Gearbox broken by wheel aligner, Please help...
 

After much consideration and being persuaded by a few fellow p-wrxers, i have decided to come forward and ask for advice from you guys as im really at a loss and emotionally devasted.

On the 20th of july, i brought my car (wrx my01) to a certain tyre shop to do a wheel alignment. The boss told me it would cost 59 dollars to align all 4 wheels. i gave the go ahead. Before even doing anything, the wheel aligner then took my car for a test drive. When he was moving off, i could hear that he was grinding 1st gear. when he drove the car out of the shop he was driving it fast as my friend and i could hear the high revs (it was a 60km/h road). When he came back, the car was still ok. He then proceeded to do the wheel alignment. After it was done, he took it out for a 2nd test drive and again my friend and i could hear the high revvings. About 10 mins later, he came back to the shop without my car, and i was like "wheres my car?". He told me he parked it at the side of the road as he heard a loud clunk followed by loud rattling sounds. He said that when he was coming out of a corner he shifted to 2nd gear and that was when he heard the loud clunk.

The boss then came out and straight away accused me of knowing that the gearbox was faulty and decided to bring it to their shop to let them break it and fix it. When i heard the accusation against me i was shocked and at a loss because before this the gearbox was ok and had no signs of it breaking. The boss then repeatedly ask me "who do you think should be responsible?" about 4-5 times. He then confidently said that i could feel free to sue them and that i will not have a case. They were now turning the tables onto me. and just to let you guys know, i was still charged for the wheel alignment and i paid for it with no arguements.

The car is now at my mechanics workshop(towed there), i really would sincerely appreaciate if anyone could give me some advice on what to do. If anyone here is a lawyer please advice me. I am still a student and as a student i do not have a lot of money for the repairs and for legal action. Life can kick you in the nuts at anytime, very unfair.

P.S: Before i left the shop, the wheel aligner mouthed the words "i'm sorry". HE KNEW HE HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG!

I would send them a legal letter with a bill for the replacement of the gearbox parts. If they don't pay up then issue them with a writ and take it to court.

Write down everything they said and you said while it is fresh in your mind.

If you start from the proposition that YOU DROVE THE CAR THERE, therefore it was not broken before they drove it AND YOU DIDNT DRIVE IT AFTER THAT. Then logically there is no other explanation but that they thrashed it and broke it.

OH ANd before I forgget, make sure you keep the broken gearset and film it coming out of the car and showing the damage. That way you can show that as evidence in court.

Go to town on them... File a formal compaint against them ASAP.

[url]http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/motor_vehicles2/disputes_complaints/resolve_yourself/If_things_go_wrong.asp?section=servicing[/url]

he was driving recklessly. Its his damn fault. Grinding first gear like a fucking untrained noob. And revving it hard and recklessly changing gears into second in a 60kph zone.

You should not have paid for the wheel alignment. Take the keys back and tell them to fuck off.

Take it to court. He has a duty of car to "test drive" a car in a appropriate manner. Get your friend to come as a witness to the reckless driving.

I reckon the judge will rule in favour of you and you'll be able to get at least 50% of the costs back. The application for a hearing isn't expensive. I think its around $26.


Also can you PM me the name and location of this workshop so I can avoid it.

One drive in the car isnt going to break a box if it was in perfect condition, unless hes doing clutch dumps etc. My last one let go without any warning, I had been pretty nice to it, and I wasnt bein nasty to it when it went. Just sounds like unlucky timing to be honest.

I'd be taking further action, thats for sure.

Question: Was this tyre shop located In the [i][b]West State[/b][/i] of Australia?

Most gearboxes that die don't break on the launch. Rather its really fast changes into 2nd and 3rd that strip gear sets.

Whats with the two "TEST" drives in the car for a bloody wheel alignment!!!!

They should only need to drive it in and out of the alignment bay. Its done by laser and does not require some "F wit" to drive it to make sure it goes straight.

Step 1. Dont discuss this any further on an open public forum

not sure if you should yet until its over but id be telling people who it was we dont want any one else getting any work done there.

[QUOTE=Mister Two]Most gearboxes that die don't break on the launch. Rather its really fast changes into 2nd and 3rd that strip gear sets.[/QUOTE]

Yeah thats what i was getting at with the 'etc' :) but my point was that the driving style of the owner is going to play a big part in it.

Was he flat shifting? Do you flat shift often? :P

ok i know many of you might think that the gearbox could have been damaged by my driving style, but i drive like a granny cos i shift gears at 2000-2500 rpms and i dun engage 1st gear till i come to a complete stop. All i wanted WAS A WHEEL ALIGNMENT ffs... and this shit had to come down on me... :( and why was the wheel aligner driving so fast on a 60km road????? haiz... sighzzz....

thanks to the kind peeps that gave me some information... please pm me if you have any insights on what i should do and where to go from here.

regards allan.

Surely the WRX gearbox isn't that weak that a couple of poor gear changes would wreck the box? I doubt you will be able to prove that he was driving it recklessly unless you have some objective witnesses. Even then this doesn't prove the gearbox was damaged by him as the state of it was unknown. It might have been on it's last legs which only makes him partially responsible. Personally I would drop it and put it down to experience. In future take it somewhere that has a good reputation.

Guys thanks for all the replies and feedback, i really appreaciate it. i think from here on i would only reply thru pm's as the case has not yet ended. Please pm me if you have any advice for me. All i can say is life is unfair... once again thanks guys... :(

regards allan.

[QUOTE=Broomy]Whats with the two "TEST" drives in the car for a bloody wheel alignment!!!!

They should only need to drive it in and out of the alignment bay. Its done by laser and does not require some "F wit" to drive it to make sure it goes straight.[/QUOTE]



If the car requires a wheel alignment why should they test drive it first? wouldnt it be a better option to test drive after the job is done??

i would assume the pre test drive is to see if it has any major issues with steering or anything else they spot before doing the work.

same as suspention places they always seem to take for a drive first before they change your springs.

hmm.. west state, this is not where i think it is.. is it ?

it's a shame you didn't contact the police at that moment in time... a standard statement would've helped a lot in making this a more objective viewpoint rather than a he said, she said scenario..

this will be hard, but there is a case to answer there..

If its west state bentley, go all out on them. The wheel aligner would have been flogging the fuck out of your car for sure......I know this for a fact...

I used to work there and the owner is a real Fuck head and dodgy. No customer service what so ever.
Show him some $$$$ and he will be your best friend.

Ps did I say I dont work there anymore
absolute rude fucks

im glad i took my car there when you were working there. never going there again.