This is going to hurt

[bam_bam]

Ouch.

I’ve asked for a more comprehensive breakdown as £430 for ‘genuine’ parts is a bit vague, I’ve also asked why it’s had a service as unless the plugs were damaged, they were only fitted 1800 miles before, as was the filters. Plus I am at a loss to how the head has cost £1245+vat when there was a recon one on egay for under £700. Why did I need 2 cams, I wasn’t told of any cam damage.

Feel very disheartened right now, as I had said I was on a budget. I’ve lost 3 very costly court cases over my family home and am financially drained. This was like: let’s see what we can do. I’m also stunned at the cost of the battery. 2 years ago my last battery cost £125. it’s like no expense spared kind of thing.
I don’t have the cash atm, I said no rush, and it was done before I could think.

And I supplied the cam belt kit, water pump, aux belt and bufkin pipe (which they didn’t replace by the sounds of it)

Wow. They're railed you dry, with a sprinkle of sand. Can you even walk?

Unless they warned you of a price hike in their hourly ask them to change it back.
Batteries should have a 10yr warranty, well, good ones that are no expense spared kinda things.

Otherwise your face when they rammed it in.

[don0301]

Did you mention in passing to them that you'd lost 3 very costly court cases ?

They've really gone to town on you....

[Mark-RS]

I just don't see how it could possibly cost £5k ? If it wasn't agreed upon up front, you also have a play in court.

I had my VR6 in a garage several years ago and was expecting a bill of about £350, when I went to collect it they wanted nearly £1400 ! I refused and just took my keys and went. They chased me in the small claims court and I went along with it.

We sat in a room and the judge heard both of our stories and then asked the garage owner if he could provide a written contract between the 2 parties with my signed consent for the work to be carried out. Since he couldn't give it, as it never existed and I never agreed to it, the judge said there was no claim to be made. He said I could pay what I felt was fair in my eyes. So i paid £700 as even though I didn't agree to anything, they did at least do the work, I covered the cost of all of the parts and the labour only for the work I originally had agreed to, and that was it.

[Ben_r1]

They need to authorise any additional work with yourself including potential cost, your only legally obliged to pay for what you have prior agreed to. Simples

[JimRS6]

I’ve drafted an email to them. It’s complicated by the garage owner being the son of friends of mine, however the manager, who essentially dealt with me over the phone etc is just an employee.

So it’s got to be dealt with using kids gloves

[Ben_r1]

If your with the AA or RAC you should have some basic legal advice as standard, give them a bell and explain the situation.
I’ve used RACs legal advice multiple times in the past and they’ve even drafted letters for me and all sorts.

[JimRS6]

So update: they’ve been quite petulant and removed the new battery, that was effectively costing me £80 more than in ECP.

They’ve reduced the labour rate to £50ph + vat, as a goodwill gesture, despite them arguing that it was advertised in their office that they were increasing the cost on 1st May. (Invoice had increase from 1st April)

They haven’t answered why I wasn’t consulted on the expenditure on parts over the £500+vat originally quoted. They removed the cams on 28th March, I visited on 5th April, and they at no point told me my cams weren’t serviceable.

They say that the gearbox oil cooler line was shown to me, which it was, and he said it was a pig to undo, didn’t say he was replacing it.

They are arguing the toss, so I’m gonna chuck £2k at them and take the car, I’m not giving them warning that I’m taking the car in case it gets sabotaged. Turns out someone else I know had issues with them, he wanted camber adjusted, they just put it on wheel alignment and did nothing, and brought up issues with his air intake......????

He didn’t pay his (very small) bill.

I’m a bit puzzled about 32hours work, as that’s engine in and out time, yet they didn’t take the engine out, which means they haven’t done the bufkin pipe mod that I asked for.

They said a service is routine for them, well not if the customer doesn’t want it; as I’m not entirely sure of the quality of oil, plugs etc they’ve used. They’ve also put 20l of supermarket unleaded 97 inand charged me for, when it was only ran on vpower.

Apparently the owner is likely to get bolshy and try to bully me according to the person who had issues with them.

[srichards]

A plague of wasps upon all their houses!

Pay with credit card. Then you can get a refund for any work that's substandard or needs correcting later.

[JimRS6]

Well I’ve got it back, it wasn’t a pleasant experience and had to call the police.
They handed me the key, before discussing payment, I offered an interim payment until issues are resolved and I was satisfied the car was running properly. They declined and the office guy got nasty trying to take the key out of my hands, Mum said she’d deal with the money and I was to go, so ran to the car as he’d called the mechanics to come deal with me. Got assaulted by one of them as I was getting in my car, as he wanted to stop me taking my car and get my key. I eventually managed to lock myself in the car but they blocked me in. Had to call police. Was accused of being a liar over what was agreed. The owner wasn’t aware that there had been email communication.
He backed right out of it.
Police made me pay for it in full and advised I had to go to court to recover the money. So I’ve had to finance at 1000pm with a company to pay the bill.
The office guy was also threatening to have me done for driving illegally as no MOT. Fortunately I’d booked in with my Brother In Law at his garage.
Not a pleasant experience and police told me I could be prosecuted for attempting to leave without paying and that assaulting someone is legal if that’s the case!!!
A mate used them 2 weeks ago, and had a similar experience when he questioned work being done, they got all aggressive with him.

However my car is in for its MOT as we speak, and I’ve driven for the first time in nearly 15 months

[Shoppinit]

Well, fcuk.

What is this place so I make sure I never give them any business?

[Weiß-sechs]

What a bunch of strokers...
Name & shame!

[JimRS6]

Update: off to Citizens Advice. Going to launch one on the garage.

Plus seek compensation for damage to the rear bench.

What utter kn0b chucks parts on the seats....???

I’ve also run in so far at 300miles, all seems fine.

[JimRS6]

Garage is Audi 4 u in Somerset

[Shoppinit]

Appalling.

[Mark-RS]

Just one thing to add, the police are wrong about you having to pay before leaving. Not sure if I stated somewhere before on this thread, if there is no written and agreed (Signed) contract for the work to be carried out, then you simply do not have to pay. It's then up to THEM, not you to pursue for costs.

I'm not sure how this will go from here on in, as you have now already paid the bill, which may be seen as you agreeing to it. You may find it hard to recover the costs. But I really hope things go well for you. At least we now have a garage to strike off the list ! Make sure it's shared far and wide, join as many Facebook groups as you can and other social media outlets. Hit them hard.