My story of a $4000 engine repair at the expense of my mechanic.. what can I do?

[Bassik]

So this story is something that has taken so many avenues/delays and as the plot thickened each day it stretched well over 2 months. It is actually an extension of another thread that didn't last so long http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/...do-117566.html
and turns out that the issue was not an exhaust valve but an oil baffle distributor which had fallen out and hit a cam shaft, damaging it and the rocker plus various engine seals. Which evidently mean't the cylinder head had to come off.

Putting aside the fact that I had been without a car for more than a month, I had to deal with warranty issue claims, car ownership errors and taking my car to 3 alternative places other than my mechanic to source what caused the issue and how to repair it. After taking some advice I finally took the leap and booked it in at Denlo VW. They, much like this thread Oil Baffle has fallen into my head supposedly!! diagnosis'ed the cause of the issue by "someone" pushing the oil distributor down and ultimately weakening the baffle until it fell into the head. This is this piece that fell in. I know nuts right...!



Now I know VW wouldn't own up to any sort of "bad manufacturing" but at least they actually submitted this repair to VWA for a "goodwill" claim and I was actually provided with some compensation. So kudos to VW for helping out.

Now to the point:
Prior to this my mechanic on the other hand is the only person that has handled my car since day one and couldn't find what the issue was, or at least claimed he couldn't. After a lengthy 2 weeks of his lack of communication, answering/returning my calls lead me to the point of frustration and getting nowhere I then took it to 2 other places for a diagnosis, both of which couldn't source the issue and said it would either cost a lot of money and labour to repair and advised taking it to VW. Which is what I had done.

Oblivious to my dissatisfaction, my mechanic has now cost me $4000 in damage . As VW claim this can only be done but not using the right tools to service my car. One out of the 3 places I took my car to actually said that if you fill the engine up with too much oil this can cause issues as well so they actually took some oil out. In addition VW also stated that this can cause the oil baffle to fall off. (I don't know how?)

For the moment my car is still at Denlo and should be repaired within the next few days. I've actually bought a new car whilst this was all happening and will be paying Denlo the $4000 in damage. My question is, do I have any means for raising a dispute to my mechanic in order to receive some sort of compensation? My guess is that he will deny everything and possibly blame VW for poor engineer or bad manufacturing. Basically this issue started whilst my car was in for a service and ever since that service the car got progressively worse. I don't know what leg I have to stand on as this was not caused by me at all and now has cost me $4000 to repair.

I know this is a long thread and let me tell you this is only the short version of it. I would appreciate if anyone has had any issues like this before and what experiences or dispute resolutions they've had like this?
Thanks

[Dutch77]

May be limited options unless you've got friends in the legal fraternity who can lend a hand - like anything these days, action can be taken but it usually costs more than it is worth. A report to the MTA or similar may help if they are accredited?

[Lucas_R]

Don't know how that baffle fell off - its bolted in place. You don't need any special "tools" to service the Mk6 GTI engine so that line is bollocks. I've been servicing my Mk6 GTI myself every 6 months since i bought it just over 3 years ago and never had a single issue in this regard (the car had had its fair share of other issues like PCV valve blown, rear main seal leaking oil, charcoal canister failure...) but none of these are related to general servicing.

Sounds like its just a case of bad luck and i think you would be wasting your time to try and pursue any form of compensation (especially if its only $400) - suck it up as a ****ty experience and move on in my opinion.

And if i was you i would stop using that mechanic - not because he potentially contributed to this stuff up, but because he chose to ignore you when you approached him with a problem.

[Bassik]

Don't know how that baffle fell off - its bolted in place. You don't need any special "tools" to service the Mk6 GTI engine so that line is bollocks. I've been servicing my Mk6 GTI myself every 6 months since i bought it just over 3 years ago and never had a single issue in this regard (the car had had its fair share of other issues like PCV valve blown, rear main seal leaking oil, charcoal canister failure...) but none of these are related to general servicing.

Sounds like its just a case of bad luck and i think you would be wasting your time to try and pursue any form of compensation (especially if its only $400) - suck it up as a ****ty experience and move on in my opinion.

$4000 not $400... Well it's due to the type of funnel you use to re-fill the engine with oil. This is what 2 mechanics have said. Not to mention that thread I linked.

Oh I will not be going back to that mechanic at all. It is a real shame because I got referred to him from this website to.

[Lucas_R]

My story of a $4000 engine repair at the expense of my mechanic.. what can I do?

$4000 not $400... Well it's due to the type of funnel you use to re-fill the engine with oil. This is what 2 mechanics have said. Not to mention that thread I linked.

Oh I will not be going back to that mechanic at all. It is a real shame because I got referred to him from this website to.

I don't believe that line about the funnel used either. No plastic funnel is going to damage or break that metal baffle unless someone is doing something really stupid.

So what repairs exactly were done to cost $4k ?

Pics of my car for reference showing the part that i understand we are talking about.

[Bassik]

I don't believe that line about the funnel used either. No plastic funnel is going to damage or break that metal baffle unless someone is doing something really stupid.

So what repairs exactly were done to cost $4k ?

Pics of my car for reference showing the part that i understand we are talking about.

Yeah that's part... And there's another thread here with the same issue Dealer messed up horribly during oil change. I for one do not know how this can be broken or fall off but 3 mechanics all looked down the oil whole and didn't even notice that this part was missing. Only till recently have I come to know that it could have been a 30min diagnosis's and potentially repaired it even cheaper.

Once it got to VW, they just expected me to open my wallet to all sorts of costs.

[Amalgam]

Sad to hear about this stuff up.

If your mechanic was the only person to service your car and you have the receipts or logbook stamps to prove it, I would approach Consumer Protection for some assistance.

Maybe your mechanic used a metal funnel rather than a plastic one and jammed it in when it stopped short due to the baffle and the oil overflowed. Just a guess.

[Tuan]

This is sickening mate ...

What are you getting fixed or changed for that matter for $4k ? What damage has Denlo said has been done / potentially done ?

Which mechanic is this.

[Bassik]

This is sickening mate ...

What are you getting fixed or changed for that matter for $4k ? What damage has Denlo said has been done / potentially done ?

Which mechanic is this.

Oh mate tell me about it and dramas that have gone on with it. Firstly the car had extended warranty but under the previous owner so I couldn't do anything and then I was asked to transfer it over from him to me... yeah go figure how was I mean't to find the guy, he left no traces whatsoever. Then after that VW said that they had to take the cylinder head out but couldn't start until they had a written letter from the insurance company proving I was the second owner... when I called to get this they said I was the only owner and the system said the car had been sold to me new... Which wasn't the case. This went on for about 2 weeks until finally Allianz contacted VWA and explained the situation.

The damage was done on 1 cam shaft and new rocker had to be replaced. Servicing the cylinder head, new gaskets, new valve seals, new timing case, new oil coolant, oil filter and spark plugs. Plus a crap load of stuff that VW intentionally covered up on the quote. 4 pages of BS.

I don't know if I want to name the mechanic but let me tell you I got him from this site...and he is popular on here. Which really annoys me...

[Tuan]

I am just reading the link on the other golfmk6 site ..

Sorry this had to happen to you. Sounds like a nightmare but I hope it gets sorted out in the end and does not end up like what's happened with the other dude's car on golfmk6.com !!!!

[theresanothersteve]

If the original mechanic is under the state's auto club accreditation scheme they might be able to negotiate some form of compromise.

I've been down that track and while the auto club seems to want to appease someone who pays for accreditation as well as their members I got something back.

[Bassik]

If the original mechanic is under the state's auto club accreditation scheme they might be able to negotiate some form of compromise.

I've been down that track and while the auto club seems to want to appease someone who pays for accreditation as well as their members I got something back.

Yeah I'm not sure he is, it's worth putting in a dispute but it's going to be a pass the buck kinda thing and no one will known up or take responsibility.

[Ozsko]

Without reading all the previous thread etc I will advance a theory for what it is worth. A funnel, oil gun spout or whatever has become jammed in there and the mechanic has weakened it trying to get the jammed item out instead of taking the cam cover off and releasing it properly. My 2 cents worth for what it is worth. BTW does the mechanic have an apprentice, people make mistakes and people also have to learn their chosen trade and they can't do that without working on cars in this case. If none of the above fits then ignore me.

[Bassik]

Without reading all the previous thread etc I will advance a theory for what it is worth. A funnel, oil gun spout or whatever has become jammed in there and the mechanic has weakened it trying to get the jammed item out instead of taking the cam cover off and releasing it properly. My 2 cents worth for what it is worth. BTW does the mechanic have an apprentice, people make mistakes and people also have to learn their chosen trade and they can't do that without working on cars in this case. If none of the above fits then ignore me.

Oh it fits... it's the problem of my mechanic owning up to any of it. I believe he works with one other and that's it.

[Ozsko]

I am sure NSW has a dedicated tribunal for matters of this sort concerning the motor repair industry and Denlo's service manager should be able to give you more advice on that. I know the dealers are subject to it as my son has appeared in a few hearings. Fair Trading will also guide you to the correct place as well.