for free ? engine out engine in 8 hours , Swap Gearbox and clutch over ? 1 maybe 2 hours , Cam belt change while engine out possibly 2 hours?

Thats 12 hours - Thats about 58 quid an hour in labour.

OP is in cheltenham an im not sure what independants local charge in labour but its not your mate Dave doing it on his drive for a favour

Back to the origional problem - If the engine was supplied by you then they garage are well within their rights to charge for rectifying a problem on "your" engine

To be fair id ignore it and wait for them to chase you up - just make sure the leak has stopped

 

[Lordman]

Because Garages work for free ? engine out engine in 8 hours , Swap Gearbox and clutch over ? 1 maybe 2 hours , Cam belt change while engine out possibly 2 hours?

Thats 12 hours - Thats about 58 quid an hour in labour.

OP is in cheltenham an im not sure what independants local charge in labour but its not your mate Dave doing it on his drive for a favour

Back to the origional problem - If the engine was supplied by you then they garage are well within their rights to charge for rectifying a problem on "your" engine

To be fair id ignore it and wait for them to chase you up - just make sure the leak has stopped

Thats fine Stu, I have no problem with that, the problem I have is that they had the car nearly a year and all they managed to do was swap the engine, fit a new cambelt and then change a sump gasket.

13 Hour job?

 

[Stu172cup]

Yeah i understand that.

they shouldnt have taken that long. id say if they were busy a week would be excessive. how big is the garage , staff numbers an the like?

 

[Bluebeard]

If I was you, I'd send them a letter saying you'll be paying them in 4 months time.

 

[Lordman]

Yeah i understand that.

they shouldnt have taken that long. id say if they were busy a week would be excessive. how big is the garage , staff numbers an the like?

The garage is a main dealer (hence why the price i guess)
It has ramps for 6 cars, the garage has 5 mechanics, 4 people on service desk and 5 or so people in sales.

 

[Stu172cup]

It should have taken them one day.

Sometimes im the first to admit that some jobs take time because if its a little more involved ill do a quick set of pads or something to earn some money and occasionally a job gets put on the back burner

With that many there they should know better - Sod em - You live and learn find a decent renault specialist local to take it to in future maybe

 

[Addicted]

Bit of a tosser thing to do imo, why didn't you offer to pay when you were there?

I'm confused though, you basically don't want to pay because it took so long? Why didn't you ask them to hurry up or you'll take it elsewhere? 2 Different issues here.

 

[-J-]

Is it worth the hassle over £75?

If you're that fussed about 'one upping' them just turn up with £75 in coppers and pay in that.

Personally I would just pay up, lesson learnt and find a decent specialist to use in the future.

 

[Lordman]

Bit of a tosser thing to do imo, why didn't you offer to pay when you were there?

I'm confused though, you basically don't want to pay because it took so long? Why didn't you ask them to hurry up or you'll take it elsewhere? 2 Different issues here.

Surely its Karma? I would a agree if they were in the right.

I couldn't take it elsewhere unfortunately, I did complain at first after a month and a half or so, and then the head was taken out, after that it was left there (probably so I couldn't take my business else where).

 

[Lordman]

Is it worth the hassle over £75?

If you're that fussed about 'one upping' them just turn up with £75 in coppers and pay in that.

Personally I would just pay up, lesson learnt and find a decent specialist to use in the future.

When i took the car in it was my first year of driving, I only just joined the forum and didn't really know anything
Thats how long it has been lol

 

[Mar172]

When i took the car in it was my first year of driving, I only just joined the forum and didn't really know anything
Thats how long it has been lol

For that amount of time did they put a new m.o.t on it

 

[nashers]

is this garage hylton renault chelt?

 

[Lordman]

For that amount of time did they put a new m.o.t on it

ahaha your joking right.

 

[Lordman]

is this garage hylton renault chelt?

No its not Hylton Renault

 

[Ex-User (60778)]

Why on earth have you let that go on for 4 months? :S I'd be turning up everyday asking when is it ready

 

[Willo]

In my opinion if you had a issue you should have tackled them about it. Now youve taken the car without arguement you should pay them for the work done.

 

[Tony Hunter]

I've read this twice now, and I still don't really understand wtf is happening.

 

[Lordman]

Why on earth have you let that go on for 4 months? :S I'd be turning up everyday asking when is it ready

I phoned every week :/

 

[Lawro]

I've read this twice now, and I still don't really understand wtf is happening.

I think it's something like this;

Car went bang, engine replaced, OP got ass raped by garage, Engine went wrong, garage took 4 months to fix, OP told it would cost £75, OP collected car, Garage now chasing for £75. End!

IMO, it's not worth arguing for £75. I understand why your pissed but I would just pay and forget.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Why should the garage fix an engine that they didn't supply, don't try and summarize without the full facts, you'l confuse matters worse.

 

[Lordman]

I think it's something like this;

Car went bang, engine replaced, OP got ass raped by garage, Engine went wrong, garage took 4 months to fix, OP told it would cost £75, OP collected car, Garage now chasing for £75. End!

IMO, it's not worth arguing for £75. I understand why your pissed but I would just pay and forget.

It was in the garage nearly a year not 4 months :/

I won't be arguing but I think I will go down the route that some have suggested, handing them a cheque which will be valid in 4 months time