eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
Our Y reg Renault Scenic broke down on the way back from York the other day. Turned off the M11 for a pit stop at Birchanger Green services, but gears went as I tried to pull away on roundabout. To cut a long story short, the RAC turned up and gave us a lift back to south London, with car on back of truck.
They then towed us to our local (trustworthy, we thought) garage for them to look at it. "Ooh," they said, two hours later over the phone, "your gearbox is knackered. We can fit a reconditioned gear box for £1,175, and we'd advise you to get the clutch changed at the same time." So we were facing a bill of around £1,500. Shit the bed.
We thought that sounded way too much, so called my wife's brother-in-law, who's a Renault expert up in Sheffield, and he said they were pulling our pants down. He called garage up, asked them what they'd done to diagnose what was wrong and they stalled, fudged, and generally admitted that they'd done **** all. Car won't go in gear = new gear box required.
I did a bit more sniffing around and paid £50 to get it towed to a gearbox specialists in Brockley, south east London... All it needed was a new 'joiner' fitting, linking the gearbox to the drive shaft (I think) - the cost? £75, including fitting and VAT!!
So we were very nearly conned out of almost £1400!! Presume first garage didn't think we'd have the wherewithall to remove it from their garage and take it elsewhere.
So, do I call Watchdog or Rogue Traders?! Or local Trading Standards?
They then towed us to our local (trustworthy, we thought) garage for them to look at it. "Ooh," they said, two hours later over the phone, "your gearbox is knackered. We can fit a reconditioned gear box for £1,175, and we'd advise you to get the clutch changed at the same time." So we were facing a bill of around £1,500. Shit the bed.
We thought that sounded way too much, so called my wife's brother-in-law, who's a Renault expert up in Sheffield, and he said they were pulling our pants down. He called garage up, asked them what they'd done to diagnose what was wrong and they stalled, fudged, and generally admitted that they'd done **** all. Car won't go in gear = new gear box required.
I did a bit more sniffing around and paid £50 to get it towed to a gearbox specialists in Brockley, south east London... All it needed was a new 'joiner' fitting, linking the gearbox to the drive shaft (I think) - the cost? £75, including fitting and VAT!!
So we were very nearly conned out of almost £1400!! Presume first garage didn't think we'd have the wherewithall to remove it from their garage and take it elsewhere.
So, do I call Watchdog or Rogue Traders?! Or local Trading Standards?
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