Dodgy repair guy. What would you do?

badbrian

Here's one for you.
My wife's car had a warning light on and I decided to get it fixed. No worries - brought it up to a local guy -used before for a small job - before we went away for a few days. Hadn't been serviced in a while so left it with him and off we went. Rang the next day to see what the damage would be - €190 including the service. Fair enough I said.
Said they could drop it down if they couldn't store it (we are literally only a few hundred yards away) and I would settle up when we got back.

Anyway we came back and I go to collect the car (they kept it). Asked what work had been done and settled up. Paid cash and as he said he hadn't an invoice book handy I didn't mind.

Terrible smell of smoke in the car (neither of us smoke) and no petrol. Go home and checked when we last filled it up through the visa card and know there must have been nearly half a tank. I really wouldn't have cared about this. Obviously this guy is a cowboy and someone was driving the car when we were away (i guesstimate they did between 80-120 miles). No biggie - I don't get stressed about too much. He has lost a customer and we have been done out of approx a third of a tank of petrol. However the wife then points out there is a big scratch on the rear right door which wasn't there before.

Now this is not a new car, used as a second car, and only probably not even worth a grand. It's not worth getting dints or dents repaired and it is very unlikely that the repair guy is unlikely to be affiliated to SIMI or anything.

I can't actually prove that they had it unless I ask for an invoice which I can still do as I haven't challenged him on why this car was being driven around extensively while left in his care.

Would you bother challenging him and what would you hope to expect out of it? Cheers for any replies. I realise that I made some fundamental errors here but when you know the car is unlikely to last much longer I wasn't unduly concerned during the process.

drdre

He has lost a customer anyway, so the best thing is go and tell him about the scratch,petrol, milage and smoke in the car and see what he says. I think he might have given this to a customer to drive until their car is fixed.so go and talk to him and see what he says but do it asap because the earlier the better.

Fey!

I'm with drdre on this. Say it to the guy, and ask for a receipt (with a VAT breakdown if you want to really rib him!)

Does look like the car was given to someone, so you may want to check any parking or speeding fines that arrive in the post. Get your receipt to state the times and dates he had the car for, and make sure it's on headed paper (and signed by him), just in case you need to prove anything to anyone later. (This may appear to be overkill, but cover your backside anyway).

Car Mad

80 or 100 miles wouldnt be that much.could of been doing some testing but as you say it was only a warning light. €190 for a services seems a fair bit to me but it depends what was done.(it probably would be more in the garage) if you did challenge him i doubt you would get anything off him.unless he was genuine enough to say he was driving the car scratched it and takes something off the bill.if i were you i would ask around see if anybody else uses the mechanic any stories of bad work etc.i would also get someone to look at the car make sure it was serviced and the likes try and find out what the burning smell is.and for gods sakes people dont go to a mechanic you dont know or trust your just asking for trouble.at least ask around first.

michaelanthony

Car Mad wrote:

80 or 100 miles wouldnt be that much.could of been doing some testing but as you say it was only a warning light. €190 for a services seems a fair bit to me but it depends what was done.(it probably would be more in the garage) if you did challenge him i doubt you would get anything off him.unless he was genuine enough to say he was driving the car scratched it and takes something off the bill.if i were you i would ask around see if anybody else uses the mechanic any stories of bad work etc.i would also get someone to look at the car make sure it was serviced and the likes try and find out what the burning smell is.and for gods sakes people dont go to a mechanic you dont know or trust your just asking for trouble.at least ask around first.

Blacken his name.

Mr Magnolia

michaelanthony wrote:

Blacken his name.

Yup, totally agree. Chat to him first though.

badbrian

Thanks for all the advice guys. I went and asked for a receipt. I was given this no problem and I specified to put the date the service was done and the day the car was collected (I never considered prior to the replies that someone could incur fines/ points we would be liable for - cheers for that).
Once I got it I mentioned it seemed to me that the car must have been driven while we were away. He said he drove it home a couple of nights (this is a 10 yr old car?? - I didn't think to ask why). In fairness to him he said he would look at the the items I brought up (in addition to the scratch the driver mirror won't adjust anymore).

Anyhow I'll be more careful going forward. But many thanks for the helpful comments.

Brian