Bad Repair By Northern Ireland Garage to my car, what are my options?

[dmb]

Im seeking some advice here, Its a long story but here we go!

I recently began a project on a classic car. I carried out a lot of work myself ie, fitted an engine ect, however, I did not feel comfortable fitting the engine loom wiring.

I shopped around pricing some local companies to fit the loom for me. All the companies quoted me between €350 - €450 (euros) to carry out the job in question. I was told of 2 companies across the border in Northern Ireland that were capable of doing the job also, I contacted them both and they both wanted to inspect the car and what the job entailed before quoting me as did all the other companies I received quotes from.

I transported the vehicle to 1 of the companies in Northern Ireland at an agreed time and date to receive a quote back in early July. When I arrived the guy informed me that the mechanic was unavailable until the following day and he advised me to leave the car with them in order to allow the mechanic to inspect it the following day when he returned ( I live around 3 hours drive from this company so returning with the car the next day was not really convenient for me ), the guy informed me that he would telephone me the following day with the full quote when the mechanic had inspected the vehicle and the job needing done. However, he did not call me the next day.

I persistently tried to contact them by phone for 2 days and when I got talking to them late on the Friday afternoon I was informed that the mechanic had not had time to inspect the car that week and that they were that day closing for a weeks holidays so the car was stuck in their yard for a total of 14 days without the inspection being carried out.

The day they reopened I contacted them and was told that it would be inspected late that evening, but the next day the company called me and informed me to my surprise that they had the car " Sorted Out & Running " even though I had not asked for them to do so but merely requested a quotation. The guy on the phone informed me that he forgot he was meant to let me know a price before they started the job but I shouldn't worry because it was sorted in less than a day.

I was aware they charged £35 GBP per hour so when I calculated it out, I estimated the work to cost around £380 GBP. However a few days later when I telephoned them to let them know i would be collecting the car they informed me the price was £1180 GBP !!.. I almost dropped the phone in shock and asked how that was possible if the had it done in a day, but they denied this and said they had further work done following that day I received their call.

I contacted trading standards and informed them of the situation. I was advised that I should pay a percentage by credit card and the balance by cheque ( or if they refused a cheque which they did, cash ) and inform them in writing I was paying the bill under protest and intend to pursue the matter through the courts, so I did this.

When the vehicle returned it was running very badly. I noticed water leaking from the water pump and some other faults I was not happy with.

I contacted the company but they refused to take my calls. I decided I should have another specialist inspect the work carried out and to me horror he deemed the vehicle to be dangerous and unsafe due to bad and dangerous wiring and very poor work.

I again tried to contact the company who done the work but they simply hung up on me before I even got to tell them about the problems.

At this stage I was left with no option but to get a solicitor to write to them. I also had an Independent engineer motor assessor inspect the vehicle and he agreed the vehicle was unsafe and dangerous due to the work carried out by this company.

My solicitor has at this stage written numerous letters to the company but in my opinion the company are not actually taking it serious as they are simply replying to my solicitors letters themselves, they have not even bothered getting themselves the advise of a solicitor but instead send sarcastic replies to our letters.

I feel its simply becoming merely a War of Letters at this stage.. Im gutted at the way things have turned out and the mess they made of my car, its a classic and worth around €15,000, so its quite a big loss to me.

I would be grateful of any advice or any options or your opinions you may have which might help me out.

I would also like to know if it went to court, where would it be heard, as I am from the south and they are based in Northern Ireland, my solicitor said it would be heard in my jurisdiction and not in Northern Ireland but I can also go after them in their own jurisdiction. I personally feel if that be the case, my jurisdiction would be a better option. I look forward to any help or advise you can offer me. Sorry I couldn't cut the story any shorter !!..

Thanks,
dmb

 

[mathepac]

Sorry to hear of the troubles you've had; as a bit of a petrol-head I hate hearing about troubles with beloved classics.

I'm not sure what you want to achieve. When you "go after them" and win for argument's sake, what will be different?

Do you expect you will get -

• money
• another car
• the car restored to its original state
• the car running perfectly
• some combination of the above.

If you chat with your solicitor I think you will find that getting a judgement in court for compensation / money / whatever is one thing, but collecting is a whole other ball-game. Remember this is a civil suit and even if you win, the likelihood is you will have to pay your legal team their fees.

It may very well be that the cheapest option is to pay someone to put the car back to a safe, functioning state and put the cross-border escapade down to experience.

I am not a legal expert BTW, just a cynic / pragmatist / realist / sceptic (delete as appropriate).

 

[dmb]

Thanks for the reply Mathepac, It is annoying to see a classic distroyed alright, I agree,

I feel as though iv been grossly over charged at £1180 GBP ( Approx €1370 euro at the time ) when every other company were 75% cheaper, They charged me for 30hrs work when it only took them about 8 - 9hrs.

Obviously the car has to be repaired to safe state and I feel they should be held responable for the cost of doing this, Under the supply of goods and service act 1982 they are responable for any damage they caused and the repair of poor work they done. I would like to think i would be intitled to compensation due to the charging of work that was not actually done and the cost to have another company repair all dangerous wiring faults.

I also feel since I had never asked them to do the work that they were absolutly wrong to have began work on it without supplying me with a quotation and my approval as agreed. I mearly was expecting a quotation from them not a completed job at that particular time atleast.

My solicitor has advised me that if it goes into court it is likly to cost me around €700 - €800 but he intends on seeking the costs from the other side. I have however, as you mention in your reply Mathepac, heard that collecting on a judgement is a difficult thing, iv also been told that since the company in question is based in Northern Ireland it makes things difficult in the sence that they might not pay up easily if I win, although this is mearly "pub talk" and by no means advise i got from any expert legal personel, however, it sticks in the back of my mind none the less..

I dont really fear loosing if it went to court though to be honest for some reason, as I think there is no way any judge or barrister could disregard the damage and mess this garage have done to my car by drilling large unnessesary and unused holes in a number of places on the body, dangerous wiring and cables bare and rubbing of the manifold ect ect, they actually wired the radio in such a way that it will only function when the the full headlights are switched on!!..

I appreciate your opinion and advice Mathepac ( and any one else who posts ) and think you are correct in saying I should perhaps put the escapade down to experience but I dont think I could sleep at night knowing that the garage in Northern Ireland are laughing about it, so I presently see no other option unfortunitly..

Once again, I Appreciate you taking time to read and reply.

dmb

 

[Peter C]

I'm not a legal eagle but I think you might do better looking into the N.I. equal to our small claims court, certainly cheaper going by our system. I also think you would do better having the case heard in N.I. the embarassment of having the case reported in the local newspaper may have more impact than the anonymous Southern courts, not sure you could force them to turn up here either.