Vauxhall garage bill.....two weeks later!

[jake368]

Hi I'm new here but just wondering if someone could please enlighten me about this. My wife's 2003 Vauxhall Vectra starting acting up about 3 weeks ago so we took it to our local Vauxhall dealership and were told ,after them having the car for two days, that the cars computer system needed software downloaded into it in order to get the car running correctly. We gave them the OK to do it and a day later went back to collect the car. The repair manager then told us that the downloading of the software did'nt in itself correct the problem and it would need service requiring £800 to correct....He asked if we wanted him to do the work, we said no thanks (he even agreed that the car, valued at about £1500 was'nt worth repairing at that price) thanked him, took the car and left. Now today (almost 2 weeks later) this service manager phoned my wife asking for £52 for the software download that in essence never fixed the problem.....am I obligated to pay this? He never gave us a bill when we picked the car up and declined the additional work in order to get the car running properly, so we've come to the conclusion that someone in bookeeping or maybe his manager has now told him to collect this £52....can they do this?

Many Thanks for Reading

[raydetinu]

if they did not advise you of the cost at the timeand indeed did not fix the problem then maybe you could ignore!

however you authorised the download and from that you got advise on what neede to be done, so in that repect they would be expecting you to pay for their time on a 'quantum meruit' basis.

[jake368]

Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to answer me, but I' m having a hard time trying to understand this. If I take my car to a garage and they tell me that the repairs involve (xyz) I then authorise it, they do that work THEN realise "oops, it was'nt that, it's something else (abc), would you like us to carry on" and I decline, why should I be responsible for their mis-diagnosis?.....I'm not questioning your answer mate, I really do appreciate you answering me, but to be honest , I just don't get it....

[raydetinu]

Yep agree, if what they do does not fix the problem; say fix a part and have to replace something else, you should not have to pay for the first one.

but to sort out your problem they suggested an upgrade to your programme and from that they deduced what was wrong? and advised you accordingly.

So it is up to you whether you accept they helped you.

Again most main dealers would have advised and not charged you at all on the chance of them getting the work that is required.

That is some service though at £ 800, do you know what was involved did you ask. sounds more than just an oil/filter change

[jake368]

Yeah...what started out as a download to correct the transmission overdrive (the car's an automatic) then turned into having to replace the "brain" that receives the download....there's a technical word for it, but don't ask me I' m not very mechanically inclined...

[Conniff]

....there's a technical word for it, but don't ask me I' m not very mechanically inclined...

 

The swear filter would probably have removed it anyway

 

What you could do is to ring another Vauxhall dealer not in your area and without telling him who you are or where you are, ask how much it would be for a software update for you car. At least then you will know if the £52 was a bargain or not.

[raydetinu]

so to cure your problem you would need to replace the cpu for the trans,

suggest you try a vectra forum and post on there for advise, you might find a replacement cheap, thats how I get my parts for my subaru.

I am sure others would have had the same problem.

[QwertyIan]

dont pay them.

they are trying it on.