The car problems continue!

MrSix · 15 Nov 2006 at 11:42

So you've probably read my thread about the owner of the Garage who fitted my gearbox wrecking my synchro.

Well anyway, he told me that it would be ready by today (this was last thursday) and so I called him up, politely enquiring about when it would be ready.

"It not ready, I tell you I call you when it ready."

"Ok, well as I explained it's going to be hard for me to pick it up on Thursday or Friday so do you have any ideas when, just so I can arrange transport?"

"I tell you, I call you, WHY YOU ASK SO MANY QUESTION?!"

"I just need to know so I can arrange when to come and pick it up, as i'll have to get a lift"

"We waiting for gearbox, so if it come today, then we do it for tomorrow, if not, then we not get it ready for tomorrow"

"Alright then, so i'll wait for you call"

"Yes"

"Okay thank a lot"

*He hangs up*

I'm outraged....

I've not been this angry in a long long time, how dare he question me? Who the hell does he think he is? I'm regretting SO badly ever giving him my car to work on and i'm now worried about what sort of job he's going to do to on the car. He's the sort of guy who I wouldn't put it past him to put a nick in my brake pipes, or similar.
I have my guarantee with him so therefore I can't go elsewhere and for him to be liable to pay for any work done elsewhere I have to give him 14 days (it's been 6).

I just don't want him working on my car, it's worrying me that he'll do something sinister and I feel like there's nothing I can do about it.

Firestar_3x · 15 Nov 2006 at 11:45

MrSix said:
and I feel like there's nothing I can do about it.

I'm affraid to say thats about the summary of the whole thing, he has you bent over a barrel, he don't seem to give a **** perhaps its cause you laid into him last time.

Flat4 · 15 Nov 2006 at 11:49

Hi again,

He sounds, from you post, foreign

There is not really a lot you can do at this stage I dont think. It depends how narky you want to get and how quickly. Tomorrow, if it was me, i'd ring late afternoon, or go down there even, and advise him that due to the problems and his attitiude, if the car is not ready by the weekend you will be removing the car from his garage getting it transported to a main dealer to be repaired all at HIS cost as well as claiming your public transport and petrol costs from him based upon 40p a mile.

Hope you get it sorted dude.

agw_01 · 15 Nov 2006 at 11:53

You took photos of the car before you left it with him right?

Take a witness and when you go to pick the car up, check it over completely. Do it there, in front of him.

Get the wheels off, jack it up, get underneath, check the engine bay hoses for leaks etc etc...

Get your witness to keep his eye on him. If he starts asking questions or getting nervous you'll know something's up.

MrSix · 15 Nov 2006 at 12:09

Flat4 said:
Tomorrow, if it was me, i'd ring late afternoon, or go down there even, and advise him that due to the problems and his attitiude, if the car is not ready by the weekend you will be removing the car from his garage getting it transported to a main dealer to be repaired all at HIS cost as well as claiming your public transport and petrol costs from him based upon 40p a mile.

I have to give him 14 days, otherwise I wont have a leg to stand on - spoke to trading standards and that's what they say.

He's British Asian ethnicity and his english isn't so good. The problem I have is that my mum is away in Rome tomorrow and my grandparents aren't around to take me over there. I will definately be checking the car over for marks and scratches and i'll take my camera with me too, so I can document them if there are any at the time.

That sounds like a good idea AGW, I may well do that.
The main problem is that if it goes again (which I have a feeling it will) and all of this has happened, that things will get even nastier.

Nobody in the Warwickshire / Coventry area with some mechanical knowledge who fancies coming down with me is there?

Flat4 · 15 Nov 2006 at 12:16

MrSix said:
I have to give him 14 days, otherwise I wont have a leg to stand on - spoke to trading standards and that's what they say.

OK, well i'm at least glad you spoke to them to get an understanding of where you stand

D4VE · 15 Nov 2006 at 12:29

Very bad attitude, don't be a pushover and let him get the better of you - be strong. Next time you call him make sure you give as good as you take.

MrSix · 15 Nov 2006 at 12:35

I'm not being a pushover, i'm being polite because he's got my car and I dont want him screwing with it. I'll give him twice as good as I get once i've got the keys in my hand and the car is away from him. Trust me.

Firestar_3x · 15 Nov 2006 at 13:27

Deffo taking the right attitude now, just be the bigger man till its all done, once its fixed it might be worth taking it to another garage and getting them to have a look at the work, see if anything is wrong if so get them to right a report and take the guy who 'fixed' your car to court via trading standards etc.

D4VE · 15 Nov 2006 at 13:35

I disagree, I think he'll take the mick more and more becaue he thinks he's getting away with it.

Firestar_3x · 15 Nov 2006 at 15:14

D4VE said:
I disagree, I think he'll take the mick more and more becaue he thinks he's getting away with it.

Rubbish, a rule in life is if you need someone for something you don't treat them like dirt, if you treat someone like dirt do you seriously think they are going to put as much effort in as if you are nice to them.

If i wanted to resolve a problem with you and i was understanding of the issue but at the same time quite clearly not happy but not giving you a piece of your mind, or if i came along calling you every name under the sun and said your work is **** etc how happy would you be.

Which of the above would make you put the most effort in?

D4VE · 15 Nov 2006 at 15:17

lol, what an irrelevent post, where did I say treat him like dirt?

You take a stern but "no nonesense" stance with people and they'll respect you for it.
Mechanics on the whole have a very superior attitude and will not tollerate someone who is a soft touch, you'll get much further showing you are strong, no weak.

But go on, ignore me, I wont bother posting in the thread which comes along in 2 months time saying "Mechanic still has my car what do I do?"

MrSix · 15 Nov 2006 at 15:51

D4VE said:
lol, what an irrelevent post, where did I say treat him like dirt?

You take a stern but "no nonesense" stance with people and they'll respect you for it.
Mechanics on the whole have a very superior attitude and will not tollerate someone who is a soft touch, you'll get much further showing you are strong, no weak.

But go on, ignore me, I wont bother posting in the thread which comes along in 2 months time saying "Mechanic still has my car what do I do?"

I think you've misinterpreted the tone in which I spoke to him. It was polite, to completely counter his rudeness.

I'm playing it cool while he has my car, he knows I want it back ASAP and he's told me thurday or friday. I know that if he keeps it for any longer than 14 days then i'm entitled to recover my car, take it to the nearest dealership, have them carry out the work then let him foot the entire bill. There's no need for me to get arsey with him now because it'll get me nowhere. Once i've got my car and it's all satisfactory then i'll tell him what a theiving, scummy, fat, useless, winkyrider he is.