Marius
Service
Jun 10, 2021
Please read full story to get view of those cowboys. I own used car garage. Sold a car to lady from Elstree and after few days later, owner noticed, that its loosing cooling liquid(drops on driveway). She thought its radiator but i recomended to check car by local garage just to make sure diagnostic are accurate. Goodmans autos ltd came with report(report cost her £250):
Needs new clutch, new flywheel, because car judders badly.. also water pump problem, needs engine rebuild as headgasket gone, water not circulating. Bill around £5000.
Well after report like this i had only one way to take car back as everything is wrong with it. Because i didnt believe in this report i decided to drive car back to east london thru peak time.( 2 hours drive, outside temperature 25°). I was continuously checking heating and circulation, fan was runing on various speed, matrix heater was hot all the time. On m25 i tried to depress clutch rev it to 5rpm and release clutch. Clutch gripped immediately. (No problem with clutch or flywheel) also owner mentioned juddering on higher gear. I did feel judder on 45mph on 6th gear. Judder was because of spark plugs, nothing to do with clutch. When i came back home, inspected level of cooling liquid, it was still on level, but i noticed little paddle on top of the gearbox, with no tools around me i noticed leak from thermostat/flange bolted on the right side of engine head, liquid was penetrating on pressure thru rubber gasket. (Very common with mini's 1.6 engines).
Conclusion: needs 4 new spark plugs, and new water flange, total parts £70, and 30 mins labour.
The only one thing what is not circulating is blood in the brains of person who done inspection for £250.
Also confused new owner, scared thru bones that car is total crap. I dont know procedure how to shut garages like this. They can be recomended by scammers only. I cannot get how 18 years experience garage cannot diagnose old spark plugs judder from clutch flywheel??? How they can state that its not circulating when it does properly. I have no words, scammers, pretends very proffesional garage, but i would not give them top up screenwash.