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Suspect...?

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899 views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  EVEL 
#1 ·
I today decided to endure the worry of yet another new 'recommended' mechanic (every other one I've used either being incompetent, a scumbag, or a combination of both). My MOT is up, so despite the fact the car is running perfectly, I prepared for some cost.

The mechanic is literally just off the phone. He began by asking me has someone been "messing with the tensioners" and I though "oh fcuk here we go again:cry:". I told him "no" and he explained it had been sailing through it's MOT, until the were driving it out to park it, suddenly the engine light came on, the air con was screeching, the power steering has stopped working and the he thinks a tensioner has went.

Now, this is a car that has been well looked after and had been working perfectly; how suspect is it that this suddenly happens, just as they are parking it up? If they have indeed made an a*se of it as I suspect, how would you proceed with getting them sort it?

Any help much appreciated.
 
#5 ·
when i was working away from home,one of my work collegues who had his car MOTed said his car was not running too well after it, he spoke to garage and they said pop it in and leave it with them and theyll hook it up on examiner,and they would have a look at it, i said pop it round to me after shift and ill just have a quick gander, spotted it right away,some one had disconnected MAF:eek: now IS THAT SOME SORT OF SCAM FOR FELLAS WHO WORK AWAY OR WHAT:mad:
 
#7 · (Edited)
I think you have to put yourself in the position of the workshop owner. How would you feel if something like that just happened, and the customer insisted it was your fault?

Does it have to be anyone's fault? Things will fail at the most inappropriate times - at least it really does sound like just the aux belt tensioner (a relatively easy part to replace), and surely it's either now faulty, or it's not.

If, for example, it has a worn-out bearing, you can't possibly blame that on the workshop. It just chose that time to fall apart - maybe certain running conditions as part of the MOT test. It might not be the tensioner at fault; could be a seized alternator, for example.

I do sympathise with you and agree that if someone asks you "has someone been messing with it", it does start off sounding like a blame-shifting exercise that tends to fuel your anger. I expect in that first conversation, the mechanic could have chosen better words. Mind you, you don't generally expect mechanics to be psychologists, though if they are Alfa specialists, it helps :)

So my suggestion - pick up the pieces and move on, sorry. Could be a lot worse. I seem to recall reading about a Lotus Elise (somewhere) that fell off a four-point hoist in a workshop, and damaged several other cars. That is obviously a different situation worthy of an insurance claim.

-Alex
 
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