Our car (Peugeot 306)has just failed its MOT. One of the points it failed on was the front brakes they say that one of the discs is cracked in two places. The garage say that they consider the car unsafe to drive and have a legal obligation to not allow it to leave until the brakes have been fixed. For this they will charge £200.
Can they do this?
|
No.
Of course, they can ring the police and tell them.
Having said that, I wouldn't have thought you wanted to drive it, never mind whether or not you should. Surely its a trailer job ?
|
|
|
|
In a sense, yes. I believe they can prevent you from driving it away, but if you collect it with a trailer that changes things..
|
|
£200 sounds a lot for one disc, or would they have to replace both front discs?
|
|
I believe they'd have to replace both discs and pads to ensure the brakes on both sides of the car are working to the same degree of efficiency.
|
|
|
|
I just rang Trading Standards and I'm afraid they're right. It's against the law for them to allow you to drive off in an unroadworthy vehicle. I don't think you've got any choice other than to pay up or have your car moved to another garage. Do you have a breakdown contract? They might move the car for you, but it's only a guess.
I'm just waiting for them to phone me back about the price the garage has quoted, but I personally think £200 is a bit steep for one brake disk + pads + labor.
|
|
OK, you can have it taken off on a trailer, but driving it is a definite no-no. Garage can charge what they like - it's your responsibility to move it somewhere else. Sorry!
|
|
|
You could fix it yourself with a set of spanners. Maybe they'll even let you do it on their hydraulic lift.
One disc & pads? Shouldn't they always be replaced in pairs?
|
I like mapmakers idea - if they won't let you take it away and are going to charge silly prices then take the bits and tools over and do it yourself in thier garage!
|
|
I am pretty sure that this will be for 2x discs and 2x pads.Still too high, but you may have no option...
|
|
|
I like mapmakers idea - if they won't let you take it away and are going to charge silly prices then take the bits and tools over and do it yourself in thier garage!
I can't see them letting him do that tho'
they'll be dark mutterings about health and safty and insurance etc etc I would imagine.
JaB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for all the advice. The price is for 2 discs etc. I was just a bit mad that they seemed to have us over a barrell.
Cheers.
|
|
Have you tried negotiating?. Try them at 200 for all failure faults fixed and a pass ticket.
|
|
|
Well they have, but you need to get the disc changed.
If they weren't going to do it, who would you get to do it?
|
I can imagine problems with this;
Maybe they should not let you drive away. But imagine if they said that the vehicle was unroadworthy and refused to let you leave with the vehicle causing you to suffer stress and hardship. Subsequently you have the car examined and they disagree with the garage and feel that the vehicle is not unroadworthy - that could be the beginning of a court case and a half.
|
|
|
|
Labour charge to change discs is around £50 + vat at my favoured back street garage. You could ask what his labour element is then source the pads and discs yourself, they'll usualy fit parts you've supplied but note this on the invoice to cover any problems later from fauly parts.
|
My first task would to be to actually have a look at the problem (if you can find a friendly car mechanic, all the better). At least then you'll know whether it's a genuine fault or a garage out to fleece you.
Andy
|
My car failed MOT on corroded front discs earlier this month. Was not 'unroadworthy' so I could drive it away.
Cost £80 gross for both front discs and pads at the Vauxhall dealership in Daventry - 200 pounds sounds plenty, but without trailering, you may have few options.
All the best
Jono
ps - the reason that it ended up at the fanchised dealer was that the chaps in the village could not shift the disk retaining nuts themselves - they were worried of shearing the bolts. If the disks are old / have not been changed for a long time, you may have this to contend with as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A garage is entitled to prevent car from being driven in that condition.You are entitled I think to have car removed by trailer.I may be wrong but think if decent garage.price will include both brake discs set of pads and MOT charge inc lab.so it I reckon not so bad.but would confirm with garage first as to what this price includes.I doubt due to insurance health and safety another person would be allowed to carry out work on the car on their premises.?
|
|
This happened to a colleague, we push the car out of the garage and round the corner to "await collection by trailer" - of course as soon as we were there he drove off... I bet it's just normal radial cracking anyway, and I would expect to pay £110 tops on a normal 306.
|
Hi
I paid £150 at the AA centre for discs pads and fluid and they were not halfords pattern parts
--
(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters
|
|
|
ST garage will be in the wrong by releasing the car.at least by letting you push car out of garage. disc faults
are dangerous ie if disc breaks up at speed centrifugal force will push the disc fragment through the bulkhead.if unlucky and kill the driver.any crack on a disc is dangerous and being part of braking system would not compromise.some dont consider a crack in disc in any way shape or form to be dangerous.It is full stop.I think garage right but should allow car to be trailored off.?
|
look take down some friends with you and get the car back.
Its your property!
Is it a back street garage or run by a bunch of lib dem political correct, obey the law to the letter loonies?
Might be worth heading down to the local scrappy and giving the guy 20 quid for taking it out the garage and moving it round the corner for you.
I have had 3 mot failures (one car twice!) but my garage insists cash in hand so these little legal do - gooder checks always seem to be forgotten.
Ever considered the garage is winding you up and havcing alot of sick fun at your expense?
|
|
|
" disc breaks up at speed centrifugal force will push the disc fragment through the bulkhead"
Wouldn't it have to get through the wheel rim and tyre first?. I would think the danger lay more in a locked wheel or loss of brakes rather than death by projectile disc fragments.
|
You have at least four options (I would argue an infinity, but we'll leave that for later)
All assume you get cheaper quotes elsewhere, and are in no particular order.
1. Get them to repair it and be thankful they may have saved your life whatever the cost.
2. Get another garage to quote for pickup and repair - probably cheaper than splitting the job into tow/repair.
3. Get the first garage to see reason. You drove it in, it'll last the half mile till you get to another place that's not ripping you off.
4. Tell them you're goint to push it home. Bring three mates to push it off the forecourt, then swing two fingers at them as you start the car outside and drive to your chosen garage.
V
|
BTW, do get the job done immediately.
V
|
|
|
|
Would it be an option to take it elsewhere on a rigid towbar?
|
|
|
|
Fair comment.I was looking on the dark side.what I meant was a cracked disc is dangerous.in my opinion garage had every right to withhold car.I also understand the price a bit high but not that much.really depends on how much you value your safety.I am not so sure it is a rip off.it still comes down to what they are replacing.as I mentioned.
Was mech1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Two separate issues here, surely?
1. The garage won't let you take an unroadworthy car onto the road. What exactly do we think "unroadworthy" means?
2. The garage appears to be taking advantage of the fact that you are going to have a hard time taking it anywhere else and is setting a price that is arguably a rip-off. So negotiate. Get comparable quotes. Speak to the principal. Remind them that the car will have to be serviced/MOT'd in the future and that you will have a free choice then. Speak to the local paper. Call trading standards. Speak to the local MP. Whatever. Just don't moan that they won't let you out in a deathtrap.
|
2. WHAT IS UNROADWORTHY ?
A vehicle may be considered unroadworthy if it is in such a condition that its use on the road would involve a danger to someone e.g. the driver, passengers, other road users or pedestrians.
Common defects which may make a vehicle unroadworthy include worn suspension or steering joints, poor brakes or corrosion surrounding load bearing parts of the vehicle.
From www.car-crime.com/roadworthy.htm
|
|
|
|
|
Ring around other garages to find a better price for the job and get the AA etc to trailer you round. Plan 2. tell the present garage the lower cost and ask them to match it.
|
|
|
