So last Thursday night/Friday morning 0112 I hit black ice and I slid into a kerb and damaged my CV joint and wishbone. Initially recovery guy looked underneath the car and said it was just the driveshaft that was snapped and I needed a new one. Skoda roadside assistance said I could only get the car towed to my house obviously due to the time it was so that's where the car got towed I asked my local mechanic to come and look at it, however they said the car would need to be towed again to a garage to see what parts were needed as the car needed to go on the ramp but I had to wait a couple days as he was fully booked. In the mean time I ordered the driveshaft from Skoda and collected and got the car towed to the garage. At the garage it was found th driveshaft is actually fine it's the CV joint and wishbone that were needed. I contacted Skoda as the driveshaft I bought wasn't needed and asked them to return it as it is unopened and not needed. They let me know that I cannot return the part as it is an item that Skoda UK do not stock and the systems will not allow me to return it and even if j could I would be charged a 15% holding fee. I even spoke to the manager and still the same nonsense. So I am left with a £516 part that is not needed and they refuse to take it back and telling me the best thing j can do is to try and sell it. 

 

Now I am sure consumer rights supports that I can return this item as I have only had it 2 days and it is unopened

Ask to see their returns policy.

 

See here...

 

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/i-want-to-return-my-goods-what-are-my-rights

 

As the part isn't faulty they're under no obligation to take it back, but they must honour their returns policy.

Did you buy over the phone from the dealer or in person? If over the phone then distance selling rules may apply, probably not if you went to pick it up though.

Edited 7 February, 20197 yr by bigjohn

Also depends if they told you it was a special order item.  As those arent returnable. But he should have informed you of that before ordering.  

44 minutes ago, bigjohn said:

Did you buy over the phone from the dealer or in person? If over the phone then distance selling rules may apply, probably not if you went to pick it up though.

Yes it was over the phone from my local dealer and I went to pick up the part. They are not saying it is anything to do with spellings rules etc just simply their system won't allow them to process a return on this item as it is a non stock item.

15 minutes ago, Adrian55555 said:

Also depends if they told you it was a special order item.  As those arent returnable. But he should have informed you of that before ordering.  

I spoke to them in depth before ordering as I told them that the recovery person inspected the damage before recovering the vehicle as they have to do and said it is the drive shaft at no point did they say anything about making sure it is the right part because it cannot be returned etc.

Saying that the CV joint is part of a driveshaft and there is a chance that you have damaged the inner one as well. Why not fit the new driveshaft anyway and don't buy another CV joint. In my past experience (I'm sure some will not agree) new driveshafts seem to be fitted with CV boots that seem to last longer that the ones on replacement CV joints. I sometimes wonder if the replacement ones are fitted with more pliable rubber to help with retro fitting. In addition the fitting of a replacement CV joint may involve more labour.  Infact if I have an old( yes yours is newer!) driveshaft where a car fails an MOT due to a split CV boot I usually replace the whole driveshaft anyway as I've found just replacing the outer CV to be a false economy long term. 

 

PS rather than worrying about the cost of a driveshaft i'd be more concerned that you haven't damaged the gearbox as its flange/bearing/oil seal/diff can be clouted with this sort of incident.

Edited 7 February, 20197 yr by bigjohn

11 hours ago, bigjohn said:

Saying that the CV joint is part of a driveshaft and there is a chance that you have damaged the inner one as well. Why not fit the new driveshaft anyway and don't buy another CV joint. In my past experience (I'm sure some will not agree) new driveshafts seem to be fitted with CV boots that seem to last longer that the ones on replacement CV joints. I sometimes wonder if the replacement ones are fitted with more pliable rubber to help with retro fitting. In addition the fitting of a replacement CV joint may involve more labour.  Infact if I have an old( yes yours is newer!) driveshaft where a car fails an MOT due to a split CV boot I usually replace the whole driveshaft anyway as I've found just replacing the outer CV to be a false economy long term. 

 

PS rather than worrying about the cost of a driveshaft i'd be more concerned that you haven't damaged the gearbox as its flange/bearing/oil seal/diff can be clouted with this sort of incident.

Nothing wrong with the gearbox, and the old drive shaft is in perfect working order it was simply the CV joint. However I have had no experience of having to replace a CV joint before so I don't know about that. 

As advised, ask to see their returns policy. Then you'll know if you're being fobbed off or if what they're telling you is accurate.

3 hours ago, silver1011 said:

As advised, ask to see their returns policy. Then you'll know if you're being fobbed off or if what they're telling you is accurate.

On the invoice it states goods correctly supplied to special order cannot be accepted for credit. 

 

Now as I ordered over the phone and explained the situation to them and told them I was advised it is the driveshaft rather than just CV joint. No one explained to me that the item cannot be returned for xyz reason.

 

The only thing they are staying to me now is to try and sell it.

Edited 8 February, 20197 yr by RCW89

Driveshafts can get bent with an impact, personally I wouldn’t do anything about it until the car is repaired and you can make sure there is no issue with the current shaft (vibrations etc)

8 hours ago, RCW89 said:

Nothing wrong with the gearbox, and the old drive shaft is in perfect working order it was simply the CV joint. However I have had no experience of having to replace a CV joint before so I don't know about that. 

 

The driveshaft itself is a piece of metal with a CV joint on each end so when you say it was simply the CV joint, that is still part of the driveshaft assembly. When changing the CV joint there is extra labour involved in removing the CV joint from the drive shaft and replacing it. The new CV boot is sometimes difficult to fit and seal when in situ  ( I know- have done loads in the past).  If you have done that much damage to the outer joint then the inner joint will have also been impacted.

 

I have encountered a bent driveshaft before but that was when someone I knew had a car raised by placing a large trolley jack under a driveshaft  when they had used a backstreet part worn tyre place.

Edited 8 February, 20197 yr by bigjohn

Why not consider an insurance claim.

Edited 8 February, 20197 yr by xman

2 hours ago, bigjohn said:

 

The driveshaft itself is a piece of metal with a CV joint on each end so when you say it was simply the CV joint, that is still part of the driveshaft assembly. When changing the CV joint there is extra labour involved in removing the CV joint from the drive shaft and replacing it. The new CV boot is sometimes difficult to fit and seal when in situ  ( I know- have done loads in the past).  If you have done that much damage to the outer joint then the inner joint will have also been impacted.

 

I have encountered a bent driveshaft before but that was when someone I knew had a car raised by placing a large trolley jack under a driveshaft  when they had used a backstreet part worn tyre place.

When I say simply, I meant the mechanic removed the drive shaft and inspected it and said there wasn't any damage to it however the CV joint needed replacing and that I didn't require a new joint. I have since had the car back and I notice no difference in terms of how the car drives.

2 hours ago, xman said:

Why not consider an insurance claim.

They raised my insurance when a moped rode into the back of my car in 2017 which was totally not my fault. So they may do the same again. 

6 hours ago, Gizmo said:

Driveshafts can get bent with an impact, personally I wouldn’t do anything about it until the car is repaired and you can make sure there is no issue with the current shaft (vibrations etc)

I have had the car back since this morning and been driving around and haven't noticed anything different, no vibrations nothing.