bad garage

[remy870]

hi there,,not a landrover issue but something i thought i would get some opinions on...aswell as 2 series landrovers i also drive an 03 corsa sxi..and back in november it went to a local garage to have the head gasket replaced/head skim etc after i discovered emulsified oil/water in the oil filler cap..so having had the work done and paying £400 i was very annoyed to have the car overheat on me about 5 days later because there was a coolant leak off an elbow.i took the car back and they fixed the leak but just before xmas i noticed it was using coolant alot and id had to put 1 litre in the expansion tank since getting it back.so back to the garage it went and they have told me theres nothing wrong with the car and go away..today i took it to a different garage and 2 mechanics there put it on the ramp and immediately said that there was a massive oil leak from the side of the head and also by looking at the leading edge of the head it was obvious the head hadnt been skimmed,the car is still there and is being investigated next week.what can i do??? what are my options here?? obviousley the car will have to be repaired and this will cost me again but how do i stand with the other garage who didnt do the work?? any ideas would be gratefully recieved.right now i feel like going down there and punching someone,

[Swingletree]

Go back to the original garage with a quote for the work from the second garage.

Be calm and polite but stand your ground. Ask for evidence that they had the head skimmed. (They should have a trade receipt?) Tell them that you will be consulting trading standards about the matter and ask them if they would like to make you any sort of reconciliatory offer. Make sure you take notes of exactly what was said by who as you can later refer to them when you phone trading standards.

Good luck

[TEMPL4R]

If it says on the invoice breakdown " Head skimmed £xx.xx" and it hasn't been done, Trading Standards will take up your case.

I should say, I doubt the head gasket was gone in the first place, Corsas ( and Vauxhalls in general) have always left a water/oil emulsion in the filler caps. Chevettes and Vivas were always like that, even in the 1970s and 80s. Quite a few makes do it, usually when the car isn't doing reasonable trip miles, (getting regular oil changes) and warming up properly.

Did they clean it out and check for leaks in the water system or just say the HG was gone?

The twin cam engines do leak badly from the seal on the top cam cover, we change them regularly. If they didn't fit a new seal, it will leak.

Get legal advice/ Trading Standards.

Chris

[remy870]

hi again..in answer to chris,when i first took the car to the original garage the mechanic took one quick look in the oil filler cap and said "yep head gaskets gone" and with that i let them repair it..i must say that the car hadnt been using coolant before the work was done and when i took it to the garage where i left it yesterday the mechanic lifted it up on the ramp and the oil leak was unbelievable,and it looked like it was coming from the head area,so the car is still there now as its undrivable in its present condition,the condition it was delivered beck to me in by the orininal garage on xmas eve.i rang the garage yesterday and told them that it was now at a diferent garage and 3 mechanics had looked at it and were 99.9% sure by looking at the leading edge of the head from below that it had not been skimmed and the woman in the garage said it had been skimmed and if i wasnt happy to take it up with theyre insurance company and hung up on me?? so im waiting for the engine to be pressure tested on monday and then the head will be taken off to prove if it has been skimmed...im £400 pounds out of pocket with perhaps another £700 repair bill to pay for work that my 11 year old son could of done better...i feel like fire bombing the place..

[philburt]

What garage was it - make sure no else risks such crappy service.
We can all meke mistakes but if they are not dealt with properly then they should be put out of business (and beaten with iron bars:eek:).

[TEMPL4R]

Very few engines mix oil and water.

K series obviously, but that is because of the rubber seals around the head bolt holes. Water leaks into the sump usually, but can get oil into the coolant. The sump oil turns grey or creamy and the level rises.

Over head cam engines when the oil feed can blow through to a water way, that pumps the oil into the coolant, you can't miss that one. Mainly K series again.

If it has an oil cooler ( heat exchanger is the proper name) that uses water as the cooling medium, via the radiator, a block mounted on the oil filter housing, etc. White oil is usually an autobox problem, that shows up by signs of slipping when you try to drive. Black goo is engine oil.

The Rover V8 can leak from the inlet and down the valley, that gives water in the sump.

Loosing water is more often because of a leak, water pump, rad, hose, etc. Overheating can be loss of water, thermostat not opening, blocked radiator, etc.

No professional mechanic takes a filler cap off and diagnoses a failed head gasket. You always confirm with other symptoms.

If it doesn't use water, doesn't overheat, but you have a bit of muck on a filler cap or in a breather, it's not getting warm enough and only doing short runs probably, but very, very doubtful that the HG has gone.

Taking the head off a modern car can be a big commitment, so we need to be absolutely correct in diagnosing a problem. A Vee or a Boxer engine is twice the work.

Chris

[remy870]

just to say the garage in question is called K COOPERS of sawtry,cambs...im still waiting for the diagnosis from the place i left te car,but rest assured these people wont get away with it,im going to right a letter to the local paper as well,

[Lighting90]

Have you spoken with or written to the garage owner explaining your problem with the service they have provided. Not unknown for a bad mechanic to hide mistakes from his boss...

Which garage have you got the car with now? Is it a garage in competition with this first garage, or have you gone further a field.

[Llanigraham]

Do not write to the local paper!!
1 They will probably not publish it anyway.
2 If you name the garage you are risking yourself a libel action.

Get a statement from your new garage stating what has, hasn't and should have been done and take that to the loacl Trading Standards Dept. Get them involved quickly.

Notify the offending garage, by recorded delivery, that you are going to pursue them for rectification and correction work, and that if neccessary you will consider legal proceedings if they do not recompense you.

[remy870]

right everybody the story continues...today ive rang the garage who are now fixing my car and they have taken pictures of the head which hadnt been skimmed and also have a report from the company they use stating that in there opinion the head has never been skimmed,the head was also loose which was causing the oil leak from the cylider head/block...it should be ready on thursday,,now ive just rang trading standards and they have emailed me a template letter which i have to send recorded delivery to K COOPERS [the bad garage!] and say that i am seeking refund for work that hasnt been carried out etc..i have also just rung them to say that my car was almost FUBAR thanks to them as most of the oil had leaked out,and the woman who runs the place said that i knew my car was leaking oil and wasnt bothered?? that is a blatant lie from her and then she said that apparently im renowned where i live for having work done on my car then moaning about it,even saying i had complained about GRAVELEY GARAGE [the place where the car is being fixed,some 15miles away] even though they have never worked on this car only ever doing my MOTs before.when i asked her who runs GRAVELEY GARAGE who i had been complaining about she got the owners name wrong,yes i know its getting complicated but this woman is doing her best to p**s me off now and i can see myself having to take them to the small claims court to get my 400 quid back..if you live anywhere near huntingdon/peterborough use this garage at your own risk...her attitude towards me was so "couldnt give a toss" any decent place would honour any work they have done.i will get my money back even if i have to beat it out of her fat ****.NOT HAPPY,NOT ONE BIT
,,

[philburt]

Good for you mate! Dont let the fu**ers get away with it.
If all else fails take petty revenge any way you can. A bit of superglue in all their locks will fu*k em up for a few hours - childish but satisfying!:angel3: ......:evilgrin:
........................:rolleyes: