Bodhi
Once agreed with Scouse and a LibDem at same time
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2003
- Messages
- 9,445
As you may now, I recently bought a Fiat. It has mostly been all good apart from a random starting issue (which is looking like a problem with the immobiliser), but last week I heard a horrible rattling noise coming from under the bonnet whenever I depressed the clutch. Sounds like a release bearing issue I thought, which is covered under the Mechanical Breakdown Insurance I got with the car. So I booked it into a garage near work who agreed to inspect the car then contact the warranty company, and they agreed it was probably a mechanical breakdown and all was fine. Day before I was planning on taking it in the noise got really bad, and I couldn't select any gears. I didn't have a hope of getting it into Newcastle to Arnold Clark (always had great service from them up North), so I phoned em to apologise and booked into a local garage in Stone as that was as far as I could get it recovered. I made the same arrangements with this garage, check out to see if it's covered under the MBI, if not ring me. No problem they said, so I get the AA to tow me there and the car is left til its appointment and I've been on the bus.
Fast forward to today, the day the car went in. I rang the garage at lunchtime to check on my poor wounded Punto's progress. I spoke to the secretary, who informed me they were just waiting on a part from Fiat and they'd let me know when it was ready. Fast forward to 5:15, I get a call from the garage. I can't take it as I'm on the phone at work, so I call them back straight after. I say "So I assume there were no problems with the warranty company then?" only to be replied with "What warranty company?"
I BEG YOUR FUCKING PARDON??????
Now the entire reason I wanted them to check first, was becuase if the warranty company didn't cover it, I was going to leave it til after my court date next week - no point paying to fix a car I can't drive. However the garage have steamed in and started the job without getting clearance first, so if it isn't covered I'll be faced with a £300+ bill (the garage still haven't given me a quote on the work, just said it will be well above £300). They have also tried to fob me off by saying it's taken so long as its a "9 year old car, things take longer to take off and put on a 9 year old car than one that's a few years old".
Now what are my rights here? I never gave them the authorisation to start any chargeable work, in fact told them not to until they had informed me.
They seem to have come up with an absolute horsehit story as to why it's taken more than a day to fix and are about to present me with a bill I have no intention of paying and indeed, no ability to pay. That's kinda why I got the MBI.
Fast forward to today, the day the car went in. I rang the garage at lunchtime to check on my poor wounded Punto's progress. I spoke to the secretary, who informed me they were just waiting on a part from Fiat and they'd let me know when it was ready. Fast forward to 5:15, I get a call from the garage. I can't take it as I'm on the phone at work, so I call them back straight after. I say "So I assume there were no problems with the warranty company then?" only to be replied with "What warranty company?"
I BEG YOUR FUCKING PARDON??????
Now the entire reason I wanted them to check first, was becuase if the warranty company didn't cover it, I was going to leave it til after my court date next week - no point paying to fix a car I can't drive. However the garage have steamed in and started the job without getting clearance first, so if it isn't covered I'll be faced with a £300+ bill (the garage still haven't given me a quote on the work, just said it will be well above £300). They have also tried to fob me off by saying it's taken so long as its a "9 year old car, things take longer to take off and put on a 9 year old car than one that's a few years old".
Now what are my rights here? I never gave them the authorisation to start any chargeable work, in fact told them not to until they had informed me.
They seem to have come up with an absolute horsehit story as to why it's taken more than a day to fix and are about to present me with a bill I have no intention of paying and indeed, no ability to pay. That's kinda why I got the MBI.
