93 replies to this topic

[mingy]

Sorry to hear you are having a problem with this garage but, i agree with most folks on here and that is, take some pics of it in the position it has been left and then remove it.

I am a bit far away to lend a hand but i would willingly do just that if i lived closer. Surely there are some folks on here that are nearby who could help a young lad remove the car and give him some moral support as well.

 

 

 

Come on folks.............. 

[MiniGrin]

Thanks for the great response guys, didnt think it was too unreasonable  

So im thinking ill call around at the other local garage and see if he is happy to take it on. I would take it to my normal specialist but thats 30 miles away :S The other guy may be better.

 

I normally try and do as much as possible my self and whatever I cant do I take to a very very good mini specialist just off Sheffield parkway. As it broke down on me I had to call out the RAC and couldn't remember the specialist address. The normal local garage I go to from time to time (the other one) is difficult to get to and RAC guy couldn't get to it :S so we took it to the one its at thinking its just CV joints, fairly easy.... turned out to be more.

 

A few issues that I can see with taking it out is:

- I know from experience my dad has had recently that if i car is stood in the damp for months they act up and don't run right. If i take it out he can blame others, if its not right. When its fixed by him, he can put it right for nowt!

- As they have when they first got given it took the engine out to see whats up (and left it outside for a few weeks) before placing it back in and leaving it for months, its not really moveable atm.

Been a bit of a pain for transport, i work 37 miles away, its 4 buses each way :/ ive turned down 14 nights out 4 football matches, and the big party thrown in town for all my class to celebrate our A level results..... I was the only one not to go :/ Plus with my work I work odd hours.

Particularly annoying as prior to the garage it was a show winning modified minter :/ now its rusted, gone mouldy and scratched :/ not half disheartening to go and see your pride and joy rotting, with flat tyres, half in a bush and condensation and mould on the windows and interior.

Edited by MiniGrin, 03 January 2014 - 09:28 PM.

[Robmitch916]

This is ridiculous. I would let him know that in 2 or 3 days you will be removing your car. This will give him time to
A , get the work done
B . Get it ready to be taken

3 months is a crime. I know some guy that did a total resto in that time including engine.
You need to let him know sooner rather than later.

[greenwheels]

Lots of advice here - I'd go an see them, you are entitled to compensation, you have been severely inconvenienced and the way your Mini has been neglected is appallng: -

http://www.advicegui..._services_e.htm

Be prepared when you go to pick the car up, stick to your guns, have a plan, i.e. take photos, have a trailer, don't go alone, tell him you are taking it to a place where it will be inspected and a report produced, and then you will speak to him again. Discuss this/your plan with the people above.

 

Also good info here

http://www.which.co....-what-can-i-do-

 

I know it's a difficult time for you and it's easy for us to talk, but we are all behind you. Get some local support.

[Jase]

Trading standards, remove it and report.

[MiniGrin]

Thanks for all the great advice and thanks for the link greenwheels. But as I never specified a time i dont think it would apply, i just sort of said........ fix it. 

I have contacted another garage in the village and he has said he will go and get it sorted for me as he knows the guy, he has said he WILL work on it next week, so this new guy sounds to be getting it sorted, we will see if it has next week.

[greenwheels]

Thanks for all the great advice and thanks for the link greenwheels. But as I never specified a time i dont think it would apply, i just sort of said........ fix it. 

I have contacted another garage in the village and he has said he will go and get it sorted for me as he knows the guy, he has said he WILL work on it next week, so this new guy sounds to be getting it sorted, we will see if it has next week.

I think you will find that 'fix it' legally means in a professional way, to a professional standard in a reasonable time.

[tom1]

Hi ,Please let us know when it has gone . Then let us know how he was, so no one has the same problem !

[jaydee]

Bushes? Condensation?

Remove the car ASAP, its an mpi, it will rust and the dash will be ruined.

Save your car.

[Gerbil367]

It doesn't really matter that you didn't specify a time - even Trading Standards would agree that 3 months is extreme!  Take the advice of the guys above and get the car to a better place and repaired - don't take any crap either about storage charges!  He sounds too dodgy to be allowed near a mini again!  Good luck and I hope you get her back on the road soon.

[surfblue]

If I lived close to you I'd willingly supply my Discovery and transporter to shift it for you. I'm sure there's someone nearby would do so for you as well.

Good luck, hope it all goes well.

[wile e coyote]

Absolutely agree - get the car retrieved and delivered to someone a bit more energetic......and doubtless competent...

 

But..... it's worth recounting a bit of my own recent experience - my daily drive is a hideous semi auto astra (absolutely nothing to recommend it barring amazing fuel economy)...I haven't had cause to call out the AA in 30 years of being a member (I did once but they took so long I'd fixed the car by the time they arrived) - couple of months ago commuting to work in the space of 5 seconds went from happily pootling along to dead as a dodo - locked in gear right in the middle of a main road into Bristol in rush hour...AA summoned, by the time they arrived I'd worked out it was the gearbox actuator.... truly useless, cue another hour's wait for the lift truck - who took it to a local gearbox specialist....who I'd teed up with 20 mins notice...

 

Garage were very very busy but took it in - 2 weeks passed - but that I was fine with as couldn't expect them to crack on with it when they were booked solid way in advance - sure enough actuator duff - reluctant to pay for a new one - I wanted it sent away for refurb - garage fine with this - they packed it up sent and had it back, refitted and hey presto fixed - I could get back to being a slob as opposed to a 30 mile round trip cycle to work - took 5 weeks in all. I checked in / called every week as I knew the job wasn't exactly the most lucrative.....

 

The object of recounting tedious tale - is talk to your garage (three months is taking the pi** - no doubt) - calm , reason and clearly discussed and agreed expectations lead to a happier experience....and lower bills generally....

 

If you're confident this establishment can do the job - then deadline time looms in the morning - preferably drop in in person than phone - you're harder to fob off then!......... Don't go in all guns blazing - yet...

 

It's (sorry) largely down to you here by the sound of things - action / agreed deadlines should have been agreed way before now....

 

Best of luck with things!!!!

 

(ps do late models really degrade / dissolve that quickly??????)

[MiniGrin]

Update on it, he has taken it up to his garage to work on, Called up there today, was pleasantly surprised to see it being worked on! the front end was off and various parts including the drive shafts on a work bench with them working on it. Buuuut that's where the good news ends, the gear box is dead so a new one is needed. I thought they had one pre ordered, they haven't so im expecting a week or so wait for that. Also it has to go down to the original people as this new guy doesn't have engine lifting equipment. Its nice to know he is working on it at last, but im guessing another few weeks wait :/ 

Yep I should have set a deadline originally but just sort of expected them to fix it And yea the last few years they used some awful quality metal to make them, its also been restored using some non genuine parts, looks great just as good as genuine, but needless to say the rust proofing is even less.

[MiniGrin]

Another Update. Things have moved on... and then seemingly backwards again.
The car is back at the original garage, the other has sent it back down as he didn't have engine lifting equipment (id have thought this pretty basic equip for a professional garage, but anyway), so its back at the 3 month no work done garage. SHOCKING NEWS, after 2 weeks of not doing owt he removed the engine, split the gearbox AND sent it off to a gearbox specialist all in one day after I nagged the hell out of him. this was just over a week ago now...... no sign of anything more happening.
I went down there this Friday to see what's going on, (this is at 3.00 pm - left work a little early to do this) to see no one around, so I had a bit of a poke about my car.

 

I found the bonnet left open, (in high winds and generally bad conditions), and exposed electrics underneath (no engine in), my steering lock off, parts of engine - dirty parts - on my seats, water in the foot wells, yet more rust and most worryingly the passenger door unlocked. This is in an unsecure yard next to a main road where the local chavs like to congregate. (before anyone gets any ideas about a free MPI shell I went home got my spare keys and locked the car up and placed the bonnet shut).

So its now 3 months and 3 weeks ish, ive missed 15 nights out with my mates (now at uni so I rarely get to see them), 3 monthly car meets, various runs out. and have been scrounging lifts to get to and from work. I know I should remove it but its passed the point of no return now I think, and im sure he will eventually do the car in the next week.... I hope. Just thought a good rant on here about his levels of customer service and car care, not to mention time keepings, was due, plus ranting makes me fell a little better

 

[Steely]

A busy mini garage had my mini for a month but that was to do the entire engine including the gearbox and lots of cleaning and painting.