Help with mechanical/van/garage issue...

izzi81 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Karma :

It's been a while since I posted, apologies for popping back with an issue but this is a bit of a sticky one and i could use some advice.

My bf is starting up a personal training business. For this business he bought a van, just over a month ago, from a small company. Vauxhall Combo, 03 plate, 92000miles but seemed in good condition. Price reflected mileage.

However. He has been driving it within Glasgow since he got it, and last week he went to start it and it woudln't start. RAC came out, said it possibly was a problem with the fuel pump shut off valve. Guy got the van started again, bf booked it into a local garage (which we haven't used before Confused

).

Garage get in touch 2 days later. They've serviced the van, and charged £230 for this. bf never requested a service, he asked them to assess the problem.
They have assessed the problem, and a new spill valve is quoted at £225 plus £200 labour at £50/hr. Oh and the van now won't start at all.

I think this is ridiculous. First, he drove the van there and can't drive it out. So how is he supposed to take it somewhere else. They've charged for an extortionate service which he didn't ask for. And their labour costs seem *very* expensive.

But, I don't know anything about vans. Does anyone here know anything which might help? bf is actually getting quite depressed (in a serious way) about it - it's the most recent in a large number of set-backs and we don't have spare cash. I think he shouldn't pay for the service because he didn't want it, and I think he should be entitled to a van which can drive, which is what he took to the garage in the first place.

I know he bought an old van, and it's a risk, but unfortunately we now have this situation and stress-wise it's not good Sad

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"The problem with the French is they have no word for 'entrepreneur' " George W Bush
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Finglonga · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Karma :

Your best bet would be trading standards as they will back you up.

But the simple fact is if your BF didn't ask for the service and they did it without permission it is their loss as your BF does not have to pay for it.

Check around other garages for quotes to get the work done and if needed get a mate to tow the van there.
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Andy Sez....
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MaybeGuy · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Karma :

learn to do it yourself. mechanics are sly scummy wankers. all of them, no exceptions. even ones off here.
wankers.
sly, scummy ones.
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!! Mr. Green

Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

GeorgeCBR · Scooby Slapper Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Karma :

The garage are bang out of order doing work on the van that you have not asked them to do. Last time i booked my bike in to a garage they went over everything twice with me to make sure they knew what i wanted them to do.

As above, trading standards will be behind you, maybe write to the local paper aswell, if the garage doen't wanna play ball, see if you can name and shame them?
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izzi81 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Karma :

Thanks for the comments. I'll try phoning trading standards tomorrow morning and see what they say.

Something else to add.. we found the online advert which we'd printed out re. the van. Advert says 'immaculate condition'. Clearly that is wrong? Can we do anything there? My worry is this is going to turn into a legal wrangle that we can't afford and which will fail in the end Confused

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"The problem with the French is they have no word for 'entrepreneur' " George W Bush
Age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese
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izzi81 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Karma :

a trader - Simon Horne, just outside Perth
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"The problem with the French is they have no word for 'entrepreneur' " George W Bush
Age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese
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izzi81 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Karma :

yeah it's a company - simonhorne.com
Unfortunately on the payment invoice it says the van is 'sold as seen' and the sale includes 'no warranty' at all. However the trading standards website does say

Traders cannot take away consumers rights by using terms such as ‘sold as seen’.
If you buy a used car from a trader it must be of satisfactory quality, fit for the purpose, and as described. Obviously a very old car with a high mileage will not be as good as a newer car with a low mileage, but it should still be fit for use on the road, in a condition which reflects its age and price, and reliable.

I added the highlights. Interestingly I phoned the guy this afternoon and pretended I was thinking about getting a van and was told they all came with 3 months warranty. Not that that makes any difference when it says 'no warranty' on the invoice..
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"The problem with the French is they have no word for 'entrepreneur' " George W Bush
Age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese
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Kwaks · I'm not a fast rider Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Karma :

Garage is out of order. Do not pay for the service.

Who the hell would service a van that is not running anyway???

Trader is liable, no question Thumbs Up

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izzi81 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Karma :

my worry is that, whilst I believe they are both in the wrong, if they say they're not it turns into a process which takes weeks.. meanwhile we have no transport Evil or Very Mad

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"The problem with the French is they have no word for 'entrepreneur' " George W Bush
Age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese
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Stoo · PoshBoy Joined: 11 May 2006 Karma :

A few things,

Refuse service. Wasn't asked for, their problem.

As said, "sold as seen" isn't a get out clause. Immaculate condition could refer to the bodywork though but mechanically?

Spill valve,

This ECU/EDU is a very common failure for all 1.7 DTI Astra and Combo’s with the 16V Isuzu engine, causes the engine to non start or run and then die. The problem is caused by a design flaw when the EDU was produced, because the spill valve inside the pump is such a high load soleniod it usually will destroy the driver system within the EDU through sheer current draw. The fault usually displays itself as an intermittent cutting out or complete non start, when the fault codes are read they will normally blame the spill valve but it is usually always the EDU that is at fault.

from here,

https://www.carclinicmagazine.com/vauxhall_astra_combo_1_7_dti_e.html

£425 for the wrong part potentially?

*EDIT* If it is the correct bit needing replaced, £55

https://tinyurl.com/knbryr

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

MaybeGuy · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Karma :

sticks and stones.
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!! Mr. Green

Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

dgo1212 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Karma :

MaybeGuy · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Karma :

hardly, i dont even bother entertaining the idea of giving mechanics money.

i'll diagnose the problem, and fix it myself. if it goes wrong, which it never has, then ill just fix that. plus, im more qualified than most of the mechanics who actually work on the bikes around here.

if a mechanic has it go wrong, its like getting water out of a stone to get them to admit it.

sure, you may think you're a good honest mechanic, but your mates in the same trade have tarred you all with the same brush in my eyes.

i mean, who the hell fucks up a CCT replacement?
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!! Mr. Green

Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

dgo1212 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Karma :

MaybeGuy · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Karma :

theres no defending the trade. i'm set in my ways through my experiences and as a result, i will never use a mechanic for anything other than MOTs. and even then, i observe closely.
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!! Mr. Green

Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

izzi81 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Karma :

thanks for the info and advice. I'm going with him to the garage tomorrow morning to talk to the guy and find out what's going on. I was all set on telling him to replace the ECU rather than the spill valve because everything I've read says thats the likely problem, but bf now tells me that when he talked to the guy on the phone he ws told that they had tested the spill valve itself and had been unable to get it to open or close or do anything. Now.. would that happen if it wasn't the spill valve but the ECU that was dead, or does this mean it really is the spill valve that has died?

Don' t know if anyone will be able to answer that one!

Re. DIY... I wish I could do even some of this stuff myself! When I get some spare time in the future one of my goals is to learn a bit of basic mechanics...
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"The problem with the French is they have no word for 'entrepreneur' " George W Bush
Age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese
https://www.bikepics.com/members/izzi81