Hi,
I have a fiat 500 convertible, 2014 located in Australia. End of last year I was advised my the fiat launceston mechanic I needed a new gear box as the reason for the high pitch sound on accerlation. The quote was 11k at the fiat mechanic in Launceston. I elected to source a second hand gear box from a wreckers. I provided a wreckers with my vin/rego number, and they sent a gearbox to the mechanic in Launceston. The gearbox arrived at the fiat mechanic 2 weeks before my car was scheduled to have the gearbox replaced and therefore I asked them to check the gearbox I sourced was going to be suitable for my car. They advised yes.
Forntight later, I drop my car off to have the gearbox replaced, I get a call the next day saying they have taken my gear box out, only to find the one from the wreckers ( that I had asked them to check when it arrived to them 2 weeks prior) is incorrect for my car. And therefore I could leave my car in parts whilst I wait for them to order the new one ( up to 10buisness days) or I can pay an additional 2k ontop of the 11k quote to have them put it back together with original gearbox, whilst awaiting the new one to arrive. Obviously I elected to leave it dismantled, however this was extremely inconvenient as it left me without a car for 3 weeks, having to find transport between the mechanic and my place of residence 100km away and the cost of a hotel in Launceston given they had initially said it would take 2 days to for repairs.
The fiat mechanic sent me pictures of my gear box and the incorrect one ( incorrect one is the brown crate), I noted serial numbers/codes on each in the pictures.
I questioned the mechanic as to why they needed to have my original gearbox removed, sitting next to the wreckers one to then only be able to tell they where incorrect.
Surely, when I requested 2 weeks prior to check the gearbox I organised was correct, they could have used the serial number on this gear box( which I can see in the picture) and the details of my car to check online it was a match? Or at the very least, checked the gear box/codes of each matched the morning of repairs, before pulling my gearbox out? And when I questioned the Launceston mechanic ( who is a registered fiat mechanic/dealer) on this, he said no such system exist. And when I asked well how he does order me a new one as that surely comes with a code. He replied they call fiat on mainland, tell them my car make and get a gear box sent, no serial number or gearbox codes are exchanged ( I.e I Smell bullshit) .
They ultimately left me with no choice but to get them to source a new one( 11k) and leave me without a car for over 2 weeks whilst waiting on the new one unless I wanted to fork out another 2k, when they really shouldn't have had to take my car apart to get to that conclusion they didn't match?
I have a fiat 500 convertible, 2014 located in Australia. End of last year I was advised my the fiat launceston mechanic I needed a new gear box as the reason for the high pitch sound on accerlation. The quote was 11k at the fiat mechanic in Launceston. I elected to source a second hand gear box from a wreckers. I provided a wreckers with my vin/rego number, and they sent a gearbox to the mechanic in Launceston. The gearbox arrived at the fiat mechanic 2 weeks before my car was scheduled to have the gearbox replaced and therefore I asked them to check the gearbox I sourced was going to be suitable for my car. They advised yes.
Forntight later, I drop my car off to have the gearbox replaced, I get a call the next day saying they have taken my gear box out, only to find the one from the wreckers ( that I had asked them to check when it arrived to them 2 weeks prior) is incorrect for my car. And therefore I could leave my car in parts whilst I wait for them to order the new one ( up to 10buisness days) or I can pay an additional 2k ontop of the 11k quote to have them put it back together with original gearbox, whilst awaiting the new one to arrive. Obviously I elected to leave it dismantled, however this was extremely inconvenient as it left me without a car for 3 weeks, having to find transport between the mechanic and my place of residence 100km away and the cost of a hotel in Launceston given they had initially said it would take 2 days to for repairs.
The fiat mechanic sent me pictures of my gear box and the incorrect one ( incorrect one is the brown crate), I noted serial numbers/codes on each in the pictures.
I questioned the mechanic as to why they needed to have my original gearbox removed, sitting next to the wreckers one to then only be able to tell they where incorrect.
Surely, when I requested 2 weeks prior to check the gearbox I organised was correct, they could have used the serial number on this gear box( which I can see in the picture) and the details of my car to check online it was a match? Or at the very least, checked the gear box/codes of each matched the morning of repairs, before pulling my gearbox out? And when I questioned the Launceston mechanic ( who is a registered fiat mechanic/dealer) on this, he said no such system exist. And when I asked well how he does order me a new one as that surely comes with a code. He replied they call fiat on mainland, tell them my car make and get a gear box sent, no serial number or gearbox codes are exchanged ( I.e I Smell bullshit) .
They ultimately left me with no choice but to get them to source a new one( 11k) and leave me without a car for over 2 weeks whilst waiting on the new one unless I wanted to fork out another 2k, when they really shouldn't have had to take my car apart to get to that conclusion they didn't match?
Attachments
Last edited:
it has its new gear box and drives like a dream now. Even though I would have preferred to scrap it had the mechanic not forced my hand.
