Conclusion of the sorry saga.
Well, I finally got the vehicle back on 15th September, 12 weeks after it broke down. It took many frustrating hours of investigation and effort, including input from the police, my insurance company's legal team, Trading Standards and others. It involved writing letters sent by special delivery (unsuccessfully - no access to premises), sending letters to the registered head office and to his accountants, who I discovered share the same address, as well as visiting the premises.
I finally got a crime reference and lodged a claim for theft with my insurers, who duly wrote the vehicle off as stolen, unrecovered, and the police tagged it on the ANPR camera network in case it was being used on the road without my consent. It was while I was on the phone to DVLA discussing how to cancel the road tax that I got a text message from Joe - the first communication for 5 weeks. It said that for personal reasons, he has been unable to work for some time and had engaged another garage to finish the job, which they had now done, and they would return the vehicle to me last Friday, which they did.
The engine sounds sweet, the car was nicely valeted inside and out, and everything seems to work apart from the air-con, so that will require attention. I can't help noticing that the vehicle has 540 more miles on the clock than when it left here. As it was transported away and returned on a trailer, it has obviously done a bit of work while in Joe's care, although he would probably argue that it was an extended road test.
So, I'm relieved to have my car back, but annoyed that it took so much effort to retrieve it, and I have no idea who has actually done the repair work. Mind you, I obviously wouldn't consider taking it back even if it blows up tomorrow: I will have to be content to sue for damages in that event.
I can only presume that Joe has suffered a personal trauma of some kind and I got caught up in the aftermath. I don't bear the chap any ill-will and I hope whatever problems he has, soon get sorted out, but we won't be doing any more business.
Massive oil leak from front of engine
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- anglefire
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Re: Massive oil leak from front of engine
Well a sort of good result. Presumably all the things put in place to marked it nicked are reversed easily enough and it's not permanently flagged as such?
Mark
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Waeco CFX 40
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
Skoda Enyaq IV 80
Skoda Superb SE L Ex (Gone)
2006 disco3 SE. Gone but not forgotten.
BMW 530d M Sport Touring. Gone
Member of Admin team and
Disco3Club Photos: Here
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Re: Massive oil leak from front of engine
Yes,
I'm assured it will not appear on the MIAFTR database, which is the one the motor industry relies on for information about written-off vehicles. I don't think it's still on the police camera database as I've done some motorway driving now without getting arrested!
I'm assured it will not appear on the MIAFTR database, which is the one the motor industry relies on for information about written-off vehicles. I don't think it's still on the police camera database as I've done some motorway driving now without getting arrested!
- benp
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Re: Massive oil leak from front of engine
.. to be honest that is a better result than I thought would be possible
Benner of the year
club dog guard in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out....club the dog is dead but cant change the signature
club the D3 is alive!
club dog guard in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out-in-out....club the dog is dead but cant change the signature
club the D3 is alive!
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Re: Massive oil leak from front of engine
Yes,
It could have been a lot worse. The air-con hadn't been gassed up so I had that done and now everything appears to be working. I've put a few hundred gentle miles on it but it's got to start earning its keep now as I have a few trailer jobs lined up for it.
It could have been a lot worse. The air-con hadn't been gassed up so I had that done and now everything appears to be working. I've put a few hundred gentle miles on it but it's got to start earning its keep now as I have a few trailer jobs lined up for it.