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Mitsanthropic

My 10-month-old Mitsubishi broke down on the 14th July. I put approx 45 litres of diesel in the car on 12th July and covered 200 miles before it broke down. I have all receipts for fuel. The Mitsubishi dealer said the turbo had failed and had to be replaced. This still did not fix the problem and they are now saying it is fuel contamination so not covered under warranty and trying to bill me £2,000 for work so far. I asked other mechanics and they say fuel contamination would not break the turbo. The garage has given me a sample of the fuel they say they took from the car. It is blue/black in colour. A petro chemical expert says this has to come from the car itself as if I had refuelled with this much bad fuel I wouldn’t have covered 10 miles, yet I did approx 200. I went to the garage to take photos of the broken turbo on Saturday, but they said they couldn’t find it. I went back to the garage this morning but they won’t let me see the turbo and wouldn’t even let me see my own car to check upon the status of the work. I tried to get access to the workshop but was pushed back by an employee so I called the Police and reported an assault but did not press charges. The MD of the garage called today and called me a liar, etc., and denied any warranty work has been carried out. He did say that the fuel will now be tested (2 weeks too late). Another Mitsubishi dealer said that upon receiving a faulty car the 1st thing they would have done is a full diagnostic check and remove filters etc and as soon as anything like this is noticed they would have stopped all work on the car, let the customer know and get the fuel tested. They say it is very likely the contamination could have come from the car itself. I have spoken to Mitsubishi so called customer services and they say it is a matter between myself and the Mitsubishi dealer and refuse to do anything else. The garage has also demanded today that the courtesy car goes back, which I have had to do. So now I have no car and fear the worst of ever seeing my car again. I have had to tell my 2 young children that our family holiday to Devon in August is cancelled as we don’t have a car to go in. At the back of the Mitsubishi brochure it states that if you have a breakdown you get guaranteed mobility, something my solicitor said he will question. The trouble is we are moving house and can’t afford the solicitors' fees. What if I had been an elderly person, with the MD calling and demanding money. I am stressed, not sleeping and losing weight. I am 36 yrs old. What if I was 75? I am contacting all press, magazines etc for maximum coverage.

Asked on 17 October 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
First check if the Mitsubishi garage is a member of www.motorcodes.co.uk (most franchised garages are) and, if it is, use Motor Codes to conciliate and arbitrate between you
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