Spent £1200 with 172 Clio on service, wk later engine failed I want to cry

[SOCRUISE172]

Hi,

I'm quite new to this forum, had a 172 MK1 a few yrs ago, bought a 52 172 8 months ago with 54,000 miles everything was sweet as I was in love with it.

Then around 57,000 I though I would get the cam belt and aux changed + service which was £1200 inc front brake discs & pads

Then a week later I was driving home on a straight road at 60mph and felt something had snapped, then there was the sound of rain tapping from the engine, pulled over straight away. The AA didn't try to start the car and recovered it back to the garage.

The aa say the Aux belt had shredded causing the timing belt to jump causing engine damage.

Now the garage won't except liability and stated it was caused by the falture of the alternator.

Is this correct?
Is it worth taking it to small claims?
Should I get a independent inspector?

Please help what should I do?
If they look into the engine to review the damage they want to charge, and to put right it will cost around £1800

If I put it on ebay as a run runner how much will it fetch?

Cheers Tom

Newcastle

One very sad clio owner...:S

 

[ForceIndia]

Who did the work?

 

[redeye]

Who did the work?

Exactly. Was it some indy who didn't use the correct tools?

 

[SOCRUISE172]

German & French independent Specialists in Newcastle

 

[jinjur]

I'm sorry, but £1200 for that work is fckn scandalous......mines in Reno tomorrow for both belts for 500........so thats 700 for brakes and a service?

I know it doesnt help but fk me



Jj

 

[ForceIndia]

German & French independent Specialists in Newcastle

Get it inspected, go from there. Hold onto your receipts.

 

[jinjur]

Get it inspected, go from there. Hold onto your receipts.

Agreed, number one point for a garage to check......has the alternator ACTUALLY failed??



Jj

 

[SOCRUISE172]

There was a few other items like Oil filter, air filter, hatch lock, new exhaust bracket, don't no what's worse being £1.2K down with a worthless car, or driving around in their shed of a pool car - old citroen with 134,000 miles on the clock....

time to buy a lottery ticket... wish me luck!

 

[SOCRUISE172]

They have sent the alternator away for a check, made a school boy error, should have asked for it to go somewhere independent bugger.

 

[Pedro]

Get it back.

 

[jinjur]

They have sent the alternator away for a check, made a school boy error, should have asked for it to go somewhere independent bugger.

Stinks mate....STINKS

 

[Fred@BTM]

how is an alternator meant to cause the aux belt to fail?

 

[Alastair.]

oh deary me

 

[Brett]

This is exactly why i'd only have a RS Clio serviced again by one of two specialists, both off here. There are other good ones down south but thats too far away.

 

[.GAZ.]

FFS!

Did they change the aux belt and tensioner whilst changing the Cam belt?

 

[jinjur]

This is tragic, they are oviously covering the fact that the alternator did not fail by removing it. Now, you cannot prove that as we all suspect, it was fine and the workmanship was at fault.


You need to get that back though i suspect, its too late already.

So yeah, car comes back with a totally mauled engine.....in bits......the first thing to do, send the alternator off for repair of course. :dapprove:


So sorry to hear this man, i suspect that they have you.

At least we all know to NEVER EVER go to German & French independent Specialists in Newcastle.


EVER!


JJ

 

[SOCRUISE172]

Should I get a inspection or cut my losses and pop it on ebay? or is it worth spending a further £1800. not a great week.

Hello Tom,



You have the invoice from the timing belt operation, that has the list of
parts we changed. As far as reports on 'components sent for independent
testing' is concerned, after removing the front bumper assembly to gain
access to the alternator, we sent the alternator to a repair shop to see if
there was anything wrong with it.

The only thing they identified was the
broken plastic pulley. With the front bumper removed it was clear that the
car had in the past suffered (unrepaired) front offside damage immediately
adjacent to the alternator. It is not certain that this caused the
alternator pulley damage, but it is possible. Our view is that the broken
pulley shredded the auxiliary belt and part of the shredded belt got under
the cam belt cover and* caused the cam belt to jump. Once the timing went
out, the valves (or some of them) came into contact with the pistons. That
is what we expect to find if and when we take the cylinder head off. We
estimate that repairs might cost in the region of £1,400.00 to £ 1,500.00
plus VAT. This is based on similar work carried out in the past. Until the
cylinder head is removed it would not be possible to be more accurate.

The 
final cost might be more, but equally might be less.

While we thoroughly sympathise with your situation, we believe that the work
we did was correctly carried out. We also believe that the quality and
integrity of the parts we supplied is not an issue, however, if you wish to
have an independent engineer examine the car and test our diagnosis then, of
course, that is your prerogative.



Regards,





----- Original Message -----
From:
To: <
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 3:47 PM
Subject: Renualt Cilo 172





Hi,





Please can you document everything in writing with what parts have been
changed at what date,

and what you believe has caused the failure.





Can you also provide details of which & where the components have been
sent for independent testing

with their contact details.





Then we should consider getting a independent motor inspection to
 confirm who is liable so we can resolve this

issue either way asap.





Thanks

 Tom

 

[Cookson]

errr, why didnt they spot the pully when changing the aux belt?

 

[jinjur]

Stinks like a giant Russian man farting after a meatball marinara subway.....foot long that is.

Jj

 

[Sargara]

Cheapest option would be to replace the engine rather than repairing your broken one. It happens unfortunately and hes been covered alot on here but depending on where your based id contact a specialist and get a quote for having the engine replaced not repaired.

(By specialist i mean someone off the Trade section on here, not a random garage that claims to be a specialist)

 

[Brett]

They obviously didn't change the accessory kit with the aux belt. Cowboys. Sorry to see this mate.

 

[SOCRUISE172]

I have proposed this: if they don't play ball, plan to take somewhere else, or get a clio 200 on business contract hire at £250 per month, but didn't really want any monthly out goings!

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the email,

I think the best solution to move forward is that we commission
a independent inspection from someone like the AA.

We will go 50/50 on the cost of this inspection, then after their report,
I will take it on the chin and pay for the repairs if the damage was no fault of your own.

if your company is found to be at fault you will cover the cost and provide a warranty for the work.

This will ensure we have a fair and speedy end to this situation, and avoid any expensive legal costs.

I working in London today & tomorrow with limited time but will try and arrange for the inspection early next week.

Regards Tom

 

[Craig.H]

thats a load of rubbish, if that did happen surely they would have told you that the alternator is buggered! they would have noticed it if they changed everything!

scamming bastar*s!!!

 

[jinjur]

The alternator shouldnt have left the fackin car..........

They can say what they want now ffs.............

 

[SOCRUISE172]

I have asked for the alternator to be returned and any damaged parts to remain with the car, hopefully will get a outcome early next week after the independent inspection.

Hope it can be fixed I was looking forward to doing some track days this summer.

 

[Fred@BTM]

why didn't they spot the broken alternator pulley when the car was apart, i do these day in day out, you'd notice that even if you were blind, i'm betting money they've damaged the pulley putting the aux belt on, i see it all the time when garages who don't have the tools/experience work on them, but i' still yet to see an alternator cause a belt failure

i bet they didn't get the aux belt seated properly and it has shreded itself

 

[jinjur]

Fred ftw!

 

[lemonnobby]

Fred have they even got plastic on them? as there not freewheel ones are they? im going with the lines of what you said

 

[Mr R.]

Both cam and the crank pullie "free wheel" when un-done, the only plastic pullies are the two idlers and the adjuster i think.
On the aux side of things the only plastic pullie is the tensioner the rest are steel, pas pump, water pump, alternator, crank damper and even the idler that sits at the lower front of the engine.

 

[SOCRUISE172]

hopefully they will agree to this tomorrow, and get a inspection done next week.

Otherwise might have to drive it off a cliff... err I meant push it off

I just want my baby back

Hi Mike,

I will cover the cost of a independent inspection, I take it that if the inspection
comes to the conclusion that is was down to error on your behalf you
will cover the cost of the inspection & repair bill inc a 12 month engine warranty
for no further charge, within agreed period of completion for work within no more of 14 working days,
signed off my a independent inspector.

Please confirm you except the above.

I will arrange for the AA to visit early next.

I will confirm date & time.

This is the best solution for both parties.

Regards Tom

 

[SOCRUISE172]

Can't believe what happened today, I was followed by someone from my home, then when I stopped at the shops the garage took there courtesy car back!
I though the car had been stolen.

So me & my 2yr old daughter were stranded, they have sunk to a all time low, especially when I'm being polite & profession to try and get the issue resolved
There are even holding my daughters kids seat until I return the key.

Do you think it's worth taking legal action or cut my losses and pay another garage to fit a new engine?

 

[Sean6545]

Sounds like one big fcuk up to be honist!

 

[jinjur]

Solicitor

 

[Alex_X93]

Had this once many moons ago to cut a long story short it came to light at a later date that the apprentice had taken my r5 gt out for a "test drive" with a new hg in mind only forgot to plug the boost dial vacume back on when he had refited my clocks so the mileage was not increased! I had to pay £500 for work even though it was shagged? Took it to renault had a £1300 new bill for engine and labour + warrenty. W4NK3R$. Really you should have gone independant straight away once you hand your car over for inspection they will hold it to ransom for any outstanding bill. Pay it take the car to an independant engineer have a report made take them to court on principle.

 

[Weegie182]

I think this is absolutely terrible. It is quite clear from what I have read that they are taking no reasonable steps to remedy the situation and by taking back the courtesy car the way they did is so unprofessional.

Having read what the other more technically sound members have written, it appears that your loss may well have come about due to the negligence of the garage- meaning the garage may be delictually liable for the losses (or in English law you may have an action in tort).
Delictual liability is concerned with damages suffered by a person as a result of a wrongful act or omission of another for which that person is entitled to compensation.
My thoughts coming from a legal background would be that you may have a claim on the grounds of an economic loss sustained through the actions of the garage and the failure to carry out their work to a standard that could be reasonably expected of them which in turn cause you further loss.

My advice to you would be to contact your local citizens’ advice bureau- although not legally qualified that can certainly point you in the right direction and ultimately put you on to a solicitor if it comes to that.

Do not give up on this. If it turns out that the garage failed to carry out their work properly and caused you loss then you may have an excellent case for claiming damages.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on

 

[CuppyDean]

What an absolute joke, feel for you mate , i would recommend getting a solictor involved as cowboys like this cannot get away with this

 

[Anonymous]

I would just go straight to http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/onlineservices2/mcol/index.htm (online small claims court) with this mate, will only cost you £50 and will show the garage your not f**king about! I did it over a s**t respray I had and came out of it very well and was a piece of piss to do!
I just had trouble tracking the guy down so i could serve the papers on him as he shut his business and fled as soon as I processed my claim!!

If you do decide to go down this route and you need some help or advice with the process then drop me a PM!

 

[SOCRUISE172]

Thanks for all the advise & support.

I have decided to take the car to a different garage to get repaired, as I need the car to take my daughter to nursery and get to work etc.

then the car garage from hell in newcastle send me a invoice for £284 for finding out about what they did wrong, and won't let another garge collect before invoice is settled, I have never been this mad in my 32 yrs of my life....

Just so noboard else has such a bad car garage experience stay well clear of Centreville garage in Heaton in Newcastle upon tyne. http://www.centrevillegarage.co.uk/index.html

So I will be £1200 down, then another £284, recovery £180 Taxi's £45 Car Hire £145 Repair Bill £1400 = £3254 £245 more then the car is worth

But looking forward to getting the clio back, and trying to move on.

Cheers Tom

 

[The Boosh!]

Thanks for all the advise & support.

I have decided to take the car to a different garage to get repaired, as I need the car to take my daughter to nursery and get to work etc.

But looking forward to getting the clio back, and trying to move on.

Cheers Tom

Make sure you take it to someone reputable.

 

[Fred@BTM]

that has worked on them before