Mazda turbo replaced, now the engine's shot - is the garage accountable?

[purplesquare]

Hi,

 

Back in June, my missus had a little prang in her Mazda 6. She wasn't moving and someone drove into the front of her car causing the front bumper to crack and the number plate to fall off. The car duly went to the insurance repairer and had a new bumper fitted.

 

When we went to pick it up, the repair people told us they didn't want to move the car any more, as it was making a terrible noise and sounded like the turbo had gone. We were a bit suspicious about this but took the car to a local independent Mazda specialist in the same town. He diagnosed that the turbo was indeed gone, and arranged to fit a reconditioned part to the car for us.

 

The work was duly done, and when we went to pick up the car the mechanic told us that we ought to get the car services soon, and at least change the oil. We didn't think much of this at the time, as we were planning on trading it in anyway.

 

So a few weeks later and suddenly there's a huge bang, and the engine sounds and feels like it's running on three cylinders. We take it back to the Mazda specialist, who has a look at it but doesn't show much interest. He fiddles around for two days and then wants to take the engine to bits but we stop him, for fear of clocking up a huge bill (the turbo and fitting cost us over a grand already).

 

We take the car home and my missus' brother-in-law looks at it (he's a mechanic). He speaks to a few people in the trade, and all are surprised that a Mazda engine with 80k on the clock has gone bang. Each and every one asks about what's been done to the car recently and each and every one states that the oil and filter should have been changed after the new turbo was fitted, and that the engine has probably suffered as a result of stray turbo bits floating around in the oil.

 

Now, we have since bought a small runaround as the Mazda is off the road, and are wondering what to do next. The car is only worth half what it ought to be with a knackered engine, and it's not our fault it's broken!

 

I am thinking we ought to get an independent mechanical inspection done to see if the cause can be determined with real evidence - then we can approach the garage armed with all the collateral we need, or accept it was just fate if there proves to be nothing to find. But I can't find anyone who will do that level of mechanical inspection for a reasonable price!

 

What should we do? :-|

[Conniff]

The work was duly done, and when we went to pick up the car the mechanic told us that we ought to get the car services soon, and at least change the oil. We didn't think much of this at the time, as we were planning on trading it in anyway.

 

Each and every one asks about what's been done to the car recently and each and every one states that the oil and filter should have been changed after the new turbo was fitted

 

I think you have answered you own question.

 

Having said that, as the oil change is a vital part of the repair, it should have been carried out at the time the turbo was fitted and without asking you.

[tiaposy]

I work for a garage and changing the oil is not a routine part of fitting a new Turbo. If we advised a customer that he should have his oil changed & he refused, then later then engine blew up, we wouldn't be liable.

 

He advised you to change the oil & you ignored him.

 

However, the turbo failure itself could have cause problems in the engine. If might just be an unfortunate coincidence.

[Conniff]

I worded that wrongly tiaposy, what it's meant to read is 'turbo changes should carry an automatic oil change'.

[duncan1972]

my Mazda 6 engine needs replacing after just 45k miles, a gear has worn to nothing causing the oil pump to fail and thats it game over, complained to Mazda it is still on going, never had any engine problems with any car before, at so little mileage I won't be touching Mazda again !