Replacement Steering rack faulty refitting charges who's liable?
My Daughter's 2008 Ford Fiesta required a replacement steering rack as the original lost fluid. A replacement from Ford was around £380 plus fitting, but I was able to get a reconditioned unit from a motor factors at half the price.
I had a local garage fit the reconditioned unit to the car for a very reasonable £190, and all looked good. However after two weeks, the power steering fluid had to be topped up, indicating another leak in the system. The garage that installed the new Steering rack checked the system over and found that the fault was with the replacement unit.
A hose connection on the low pressure side on the body of the steering rack had been machined out too much and the seal was ineffective and leaked. I then had to contact the motor factors for a replacement steering rack which was duly sent and fitted to the car and has proved to be in good order. As I used a local garage and organised the purchase of the steering rack independently I have had to pay for the fitment of a steering rack twice.
I tried to recover the cost from the motor factor and initially they refused to cover the cost of the second fitting and after some communication the offered to pay half the cost but no VAT this leaves me around 120 pounds out of pocket.
Are the motor factors not liable for full cost of the second fitting charges?
I had a local garage fit the reconditioned unit to the car for a very reasonable £190, and all looked good. However after two weeks, the power steering fluid had to be topped up, indicating another leak in the system. The garage that installed the new Steering rack checked the system over and found that the fault was with the replacement unit.
A hose connection on the low pressure side on the body of the steering rack had been machined out too much and the seal was ineffective and leaked. I then had to contact the motor factors for a replacement steering rack which was duly sent and fitted to the car and has proved to be in good order. As I used a local garage and organised the purchase of the steering rack independently I have had to pay for the fitment of a steering rack twice.
I tried to recover the cost from the motor factor and initially they refused to cover the cost of the second fitting and after some communication the offered to pay half the cost but no VAT this leaves me around 120 pounds out of pocket.
Are the motor factors not liable for full cost of the second fitting charges?
Asked on 18 November 2012 by SandySmith
Answered by
Honest John
No. Of course not. Had you had the entire job done by the garage then the garage would have been liable. But you tried to save money by buying the part separately and that decision wound up costing you an extra £120.
Happens sometimes.
Happens sometimes.
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