Garage Broke My Car

[neil6534]

i am not sure if you pay that you foreit your rights - others on here would no more about the legalities - however - you could produce a letter stating the facts as you know them - and what the resolution is that you want and that although you have paid this does not mean that you are happy with the service nor do you suggest that this matter is closed - but it should be a fare and resonable resolution - you can hand it to them and post it to them recorded delivery and give them whatever time they are legally allowed to, to respond - you should make it clear in the letter that if no agreement is met then you will take legal action.

[Conniff]

If the car is ready for collection, you go to the garage to collect. When you are presented with the bill, you take a look at it and if there is any charges related to the supply and/or fitting of the subframe, you query it saying 'you broke that, it is up to you to replace at your cost'.

 

Please if you have a mobile, do as suggested in post #13 and have either your mobile phone on record or a recorder in your shirt pocket and get the conversation on tape.

If you can't do this, then I suggest you ring them first and record the call. Get them to admit they were responsible, that will make life a lot easier.

 

When you know their response, then we can move forward to the next stage.

 

If the replacement is on your bill and they insist that you have to pay, you can do that marking their copy of the bill 'Paid under duress' and then we can go about reclaiming.

[Experimentalist]

If the car is ready for collection, you go to the garage to collect. When you are presented with the bill, you take a look at it and if there is any charges related to the supply and/or fitting of the subframe, you query it saying 'you broke that, it is up to you to replace at your cost'.

 

Please if you have a mobile, do as suggested in post #13 and have either your mobile phone on record or a recorder in your shirt pocket and get the conversation on tape.

If you can't do this, then I suggest you ring them first and record the call. Get them to admit they were responsible, that will make life a lot easier.

 

When you know their response, then we can move forward to the next stage.

 

If the replacement is on your bill and they insist that you have to pay, you can do that marking their copy of the bill 'Paid under duress' and then we can go about reclaiming.

 

Thanks for the advice. I am waiting for a call back from a local solicitor to hopefully gain some advice from them before going to the garage.

[Conniff]

I hope this isn't a paid consultation, you don't need the services of a solictor, you have us.

[Experimentalist]

I hope this isn't a paid consultation, you don't need the services of a solictor, you have us.

 

No I have not paid I was just trying to get some free advice from the solicitor particularly on anything I should definitely not do. I do appreciate all your help and do not intend using a solicitor at present.

[ThedaBara]

• If that is the case what should I do?
  
• Do I refuse to pay or pay and then dispute later?
  
• Can they hold my car if I will not pay?
  

 

If you're in the AA, perhaps they might be able to inspect the car and give their opinion on whether the damage was pre existing or not… I was wondering if it could have fallen off the jack or something… I had damage to the underneath of my wheel arch a while back… looked like the sort of thing where a jack had slipped... TB

[Experimentalist]

Call me a mug but I listened to the guy at the garage and he explained how it happened. He explained they were not hitting it but simply adjusting it as designed and the sub frame has failed. He thinks it was most likely caused by a stress fracture. He seemed to be very genuine and was very upset that it had happened but said there was nothing he could do. Feeling the pressure of the ever growing queue behind me I reluctantly paid up and left.

 

My MOT and 4 wheel alignment cost me the sum total of £728.17

 

In hind sight I should have tried to at least split the cost between us, but I did not.

 

Thanks for your time anyway.

[king12345]

The joy of driving a BMW

[Conniff]

Of course he sounded genuine, he wasn't going to say 'I was knocking ten bells out of it and ....' but if you are happy then that is the main thing.

 

Just don't be too trusting especially of car sales, question everythng and take it all with a pinch of salt, after all, they are there to make a profit not do you a favour.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Conniff

[Guest roaringmouse]

Did I read the word 'GENUINE' when talking about a garage?

 

Q: How do you know when a garage owner is lying?

A: He opens his mouth!