Problems with car after service

Nonamigo

Sorry if wrong place. Mods, please move if needs be.
I have a problem with my car right after it had been serviced. Just a regular service like oil, filters change etc. So after i got my car back i drove out of the gates of the garage and within 20 meters i heard very weird noise from underneath of the car. I thought i got a puncture or something like that ( been paranoid with punctures now as just a few days ago we were coming back from belfast on my friends car and got a puncture.) Got out at the traffic light, checked the tires, everything ok. So kept driving but heard that same noise a few times more on the way home. When i came home i took a lamp and inspected the bottom of the car. There is a big crack and a loose part is just hanging from the bottom engine cover (or so i think it is, it's just under the engine, plastic kinda thingy). As i said already, been paranoid with punctures and stuff for a while now, so about 2 or 3 days ago i checked the bottom of my car and everything was grand. So it's 100% they broke it in the garage, maybe when changing oil or something. Gave them a ring and the told me to come back tomorrow. But my question is, as there is very little of a chance to prove they broke it, how can i make them change the cover? not just glue it together but change it? i want the same condition as it was in when i brought it in. Any particular place that can help me if they refuse fixing it? Thanks

Where To

First thing I do with every car I buy is get rid of the sump guard. Unless you're jumping bridges Dukes of Hazzard style it's as useful as a tit on a hen.

Bigus

Relax. , its only a plastic tray cover that they left loose,

They had to remove it to get at the oil filter, and didn't secure it back properly.

go back and ask them to fix it, be nice it'll get you further,



What car is it .

Nonamigo

well i was nice on the phone and will be nice tomorrow when i go there unless they refuse to fix it. the problem is they didn't just leave it loose, it's cracked now, one part is secured while almost a half of it just hanging loose, don't know how to better explain it, not an English speaker myself:)


I'ts a megane convertable, 08

visual

Request them to fix or replace the plastic splash guard and contrary to what other posters have said it is needed.
Renault wouldn't have fitted it in the first place if it severed no purpose and wasn't needed. It stops splashes from entering from the bottom and helps keep water and road dirt away from the engine along with helping with the designed airflow.
If they refuse to fix it be nice and request to speak to the manager if he refuse also then you can take the case to the same claims court.

Nonamigo

visual wrote: »

Request them to fix or replace the plastic splash guard and contrary to what other posters have said it is needed.
Renault wouldn't have fitted it in the first place if it severed no purpose and wasn't needed. It stops splashes from entering from the bottom and helps keep water and road dirt away from the engine along with helping with the designed airflow.
If they refuse to fix it be nice and request to speak to the manager if he refuse also then you can take the case to the same claims court.

Thanks. That what I thought. I'm just not sure how to prove that they broke it and not me. But to be fair to the lad on the phone he sounded nice and told me he'll look at it tomorrow. But on the other side he must have known he broke it:(

Sofiztikated

Nonamigo wrote: »

Sorry if wrong place. Mods, please move if needs be.
I have a problem with my car right after it had been serviced. Just a regular service like oil, filters change etc. So after i got my car back i drove out of the gates of the garage and within 20 meters i heard very weird noise from underneath of the car. I thought i got a puncture or something like that ( been paranoid with punctures now as just a few days ago we were coming back from belfast on my friends car and got a puncture.) Got out at the traffic light, checked the tires, everything ok. So kept driving but heard that same noise a few times more on the way home. When i came home i took a lamp and inspected the bottom of the car. There is a big crack and a loose part is just hanging from the bottom engine cover (or so i think it is, it's just under the engine, plastic kinda thingy). As i said already, been paranoid with punctures and stuff for a while now, so about 2 or 3 days ago i checked the bottom of my car and everything was grand. So it's 100% they broke it in the garage, maybe when changing oil or something. Gave them a ring and the told me to come back tomorrow. But my question is, as there is very little of a chance to prove they broke it, how can i make them change the cover? not just glue it together but change it? i want the same condition as it was in when i brought it in. Any particular place that can help me if they refuse fixing it? Thanks

Nonamigo wrote: »

Thanks. That what I thought. I'm just not sure how to prove that they broke it and not me. But to be fair to the lad on the phone he sounded nice and told me he'll look at it tomorrow. But on the other side he must have known he broke it

This is where you'll hit a stumbling block.

A lot can happen in 2 or 3 days. Could possibly have been broken when you went it. Not saying it was, but could have.

Sounds like it wasn't reattached properly, and broke when driving. Just go back in, talk to them, explain that it wasn't reattached properly.

There's no need to get all aggro, or threaten with small claims court yet.

Nonamigo

Well I think I would hear that noise earlier if it got broken before. The fact that I heard it for the first time right after leaving service makes me believe it was broken there, most likely while they were trying to change the oil
Oh and btw I'd rather it fixed tomorrow than going to small claims court.

A-Trak

Where To wrote: »

First thing I do with every car I buy is get rid of the sump guard. Unless you're jumping bridges Dukes of Hazzard style it's as useful as a tit on a hen.

I got rid of mine as well, its only made of fiberglass so was never going to stop me cracking the sump if I met a speed bump at 100kph.
It was also a massive pain in the hole removing and replacing for every oil change.

Kenny Logins

It might just be loose. They do that - I've lost count of the number of MkIV Golfs I've seen with the belly pan dragging.

No drama.

GERMAN ROCKS

i cut a square out of mine to get at the sump plug and can leave it on the whole time now.

Nonamigo

Kenny Logins wrote: »

It might just be loose. They do that - I've lost count of the number of MkIV Golfs I've seen with the belly pan dragging.

No drama.

Well I'm sorry but it is a drama for me. When I bring my car for service I expect it to be in better condition when I take it back, not worse. I pay my money for it. The rear sit in my car doesn't serve any purpose either but it doesn't mean they should have damaged it.
Oh and the part that is loose is broke. There is a crack. They didn't just forget to put it back, they broke it.

Kenny Logins

Nonamigo wrote: »

Well I'm sorry but it is a drama for me. When I bring my car for service I expect it to be in better condition when I take it back, not worse. I pay my money for it. The rear sit in my car doesn't serve any purpose either but it doesn't mean they should have damaged it.
Oh and the part that is loose is broke. There is a crack. They didn't just forget to put it back, they broke it.

Sorry, but I don't think your attitude (I'm sure they didn't break it deliberately. It's a Renault, they break.) will help when dealing with your mechanic, after all you did drive off knowing there was a noise that shouldn't be there. Most people would have turned back, preventing further possible damage.

I honestly don't think they'd have any problem replacing or repairing it, but if you go on the attack they might not be so keen.

Nonamigo

I'm sorry if what I wrote looks like I wrote in anger. As I said I'm not an English speaker and choosing words is a bit of a challenge for me, especially when typing:) as I said I wasnt rude or pushy when I spoke to mechanic and I will be calm and nice tomorrow when I go there again. As for not turning back when I heard the noise....well, when I brought the car in they told me I can collect it at 3.30. Then I got a call that it won't be ready until 4. When I came there at 4 it still wasn't ready. I collected it at 4.45. As it is only a couple of minutes drive to where I live, I decided to check it at home, since I didn't have the puncture as I thought. Gave them a call at 5 and asked if I can bring the car back today but was told their working day is over.

Kenny Logins

Ah, I see. Good luck with it.

mickdw

If the plastic cover is now in poor condition, try to get a replacement, not just a cable tie fix (which is what they will try to do). The funny thing is, if they had tied it up with cable ties before releasing the car, you would never know they broke or damaged it.

It is possible that your cover was in bad condition going in there though. They very often are damaged and some form of tie used to secure them. Unless you were under your car recently, you wouldnt know what condition it was in.

Nonamigo

mickdw wrote: »

If the plastic cover is now in poor condition, try to get a replacement, not just a cable tie fix (which is what they will try to do). The funny thing is, if they had tied it up with cable ties before releasing the car, you would never know they broke or damaged it.

It is possible that your cover was in bad condition going in there though. They very often are damaged and some form of tie used to secure them. Unless you were under your car recently, you wouldnt know what condition it was in.

Yeah as I said I checked it a couple of days ago. I will only accept cable tie fix as a temporary fix, until they replace it with new one. Hopefully there won't be any arguments as the guy on the phone didn't really sound surprised that I found it. Fingers crossed. I will report back tomorrow.

Nissan doctor

The way the plastic cover is made on the megane its pretty impossible to break it while taking it off.

They should undoubtedly have made sure it was secured properly when they were finished but its highly likely that it was cracked already from impact with a speed ramp or similar.

Nonamigo

As promised, a little update on this story. I went in today and had a chat with the lads there. As I was told by the manager there the cover wasn't installed back correctly. So they admitted it was their fault.They fixed it for now but next week they said they will replace it for me. So all in all I'm happy with the outcome but would have been happier if I didn't have to go through this at all. Thanks for your advices lads.