Porth Posted September 14, 2005 Share Posted September 14, 2005 This is a little in line with the posting on cows and apples.Briefly my wife's car was put into the local garage (its a Ford KA) for an annual service despite the fact that she does limited mileage. Garage always looks busy and he does work for the Gendarmarie.Again the car was put in to pass the control technique so headlights etc had to be changed plus two new tyres and a disc pad.Total bill over 850 euros and deep breath but it had to be done and we budgetted for it.However in essence the car is now as noisy as a tank and the exhaust is moving above and near to falling off. The owner shrugs his shoulders and passes the blame on to the controle technique guys in Villedieu les Poeles. The car goes into the Ford dealership at Granville this afternoon and we will seek both an inspection and written report.Now I understand living in a small village where everyone knows everyone and this forum at times suggests it is better to shrug one's shoulders and get on with it for otherwise life can become difficult........However whilst I will and have let lots pass me by I am not inclined to on this occasion. Sometimes you have to stand up and be counted for otherwise it is akin to be run out of town by the Marshall!Has anyone any ideas and guidance please. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted September 14, 2005 Share Posted September 14, 2005 [quote]This is a little in line with the posting on cows and apples. Briefly my wife's car was put into the local garage (its a Ford KA) for an annual service despite the fact that she does limited mileage....[/quote]I don't know what you think happened. I can't envisage anything that would weaken the exhaust in either a service (or changing tyres)or a CT. I hope that they did not change "a" disc pad, I hope it was 4 - not that the brakes have much to do with the exhaust.Is it not possible that the exhaust is knackered due to old age? If you needed a CT, then it must be at least 4 years old and the Ka never had a reputation for longevity.Is it worth paying for a report on the vehicle? I doubt it. A new exhaust will probably cost less (and you will end up paying for one anyway).Sorry, but I doubt also if Consumer Credit law (much the same in France as it is in the UK, but almost impossible to apply) will hellp you in these circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porth Posted September 18, 2005 Author Share Posted September 18, 2005 [quote]I don't know what you think happened. I can't envisage anything that would weaken the exhaust in either a service (or changing tyres)or a CT. I hope that they did not change "a" disc pad, I hope it wa...[/quote]Thanks Nick and sorry for the delay but I have just returned from the UK and where I was involved in a medical negligence case..............I am in the law unfortunately not consumer and here I was appearing for the complainant.The UK case was about MRSA and please believe me its a nightmare for all concerned.However back to the KA its five years old and done just 5000 miles so perhaps that answers one of your questions.Now to the condition there were two areas of concern one on starting the engine and the other (what its the French word for a thing is it truc) was a cover for the exhaust and which is responsible for a cooling action or at least chaleur came into the conversation..In both cases the Ford dealership were able to sort it and also pointed out that in their opinion that the garage owner would be better off dealing with cows! Their words not mine. However total costs for the work were less than 50 euros. So no problem.Therefore the answer to all of this is that he gets no more work I will not even buy fuel from him and the car gets serviced in the Ford dealership.I agree that Consumer Law has no teeth but fortunately I am not in that area I have to deal with much more serious things. However abdication is not my style and the garage owner will at least know my views.regards and thanks.Last thing just employed a painter decorator to do some work ahead of our family arriving next week for a 60th birthday. He ordered six rolls of paper did not check the colour codes on the last one it was different we now have a blank wall and with guests coming. They will understand but....................What I think happened was that the garage owner did not attend to detail. Detail is all important. I have never turned up in the wrong Court I could not afford to. He should have checked the car before it came back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkfluff<P>Big Wet Drops and Lots of Them, Are a Sure Sign of Rain!<P> Posted September 18, 2005 Share Posted September 18, 2005 Spot on I agree with you. there is a lot of talk of integrating with the french at the moment and I am sure that the average french guy does not have the micky taken out of him as much as the thin ice walkers.In order to integrate properly we have to stand up for ourselves a bit more i know sometimes its easier to let the small things go a little but if something serious happens like a dog biting someones daughter or jumping over someones fence and attacking family pets as suggested on this forum recently you must stand up for yourself, you are not integrating by taking this sort of behavior and I think the offenders are laughing at us when we leave it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zrx1100 Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 Two new tyres and new brake pads after 5000 miles!! Was that 5000 miles around Brands Hatch! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porth Posted September 20, 2005 Author Share Posted September 20, 2005 I am not going to respond to that sort of comment. Brands Hatch is that still in existence?However you do bring up a very salient point and you have indeed compounded the felony. Think that through and then find out what the mens rea on the part of the garage is. Look through any dictionary and if in doubt please come back to me.I promise not to send you a fee note.Whatever we were hard done by and thats fact.What is also another fact is that we are resident in France and thus have to behave by its rules and customs but not at any price. Look at the UK and see where we are beginning to become very accommodating. Make of that what you wish.Do you live here or in the UK. regards and many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zrx1100 Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Sorry, didn't mean to offend, just trying to put a bit of light hearted banter into a posting, lifes too short to be too serious all the time, isn't that why we move to France! Yeah, Brands Hatch is still very much in existence, has been since 1927! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Five year old tyres - from that age onwards they probably need replacing. At 5000 miles not because the tread is worn but because the side walls will be racking making them unsafe. However, I do not suppose the garage changed them for that reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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