Help please with car repair issue...?

[cmad69]

Hi guys, can any one help?
About 12 months ago, i had to take my car in for a major repair (new head gasket!) and the garage concerned duly did the job and i, in turn, duly paid the agreed price.
However,last month, the car failed again, as the cambelt went, causing the engine to fail, resulting in my now having to replace the engine at a further cost of "around 1500 pounds!"
Now, on the itemised bill that i recieved with the first repair, all the belts were changed on the engine EXCEPT for the cambelt!, but the garage informed me that the engine and all components were guaranteed for 12 months.
I now have the car at another garage pending repair, but wondered if i could approach the first garage to inform them of the problem and possible compensation, as i feel that they should have changed the cambelt as a matter of course.Can anyone tell me exactly where i stand, or point me in the right direction as to the appropriate action to take?!?!

[Weird Al Yankovic]

Is the garage who did the repair a firm with branches nationwide who are AA approved?

If so, I've had a head gasket repair by these and it has now failed twice more!

They obviously didn't find the original cause of the failure which is why it failed again.

From my understanding a cam belt should always be changed with this repair, especially if the car is nearing it's service schedule, and/or because of certain cars with this failure.

I think you will need to contact the original garage as they have to have the opportunity to put it right. So be careful if another garage works on it first.

[cmad69]

Thanks, Al,
No it wasn't a garage of your description,and the issue i have right now is that the garage i have it with now has already stripped the engine down to reveal the true extent of the damage!
I will contact the first garage, but i fear the worst!

[Weird Al Yankovic]

Well, in that case it could work in your favour as the second garage are independent witnesses.

This is what happened to me but the first garage took up the option of putting it right.

They obviously didn't as it failed again and I am now awaiting their proposals as it will probably be cheaper for them to settle on the value of the car rather than attempting to repair yet again.