Garage broke my door? Advice needed

[Mystic Storm 0]

Hi,

 

I'll try and keep this short but basically my rado was in the garage last week having the suspension fixed. Got a rather irrate phone call on Thursday afternoon to say that the car locked 'itself' with the keys in it. The garage weren't too happy as it happened on their wheel alignment ramp. Obviously not my fault (and it's not the first rado I've had with a full closure system). Anyway, they tried to break into both doors but with no luck so phoned asking me to take up the spare keys (2 hour round trip by train!?). I said I couldn't manage that but would post them special delivery which is what I did. Keys arrived first thing on Friday, problem solved, or so I thought!

 

Went to pick up the car on Sat and they tell me that the drivers door doesn't open :( , it "just stopped working". They couldn't fix it because they couldn't get the door card off without opening the door!? It seems too much of a coincidence to me that they tried to break into the car (the window seal no longer fits properly either) and now the door doesn't open.

 

I was in too much of a rush to argue the toss at the time as was heading off for the weekend but do you think I'm within my rights to demand that they fix the door or cover the cost of me getting fixed somewhere else? I'm pretty P'd off to say the least! :shock:

 

Cheers,

James

[jazzdevil 0]

that is so not funny... :(

 

the penalty - well as my avatar suggests a ball kicking would be a start!

[Critical_Mass 10]

I agree it does sound very coincidental. However, are you sure thats not what it is - a coincidence? When you say the door handle is broken, is it the infamous week door handle mechanism that corrados are know to have? Can the door be opened from the inside?

[vwdeviant 0]

Persoanlly I'd kick right off at them... is it a local or a Chain?

 

If the latter threaten to write letters to head office etc... They have admitted to damaging it by trying to break in without your permission!

[Mystic Storm 0]

The door doesn't open from the inside either so it's a right pain. Unfortunately it's a local garage which I use all the time and have always used for my rados. I dread to think how much money I've given them over the years which makes it even more annoying as the owner was so blas

[mr.ots 10]

If the door isn't opening from both the inside and outside then it sounds like a linkage has come loose from the locking mechanism. IMO this was probably caused by them putting slim jims or something similar down between the door and the glass to attempt to unlock the car. This would also explain your poorly fitting window trim rubber.

 

I would put it to them and see if they will agree to sort it out free of charge. I would expect the car to come back in the same condition it was in when they got it.

 

Good luck with it.

[craigowl 0]

That is a pain, Mystic Storm.

As a good customer they should not be treating you in a blase fashion.

As has been said, they should return the car to you in the condition (or better) than it was when it went in.

Easy to say, I know, but stand up strong for your rights.

 

Who are they? In Edinburgh? Just curious - wont slag them off until you give the go ahead. :lol:

[Pickard1 0]

If it doesnt open from the inside then they have either pullled off or snapped the little plastic linkage that fits onto the door catch,

The only way in is to break in.

Once the door is open you can remove the screw in the end of the door and take out the handle. The situation can then be rectified from the hole in the outside doorskin where the handle sits.

 

Dont let them try and take off the door card as the bit they have broken is only accesible from the outside so thats a waste of time, and they will damage the doorcard badly by taking it off with the door locked.

 

Considering they broke it you would at least think they might have an idea how to fix it :shock:

[Mystic Storm 0]

Pickard1,

 

Cheers for the info, good to know. Will phone them tomorrow and see what's what. I'm in no doubt that it's not a coincidence so if they don't take responsibility they'll have lost a good customer.

 

Craigowl,

 

I'll give them a chance to redeem themselves but if you look through my posts you'll find out who it is anyway as I always recommend them and in my 4 years of Corrado ownership I've never used another garage! I certainly got the impression that it was somehow my fault that they locked the keys in the car :shock:

 

Cheers,

James

[craigowl 0]

Got it, Mystic Storm.

Not in Edinburgh and very surprising.

Have never been there but knew they were supposed to be highly regarded technically.

Mind you, I knew a few people from that district and you cannae aye trust them! :lol:

[vwdeviant 0]

Mind you, I knew a few people from that district and you cannae aye trust them! :lol:

 

 

Damn you skirt wearing heathen, speak the queen's English or we'll just come and invade you all over again! :lol:

[craigowl 0]

Nae problem! - Oor sporrans are loaded wie hot porridge, ready to splatter ye fae heid tae fit, Englishman!

[vwdeviant 0]

Nae problem! - Oor sporrans are loaded wie hot porridge, ready to splatter ye fae heid tae fit, Englishman!

 

Now I understood every word of that (must have been the 5 yrs growing up in Corstorphine/ Crammond!) :shock:

[Mystic Storm 0]

Well after a bit of an arguement on the phone, Jim at Star Performance claims that it's a coincidence that the door is broken and if I want it fixed I'll have to pay for it - "It's an old car and these things happen". I actually can't believe it and he seemed to take offence that I'd even suggest they broke it. Told him what I thought the problem was (based on comments on this thread) and he said he has no idea what's wrong with it or how he would fix it, eh?? On top of that he was totally inconsistent with what he told me when I collected the car too. On Saturday he told me it stopped working on the Thursday and today he told me it was Monday. Fair enough, maybe he has a bad memory, lol, but why on earth did they try and break into the car by pulling up the lock if they KNEW (on Thu or Mon??) that the door didn't even work!?!!? That was the clincher for me and they've now lost a good customer (have spent over a grand there in the past 6 months and I dread to think how much I've spent overall on my 3 rados).

 

He can also stick the RR day I was trying to organise!

 

So can anyone recommend a good VW specialist in/near Edinburgh?

[Walesy 0]

Shame, but I fully agree with you mate - I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole after that.

[ReekieVR 0]

Thats the pits man. You're correct - it does seem like far too much of a coincidence. Why would anyone try to break into a car, a) without asking the owner 1st, b) despite knowing what is wrong ( ie the keys are locked in it ) OR , c) without getting a professional alarm dood / lock-meister in to open the car -seeing as it was apparently the alarm which locked the door in the 1st place.

 

Anyway - does the central locking / total enclosure work ok now?

 

You'd think that after moving to the new premesis - which must have cost a fair few bob, he would be trying to keep the quality of his work and attitude up. However, i must say, i was trying to get my C booked in for full suspension replacement, and he completely ignored every singe one of my emails. Thats just rude. Perhaps he has so much work on, he can afford to ignore good customers.

 

I now use Herriot Hill garage down the foot of leith walk. Its VW specialist and although i have only used him twice, he 'seems' to know his stuff. Have a good chat with him 1st if you getting anything complex done. See if he sounds like he knows what he is on about.

[yellowdfp 0]

I totally sympathise with your issue and it does sound like something 'odd' has gone on.

 

I don't like to 'bash' places simply on my own personal experiences since everyones experiences are probably unique. I would however say that, despite many glowing reports from others, I have also been put off same place after having a new SS exhuast fitted some years ago which knocked at the rear from day one. I took it back twice and they tried to fix by jiggling it a bit, but with little success. On the second occasion I got the destinct impression that I was just an annoyance and that they really didn't want to bother trying to fix it.

 

In the end it was easily and cheaply fixed by my usual local garage by simply fitting new hangers - I was suprised other place were not willing to try that fix and so have not been back since.

 

I have been using Jack Walkers in Turnhouse Road for years and they have been very good, although perhpas not quite so impressive lately. Anyone got any other suggestions for the Edinburgh area?

[Mystic Storm 0]

Cheers for the comments. I don't like bashing places either, especially as I've never really had any problems with them before. Granted the owner can be a bit obtuse but now he's turned out to be a total liar. Anyway, life's too short to spend time on w*nkers like that!

 

As for alternative garages I'll probably pop into Heriot Hill on Saturday as it's just round the corner from me. It certainly beats the 30 mile trip to Glenrothes!

 

I'll hopefully make one of the Edinburgh meets soon so maybe see you there. Might help convince you to go down the 24v route yellowdfp :D !!!

[craigowl 0]

Shame about Star. I always had them in the back of my mind for if I needed any big job done.

 

You sound like a reasonable guy Mystic Storm, so we need to be wary. I certainly would not want to drive all that way and get a lack of customer care like that.

 

In Linlithgow, Hunters (a family business originally in Edinburgh since 1948) have two VW "technicians".

 

I spoke to one of them when accompanying him when he was driving my daughter's Golf which was having a rear brake noise problem. We had a 15 minute run and I asked him about the VR6 and he said he had taken them apart a few times and would be happy to give a Corrado any attention. He correctly diagnosed Golf's fault while we were on drive, too.

 

I had the C in there only once to have an engine mount replaced after the bolt sheared when I was replacing it. We have also had the 17 yr old Peugeot in there several times (Barum tyres £19.99 incl balancing etc for 205 - done in minutes.)

 

My daughter always gets us to put her Golf in there for servicing and repair.

 

Clearly, I cannot guarantee that everyone will get complete satisfaction there, but I would trust them with my Storm again.

[just_say_meth 0]

Cheers for the comments. I don't like bashing places either, especially as I've never really had any problems with them before. Granted the owner can be a bit obtuse but now he's turned out to be a total liar. Anyway, life's too short to spend time on w*nkers like that!

 

As for alternative garages I'll probably pop into Heriot Hill on Saturday as it's just round the corner from me. It certainly beats the 30 mile trip to Glenrothes!

 

I'll hopefully make one of the Edinburgh meets soon so maybe see you there. Might help convince you to go down the 24v route yellowdfp :D !!!

 

Theres a meet on tuesday if any ones interested in popping along

 

Copy and paste:

Tuesday 12th Febuary 7-7:30pm start.

 

As most of you know, country side inn is no longer! :( But ill be keeping an eye on new owners.

 

New location is the Cramond Brig.

 

Website

http://www.cramondbrig.com/gallery.php

 

Directions

The Cramond Brig is situated on the main road between

the Forth Road Bridge and the Barnton Junction and is

less than a

[ReekieVR 0]

Craigowl - i seem to remember hearing on Pistonheads that the two VW technicians were the guys from Autowerke on Gorgie Rd. I am sure they moved out to Linth.

[craigowl 0]

They might be, I did not hear where they came from, though it did cross my mind to ask.

Was Autowerke any good, dont know anything about them?

[yellowdfp 0]

Used Autowerke once with my first Corrado many years ago to get new fly wheel supplied and fitted but was unimpressed as the new parts apparently had "not turned up on the truck" on day car was booked in but they didn't let me know 'till I phoned in the afternoon to see how the work was going. They kept the car in but, even though the parts arrived the next day, they were then too busy with other bookings to do the work for a further day or two, so I was left without the car much longer than expected, so didn't feel they were too well organised.

 

To be fair, the work done and price seemed OK and other folk I knew around the same time said they had had OK service with them. Was a long time ago now, so would be intersted to hear what they are like these days..... :?

[Mystic Storm 0]

One last thing I forgot which may make people laugh (or not!). After I bought my current rado I was telling Jim at Star it was my 3rd, how I loved Corrados blah blah and he said "I don't understand why people get obsessed with these cars, it's just a lump of metal after all" :shock: :shock: . I guess the warning signs were there!!

 

I'll let everyone know how I get on at Herriot Hill. I'll also see if I can make the meet on Tue but think I'm climbing that night :)

[Brother_Gideon 0]

I'm sorry you had this issue mate and to some extent I can sympathise - Strangely I had a pretty similar experience a few months ago after getting the MOT done ...alarm goes off, button gets pressed, windows go up, keys in ignition. As soon as the guy asked for spare keys for the Volkswagen I knew I was in trouble. They were in Leicestershire, and I was in Devon.

 

After leaving it there overnight I got a call early morning (supposed to be on a break, not happy) saying they had sorted it. As soon as I got in I found out the central locking wasn't working, at which point they tried to convince me it was probably like that in the first place! We shot that one down fast for pretty obvious reasons. So I had to take it back again, they call me, say it's sorted. I then find out the central locking isn't connected to the alarm. I am close to breaking point when he tells me if they can't fix it then I will have to go to VW to get it done.

 

Luckily they do (this was a week long saga, and only the short version of a much longer story...) I was pretty fortunate that they were scared of my mum and were decent guys. I wouldn't take it there again though.

 

The one thing that pissed me off more than anything else was they used MY CAR to pick me up in and take me back to the garage. The fact that I took the other issues in reasonably good humour may question my mentality slightly, but god did that annoy me!