|
And take your driving licence with you so you can leave in a hire/loan car should the worse happen.
|
|
The very fact that they offered to pay 75% suggests their guilt. (Are dealers capable of feeling guilt?). I'd push a bit a try for 100%. It's the least they can do for the hassle.
|
|
Many thanks for your replies, including HJ. I needed this sort of info. to make sure that neither Ford nor I were being unreasonable. As long as it's ready by tomorrow evening, and the bill isn't too inflated, I'll be happy. Thanks again!
|
Just an update, looking for further advice.
I called in personally this morning to the FOrd dealer to check progress. I was told that the person dealing with the car was off sick today. I explained that I need the car by the end of the day, and absolute latest tomorrow morning, given that I was travelling to Ireland via Holyhead on Saturday (although since then I've postponed till Sunday to be on the safe side). A Senior service manager spoke to me, and said he'd do his very best and I asked to be kept updated.
Rang them at about 4pm, and was told that it still needed its MOT and would not be ready today. I reiterated, more firmly but still politely, my time problem, and said that if it wasn't ready first thing tomorrow at the latest, that I would at the very least need a courtesy car for my trip. I was told they'd check it out and get straight back to me.
I rang about 20 mins ago (5.20pm)-no answer from servicing. The receptionist said he'd go round there himself to find someone to call me back. 5.45 and still waiting.
I realise that the spark plug problem is a Ka weakness, and Ford have been generous in agreeing to pay 75% of the costs, but I fear I'm now facing the prospect of no car till Monday, combined with poor progress feedback to enable me to plan ahead. They've known of my travel predicament since Thursday afternoon
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance
|
You should have demanded a courtesy car when you were there this morning, and took it with you, promising to return it when they had finished your car this evening. Then when they haven't finished it, their problem. Trouble is, after rushing them through it for tomorrow morning, no telling what they've forgotten to put back right, and you've got to go all the way to Hollyhead in it, fingers crossed.
Moral is, never get a car serviced just before going away.
|
|
I appreciate that in hindsight, I should have got the car serviced on my return, but I naively assumed that a service on a small car with 6,100 miles up and running perfectly would not take longer than a day. The problem with the courtesy car is that I'm not sure I could have taken it to Ireland with me, so I'd still be in my present predicament.
|
|
|
|
Paul,
What you do is tell the garage that unless things are resolved very quickly to your complete satifaction, you will make a plackard highlighting what a pile of poo the garage is, then stand outside the showroom/garage forecourt and attract as much attention to potential customers as you can. You will also briefly tell anyone that will listen why you are petitioning outside the garage. I'm sure you will grab the garages attention very quickly and they will then sit up and take notice.
Don't mock this idea. A few years ago my Dad did the very same thing with a large chain electrical store who kept fobbing him off with excuses as to why they couldn't fix his washing machine for 3 weeks because the parts weren't available. My Dad phoned the manufactuer of the machine who informed him that the parts were readily available off the shelf 6 miles down the road from where the electrical store was. The very next morning 2 engineers arrived, tools and parts in hand and proceeded to fix the machine.
|
Paul
As stated above , this fault is a well known one with the engine fitted to the KA. In other words it is a design fault. If your car has been regularly serviced by this garage they will know this and that due to the low mileage the plugs will probably be unchanged from the original.
In my view, the garage should bear 100% of the cost. They broke the plug trying to get it out: they servcied the car from new: they were the experts and as I say the problem is well known. A "proper" garage would have changed the plugs after 2 years because of the risk of damage when they were removed.. (see HJ site for other instances of this problem if you need back up and the buying guides for s/h Kas and Fiestas..)
I had an Audi A4 where Audi would bear 80% of the replacement costs of lower wishbones which failed due to a design fault after 80,000 miles..
Insist that they also replace the plugs with non- Ford which are suitable for a Ka..(the problem is the cheap way Ford make their own plugs so they rust and break..)
My son has a 1993 Fiesta with the same engine. First thing we did after buying it was replace all plugs and smear the threads with Copperease to ensure they would not seize in the head and only tighten to manufacturer's torque ratings. Even non Ford plugs broke on removal - they were only 12 months old but had been inserted so hard in the head that the insulation cracked on 2 on removal. Fortunately the metal body did not break as I had sprayed them with plus gas first and left them for 4 hours first - so I removed them without too much hassle. If I as an amateur know this , Ford mechanics MUST do.
Negligence on their part in my opinion and a design fault. Get them to pay 100%.
Mike
|
Unfortunately, as HJ has said, this is a very common fault on all Ford's fitted with the 1.3 engine (a 30 year old relic), including even the latest Fiesta. The only way to avoid it AFAIK is to replace the plugs a minimum of once a year regardless of mileage or what the servicing schedule says.
I think you've been lucky that Ford have agreed to pay so much of the cost. When I spoke to a Ford service manager about this very problem, he said it happened to his own mother and she needed mega work doing to fix it and even for him, Ford wouldn't cough up!
Slightly OT, but how long should sparks last in a modern designed engine? My 1.25 Fiesta's servicing schedule doesn't call for replacement until 30,000 miles, or 3 years. Is that normal, or could there be a benefit in changing earler?
|
Many thanks for the helpful replies so far.
I remain happy with the Ford offer re. footing the bulk of the bill. My main issue is not whether I should haggle over this, but rather, given that there's every possibility that the car will not now be ready tomorrow, whether I'm within my rights to ask for a courtesy car to travel to Ireland for the week (I can't really ask my sister to postpone her wedding!). Any opinions? I need to leave Sunday at the latest, which means I need the car in working order effectively by tomorrow midday.
btw, this is a wonderful website, which I've shown a number of people at work who are in the market for a new car soon, and all of whom have bookmarked it. Thanks for all your help.
|
It is a good site isn't it? I only found it myself a few weeks ago :)
Anyway, yes, I think you are well within your rights to ask for a courtesy car. If they say they don't have any, then ask if the dealers operate a rental service (my local main dealer does) and ask for a free rental (you may even get a bigger car :) If a rental is no good, say that you want to take one of their demonstrators, they can get something for you if they really want to, they are a car dealer after all! Did you buy the car from them? Not that it should matter but it may give you a bit more leverage if they don't want to play.
|
Legally, unless you have a contract with verbally or in writing probably no legal recall or obligation to provide a relief car. However they have, in my opinion, not acted reasonably bearing in mind your planned journey...the least they could have done is offered you a spare motor for the trip if only for good Customer Service (oxymoron). You may argue that due to their "neglect" in knackering the thing in the first place and an almost tacid acceptance of this (in offering to pay a proportion of the price) that there is an element of neglect i the way you have been treated - i.e. not replying to your calls or failing to call you back.
Difficult one to call on-line it ain't going to help you get to Ireland at this late stage,,,,,,
May I suggest a trip to your CAB and see their tame solicitor.
By the way this isn't legal advice as such just my view on what
has been presented in the thread.
|
Thanks all for the comments. I'll visit them again first thing tomorrow (or rather later this morning!) and push firmly for a courtesy car if mone isn't fully ready. Will post afterwards to let you know what (if any) progress I've made. Thanks again.
PS Pugugly's disclaimer duly noted :)
|
|
Well if you can't get a courtesy car a hire car would seem to be the answer. I don't rate your chances of getting the hire car cost out of the garage though.
|
Just to update those kind enough to offer advice over the past couple of days:
I've just arrived home with my car. I called in this morning around 10am and was initally told it may not be ready. I gave an'extermely unhappy' look, and the chap at the front desk asked me to bear with him for a moment. He returned and said that they just needed to do the MOT and would be ready in around an hour, depending on the MOT results.
After about 45 minutes, I was told that the front arm assembly on both sides had failed the MOT,due to waer and tear and both would need replacing, at a cost of about £210! I queried how a car with only 6100 miles up needed such a replacement and was told that it can just happen, especially on London roads. They offered to absorb 50% of the labour cost (about £45) as a further goodwill gesture. As I needed the car, I agreed.
Was told that the camshaft was beginning to knock a bit and would need monitoring, but that it was fine at the moment. Was advised that should I start to hear a knocking noise (which I've never heard before) that I'd need to return it for 'engine removal and camshaft wear investigation'.
So, total bill £534! They also 'removed the OSR brake drum and free OF self adjusteron brake AS binding free of charge as further gesture of goodwill' (quoting form invoice).
The engine on my short trip home sounds different. Is this normal, and does it need running in? It sounds slightly 'rough' (a bit like a very mild version of the sound an old VW Beetle used to make). Is it just a consequence of 'removing the cylinder head (which didn't need replacing) and valves, ginding the valves and removing debris'?
More fundamentally, should a regularly serviced, carefully maintained 3 year old car with 6100 miles be developing such problems so soon, or do I just put it down to unavoidable bad luck?
Many thanks
|
|
Something seriously wrong here. I used to own a Mk1 Fiesta with the Vallencia engine which is in your Ka. I used to thrash the living daylights out of the poor 954 cc engine up down the motorway, A roads, and country roads. It did a heck of a lot more miles than your Ka and never gave me any problems. To put it mildly I would be deeply upset if it had of needed the sort of repairs you have been told you will need. The only thought is you have done very little miles in 3 years which suggests you may only do short trips. Short trips are a real engine killer and you need to change the oil more frequently than my long distance thrashed Fiesta. So here come the questions: do you do mainly short trips? How often have you changed the oil and filter in the 3 years? As for the MOT suspension item I don't know the Ford Ka well enough to know whether it is a Ford design problem. Pity you needed the car back in a hurry as I would have wanted a second opinion.
|
|
Thanks for that. Yep, I'm an exclusively urban driver, trips rarely being longer that 4 miles at a time!
|
|
..oil and filters changed anually during service.
|
Paul, if I were in your shoes I would have the uneasy feeling that I had been ripped off and the gestures of goodwill were more to make you feel you had come out OK.
Short runs on a 3 year old car with 6000 miles hardly makes suspension parts wear out.
And while we all acknowledge that short runs do the engine no favours I think this is stretching things a bit far.
A proverbial little old lady up the road had a M reg 1973 Ford Cortina which she used once a week to go to church no more than a mile away and shopping about the same distance. She passed away recently and the car was sold to a enthusiast (or so he said). The engine was still as sweet as a nut with about 4000 miles on the clock.
Was this a factory replacement head they fitted, as I think you said earlier that they had contacted Head Office who had agreed to 75% discount and later you said it was Ford who had agreed to this.
Anyway Paul enjoy your trip to Ireland and if their prophesied noise appears I think on your return you should start throwing your dolly out the pram with this outfit.
regards
alvin
|
Something not quite right here surely
Agree 3yr old car with 2K m per year would not wear suspension parts but I make this vehicle min. 7year old.
Doesnt add up.
Happy Motoring Phil I
Hope it keeps going for at least next 14 days to get back to mainland.
|
|
This subject was covered in considerable depth in the Backroom Archive with approx 70 threads - Just run a search on "Ford Ka seized spark plugs"
|
Something not quite right here surely > yesterday morning> Agree 3yr old car with 2K m per year would not wear suspension parts but I make this vehicle min. 7year old. Doesnt add up.
What are you talking about Phil I? This is a 99T reg car, so just over three years old. So 2k x 3 = 6k miles.
Its MOT must be overdue though - my 99V car had its first MOT on 15/09/02.
|
MarkyMarkD - Stupid boy (that's me of course) totally forgotten
bi-annual change of letter. So in answer to your question "absolute cobblers". Blame it on old age and general infirmity. If I were in Paul64 shoes I should have been ballistic long before now.
Happy Motoring Phil I
|
Thanks Alvin and Phil I.
TO clarify Alvin's question regarding the cylinder head, they didn't replace it. I am sure that the receptionist said last Thursday am on the phone that it needed to be replaced, but maybe she (or I) misunderstood.
THe invoice for the spark plug problems reads:
**Possible warranty repair**
Please investigate
Removal of cylinder head due to spark plugs
Removed cylinder head and valves and grind in valvs (sic) and remove debrie (sic)
The parts replaced were:
Gasket (x4), gasket-cylind, gasket-cover, spark plug (x4), gasket, hose-heater, emery sheet (x2), BDA (x2), Anti-freeze, cablestrap silver.
I paid £73.95, which was 25% of the full cost as agreed by Ford (I had to sign a form agreeing to accept this good will gesture). This was separate from the MOT, service and front arm assembly problems.
My other niggling concern at the back of my mind is that on Wed pm, the receptionist told me that a spark plug had snapped. Later the same day, she said the engine was running rough when tested. Am I correct in wondering if they left some debris in the valve accidentally after removing the plug? And in this case, the subsequent problems are less to do with the spark plug difficulty (which sounds like a problem that can happen with the best will in the world), but more to do with subsequent careless removal and refitting??.....or am I just in a state of post-traumatic paranoia!!?
In any event, I'm going to (hopefully!!) have an event-free trip to Dublin, enjoy the week and the wedding. On my return, I think I'll have it independently inspected and also write a detailed letter to Ford UK, detailing the problems and chronology, and ask what they will do to restore my faith as a potential long-term customer (or words to that effect). The main reason I bought a new car was so that I could look after it from new and do my best to retain it's trade-in value. At this stage, the car now suddenly feels older than previous second-hands I've owned!
|
Am I correct in wondering if they left some debris in the valve accidentally after removing the plug?
I asume they have given you some kind of warranty on this latest work? The "norm" is usually 3 months or 3,000 miles - whichever comes sooner.
|
|
Yes, Dave, looking at the back of the invoice, there is a 3 month warranty for parts and workmanship. Thanks for the tip-easy to guess I know little about cars. :)
|
Thanks for the tip-easy to guess I know little about cars.
No probs. From the 1st day you own a car, you learn something new about them and garages every day.
|
More importantly what precautions have been taken re the same problem occurring again? I have posted before about the need to remove and lubricate spark plugs once yearly
|
The saga continues, and I'm now almost speechless with anger..
I rearranged my trip to Dublin for today (Monday), and got as far as Pimlico when smoke stared pouring out of the engine compartment. Phoned the Ford dealer and expressed my anger (without resorting to any foul language). General manager called me straight back. I told him I was furious, that my trip had already been delayed due to the problems with my car, and it had only lasted a few miles post-service before breaking down. I said that I would now miss my boat, would have to book a flight and hire a car in Dublin and I expected Ford, at the very least, to compensate me. He said he couldn't comment on this until the car was inspected at the garage. Asked him to arrange for the car to be picked up-he said that they were very busy today, and it might be quicker , if I was an AA mnember, to call the AA to do this.
Called AA, who were very efficient, arrived in about 45 mins, examined the engine, which had coolant over it, and the tubing connecting the coolant to the engine was disconnected. He fixed it back on, filled the reservoir with water, wrote a report to this effect, and said I could safely dirve it to the garage.
I've driven home now (I only live a mile or so from the Ford dealership) to unpack the car, and am about to leave the car in to the garage.
Even to my untrained eye, this stinks of incompetence and shabby customer service. I've completely lost faith in this dealer, if not in Ford, and want to be compensated for the expenses incurred (and about to be incurred) as well as the stress and inconvenience of the last few days.
At this stage, I feel that getting staisfaction from the dealer is a waste of time, and feel I should go higher. Who should I write to in Ford UK. Who else should I write to?
Many thanks, in exasperation...off to book a flight now...
|
|
I fear you will get nowhere with Ford which is why I don't run a Ford car. Legally your contract is with the dealer and I now think you need legal advice as to what to do next as this is now such a saga. Claiming for consequential expenses is very tricky. You can't claim for your time and frustration but you can claim for your direct expenses e.g. phone calls, travel costs for multiple trips to and from the dealer.
|
|
I fear you will get nowhere with Ford which is why I don't run a Ford car. Legally your contract is with the dealer and I now think you need legal advice as to what to do next as this is now such a saga. Claiming for consequential expenses is very tricky. You can't claim for your time and frustration but you can claim for your direct expenses e.g. phone calls, travel costs for multiple trips to and from the dealer.
|
|
Frightening really i mean that Ka engine is a very complicated piece of kit.What are they employing in that workshop.Almost beyond belief.
|
Returned from dealer. Left the car with them, having spoken in person to the general manager.
He explained he was confident that he could have the car ready in 40 minutes. I said that was now no good to me, as I'd already effiectively missed my 6.30pm holyhead boat and would now have to fly to be in Dublin for tomorrow afternoon.
I reiterated my frustration at the service I'd received and my loss of faith in the dealership in particular and Ford cars in general (given that a low-mileage 'city car' couln't appear to cope with the city). He said he'd probably feel the same in my shoes. He reiterated that the current problem was a simple one. I said I knew that, as the AA man had explained to me, and had written it down, but that if it was so simple, it shouldn't have been missed during the long servicing.
I said that I was furious that I had paid over £500, had a car that still had problems, and was now going to have to shell out more money to get to the wedding, and that I hoped Ford would compensate me. He said it wasn't a Ford problem, but rather a dealership issue, and that I must bear in mind the fact that he had told me that the car could be ready in 40 minutes. I again explained that this was no good, as I had already missed my boat, and no longer had much faith in their ability to give me a car that would make a long journey.
He said that we could discuss possible compensation on my return, but that it would probably be a comrprimise deal, at best.
Well, they certainly know how to lose potential long-term custom!
|
If I were you (famous words), I would contact the local Trading Standards Office. Tell them your story. They love investigating this kind of stuff.
I don't know if the garage claims to have any quality awards or membership of the Motor Retailers Federation .. check on their reception room as they usually keep the certificates there. If so, write to whatever body of which they are members .
But do all this after you have got as far as you can with the garage.. and after paying any bills...
|
This sounds absoloutely disgusting, I'm a big Ford fan, but I think I'd go and torch some cars on their forecourt after an episode like this!
I know the engine in the Ka is a bit of a relic, but even it should be able to handle the kind of usage it's getting. Have you tried calling Fords customer relationship centre? They may be able to offer advice, unlikely I know but worth a try perhaps?
Other than that, Trading Standards is a must. Maybe even HJ himself might be able to help. Ford wouldn't like to think that their reputation was taking even more of a hammering :)
That reminds me, slightly OT, but what happened in the end with the "VW MOT con" situation?
|
If you wish to complain to Ford, forget the usual Customer Service Departments and write directly to the Managing Director (whose name is at Companies House or perhaps their website) and not only outline your problem but direct him to this thread on this website.
Managing Directors HATE any kind of bad publicity that is easily available to the public. (Or at least good ones do).
If I were in his shoes I would be very unhappy with the garage dragging his company's reputation through the mud..
Also give him your phone number as it is likely he will want to stop this thread by solving the problem:-)
|
If you wish to complain to Ford, forget the usual Customer Service Departments
Write to both, can't hurt. Plus you local paper watchdog, trading standards.
Sadly garages *are* allowed to fluff work. (They can even argue that it's not their fault - ford plugs rust.)
I don't have high hopes but you should fight all the way.
--
These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
|
Thank you all for the continued advice.
Just to let you all know (if you're still interested :) ) that I've finally arrived in Dublin (flew over earlier this evening and rented a car at the airport). I'm going to forget about this affair until after the wedding and I return to the UK in a week's time.
I'll see what the general manager has to say/offer and if it's less than reasonable, I'll take the advice you've all been kind enough to offer and take it up with other authorities. Ironically, I received the Ford feedback form a few days ago asking a series of questions regarding my experiences with my car and my dealership-should be a rather cathartic experience filling in the boxes!!
|
|
Moral to this sorry tale. Don't do business with a company who will design out the last washer to increase profits. The resulting personal grief is out of all proportion. US manufacturers are the worst in this respect. There is no substitute for good enginering. I'm very sorry your hard earned cash went this wat.
|
Moral to this sorry tale. Don't do business with a company who will design out the last washer to increase profits.
What profits are these? As far as I can tell Ford is losing money hand over fist.
I am a big fan of their recent European products which are more reliable and usable than their so-called premium badge competitors.
Good engineering includes removing superfluous parts and redesigning those which are unnecessarily large, heavy or expensive. In the real commercial world it is about designing products to do a job, not to last for ever. Occasional errors and misjudgements in this process will inevitably occur.
|
Hi all,
Just thought I'd update all of you kind enough to offer advice.
I returned from Dublin on Monday after a very successful and enjoyable wedding.
I visited the Ford dealership where I'd left my car last week, and was told it was ready. I asked to speak to the manager, who saw me immediately. He said that they'd had a different senior mechanic check the car thoroughly, and that he had driven it home himself one evening to check for himself that it was running well. He was satisfied that it was now repaired properly. I restated my disappointment at the service I'd received, my concern that I'd been told that there was already camshaft wear, and that I was out of pocket by over £500 due to not having my car in Ireland.
I said that I wanted him to compensate me for this expense. After some discussion, he said that he could probably give me a cheque for somewhere in the region of £250-300, but suggested that he could instead offer me my next 3 services free of charge, which would be easier for him to deliver, and would also be worth more to me (if I kept the car, presumably!).
I replied that my main concern was the camshaft problem, since this would need attention and may prove expensive to repair/replace, and I suggested that I would rather that this problem be properly repaired in addition to covering the costs of my next 2 services.
He agreed to this, pending Ford UK agreeing to pay part of the costs of the camshaft job (which he felt confident that they would, as he said he suspected that this may have been an original faoult with the car).
He agreed to put this in writing, and we shook hands on it. So, a reasonable result, I suspect.
Many thanks again for all of you who offered such sterling advice
Paul
|
|
Pleased to hear you've finally got some light at the end of the tunnel!
|
Hi again,
ALthough it's been two months since I last posted on this, things have taken a rather dramatic turn and I'd appreciate your guidance on a couple if issues.
In brief, I finally left the car in 13 days ago to have the cambelt problem sorted as agreed. I had also asked (twice on the phone and also in writing) to have two further problems rectified which I had noticed as soon as I'd got the car back after the original episodes. Firsty, the steering wheel was now rubbing and squeaking against the steering column when turned clockwise. Secondly, the engine now sounded rough, like the sound a very old VW Beetle used to make. This second one worried me. They agreed to fix these when they had the car. In the letter I wrote to the service manager, I mentioned these two problems and also reminded him that he hadn't yet sent me written confirmation of our agreement (re fixing cambelt and next 2 services for free), as agreed.
I phoned for an update mid-last week and asked to speak to the service maanger. He rang me back and asked if anyone had spoken to me yet. I said 'no', and he said he was glad as he wanted to be the first one to talk to me (!). He said that when they'd examined the engine, the valves and bores were ruined and that they'd gone ahead and put in a new engine. He said they had no idea how the problem had occurred. I was rather lost for words, and all I could say at the time was that I didn't care how long it took, but I wanted my car back in the same condition that I had originally given it to them in some months back. They gave me a courtesy car when I left my car with them 13 days ago.
My questions/concerns are:
1) Even to a novice like me, it now seems fairly obvious that this problem came about as a result of the spark plug snapping and not being completely removed from the engine before the engine was started during servicing. Is there any other credible alternative scenario?
2) I'm a bit worried that they may yet try and pass some of the cost of this job on to me. The service manager said that Ford UK were footing 75% of the cost of the new engine, but that he was pushing them for more than this, as it was so expensive. I'm indifferent as to whether Ford UK or the dealership pay, as long as I'm not asked to pay a penny of this. I presume the fact that I put my concerns about the engine sound in writing, pointing out that it was a new problem since the servicing, combined with the fact that the garage went ahead and installed a new engine without even contacting me puts me in a strong position. Am I correct in these assumptions?
3) When I do go to collect my car, what should I check/ask about? A new engine is a big deal, and after my experinces with this garage, I don't have a great deal of confidence in their abilities any more.
Many thanks in advance (and sorry for the long post!)
|
First off ,its a Ka, and has an ancient engine. Like an old shape Fiesta, they will get rattly after not long at all.
But worn out like this? Don't want to cause offence ,but how often is the oil level checked - how much will an old design engine use when just doing short cold run journeys? I know both my cars used a little when doing short runs yet none on long journeys.
Finally they're paying 75%. Its out of warranty. Whatever figure the service manager comes up with will bind them to paying that IF YOU AGREE. Wait and see what the final cost is, may be worth just avoiding the hassle.
|
"He said that when they'd examined the engine, the valves and bores were ruined and that they'd gone ahead and put in a new engine. He said they had no idea how the problem had occurred"
On the basis:
1. they made a decision to change the engine without your approval
2. they have (presumably) shown you NO evidence that the engine was ruined as stated
3. They had no idea of the cause.
I suggest you reply as follows to ANY attempt to make you pay anything at all to the costs of a new engine:
1. their decision without involving you in expense is NOT acceptable. Their is NO contract or agreement to do so.. except you had asked them to sort your engine problem. Major expense such as this without your prior written authorisation is totally unacceptable.
2. Prove the engine was ruined (presumably showing you it - check the engine number against that on logbook)
3. Your presumption that the faulty sparkplug was responsible is probably 100% correct. I had a colleague with a V12 Jaguar and Jaguar bodged spark plug removal. New engine required - at vast cost to Jaguar.
A polite but firm stance will probably be enough but...
madf
|
Thanks madf, the points you make are how I see the situation and how I plan to proceed, if necessary. No, they haven't shown me (or offered to show me) any evidence of the damage to the original engine. I'm presuming that this means that they're finally taking this one on the chin, correcting their faulty work (without admitting liability) and won't try to charge me for any of this work. However, it's reassuring to see that I'm not being unreasonable.
Presuming that I do get the car back and am told that it's now completely OK (as I've been told before), is there anything I should watch for after a big job like this, or will any remaining problem (if it exists) be obvious?
Thanks
|
I missed the critical bit saying 'gone ahead and put n a new engine.'
Madf is right. Theres no contract.
|
I'd certainly want confirmation that this 'final' repair would not be costing me anything. I'd point out the cost's I'd suffered as a result of the broken sparkplug left in the engine (yes I'd always refer to the whole cause as this) is high and I MAY be looking at compensation afterwards.
If they haven't given a date to promise to return the repaired vehicle I'd send a letter stating that I'd require the vehicle back fully repaired by --------- or I will take further action. I would not do anything until that date.
If that date arrived and the vehicle hadn't been returned I would issue a summons through the small claims courts. It's dead easy and you can claim up to something like £4000 plus the fee to issue (£100)
If however you have the vehicle back I would get an AA report on it for my own peace of mind.
Don't forget, you only put this car in for a service. Look what hassle and expense they have caused you! Aim higher and you will end up with a satisfactory result.
I put a claim in against a credit card company recently over an item which cost £1000. They messed about but then turned around and paid the full £4000 I put in for...plus I got the £100 back.
|
|
|
|
