£5,000 bill to replace cylinder head,please anyone help!!

[legendgamesmaster]

also go to WATCHDOG or similar

trading standards, watchdog etc.....

[joker??]

For about 5% of that garage bill you can arrange to have them met in a dark alley and hit EXACTLY where it hurts most. but I don't reccomend that sort of beheivior

i would"!!!!! they would then listen to my voice of reason over such a large bill and alter it accordingly
had a similar prob over a landy ,, dont take no sh#t off them

[Koi]

Whilst I understand your frustration at this I would ask that you do not name the garagre on here or say anything slanderous that would leave me and this forum in a position to liable.
You may of course post constructive comments about your problems. In the past I have been threatened with legal action on several occasions because of slanderous comments put on here by others.


As most have said this seems to be an outrageous sum of money for the work undertaken. I have changed several heads on Surfs and would say that for the average person with a resonable set of tools and know how 12-14hrs is about right for a DIY job on your drive. Given garages have ramps, pits etc it should be quicker.
People in the past have had a main dealer do the job and as we know their prices are top dollar and bills have still come in around £1800 for a main dealer.
For the money this lot are asking you could cut your loses, leave the Surf with them and buy another for around £3000 saving your self £2000.
As most have said, trading standards etc is the way to go, I wish luck in this matter.

[hawkwind]

Heres my invoice.
£360 for labour and oil which included removing and fitting a cylinder head and a heater matrix.

[bobafatass]

That's disgusting. what a bunch of cowboy rip off merchants, deffo a solid case for trading standards.

I've emailed you a copy of my invoice from a toyota main dealer, hope it helps.

Andy.

[paul jones]

That's disgusting. what a bunch of cowboy rip off merchants, deffo a solid case for trading standards.

I've emailed you a copy of my invoice from a toyota main dealer, hope it helps.

Andy.

same here ive sent you a copy of invoice for new head fitted hope it helps : paul

[david306]

Name and shame....


Give out his ph number...We all call him and give him dogs abuse !!!!


That kind of dealin would not last very long over here in NI...

[fatfires]

you can see by my avatar just how much I stripped my engine the second time, stripping and rebuilding mine took aprox 50% of the time they said they took. I had previously changed a head, I am a heating engineer by trade not a mechanic but I stripped the head 1 day refitted it the next - bout 14.5 hrs working outdoors standing on a crate (I am only diddy!!) and that was the first head I had done for over 25 years the previous one on a austin A30!!!!
These people are (in my opinion) swinderlers and cheats and probably liars as well and have identified you as an easy mark - trading standards to start
small claims court to follow, as the fees are not a lot you have little to loose, even if you do which is unlikely
I join all the others with my backing, I would be prepared to stand as a witness re the times it took me - untrained with no experience working from a book. I despise so called professionals like these

[andycook]

all the best with getting a result
I cant believe a Garage can charge such an OOT bill and then you still have problems
what ripoff merchants..

[hellmett]

Re

How much have you paid them already?

Koi, leaving them the Surf and "walking away" is silly mate, put up a fight and win!

It's not fraud (we know it is) in the eyes of the law because if they can justify the labour (as I bet they can) then you cannot get them.

All they need to do is lie about how long it took etc.

I suggest getting a solicitor to take the job on!

Trading standards and the local madia as well.

Totally ruin their reputation but do it "legally".

It may take you a while but it can be done.

Are you a member of the RAC or AA?

They have legal boffins that will love to take this on!

I would arrange to see the owner and let him know that you are gonna do EVERYTHING in your power to get this resolved!

If he is up for a fight then so be it but most people would rather compromise than risk a load of bad press ESPECIALLY if it is about over charging or inflated bills!

I suggest that if you inform us of where to get their business email address we can ALL email them and say how disgusted we are.

NOT MENTIONING OR RELATING TO THIS FORUM IN ANY WAY AT ALL!

When they get a few hundred emails about this they might get sensible realising the damage it will do to their future business.

BTW, You can, of course, feel free to call them what you want because, after all it is true!

Slander, liable etc. is VERY hard to prove and only bad if you are suggesting something which is not true!

If they try to threaten you with this then let them come ahead, it will be a way to get it noticed!

Later!

Gary

[kitesurf_phil]

How can they justify what is essentially impounding your Surf. The police are just being lazy and not wishing to get involved becuse of the time/paperwork involved. It is the same way they deal with illegal clampers/towers who extort money from people by depriving them of their property.

I wish you all the best with this fight. It's a shame you are not in this area because this is just the kind of case that Steven Rhodes, on BBC Three Counties Radio, likes to get stuck into. He has taken cases on that are outside the area. It might be worth sending an email to him.

Naming and shaming or sending in the heavies could prove to be counter productive although it is, IMHO, no less than they deserve.

[kiowa]

i think we should arrange a day out myself i think he may change his mind when 30 surfs turn up out side

[Diezel Weazel]

[QUOTE=kitesurf_phil]
I wish you all the best with this fight. It's a shame you are not in this area because this is just the kind of case that Steven Rhodes, on BBC Three Counties Radio, likes to get stuck into. He has taken cases on that are outside the area. It might be worth sending an email to him.


From what I remember of the first tread "They claim to be 4x4 Specialists"
Maybe they need a Demonstration of "HOW IT'S DONE" by the MAN (Tony) or Headman (Steve)
They may learn sumfink NOT, only if it's how to stay in Bussiness !!!!!!!!!!

There's Always a Payback.... You just can't see it Comin !!!!!

[contaminated]

Without going through all the posts, has anyone supplied a like for like invoice. If not I've got one for the labour involved in putting on a new head and one for the head itself from Stevo. Labour is ten times less than these poor b******s paid.

[sparkyaj]

That is so wrong! Have you tried contacting the local papers in your area and getting an article front page on how female gets shafted by local comunial garage?

Just a thought. If you cut their local buisness down, I'm sure they'd be happy to help. After all, you can state the facts off your invoices.........They can't hold that against you as they supplied the details to you!

Good luck. Keep the forum posted ok........