Advice on dangerous work done on my car.

R

rickypj

Registered User
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Messages
63
Reaction score
1
Points
8
Location
Coventry
Hi Guys,
I recently had a cam belt and water pump replaced on my car by a local AUDI/VW specialists. Today i was under the car replacing the Diverter Valve when i noticed that the engine and engine mount had a massive gap between them and the lower bolt was hanging out and the top two were obviously loose. I realise that if the bolts had droped out so would my engine.

Sorry about the poor pic.

Photo

I managed to get the lower bolt done back up but theres no way of getting to the top two without dropping the mount off and jacking up the engine.

Qustion 1, do you think the bolts might now be bent/weakend from the load they have been under?
Question 2, how shall i go about dealing with the company that did the work. i.e compensation, getting them to recheck everything?
I dont really want them to touch the car again.

Im pretty angry about it as my mrs has been driving it daily for the past 4 months with my 1 yr old daughter inside and i know that if it had gone wrong it would have caused a major accident.

Thanks for any help or advice you may have.
 

Attachments

  • photo.jpg
    photo.jpg
    8.7 KB · Views: 422
Thats bad!! Is it just me or does that look cross threaded!?
 
the engine wouldnt have fallen out
what did the audi/vw specialists do to the car for you ?
 
bez101 said:
the engine wouldnt have fallen out
what did the audi/vw specialists do to the car for you ?
Click to expand...

Cam belt and water pump. If the bolts had dropped out or sheared then the engine would have pretty much dropped out. Aux belt would have hit the chassis leg and snapped. PAS might have packed up. Who knows what may have happened at 70mph
 
didnt realise you had to take the mount off to do the belts
but depending on how long ago they did the work its gona be hard to prove they did it
 
Yeah you have to move the monitor as the belt runs trough the centre of the 3 bolting points. Not sure if I should just leave it and take it as a lesson learnt not to let anyone else that i don't know or trust work on my car.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mozza1202
Just so you all know who to avoid its.. VolkswagenAudi specialist..in Coventry on Longford road.
 
i just think it would be hard to prove them at fault
might be worth haveing a work with them tho
as for sure the gaffer will **** the bloke that worked on it
 
rickypj said:
Yeah you have to move the monitor as the belt runs trough the centre of the 3 bolting points. Not sure if I should just leave it and take it as a lesson learnt not to let anyone else that i don't know or trust work on my car.
Click to expand...

Mount not monitor. Haha😊
 
Jesus christ not again. They are the same guys I used to do my cambelt.
Month or so after they did my engine literally dropped through the bottom of the car when pulling off from the lights.
I phoned them up and told them what had happened and they picked my car up to inspect it to see if if was their fault.
They didnt admit guilt but said they were able to fix everything under parts warranty.

The bolts are stretch bolts and should only be used once, so if they are the same bolts as before then they are not following Audi's guidelines.
Not 100% sure what they did to mine to **** it up but I think they must have left a bolt out.
Lucky I was only doing about 5mph when it dropped.

Id get back in touch with them and tell them you dont think they have secured the mount back correctlly.
They will say that they will pick it up to check it out, if its something they have done then they will fix it for free but if not then they will try and charge you for pick up and inspection. Couple of hundred quid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: akash_sky1
I would go in with the picture you have and ask to speak to the quality manager! They will soon poop themselves when you ask for him! Explain to him what you have found and see what he says/offers. I wouldnt just leave it as from what MTRL has says this does need highlighting again, we dont want this happening again and someones pride and joy getting distoyed, not to mention the occupents getting hurt!
 
Iv had this happen before on a previous golf, engine didn't fall out but it did drop massively on one side. Mine also went while going slow. Still drove though

**** luck and lesson learnt, I would take it to them to sort it and never use them again, as they obviously like to rush a job.
 
up in cov today as mate takes care of my car... have recommended him to a few people on here and no complaints so far... burbages lane, opposite the ricoh... anyhow...

to think that i actually thought about using that garage for a mechatronic rebuild once! sheesh! glad i didnt... the consumer law states that they need to put it right.. once they have then never see them again.
 
The Governor said:
I guess the question is, are they really capable of putting it right?
Click to expand...

Thats what ive been asking myself as well. I think im just going to check it all myself this afternoon. Its just ****e when ive payed money for it to be done and ive got to put it right. I knew i should have done the job myself in the first place as im more than capable but i didnt have the time with work/baby/2 step kids and a wedding to sort. I was a tech in dealerships for 10 yrs and a VW tech for 4yrs and i know what corners get cut in a dealership, so i can only imagine how bad some indipendant places could be. Ive def learnt my lesson not to let any other muppets touch my cars. I know not everyone is the same and i know there are some very good places out there but who knows where!
 
Midland VW in Cannock are very good from what I hear. That's where I'm going to take mine.
 
Wrote them an email this afternoon explaining my dissatisfaction with them. 😊 they rang me 10 mins later saying that although they are not admitting they are at fault they will pick the car up and replace the bolts and check it over as a good will gesture. Lol. So hopefully it should all be sorted and now we all know where not to go for a cam belt.
 
Glad you sorted it mate.. Good job and glad you spotted it before something bad happened.
 
rickypj said:
Thanks mate. I'm glad to. Still pee'd off tho.
Click to expand...

I can well imagine u would be ****ers but at least you spotted it I've got two kids and one on route and would be ripping heads off
 
On a positive note, they did do a bang tidy job of fixing it.
The guy who dealt with the issue was very good, cant remember his name think it was Andy. Just said as its all covered under parts warranty, "dont worry, leave it with me, i'll get it sorted." I was preparing the arguement that I would take to court if he hadn't have said that.

It was a bit of a mess as you can imagine, and I was turning grey worrying about what id get back, Would it ever be the same?!
Couple of stress filled days later car was waiting on my drive when I got home with shiny new engine bits. Even supplied new mounts!
Would never tell anything happened.

I was two minds about them, had a terrible experience and would be ripping their reputation to bits if it wasn't for how they handelled it.
I would have given them a second chance untill I saw that it has happened again. Its a shame.
 
audi upgrades
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Advice needed on running my A3 on Bio Diesel
Replies
6
Views
2K
FranA3
FranA3
A
Security Watch on my Car??
Replies
5
Views
12K
jcs356
jcs356
A
Is it dangerous while driving a car with different speed rating tyres on motorway?
Replies
13
Views
2K
adam1314
A
Raffaz
Recommendations for work on car - North East
Replies
6
Views
545
Raffaz
Raffaz
M
Advice on selling my A3
Replies
7
Views
983
mark88
M
Top
Back