My Passat has trouble with intermitent starting so i took it into my local garage who diagnosed the coils were at fault and charged me £220 to replace but when i got the car back it still wouldn't start. When i obviously questioned this they said that's what the diagnostic showed so they have fixed a fault but from my point of view not what i brought it in for. They then said that after they fixed the coils they didn't know what else to try and i'd have to take it to VW.

So in it went, VW said it needed a new fuel pump, paid £300, picked up the car and guess what, still won't start so it's back with them now.

So where do i stand i'm £520 down and the problem is no where nearer being fixed and i'm looking at another bill from VW if they manage to solve it at all??

thanks

You should get both of your moneys back as neither were able to diagnose and repair the vehicle.

We had a similar issue with a Toyota, intermittent stalling. After 2 weeks in the main dealer, trial of 2 new ECUs and one new fuel pump they admitted defeat and gave it back to us with no charge.

My Passat has trouble with intermitent starting so i took it into my local garage who diagnosed the coils were at fault and charged me £220 to replace but when i got the car back it still wouldn't start. When i obviously questioned this they said that's what the diagnostic showed so they have fixed a fault but from my point of view not what i brought it in for. They then said that after they fixed the coils they didn't know what else to try and i'd have to take it to VW.

omg… get a refund or ask them to take off the new parts and put the old ones back on..

you took the car in to fix the none starting and they have not do this deposit what the computer says… did it not start at the garage when you collected it?

Whilst I agree a refund seems right I wonder if the idea is that you're paying for them to do their best – if they're wrong then you still have to pay.

This is one of the very annoying features of garages using diagnostic tools; they think that whatever shows up is actually the fault and then go about changing it. The diagnostic tools doesn't show you what isn't working, it shows the systems where errors have occurred – definitely not the same thing!

I have a mate at work who took his M3 in because it was misfiring badly. The garage stuck a diagnostic tool on it which said MAF error and so changed the MAF sensor…which didn't fix it. What it actually turned out to be was a fault with the VANOS system that was causing an error in the MAF system. Luckily he got a refund for the MAF sensor and diagnosis time. So yeah, I reckon you'd be entitled to a refund.

thanks, yes unfornunately the problem is intermittent and sods law it started fine when i picked it up but did it again later. It did do it when i took it back this morning though

how did you leave the garage if it wont start?

Say no I need it fixing.
Problem is this is how long is a piece of string type questions re how much you pay /howlong it takes

does it turn over? but just not start?

Having exactly the same issue with a Merc dealer – they've fixed 2 things that their diagnostics have picked up but not what I actually took it in for.

from their point of view they dont know what is wrong either and have done eveything in good faith.
Worst issues in car trade are intermitent faults everyone wants to be told yes it is X part and it will cost X. The reality is they have no idea and are just trying their best to fix it.

Intermittent starting fault, Junky. Hence leaving the garage.

Me and three other people (when we were young) once took a taxi somewhere to meet with friends. The driver couldn't find it, drove us all around then in the end we had to go home. He still charged us half the meter fare. If I'd been older and more confident I'd have told him to f-off. Would you have paid him?

Isn't it the same situation with the garage?

If they had told me they weren't sure if this would fix it but would try then i might feel a bit different but it's the fact that they said that was the fault and it would fix it.

I'm annoyed as garages don't seem to listen anymore they just plug it into thw computer and blindly fix whatever shows up

I've hardly ever had a good experience at a garage 🙁