Vauxhall service PHOTO's

Well, almost certainly, they have cocked up the cam timing, they have then had the head off to change valves, guides etc. One or more of the head bolts has been in such a state they have had to replace it. The oil mess is caused by carelessly blowing out the bolt holes in the block.

There will be little difficulty in seeing whether the head gasket has been replaced, at the gearbox end there will be a bit of gasket sticking out with notches in (shows the thickness) It will be quite obvious if this is new. Even the dodgiest dealer would put a new gasket on.

mrcheerful

Thankyou, My thoughts too, hence the bullshit story of waiting for parts and a four day delay. Though it was strange that upon phoning up the chap on the other end who was the parts manager said, oh your the one in to have the head gasket changed.

Also found it strange that the invoice was dated on the first day it arrived at the garage, along with the new MOT certificate which had 9 miles fewer on it than the odometer.

Angry is not the word. I do want heads on sticks over this.

Calm down, you'll drop your pompom sweetie.

Is the car OK now?

Looking at it another way, for a moment - they fecked it up, did some damage and then put it right without charging you. You've got a new head gasket, some new valves and a decoke for free. Not too shabby.

They blew your engine up and repaired it without telling you?

That site was started as a favour to my young neice who is a member of the morris dance troup.

It's not my scene at all, Mines Rugby League and F1 motor racing

Assuming that the car runs ok, then the only real annoyance is that they covered it up, really. Most garages would have tried to say it was your fault. I agree that an apology is in order, but it is not too serious in the big scheme of things. Perhaps a free Mot or something will be offered, but I don;t think you should expect any thing more.

mrcheerful

That is NOT the problem, I'm NOT after compsention. I just want the TRUTH about what did happen

I took it to the main dealer because I THOUGHT I would get a quality job. I was prepared to a premium price to get a quality job. But all I got was fobbed of with waiting for parts.

If they had come clean and said, we've cocked it up, but dont worry we will fix the mistake at no charge to you then I would not be angry. I accept mistakes happen.

The fact is this dealer told bare face lies to protect the reputation of the garage. I dont like LIARS.

It is NOT the first time this dealer has tried to con us. Only the other month, they fitted a wing mirror after it had been kick off. internal parts and labour came to £78 and included the black tape to hold mirror casing on. (yes I did say that).

6hrs later it was off again. Back in the garage they admitted that they had broke it but thought it would stay on....... (me thinks long enough so they would not be found out.)

Ok that was my wifes car. Now what do I do with the Astra Estate I bought 18months ago from them. I dont feel I can trust them to do the servicing even though I've prepaid for servicing on a two years deal.

fatsod

them service mine for

I dont want money, I dont want any freebies.

I simply want the truth.

Is it really too much to ask.

Is the British motor trade industry so far up it's own arse it is not man enough to own up to the simple facts that they do make mistakes from time to time.

- fatsod.

FatSod ( snipped-for-privacy@fatsodsDIET.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Oh, the blessed naivety...

More fool you for going back, then.

Ever heard "Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me."?

I think Mr Cheerful, among others, have commented previously on the tearful consequences (due to the criticality of replacing the cambelt) on some Astra diesel engines, even when fitted by reputable dealers. Especially as there are no timing marks on the camshaft pulley, which is best adjusted using the proper DTI tool.

What you want is a bit irelevant if they wont admit it.

You may well have got a quality job (whatever that means). I expect they've done the HG well enough - although if it was my car I wouldn't have accepted it back oil all over the place.

Fair enough - shouting at me (or them) wont help your case though.

Why did you go back then? I never give a garage a second chance to f*ck me over.

Everyone deserve a second chance.

A third chance NEVER.

- fatsod

YES YES YES BLOODY YES.

I was after reading all the stories of timing disasters that I decided that we would make sure my wife's car would be done correctly. we would pay through the nose and take to a Vauxhall Dealer who employ factory trained mechanics and use the proper tools.

Well that makes me a complete and utter d*****ad doesn't it.

- Fatsod

What's actually wrong with the car now? It works doesn't it? They fixed whatever they did wrong didn't they?

I don't think that is what makes you a d*****ad.

what engine is it

Exactly why I did the job myself, although in reality I'm far too old to be grovelling around under motor cars at my time of life!

After reading various horror stories of people who had trustingly taken their vehicles to so called 'reputable' garages to have their cambelt replaced, I eventually wound up buying a 'genuine' Vauxhall cambelt, plus the guide roller and water pump from Autovaux, and by shopping around on the Net managed to purchase the correct Sealey DTI tool plus alignment plate for under £40, and fitted the whole lot myself, so far touch wood, I've driven about 5000 miles without any problems.

Don't if it's a GM or Izusu but it's a 1997 Astra 1.7Ls Td Estate

Parts replaced (cambelt etc etc) V0090530598 Belt Tooth V0009158004 Roller Tension Tooth V0090495046 Bush V0090250709 Sleeve V0090411787 Guide Pulley Toothed

- fatsod

Yes the car working as it should be.

Under the terms and conditons of the work carried out by the dealer. The dealer warrants that it's work is garantteed for a period of three months or 3000 miles. However, as it is suspected that undocument addition work has be carried out on this vehicle, there will be no garanttee for this work. Should there be any failure during the garranttee period, then the dealer will not accept liabilty and I will be expected to pay for any faulty parts or poor workmanship.

Now do you understand why they should have done the honourable thing and admitted they cocked up.

- fatsod