Been bent over!! Where do I stand?

Tdh1987

Tdh1987

Tdh1987

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Joined
20 Oct 2002
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Selby
I took my Honda VFR 400 into a garage to have the fork seals replaced.

A week later I received a phone call saying my forks are bent and cannot be repaired. I thought thats fine because I've got another set at home. I took the second set into the garage (they also needed fork seals replacing).

I received a call the next day to say that some bush was worn and it wasn't possible to repair the forks (his words were they're ******) and that I should come in to collect the bike and settle up.

I went to the garage to collect the bike. He charged me £90 for the labour he'd spent on the bike. I thought I better pay for it as I've asked him to repair 2 sets of forks that are irrepairable.

I took the bike home and the 2 sets of forks. I wipped the haynes manual out and fitted the 2 fork seals and topped the oil up within 1 hour. There was nothing wrong with the second set of forks. I've never worked on a pair of forks in my life.

I returned to the garage with the set of forks to ask what was going on!! He replied he didn't want to damage the forks any futher so he didn't perform the basic repair. Even though he said they were ****** anyway and that I should replace them.

Where do I stand?

Thanks for your help.

Tom.
 
I'm thinking its going to be a lot of hassle to get anywhere. I just can't believe he calls himself a mechanic.

Romour has it he bummed a dog anyway ;)
 
Difficult situation. All you can really do is let other local bikers know of your experiences and hopefully he won't be in business long enough to rip off too many other people.

You could try to escalate it, but I suspect for £90 you'r much better off gritting your teeth and marking it down to experience.
 
Just make sure you make as many people aware that the guy isn't top draw and to avoid him.

When I had a Nissan GTIR, I went to a local garage for the clutch to be changed. I took it there becuase I know they worked on an Escort Cosworth that had a lot of money spent.

They took 2 weeks, ignored my instruction that its nigh on impossible to change "in situ" and then tried to charge an extra £300 for their **** up.

Needless to say I didn't pay the extra and I feel some satisfaction that they are now out of business.

They also didn't fit the clutch properly and it slipped from day 1 :(
 
Are you certain he was lying about the second set of forks? did you inspect the bushes for wear? If you fit new oil seals and the bushes are worn out they will start to leak a lot quicker than usual.
 
Dodgy situation...

Are the forks actually bent? Have to looked at the side on? My old bike had bent forks but it was quite obvious as it had irregular tyre wear, but the ride felt ok.

Fair enough if your forks were bent he has a point. If he sends you out on that bike knowing they're bent and you crash becasue of that, you could bring it all back on him. He's doing himself and you a favour in a way.

If the forks are not bent then he's taking the pee pee. If you're not sure about the forks then get them checked elsewhere. If they are bent, then take the £90 blow. £90 is about 3 hours work by usual rates which seems about right for most bikes with removal and fitting of forks etc. If they aren't bent then take proof to this guy and demand your £90 back I say.

Be wary though that most bike mechanics are riders too and have as many biker friends of you, so don't be digging yourself a hole!
 
Sorry. I don't know if I made it clear. The forks were bent, but I had another set spare, so I took them to him for him to replace the seals and fit to the bike.

As far as I'm aware there is nothing wrong with them. I just can't prove it.

I think in future I'll just spend the time and do the work myself.
 
You shouldn't have paid him as he never actually did any work for you.he just told you that the forks were no good which would be visibly done,2 minutes labour = £90 :eek:
 
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