So, my 2009 1.4 tdi had a new steering rack 7 months ago, after finding a puddle of fluid on my drive, my local garage has determined the seals have gone in the rack and it needs replacing. No problem you might think, well the car was not mine when the rack was replaced, I have only had it for 5 months. I found the invoice for the rack, phoned the garage today which is 1 hour away and after some negotiation, they have agreed to swap the rack but will not front the labour, fluid and tracking. 

 

It does not feel right that I should foot the best part of £200 for a job that was done so soon ago, is there any way that I can claim labour from the manufacturer of the part?

 

T.I.A.

Sounds like a good deal to me as the Steering Rack was paid for by someone else and unless the Manufacturer / Distributors Guarantee not only has the part replaced but labour covered then the garage needs someone paying for their time.

 

Is it a Main Dealers or the likes?    What was the cost of the rack on the Invoice and what was the cost of the labour 7 months ago, was it the best part of £200.

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Have you had a quote off anyone else to replace the new rack?

Thats why its handy to know the seller. They could have went in your place or let you pretend to be them. Not suggesting you should cheat but in a way, a warrantied item that won't cover a later owner, on something quite likely to be sold, is a little one sided!

If a car owner goes to the garage and needs a repair and is told, we can get a OEM part and you get 2 years guarantee on part and labour, exchange part, 

or a Pattern part, guaranteed for 12 months, or a 'crap part' but it does the job, and they choose option 2, or 3 and flog the car then that is that.

 

If option one is the 'OEM part and 2 year guarantee on parts and labour' then good, Expensive at a Main Dealership or maybe cheaper at an Independent Specialist or just a garage, but maybe the better thing to get.

49 minutes ago, mrgf said:

Thats why its handy to know the seller. They could have went in your place or let you pretend to be them. Not suggesting you should cheat but in a way, a warrantied item that won't cover a later owner, on something quite likely to be sold, is a little one sided!

 

But surely the warranty is on the part, it's not relevant who purchased it. For example, if you purchase a new Skoda and sell it after 1 year, the car still has a 2 year warranty.

45 minutes ago, Offski said:

If a car owner goes to the garage and needs a repair and is told, we can get a OEM part and you get 2 years guarantee on part and labour, exchange part, 

or a Pattern part, guaranteed for 12 months, or a 'crap part' but it does the job, and they choose option 2, or 3 and flog the car then that is that.

 

If option one is the 'OEM part and 2 year guarantee on parts and labour' then good, Expensive at a Main Dealership or maybe cheaper at an Independent Specialist or just a garage, but maybe the better thing to get.

 

Even a "crap part" has got to have a 12 month guarantee or it would not be fit for purpose. This rack has lasted 12 months at a cost of £165 + vat. 

2 minutes ago, motormadfrosty said:

 

But surely the warranty is on the part, it's not relevant who purchased it. For example, if you purchase a new Skoda and sell it after 1 year, the car still has a 2 year warranty.

 

Personally, if I had sold that car and had someone contacting me to play that game - I'd probably be telling them to "run along there" we don't live in a mamby pamby world.

 

From what you have been offered by the garage that originally fitted that part, it seems that is exactly what they are offering - but as said already, someone needs to pay to get that part removed/replaced and any other work involved with sorting that job out, and that someone is you I think.

 

If the steering rack was replaced at a Skoda dealer, then that repair gets a full 2 year parts and labour Skoda warranty. You need to contact the dealer that did the replacement.

If it was warrantied as parts and labour, contact your local standards trading agency. They may tell you you have a claim or if you can't as its not your warranty but the previous owners. If the latter, shut up, accept the offer and have the new part fitted. If they say the part is warrantied, no matter that the vehicle is now under different ownership, show this to the repairer and they will almost certainly back down. In the meantime, pay by credit card so if they muck you about and you have a legit claim, you can sue the credit card company, who will then forward costs to the repairer anyway!

@motormadfrosty  So who supplied / purchased the steering rack and fitted it, and who manufactured or reburbished that rack.

 

Was it a OEM part from a Main Dealer or SKODA / VW approved repairer, or some National Repairers or a Local Garage?

 

Makes the difference, what the part is makes a difference.  If a crap part to get a car through a MOT and punt the car then maybe that is what you bought.