And ask the RAC for a written report of what they found and what they advised ...
Did you get an accident report for little 'tap' they had ? Was whoever drove covered to do so ? or was he on a 'coffee run' ?
And ask the RAC for a written report of what they found and what they advised ...
Did you get an accident report for little 'tap' they had ? Was whoever drove covered to do so ? or was he on a 'coffee run' ?
it should be an insurance claim, with work done to insurance standards.. i can't imagine the insurer would let the garage carry out the work themselves :/
awkwardbob
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Ok so a number of things, ideas and notions have come and gone today.
I’ve decided that I’ll change and bleed the brakes myself before checking abs then, if safe, driving it to a specialist where I have it booked in for Wed.
My questions about this are, how best to drain / flush the fluid ? Do I open that lower bleed nipple and just let it empty ? Or do I keep topping it up
So it never goes below min ?
Or, should I be draining it from a caliper ? (Lowest point ?)
hopefully that will Alleviate the most immediate problem and I can get the rest checked by a grown up.
As to the damage, I’m unhappy with the repair but I don’t know how to claim. Should it be on the Garage’s insurance or ours ? -with ours claiming back from theirs ?
they’ve tried to repair the bumper but it’s still lumpy and it doesn’t sit quite right and the fog light is in pieces.
Not happy.
I’ve not paid the garage for anything yet, they did do some remedial work to the front prop shaft and fitted some parts I handed in but other than than that (and crashing my car) they did nothing.
RAC say we have them by the balls and could call in DVSA and VOSA and throw the book at them. That they should have to pay for all the repairs and that we shouldn’t be out of pocket.
if I’m honest, I just want my car to work and be shot of this garage. I don’t want to ‘punish’ them but I’m also scared that they could do this to someone else.
never again !
Bob
Ok so a number of things, ideas and notions have come and gone today.
I’ve decided that I’ll change and bleed the brakes myself before checking abs then, if safe, driving it to a specialist where I have it booked in for Wed.
My questions about this are, how best to drain / flush the fluid ? Do I open that lower bleed nipple and just let it empty ? Or do I keep topping it up
So it never goes below min ?
Or, should I be draining it from a caliper ? (Lowest point ?)
hopefully that will Alleviate the most immediate problem and I can get the rest checked by a grown up.
As to the damage, I’m unhappy with the repair but I don’t know how to claim. Should it be on the Garage’s insurance or ours ? -with ours claiming back from theirs ?
they’ve tried to repair the bumper but it’s still lumpy and it doesn’t sit quite right and the fog light is in pieces.
Not happy.
I’ve not paid the garage for anything yet, they did do some remedial work to the front prop shaft and fitted some parts I handed in but other than than that (and crashing my car) they did nothing.
RAC say we have them by the balls and could call in DVSA and VOSA and throw the book at them. That they should have to pay for all the repairs and that we shouldn’t be out of pocket.
if I’m honest, I just want my car to work and be shot of this garage. I don’t want to ‘punish’ them but I’m also scared that they could do this to someone else.
never again !
Bob
When I replaced my rear pipes, I drained using a vacuum pump on the calipers. Gets most of the fluid out, and the residual should be ejected during bleeding.
Regarding the garage, definitely get a written report from RAC. Then phone a solicitor (initial phone consultations usually free), and decide about VOSA, etc.
Regarding the garage, definitely get a written report from RAC. Then phone a solicitor (initial phone consultations usually free), and decide about VOSA, etc.
awkwardbob
Well-Known Member
Yeah, RAC report says they returned the car in an undrivable condition
brianp38dse
Well-Known Member
They should be having the damage repaired on there insurance or paying a proper bodyshop to sort it.
tomcat59alan
Well-Known Member
My advice is don't touch it!!
I agree, they'll need to see it as it left the garages possession. Anything you do can be fingered as your own doing or misleading..
awkwardbob
Well-Known Member
Well in the end I couldn’t do it, I just couldn’t get my fingers in there, it was too fiddly for my sausage fingers.
perhaps if the coolant reservoir wasn’t there I could get in but I think I’ll just need to get it transported the 20 miles to the specialist.
Hopefully the garage is open tomorrow so I can tear him a new one
perhaps if the coolant reservoir wasn’t there I could get in but I think I’ll just need to get it transported the 20 miles to the specialist.
Hopefully the garage is open tomorrow so I can tear him a new one
I'm really sorry for you mate, both myself and my son know how this feels when anso called responsable professionnel passes you off as if its not a big thing and it's a normal way to behave... Much better he rang you and said "I'm sorry we were unable to rectify the problem and there has been an incedent with your car" not the greatest way to say or it the best line over the phone but to pass it off as that'll do never does.
I hope you get all the help you need from the correct people
+1. It must be as you received it. Don't touch a thing. Both RAC and your insurance company will have legal advice. Let them do what they're laid for.
For future reference the coolant reservoir just unclips.
tomcat59alan
Well-Known Member
Was it a proper garage? They should be insured.
awkwardbob
Well-Known Member
Hi folks.
ok so, a somewhat satisfactory conclusion, although more by luck than judgement.
We went to speak with the garage owner yesterday morning and, although he initially denied any wrongdoing, when confronted with the RAC report he caved and apologised.
I asked him again about the bleeding procedure and, sure enough, he had only bled the calipers -and hadn’t touched the three bleed nipples on
The modulator at all -in fact he wasn’t even aware they were there.
i was a bit miffed as I’d mentioned the complex procedure and offered print-outs from Rave on at least three occasions but he assured me
He knew what he was doing -which he now admits he didn’t.
they came and collected the car and we went back and went through the bleed procedure line by line. There was an alarming amount of air in the modulator.
after this, we gave it a thorough road test and it’s much, much better -although still has an ABS fault (front sensors).
in the end he waived all charges (he had done some welding and replaced a few parts) and apologised profusely, I genuinely think he got a bit of a fright and will think twice before a repeat performance.
the car is now at a specialist who reckon it’s in good nick but needs two
New ABS sensors.
the only thing I felt on the drive to
The new garage was a very slight ‘chirp’ or ‘flutter’ from the brake pedal as it slows down to the last few mph. -hopefully that’s not anything to worry about.
I suppose the moral of the story is to try and use a garage / mechanic you trust (although this one was recommended).
The difficult bit was actually whether to invoke VOSA and DVSA as what happened could have been lethal. If I thought there was a chance this could happen again to an unsuspecting pundit I wouldn’t hesitate but I think the situation was ‘unusual’ and also that lessons have been learned.
we’ll see what the specialist throws up other than two new sensors !
and I need a good drink !
thanks again for all your help and support through this sorry affair.
Bob
ps. I’ve ordered the metal Washer repair kit and a second hand modulator so I can have a rebuilt unit ready to Swap in - as that Washer failure issue is terrifying
ok so, a somewhat satisfactory conclusion, although more by luck than judgement.
We went to speak with the garage owner yesterday morning and, although he initially denied any wrongdoing, when confronted with the RAC report he caved and apologised.
I asked him again about the bleeding procedure and, sure enough, he had only bled the calipers -and hadn’t touched the three bleed nipples on
The modulator at all -in fact he wasn’t even aware they were there.
i was a bit miffed as I’d mentioned the complex procedure and offered print-outs from Rave on at least three occasions but he assured me
He knew what he was doing -which he now admits he didn’t.
they came and collected the car and we went back and went through the bleed procedure line by line. There was an alarming amount of air in the modulator.
after this, we gave it a thorough road test and it’s much, much better -although still has an ABS fault (front sensors).
in the end he waived all charges (he had done some welding and replaced a few parts) and apologised profusely, I genuinely think he got a bit of a fright and will think twice before a repeat performance.
the car is now at a specialist who reckon it’s in good nick but needs two
New ABS sensors.
the only thing I felt on the drive to
The new garage was a very slight ‘chirp’ or ‘flutter’ from the brake pedal as it slows down to the last few mph. -hopefully that’s not anything to worry about.
I suppose the moral of the story is to try and use a garage / mechanic you trust (although this one was recommended).
The difficult bit was actually whether to invoke VOSA and DVSA as what happened could have been lethal. If I thought there was a chance this could happen again to an unsuspecting pundit I wouldn’t hesitate but I think the situation was ‘unusual’ and also that lessons have been learned.
we’ll see what the specialist throws up other than two new sensors !
and I need a good drink !
thanks again for all your help and support through this sorry affair.
Bob
ps. I’ve ordered the metal Washer repair kit and a second hand modulator so I can have a rebuilt unit ready to Swap in - as that Washer failure issue is terrifying
FFS.
As Clint would say: "a man's gotta know his limitations".
Bad RAC report can kill a garage. Mind you, his ignorance could have killed you. What will it take next time?
