Hello, I'm hoping some of you motor trade types will be able to offer me some advice over a difficult situation I've found myself in.
Yesterday I took my car ('91 VW Scirocco 1.8 GTII) to the local VW specialist for its MOT.
I was confident it would pass with flying colours as the same place did a full service just a month before and carried out £600 of work.
An hour or so later the guy calls me and asks if there's any problem with the electric windows, as they've packed up on him. I've not had a single problem with them in the 18 months I've had the car.
Picked the car up today and the fuse for the windows has blown twice on the 10 minute drive home.
Felling rather suspicious, I've called back and expressed my annoyance - and he's insisted it is a con-incidence but agreed to get his electrician to spend an hour on the car to try to rectify the issue.
Hopefully this will work, but if it doesn't I'd like to have a little knowledge of my rights and of motor industry practice in such situations.
Am I being reasonable in feeling he ought to fix the problem, since the car was in his care and had no previous incidence of this issue?
Thanks.
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You'd have to prove that it was something the garage did that caused the fault. Cars do go wrong, and there is no law to say that can't happen when the car is in someone else's charge.
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Unless you can prove he actually did something to cause it to break you haven't got much chance - the fact he is getting his electrician to have a look at things is a sign that he actually cares about his customers - he could have said tough luck mate!
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You have to ask what could they possibly have been doing to break the windows. I can't think of anything so I'm leaning on the side of them packing up themselves.
Coincidence. As b_h says, he could have told you where to go.
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Adam
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I would think that the chances are it is a coincidence. We are takling about a 14 year old car here. I don't think its fair to blame the garage unless you can prove they have done something wrong, and if it only went for an MOT, the chances of it being down to something they have done is exceptionally remote.
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If they had gone belly up while in your care, would you now be kicking yourself black and blue?
If you are that mis trusting then you should have stopped behind and viewed the mot.
WTM
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Both you and the garage is in an awkward situation.They can only state problem that has arisen.They did ask you about this problem and are trying to help.Given they said they would ask their electrician to look at it.And its only gone in for MOT ie no actual work being carried out.Would suggest its a fault on the car.Nothing to do with MOT.I think its good of them to do this..But bear in mind if a fault found. they are entitled to charge you..
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Steve
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Thanks for your comments. It is a very awkward situation.
I couldn't imagine what they might have done either, the only thing that came to mind was that they were also going to fit a new rear wiper - so would have been working on the electrics.
In the end he said the replacement bit was no good. Don't know if they started the job - or even if it could have had that effect.
To be honest, I'd really rather believe that the car had broken by itself.
Of course things can go wrong with no apparent cause. But the combination of the co-incidence and the man's shifty and defensive manner made me think twice. Usually I'm trusting to the point of gullibility when it comes to getting my car fixed.
Cheers again.
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For what it's worth - I'm sure many 'feel for you' on this one since its always disconcerting finding a fault when one wasn't perhaps apparent before.
I think you have to comfort yourself on the knowledge that these people are VW Specialists - they are local and have a good reputation. Plus they also did some £600 worth of work to your car - why would they want to cover soemthing up?
It most probably doesn't make it any easier, but you obviously trusted them enough to authorise £600 worth of work - so you might give them the benefit of the doubt on this occasion. Not sure what any of us could say to make that little voice in the back of your head go away :(
Enjoy the car though! :)
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Question I would ask how would the mechanic know that the windows had packed in, I can't think of any work process that would have required their operation...
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Question I would ask how would the mechanic know that the windows had packed in, I can't think of any work process that would have required their operation...
How about (pure speculation) winding down the window in the course of reversing the car off of the ramp?
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Or using the rolling road remote with door closed?.Ie testing the brake pressures for MOT
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Steve
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They usually wind the window down so that the mechanic inspecting outside can talk to the one sat in the car, ie, "stop lights" "left indicators" etc.
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Our MOT tester open the windows as they have controls for the rolling road on a hand held unit which is on a stretchy cable so they can do the test without an assistant
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You live and learn - objection overuled !
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SO PU my learned friend, can we recall the last time you had an MOT? You have had a pukka MOT ...Hmmmm?
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I had the SV Test on the Landie I sat in a glass conservatory at the Dealer, sipping hand ground coffee and listening to Brahms. (land Rover Dealers ain't what they used to be !) and the last MoT on Project Beemer. Dropped it off at the garage, went shooting, came back by which time it was back on its trailer with 4 miles extra on the clock !
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Just as a matter of interest, how much do you think you car is worth (bearing in mind you have just spent around £600 on it)?
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Depending on age/mileage/condition etc that a scirocco of it's age is worth somewhere between £700 and £1000.
Just because it's had £600 spent on repairs doesn't really make it worth anything extra - just the running costs of driving an older car.
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Just as a matter of interest, how much do you think you car is worth (bearing in mind you have just spent around £600 on it)?
I would have expected about £600 if selling, maybe a bit more. It's low mileage (71k) and superb mechanically with FSH, but has one or two minor cosmetic flaws.
Can't whinge too much as I haggled hard and only paid £440 for it 18 months ago and it's given sterling service 'til now.
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Low mileage and full history stand it in good stead - may possibly suit an enthuisiast willing to give the bodywork some TLC
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