Wrong timing belt fitted to Stevens Esprit - V-belt instead of Toothbelt

[Vanya]

I will try calling the workshop tomorrow and get someone on the line, I want to hear what they have to say before I consider court.

Erik, I unfortunately didn't pay by credit card (not directly) - it was added to the cost of the car when I picked it up from the dealers. The dealer then transferred that money to the workshop.

Its unfortunate if things have to get ugly over something this small (to a business). Unfortunately, I am a man of limited means, and the 840 quid out of pocket hurts me more than it does them.

[Rich H]

If it was part of the deal for the car and you paid the dealer to sort isn't it the dealer you need to approach? The dealer didn't fulfil the contract to get the belts changed?

[jonwat]

If it was part of the deal for the car and you paid the dealer to sort isn't it the dealer you need to approach? The dealer didn't fulfil the contract to get the belts changed?

No, the people he bought the car from are responsible. It's like when you bought something that didn't work before the consumer credit act was brought in & the shop told you to send it back to the manufacturer. Not allowed to do that.

[andydclements]

Jon.

i think you are saying the same as Rich but don't realise it.

The dealer who sold the car is responsible as it was the contract with the seller. they happened to sub-contract that piece of work to somebody else. In which case.

A polite call to the workshop could be in order, they may be happy to sort it.

If they are not willing to resolve easily.

A polite call to the dealer, they are the ones legally responsible.

If they are not willing to resolve easily.

A call to the lender/ credit card company if paid that way and simply make a claim under the consumer credit act.

The lender and retailer are both jointly and wholly responsible, meaning you can claim against either (as one is covered by the FOS that's the easiest) and either one would have to settle the whole amount (they cannot claim that they only cover half).

[Vanya]

I've been in touch with the dealer throughout this whole thing, and they've been supportive. In this case responsibility I believe lies with the workshop: I requested that the dealer take it to the workshop to get the timing belt changed while I went back to Sweden (I flew to the UK for 3 days to hunt Esprit, then had to get my ass back to work). I originally wanted to hire Barry Ely to do the job, but since I couldn't be there to drive the car to him personally, I figured it would be practical to let the dealer use their preferred workshop considering the car was going back anyway on my request to get its brakes looked at a final time (ABS light was on during the test-drive).

I personally negotiated the cambelt change and pricing with the workshop, so it's kind of out of the dealers hands. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have haggled about the price.

Anyways, I gave the workshop a call earlier today and was kindly told by a gentleman there that they hadn't received any mails from me and if I could resend my inquiry: I've done this, supplying a picture of the faulty installation along with my contact details. Let's see what happens. I was told that normally they would rectify such a mistake free of charge, but seeing as I'm abroad (and have already had the correct belt fitted) this isn't feasible.

More updates as I get 'em. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying my SE (the joys of ownership seem to absorb the financial distress incurred.)