Best way to play it.

[Dean Fletcher]

Hi Chaps,

i recently found out that work i had done on the car last October is in fact unsafe causing the car more issues.

To cut a long story short - last October i had a MOT done the garage said you have play in the front right wheel and you need a new suspension arm to sort it out, i said ok how much, in the end it came to £239 and they told me they had used genuine merc part. soon after the i drove off i heard a knocking noise but didn't put it down to the arm as it was new. about 2 months later i took my car to another garage to look into the knocking noise they said they couldn't hear anything.
recently i had my car in at my local indy and asked him to have a look see if he could see out, he said that the suspension arm is causing the issue and its not a gen merc part. the bush is too soft causing the knocking noise.
So....... how do i play it with the garage that im not happy about, im in the middle of drawing up a letter explaining the issue, i could ring them or go and see them but i want to make sure everything is documented like postal tracking etc. plus they will just fob me off.
Thanks

 

[JBell]

Can you find out what brand arm they used, Lemforder make them for MB

 

[Srdl]

In my experience, always best to put it in writing to save any confusion or arguments later. Do you have it in writing (on the invoice, for example) that they used a genuine MB part or is it a case of your word against theirs?

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Can you find out what brand arm they used, Lemforder make them for MB

Hi,

my indy said its a EZ bar or something, he said its not a genuine merc part.

 

[Dean Fletcher]

In my experience, always best to put it in writing to save any confusion or arguments later. Do you have it in writing (on the invoice, for example) that they used a genuine MB part or is it a case of your word against theirs?

yeah im going write the letter so its offical. thanks

 

[keefysher]

Speak softly, carry a big stick

 

[dry run]

First thing I'd say is that you need to be very clear in your mind what you are trying to achieve - in other words, what would be a fair outcome for you? Sounds to me like they did replace the part, your car did pass its MOT. Possibly, they didn't use a genuine part. What would you like them to do now? Having that clearly in your head might help get a result.

 

[JBell]

Hi,

my indy said its a EZ bar or something, he said its not a genuine merc part.

Don't need to be Genuine Merc, just need to be decent quality

 

[umblecumbuz]

As Dry Run.
What outcome do you want to achieve?

If they state that their fitter made a mistake and thought the part was genuine, and offer to reimburse the difference, where will you go from there?

If they contest it - bearing in mind that the work is now four months old, and you detected the knocking almost as soon as you drove off and did nothing about it - will your Indie be prepared to support you if it came to legal fisticuffs? Can you actually prove what was agreed at the time?

Or do you want to go the whole hog and sue them for fraud - bearing in mind the personal costs involved and the time that has now elapsed?

Bottom line - is it worth the hassle, or is it better to write it off to experience and avoid the garage from now on.

 

[star]

Unsafe and more issues? Sounds like a cheap part was fitted and it’s not up to the job. Lemforder or the like maybe a supplier to mb but they are not genuine parts unless purchased from mb. Speak to the garage, explain your side and what you would like done about the issue.

 

[DSK]

With different arms, we see issues come alignment time.

Trouble is whilst I personally recommend and advise to change in pairs, many people hate the cost of this and also the cost of Lemforder arms.

I think you may find it hard to to argue 'unsafe' but, as mentioned above, depends what your goal is. Sounds to me like, they stated that they would use a genuine Mercedes part but, put on what ever they could get their hands on cheaply. So perhaps a the cost of a genuine new arm to you would be a fair outcome?

 

[Dean Fletcher]

As Dry Run.
What outcome do you want to achieve?

If they state that their fitter made a mistake and thought the part was genuine, and offer to reimburse the difference, where will you go from there?

If they contest it - bearing in mind that the work is now four months old, and you detected the knocking almost as soon as you drove off and did nothing about it - will your Indie be prepared to support you if it came to legal fisticuffs? Can you actually prove what was agreed at the time?

Or do you want to go the whole hog and sue them for fraud - bearing in mind the personal costs involved and the time that has now elapsed?

Bottom line - is it worth the hassle, or is it better to write it off to experience and avoid the garage from now on.

i think its definitely worth mentioning to them at least, all i want is the is correct work carried out as iv paid for. i have receipts from previous garages from when i asked them to check the noise over. so its not like my concerns have just appeared now. as a customer i have the right to expect to get what i pay for and unfortunately this time this hasnt happened, granted its took a few months to figure that out. Thanks

 

[Dean Fletcher]

With different arms, we see issues come alignment time.

Trouble is whilst I personally recommend and advise to change in pairs, many people hate the cost of this and also the cost of Lemforder arms.

I think you may find it hard to to argue 'unsafe' but, as mentioned above, depends what your goal is. Sounds to me like, they stated that they would use a genuine Mercedes part but, put on what ever they could get their hands on cheaply. So perhaps a the cost of a genuine new arm to you would be a fair outcome?

this is exactly what i think. at the end of the day if you dont ask you dont get.

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Don't need to be Genuine Merc, just need to be decent quality

is lemforder a decent make when it comes to Mercedes parts?
i have read a number of things about them actually being the merc suppler?

 

[JBell]

is lemforder a decent make when it comes to Mercedes parts?
i have read a number of things about them actually being the merc suppler?

They are an OEM supplier to MB for suspension parts

 

[Dean Fletcher]

They are an OEM supplier to MB for suspension parts

Great because the

They are an OEM supplier to MB for suspension parts

Thanks great as the Garage have argeed to sort the issue out and replace with a lemforder part. the last one was sub standard.

 

[JBell]

Thanks great as the Garage have argeed to sort the issue out and replace with a lemforder part. the last one was sub standard.

Job done then

 

[bembo449]

ive fitted cheap parts and genuine parts to many cars over the years , cant remember as any have failed again so quickly , I feel you may have left it too long to complain , knocking suspension should not knock after new parts are fitted wether they be cheap or otherwise

 

[JBell]

ive fitted cheap parts and genuine parts to many cars over the years , cant remember as any have failed again so quickly , I feel you may have left it too long to complain , knocking suspension should not knock after new parts are fitted wether they be cheap or otherwise

The garage has agreed to replace with a Lemforder part