The Dark Wob

Ok.

Some of you will know I had a worrying prognosis last Autumn, ongoing etc yadda yadda yadda.

I/we decided a bucket-list holiday was in order, and I’ve spent several weeks in the southern hemisphere. Lovely

However, before I left I decided to arrange a ‘ refresh’ of my wife’s Honda s2000. It’s her summer car ( Octavia vrs through winter), has now covered over 200,000 miles and was beginning to look a little tired. We had long decided it would see her out, and have had the engine rebuilt by TGM ( the southern acknowledged expert) twice, at considerable cost. I don’t mind spending money on it.

So I canvassed/ talked/ visited several car painters before settling on one, some 30 miles from home.

The remit was to sort the rust , beginning to bubble through the rear arch’s ( esp nearside where the car was badly damaged when we bought it about 15 years ago) the rear tips of the sills, then a full external respray in the same yellow, ignoring engine bay, boot, door shuts etc.
Fairly straightforward I thought, and hoped/ expected it would be completed on my return.

Knowing my dates of travel ( & provisional return which was variable) I was suprised to be asked for £1000 deposit before he would start work, just hours before I left. No such ‘ demand’ had been made, prior.
The timing is interesting, in that he texted @3pm Thursday, when I was leaving Friday. I replied I would come over immediately, the reply that they were finishing for Xmas at that moment. So, reluctantly I sent the £1000 ( bank transfer so provable) before I left- in truth a little unsettled

Within 48 hrs I received a further cash call for another £1000. I asked why, was told that they had cracked on.
I asked for photos, and received several of the car, part stripped. Doors off, seats out, rear lights off, rear plastic bumper off ( it just clips on). That was it -all that had been done, yet they were claiming £2000.

So, I said ‘stop’ immediately, await my return,so they seemingly reassembled & pushed it outside….
The rust hasn’t even been looked it ( judging by the road dirt still attached). On close inspection ( Monday, 10 am - no one in!) all he seems to have done is strip the rear lights/ locks - I’ve no idea why the doors came off?

Does that look like £2000 work, to you? I need to price his ‘ labours’ because it’s about to get mucky.

I’ve a figure in my head - I’d welcome thoughts here on the hours spent. He was charging me £69 per hour ( although I was led verbally to believe a lower sum for these simpler works)

Car is locked, and I can’t get in. We are told we aren’t getting the keys till I’ve paid in full .

So, have I lost the plot? Is the sum reasonable & I'm out of touch? If no, what would you value his ‘endeavours’ at?

Don’t take the piss, please- I’m getting enough of that ‘ at home’.

No keys till paid in full. So is that the extra 1k he's asked for too even though he's not completed the works? Doesn't look like he's done a grands worth of work either yet to get your keys you have to pay up. He sounds a chancing scammer to me. Do you have this in text or email for proof? If so go and speak to the police and a lawyer or failing that some big lads who will get your car back.

Technically it's only £1k. The other £1k was a deposit and will be deducted from the final bill/quote surely?

paulplom wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2024 8:26 am Technically it's only £1k. The other £1k was a deposit and will be deducted from the final bill/quote surely?

Surely that's not right though? A grand is a large enough deposit,if at just shy of 70 quid an hour that's more than 13 hours paid up so far but there's nowhere near that work done yet let alone demand another grand and hold car to ransom. I could be talking bollocks myself but doesn't seem right.

Thanks. No money’ up front’ was agreed when car was booked in- that only happened after he had it, and required when I had no time to act. He changed the rules, knowing my circumstances. Put up or shut up. I put up

How many hours has been put into that ‘ strip’, is what I’m asking? I’m after disinterested impartial views before I kick off.

I could just go get it, but no keys is an expensive/ awkward retrieve and an added cost to rectify.

A couple of hours max I reckon.

Sorry if I've missed it but why is the bumper the wrong colour if it was going to stay yellow?

Just trying to understand what they've done for the money.

I can't see 1k worth of work to get it to that state TBH

The existing yellow bumper ( which I retrieved out of his skip) was cracked. I offered the grey replacement as a cheaper option than repairing original - as it’s all getting painted.
Bumper literally clips in- you may be able to see 2 clips under rear light. I can change it in 15 mins. I think he swopped it - for effect.

Thanks, makes sense now I wondered if he'd sourced parts already

I can't see £2k of work there either then.