New Head Gasket and now injectors??

[NoIdea]

Hi everyone, as a total numbnuts as far as cars are concerned I thought it best to post on here for some sensible responses (hopefully ).

V70 2009 2.0l was loosing coolant. Local garage diagnosed poss head gasket or EGR cooler and to take to main dealer. Now the fun starts. Main Volvo dealer received my car beginning of December 2022. Diagnosed head gasket, and would be ready for pick up in few days. 6 months later I am still waiting. No updates, no one called me back, but now a new manager has stated that whilst the head gasket was replaced, the car now needs new injectors as there is a lack of power.

Car had no lack of power before it went in for repair, could a replacement head gasket cause this? If it was present before repair surely their diagnostics would have picked it up? I was using it everyday before it went for repair and there was no lack of power issues. I am going in there tomorrow to discuss a way forward, but wanted to pick your brains as to possible causes and if I should be liable for the cost of this extra repair that wasn't diagnosed when vehicle was taken in. Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated and I do apologise for the long first post.

They did give me a courtesy car, which although it is nice and new with far too many gadgets - it isn't my old workhorse and I do want her back.

Thank you for listening to my rant

[Lancee]

I would personally consider very carefully how you respond to the garage in question. I would be inclined to listen to what they have to say and fully reserve any comment/s you may be minded to make whilst you fully consider theirs, preferably after you have left the premises and in your own time.

Always good to have things in writing.

Hopefully it will not come to it, but it may prove to be a case for trading standards or other, so don't compromise any position you may have. It may in the course of time also be a case for professional advice, which the aforementioned from me is not, it's just my considered opinion !

Don't make any threats re the above, just keep your powder dry !

Hopefully it will all be resolved fairly and amicably. We can all live in hope.

Good luck!

[NoIdea]

Thank you. That is along the same line I was thinking. I am not going to agree to anything but say I will have a think about it. I must keep my mouth zipped.

I have a screen print of the amount of times I have tried to contact them, but they never responded in 6 months! I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

[seanc]

This could be the same dealer that was unable to answer their phone to me a week ago, so I subsequently dropped in and asked my enquiry. They never phoned me back, I've booked elsewhere.

[NoIdea]

Originally Posted by seanc

This could be the same dealer that was unable to answer their phone to me a week ago, so I subsequently dropped in and asked my enquiry. They never phoned me back, I've booked elsewhere.

More than likely. I have a long list of times I have called them for an update with no response. I will see how it goes tomorrow as I had to rearrange our 'meeting'

[NoIdea]

Originally Posted by NoIdea

Thank you. That is along the same line I was thinking. I am not going to agree to anything but say I will have a think about it. I must keep my mouth zipped.

I have a screen print of the amount of times I have tried to contact them, but they never responded in 6 months! I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

UPDATE -- So I attended my meeting. Both the Tech's that worked on the car have now left - no surprise there.

He started explaining that the bill had doubled to just over £4k due to the new Injectors (£859) and Throttle Housing (£308) + the labour. Then said they would knock off the labour which will bring it down to £2900.

Did I think that was fair? Not sure, will think about it, print that out for me please. Proceeded to say that there may be slightly more negotiation on the price, but someone higher up would have to approve.

Their reasoning for the new Injectors - 'they have to remove the injectors to replace the head gasket and they have been sealed since 2009, so now that seal isn't working as it should. later it changed to 'I wasn't here so I do not know if they did something that caused it or not'. No mention of reasons behind Throttle Housing.

BUT totalling up my costs through not having my own vehicle more than matches the reduction they were offering, but doesn't include all the inconvenience caused. There are many reasons that I have stuck with a low, large estate.

Ended by saying we will talk again next week.

Now you know why I am on this forum and my name is No Idea - precisely that. Would his excuse for the injectors be feasible, would it also have affected the throttle housing. Personally I think after having my car over 6 months with no updates what so ever, is very bad and this offer doesn't work for me.

Oh and he also offered to MOT it for me as that has now run out

[Lancee]

Gazing into a can of worms, the depth of which is indiscernible.

Firstly do the sums. For example what is the car currently worth and what's it likely to be worth when repaired ? What is it worth to you, how much are you into it ? Do you intend to keep it long term or now dispose of ?

Will the repair be fully guaranteed, and going forward would you now trust any repair and the dealer ?

The Ombudsman may be a way forward, perhaps Citizens Advice although likely currently snowed under, may be able to give you some pointers ? But who wants to ultimately go down these routes given a choice ?

Perhaps an independent vehicle inspection may help ? Do you have any insurance/legal assistance cover ?

There is also the matter of the access to the courtesy car.

You will likely receive much and varied advice, the prior are only my thoughts and non-professional observations. Wear Sunscreen.

And the very best of luck to you Sir !

[Tatsfield]

The very fact that they had the car for 6 months must tell you that they are incompetent. That's about 1000 working hours. In that time you could completely build a new car from spare parts! What sort of management walks past a car for six months and doesn't raise hell with the responsible members of staff? Their labour charge represents about 25 hours work at cheap labour rates. So the car sat for over 900 working hours not being touched. Why? None of the work carried out seems to have fixed the problem and you need to have Trading Standards rule on this and preferably have the car removed and the entire bill waived. Then you need to decide if you want to take the car to another garage and have it fixed. by someone who actually has the skills to carry out work that needs to be done in a time frame that is reasonable. If these idiots are official Volvo Dealers, shouldn't Volvo be informed of their incompetence?