[Gleaming windows]

I am just about to have a set-to with the local Vauxhall dealership in town, regarding works theyve done on my Combo van (replacing CV gaitors) anyone have experience of vehicle mechanics and dealing with a dispute disagreement with a garage that I can ask advice from?

Cheers

Matt

[jonnyald]

i was a spannerman and changed those gaitors before too. whats the problem ?

[kenaltobelli]

god ive got loads cv gaitors go all the time mate;
on the reno mastor evry year for mot so one lad tells me.
one point to keep in mind is dont refuse to pay at all just offer so much if you feel  like

[jonnyald]

maybe true on a renault but not on a combo . 

[Gleaming windows]

i was a spannerman and changed those gaitors before too. whats the problem ?

Last January my combo was recalled, for a filter or something or another under the bonnet. Anyway whilst there they said the cv gaitors were leaking (AT THIS STAGE THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL KNOCKING NOISE AT ALL).

So I booked it in to have new cv gaitors as thats what Vauxhall recommended me.

They did this, 6 weeks later theres a knocking noise coming from under the front end. I looked under it and the gaitors were hanging off.

Took it back in, they re-packed them and fitted new ones, no charge.

Now, so about 6.5 - 7 months down the line theyre making a racket again. Just booked it in for another inspection with them and the guy on the phone reckoned its probably the cv joints and it'll be my cost to repair.
How can that be when there was no obvious noise when they first recommended I get the gaitors done, the first set fell off and now the theres a racket no doubt caused by ailing cv joints suffering from lack of grease when the first replacement set fell off.

Are they trying it on or do I really not have a leg to stand on?










I'll tell you another story about vauxhall and why I promised not to use them again later!

[kenaltobelli]

i think its a poop sandwich and your gona have to take a bite;
but i could be wrong.
you may have to pay and like you say not use that make again
dont get a pugnot either thats my story on moters :

[jonnyald]

well itll be a difficult one to prove . most likely a junior mechanic fitted the gaitors and didnt tighten the clips enough .


 make sure you ONLY  get the c.v joint itself renewed ,dont let them steer u down the road of a complete new shaft .

 the upside is that combo c.v joints arent pricey and there are aftermarket ones and even reconditioned ones available which are fine too

 the labour charge to renew gaitors    or renew gaitors plus joint should be exactly the same

 

[EZclean]

it might come down to how long you drove with the oil coming out before you noticed.
if the y fit them right they wouldn't be hanging off, so any damage caused by incorrect fitment should come down to them, but its a hard one to prove that the joints wern't ready for doing anyway

[ftp]

My Citroen eats the rubber gaiters for some reason. First garage fitted a new one no problem. The last garage had to remove the driveshaft and replace the gear oil and charge me £400 for the privilage. (including a simple service) - won't be using them again. 

[Gleaming windows]

I spoke to a local mechanic about it, he reckoned its most likely the dealers fault but being able to prove it an dhave them hold their hands up it a different kettle of fish altogether.

Anyway, I got it booked in for next saturday, Ill see what they say, but if they expect me to go them and pay they got another thing coming.

Doing that would be throwing good money after bad.

Anyway, the other dealership story. About 4 years ago I was coming down a motorway slip road when there appeared to be a whole load of smoke coming out from under the bonnet. The car was a vauxhall cavalier, so the following day I took it into the local dealer. They had a look at it and said it'd cost about 1K and wasnt therefore worth doing as it was only worth about £600. So their suggestion was scrap it.

I drove home and sat thinking, I couldnt see it could be that final, there had been no ill-performing signs about the car before, it ran well, sounded good, great car. So I rang a small garage, single mechanic, and he diagnosed it over the phone. Cost me £30.00; the car had another 4 years of life in it before I sold it (so much for the dealers diagnosis of a dead write-off!!!)

Anyone wanna try to diagnose it, symptoms were, sudden belching of oily smoke from under the bonnet.

[GWCS]

I spoke to a local mechanic about it, he reckoned its most likely the dealers fault but being able to prove it an dhave them hold their hands up it a different kettle of fish altogether.

Anyway, I got it booked in for next saturday, Ill see what they say, but if they expect me to go them and pay they got another thing coming.

Doing that would be throwing good money after bad.

Anyway, the other dealership story. About 4 years ago I was coming down a motorway slip road when there appeared to be a whole load of smoke coming out from under the bonnet. The car was a vauxhall cavalier, so the following day I took it into the local dealer. They had a look at it and said it'd cost about 1K and wasnt therefore worth doing as it was only worth about £600. So their suggestion was scrap it.

I drove home and sat thinking, I couldnt see it could be that final, there had been no ill-performing signs about the car before, it ran well, sounded good, great car. So I rang a small garage, single mechanic, and he diagnosed it over the phone. Cost me £30.00; the car had another 4 years of life in it before I sold it (so much for the dealers diagnosis of a dead write-off!!!)

Anyone wanna try to diagnose it, symptoms were, sudden belching of oily smoke from under the bonnet.

I stopped going to main dealer garages.

I only deal with small independent specialists. Im sure the main dealers make up problems and actually dont deal with small issues to let them become big!

My small specialist guy, is really good and has saved me hundreds in diagnosing problems, such as JUST a nut needed tightening rather than having a all new power steering rack put in as said by the main dealer..

Main Dealers are nothing but daylight robbing cowboys (this is my personal opinion).

[kenaltobelli]

oil breather sounds like used to have a mk1 golf
sat in trafic it used to start smoking really embarasing

[jonnyald]

[quote author=Benny Hill link=topic=81085.msg714295#msg714295 date=1253208990

Anyway, the other dealership story

Anyone wanna try to diagnose it, symptoms were, sudden belching of oily smoke from under the bonnet.

   


 split breather pipe ?  oil pressure switch drippin oil onto the exhaust??

 i never miss the "glory days" of bein a mechanic .i had to sell every single spanner to make sure i wasnt pestered by  mates or others to keep fixing their heaps  

[weetot]

My combo's been knocking a little when full locks on turning right.

Had it checked out by proffesional mechanic, he said hes had a look and it will be ok for a while yet, though he did change the rubber gaitor.

28000 miles later and its still knocking a tad on full lock, so depending on the volume of the knocking i would just put up with it mate.

Maybe thats me tempting fate!

By the way the left hand indicator on theses vans apparantly goes after about 55000 miles as its a common fault in the flasher unit.  Mines gone but the indicator still flickers on/off but not as regular as the right one.  Anyone had the same problem, or shall i put as a seperate topic!

[Gleaming windows]

Whats the oil filter on the TOP of the block?

Apparently this had blocked, forcing oil out of either the breather pipe or the cap; cant remember which, but it was very simple anyway.

[Gleaming windows]

By the way the left hand indicator on theses vans apparantly goes after about 55000 miles as its a common fault in the flasher unit.  Mines gone but the indicator still flickers on/off but not as regular as the right one.  Anyone had the same problem, or shall i put as a seperate topic!

YES! but the other way round 

[weetot]

By the way the left hand indicator on theses vans apparantly goes after about 55000 miles as its a common fault in the flasher unit.  Mines gone but the indicator still flickers on/off but not as regular as the right one.  Anyone had the same problem, or shall i put as a seperate topic!

YES! but the other way round 

 :

[darragh windows]

I spoke to a local mechanic about it, he reckoned its most likely the dealers fault but being able to prove it an dhave them hold their hands up it a different kettle of fish altogether.

Anyway, I got it booked in for next saturday, Ill see what they say, but if they expect me to go them and pay they got another thing coming.

Doing that would be throwing good money after bad.

Anyway, the other dealership story. About 4 years ago I was coming down a motorway slip road when there appeared to be a whole load of smoke coming out from under the bonnet. The car was a vauxhall cavalier, so the following day I took it into the local dealer. They had a look at it and said it'd cost about 1K and wasnt therefore worth doing as it was only worth about £600. So their suggestion was scrap it.

I drove home and sat thinking, I couldnt see it could be that final, there had been no ill-performing signs about the car before, it ran well, sounded good, great car. So I rang a small garage, single mechanic, and he diagnosed it over the phone. Cost me £30.00; the car had another 4 years of life in it before I sold it (so much for the dealers diagnosis of a dead write-off!!!)

Anyone wanna try to diagnose it, symptoms were, sudden belching of oily smoke from under the bonnet.

cylinder head gasket gone

[Gleaming windows]

That'd cost more than £30

[weetot]

I hope its the gasket and not the cylinder head, otherwise you will be eating a s**t sandwich, and throwing up when you see the invoice from the garage for fixin' it!!!