garage ripoff where do i stand

[flick123]

my mom has a mini and on three different occasions within the last 10 months she has taken it to the same garage for repairs on clutch/gearbox the last time it was in for repairs they had the car for 3 months the total bill for the 3 repairs comes to £1200, she drove the car for 2 miles and the clutch /gearbox seems to have gone yet again, where does she stand with regards to getting the garage to do acceptable repairs on a job they say have already been done, if they refuse to do it for free should trading standards be informed?

[quizgirl_65]

This is a tricky one.... Did she have any paperwork from them after the repairs had been done, to guarantee their workmanship? If so, she should be entitled to repairs to be carried out free of charge.
3 months sounds an awfully long time for them to have a car, especially a mini! Has she used the garage before? Are the garage a member of a Trade Association e.g Motor Vehicle repairers association? If so contact them. If she gets no luck with the garage in completing the repairs free of charge, then try and ring Consumer Direct for advice. Telephone number varies depending which part of the country you are in.

[stonekicker]

personally, i'd have a word with the manager and make it clear i would be taking a week off work specifically to sit outside his garage and tell prospective customers the treatment you have recieved unless he pays your mum back what he owes. as long as you stay on the pavement (public property) and do not go onto his, you are within your rights to tell anyone whatever you please. then tell him you will get her son/auntie/cousin/next door neighbour etc to do the same until the money is paid back. i did that once (for a piece of furniture worth £2500) and they lasted one hour before giving in. oh - and report them to trading standards or an association he may be a member of. harrass him to Fluff until he gives in.gitbag...x