Has he been done?

[pooroldcodger]

Hi Guys. A friend of mine, an elderly gent in his 70's,took his car (not a Fiat) to a garage for its MOT.The garage was not a test centre itself. The garage phoned him to say that the car needed new front wishbones to pass the MOT. He asked them to do it so that he would get the MOT. When he came back for his car 2 days later he was told that there were quite a few more faults and that the bill was £500. This was actually more than the value of the car, but the old boy was caught on the hop and paid £400. He didn't get an itemised invoice. He has said he will geive them the remaining £100 when they give him an itemised invoice. He realises now that he has made a mistake and thinks he has been ripped off. My question is, don't garages normally give a reasonably accurate estimate first before doing a load of work? Especially if the price they are going to charge is more than the value of the car?
Any comments gratefully received as I want to try to give him some support.
Thanks

 

[NumanR]

The problem is that if the garage gave a price, and the customer authorised repairs then that is a legal contract, any additional amount should have been authorised before completion or built into the original quote. I find that too many people over value their cars, and sometimes this clouds there judgement. Whenever we have a quote which is getting close to the value of the car we always try and explain the alternatives, sometimes a trade in is a better solution, other times the car has more value to the customer than just monetry. I know of one lady who spent a fortune on a car every year even though it was never driven, it was her husbands car and she couldnt bear to part with it when he died.
If you really believe that your friend was ripped off, get a professional to look over the bill and check whether it is reasonable.

 

[pooroldcodger]

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I think the issue is that he did authorise a specific repair, but not the amount that the garage did, nor the monetary amount. I agree with you about how some people value their cars. I am guilty of that myself at times!The fact is that this garage actually sold him the car only 6 months earlier, so they would be very much aware of how much it was worth.
When he is eventiually given an itemised bill I will get it looked over and I'll have a look at the car as well to check that they have actually done the work.
Thanks for your opinion anyway.

The problem is that if the garage gave a price, and the customer authorised repairs then that is a legal contract, any additional amount should have been authorised before completion or built into the original quote. I find that too many people over value their cars, and sometimes this clouds there judgement. Whenever we have a quote which is getting close to the value of the car we always try and explain the alternatives, sometimes a trade in is a better solution, other times the car has more value to the customer than just monetry. I know of one lady who spent a fortune on a car every year even though it was never driven, it was her husbands car and she couldnt bear to part with it when he died.
If you really believe that your friend was ripped off, get a professional to look over the bill and check whether it is reasonable.

 

[daymoon]

all normal garages give u invoice..

there are few garages i used and they all supply invoices...whether its an mot or actual repairs.
invoice has details of all parts fitted and hours spent on the job.
non of the work is done before i say yes.

 

[dave]

he got done

 

[tenpastnine]

Hi Guys. A friend of mine, an elderly gent in his 70's,took his car (not a Fiat) to a garage for its MOT.The garage was not a test centre itself. The garage phoned him to say that the car needed

new front wishbones to pass the MOT

That should be no more then £190 i would have thort! .

He asked them to do it so that he would get the MOT. When he came back for his car 2 days later he was told that there were quite a few more faults and that the bill was £500. This was actually more than the value of the car, but the old boy was caught on the hop and paid £400. He didn't get an itemised invoice. He has said he will geive them the remaining £100 when they give him an itemised invoice. He realises now that he has made a mistake and thinks he has been ripped off. My question is, don't garages normally give a reasonably accurate estimate first before doing a load of work? Especially if the price they are going to charge is more than the value of the car?
Any comments gratefully received as I want to try to give him some support.
Thanks

 

[pooroldcodger]

Thanks guys for your opinions. That was my opinion. It's bad enough being done yourself, but when it's a 75 year old on a pension it's pretty scandalous.
Gonna try to get underneath it in daylight and see what they have actually done! Thanks again.

That should be no more then £190 i would have thort! .