Can I sue a garage for giving bad advice?

My son has has numerous warning lights appear on the dashboard of his 2012 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI. He immediately took it to a local garage and was told it needed a new part. They assured him the car was fine to drive until the part was delivered; but 10 days later the car broke down with timing chain failure.

As a gesture of goodwill the garage has agreed to waive labour charges, but my son still has to buy a replacement engine at a cost of over £1200. We believe that the garage are responsible as they gave bad advice to keep driving car. Do you have any advice please and do we have any legal possibilities to recoup money?

Asked on 15 December 2016 by jennie phillips

Answered by Honest John

Unfortunately, if no money changed hands for the bad advice given by the garage there was not contract and nothing to sue for. But if the car was originally bought from that garage, then you may have a case that the car was "not of satisfactory standard". Timing chain failure in VAG 1.2, 1.4. 1.8 and 2.0 TSI engines are commonplace because of the varying quality of the links in the chains. See: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/

Tags: legal and consumer advice timing chain

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