Went to get the car tracked last saturday!

20mins later they come and say the steering rack tie arms are seized and id have to take it back when they were less busy as it may need new tie arms as they are seized!

I know they arent seized!

So just had a look and the morons have put that much heat on it they have melted the thread (they are deffo knackered now!!)

Do i go back and go banana's? Or do i just swallow my pride and fix it with new tie arms myself!

And if so how hard is it to put new ones on?

I've changed a boot before but never took much notice of how the arm attaches towards the rack end??

I'd take it back, highlight the result of their ham fisted ape ness and get them to sort it

Thing is they wouldn't expect me to try and slacken it off myself (which was my idea)

So basically they have fudged it were hoping to get off with it!

I am getting mad thinking about it!

The only time i take my car to a garage and they goof it up!!

Arrrrgggghhhh!! Absolute idiots!!

Thing is they wouldn't expect me to try and slacken it off myself (which was my idea)

So basically they have fudged it were hoping to get off with it!

I am getting mad thinking about it!

The only time i take my car to a garage and they goof it up!!

Arrrrgggghhhh!! Absolute idiots!!

 

Take it back buddy. 

 

Explain to them there stupid attempt to fix and now that they owe sorting it. 

Maybe you will bite bullet on replacement parts but no labour or something similar as not sure you will get swapped and replaced completely free but start off with that first. use "spreading the reputation on various forums" approach if need be.

They are complete idiots!

I dont think garages have penetrating fluid! A good blast of plusgas and a wire brush and some muscle flex they would be slack in no time!

Ive changed everything on my car and yet came to find a single bolt a bit of brainpower can't get off!

Just when you add up all the little things they tell you its obvious its a **** up on their part and they think im stupid enough not to know!

like wise never came across a incidence  my car that i could not figure out a solution to including removing seized bolts.

 

This is basic stuff to a garage.

Thing is though do i really want to get them to fix it after they have messed up a simple tracking!

Especially replacing something like a tie rod on a rack considering the racks are quite weak anyways! They could end up buggering the rack then im well out of pocket!

I think i'll put new tie rods on myself then take it back and slap the knackered ones on the counter and kick up a fuss and make them know that i know!!

Good plan

I'd take it back as this is now an mot failure which they have caused on your vehicle please see the link.

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s02000204.htm

I'd take it back as this is now an mot failure which they have caused on your vehicle please see the link.

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s02000204.htm

Thats quite interesting - i didnt know this!

Here is a pic of the damage - notice the weld on the thread

I'd take it back, highlight the result of their ham fisted ape ness and get them to sort it

Ham fisted apeness

That made me laugh

****ed bits........ Yeah!!!! That wouldnt

When trusted to do something do it right !!!

When trusted to do something and paid !!!!

****ners !!

I'd kick their arse and insist they replace the whole lot, arms and all.

Idiots obviously put too much acetylene in the mix.

So do you think i have good grounds to go in?

Should i print off the MOT legislation and the picture of the damage?

I KNOW for certain there was no damage present before hand! My MOT was 2 weeks ago and no mention of excessive heat

I have changed all suspension, dropped subframe and all new bushes and new front arb so i KNOW no damage was there before hand

The only thing is that bothers me i know what my temprement is like, i do not do well in trying to get my point across

I am the opposite of calm and collected and i just hit the red zone which usually involves me exploding

i used to do alignments all the time and seen this all the time on mk4 golfs octavias etc... Its because they've put way too much heat on. They do sieze but a wee bit of heat on the nut usally does it. Just turn the bottles down and take your time. Used to hate seeing this by the last person that had down it then trying to explain to the customer that i didnt do it but wos done the last time. If it wos mine i would take it back and explain... Ideally it needs new track rods and track rod ends now

I would phone consumer direct and see how you stand that way you now what to say when you go back to them and tell them you spoken to them

Looks like too much heat to me. I'd take a copy of the mot info and say what are you (the garage) going to do about it.

The only thing is that bothers me i know what my temprement is like, i do not do well in trying to get my point across

I am the opposite of calm and collected and i just hit the red zone which usually involves me exploding

 

This will be your issue buddy. I used to be like that to (and boy it is hard to keep under wraps sometimes).

 

You will end up getting no where if you loose it.

 

I would use facts to win the case and keep cool. Explain you did a lot of work on car and subframe and know the parts fitted and condition plus recent MOT.

Then you can say something like having checked from your visit you find the state they are now in. Then let them do the talking and explaining.

I find i used to get emotional and not even let the other folks talk and I find now that if you give them space to talk and explain they will either dig a hole themselves or be reasonable.

After the facts you provided,  you can state what are they going to do about it and work out next steps.

 

I try now not to try to plan what is going to happen as this can also make you frustrated it is not completely going to plan.

 

You may find that they are reasonable but if not not you may need to say you will go and consider further actions to take with out going into too much detail there and then.

 

good luck...

Try writing it down on paper

 

Not an essay - just simple bullet points

 

You could even do two copies, give them one maybe

 

Would give them less room to wriggle hopefully

Id replace the track rod ends as well as they will have got blooming hot too & chances are its melted the grease,it always worries me when these type outfits use so much heat on steering & suspension components.Id go back & complain & try to come to a mutual arrangement that your both happy with.