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Problem with repair by Nationwide Autocentre on car - can I reclaim cost to fix their mess?
I'm not sure quite where I stand on this and Trading Standards have been slow to repond...
Our car developed a leak around the rocker cover gasket on the engine, so oil was escaping into the spark plug pots and ignition coil area. We only noticed this as we changed the plugs. Anyway, we thought Nationwide Autocentre in Blackburn may be able to replace it easily enough.
So we took the car to them, and they had it for 3 days. We picked it up and paid for it (around £100).
5 weeks later we noticed oil escaping out the side of the gasket, and so we asked them to repair it under their guarantee. They had the car again for 2 days, and they supposedly repaired the leak - looks like they only smeared a load of sealant on the engine :angry:
All fine for a couple of weeks, then we notice there's loads of oil coming out of the side of the engine, in the same area as the gasket.
As we had the car already booked in with BMW for a separate problem, we asked them to check it, and they said it was the rocker cover gasket again! They've quoted around £200 for supplying and fitting a new gasket, and we've already forked out £50 for the diagnostics to find out where the leak was coming from.
I do not trust Nationwide autocentres to touch this car again - their work has been shoddy so far. Can we get this fixed at BMW for whatever it costs, the diagnostics fee and the necessary admin fee for the courtesy car I'm going to need (£10 +VAT) and claim the money back from the shoddy garage?
Re: Problem with repair by Nationwide Autocentre on car - can I reclaim cost to fix their mess?
Hi Europa,
As Nationwide didn't cause any consequential damage which has to be corrected, you claim against them is limited to the amount which you paid them for the repair they bodged.
In theory, you could also claim for any losses (time off work, taxi fares, etc) you suffered by having to take the car back to them once and leaving it the extra 2 days. You couldn't claim this for the visit to BMW as the car was booked in with them for another matter anyway.
If this losses element is kept reasonable, you may get these costs if you go to court.
You should write to N'wide explaining briefly that their work was of an unsatisfactory standard originally, they failed to correct it when given a 2nd chance and it has had to be repaired properly elsewhere. You therefore require a full refund of the £100 paid (plus related expenses).
If they fail to repay within 14 days, you will take further action to recover your losses and will issue county court proceedings if necessary which will involve further costs to them.
In fact, before you do that, you'll send an lba giving them another 14 days (but don't tell THEM that).
Any help and advice is offered in good faith, based solely on my own knowledge and on experience gathered from this site. I am not qualified to offer legal or financial advice, which you should seek from an expert before making any important decisions. My opinions are therefore offered without liability.
Problem with repair by Nationwide Autocentre on car - can I reclaim cost to fix their mess?
Autocentre in Blackburn may be able to replace it easily enough.
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Re: Problem with repair by Nationwide Autocentre on car - can I reclaim cost to fix their mess?
