Garage poor workmanship

clearthegrey · 29th September 2008, 00:23

My new FIAT based motorhome had some recall work carried out on 16th April 2008. When I collected it from the garage there was a pool of oil at the from left hand side and when I pointed this out to the mechanic he said that the oil had been spilt whilst filling the gearbox from the top. I drove it for a number of short (23 mile) journeys for the following few months at most weekends with no sign of any trouble. On 8th August we set off for France from Belfast throught Ireland to Cherbourg and on 10th when near St Nazaire the gearbox broke. The FIAT garage in France diagnosed that there was no oil in the gearbox and there had not been any oil in it for some time. It took 8 days to get this fixed and we were out over £1000 in expenses and our 3 week holiday was ruined.

can you advise how I should try to get compensation for this and who is liable?

Thanks

clearthegrey · 2nd October 2008, 22:33

SO is this forum inactive then, no-one replying.

slick132 · 3rd October 2008, 01:52

Hi CTG,

Sorry you've been left unanswered, maybe because this should be in the Vehicles forum. I'll move it for you.

If you have paperwork confirming the fault, and it's remedy, from the French garage, contact Fiat in writing with a brief outline of the events of this case.

Before this, however, can you confirm the nature of the recall and the work you believe was done because of it.

If you are to prove Fiat or the garage are liable, you need to be able to prove the gearbox failed as a direct consequence of either component failure, or of negligence by the garage.

Conniff · 3rd October 2008, 02:29

Was the gearbox repaired or changed? if changed, have you got the old gearbox?

If neither of the above, do you have paperwork that would show 'conclusively' that the gearbox was lacking in oil?

raydetinu · 3rd October 2008, 18:50

Sounds like you have agood claim on the garage that did the original work, but you would need all the paperwork to back it up. The old geabox and an enginners report on why it failed would be ideal.
Go back to garage that did the work and ask what actually was done and tell them of your problem and you want compensation; then put it all in writing, to them and fiat. and if finance involved them as well.

slick132 · 3rd October 2008, 21:26

I'd assume the old Gbox was left behind in France

.

See what OP says.

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