When everything goes wrong...

Post by **Duvel78** » 12 Jan 2006 07:38 pm

What a bad day!!! Quick summary...

Yesterday I bought on Ebay nice CETUS alloys for the GLT (bargain, £17...), the seller said it was for 440/460... After a closer inspection today and new tyres on it, I realized that it was in fact CETUS alloys for the early 850... (4 holes too BUT distance between the holes different...

) I was totally unhappy but the next surprise was better... I asked to the guy to remove the rear drums, just to see the condition... One of the rear cylinder was leaking, and they said "Mister, you CAN'T drive with the car, you MUST leave it here or I call the police (lol!!) and we change everything for tomorrow" (the 2 sides... £££)

Result of the day:

- wrong alloys (£££ lost to bring them back, 400 km of fuel!)
- money lost for the installation / deinstallation of the new tyres
- car immobilized in a garage where they force me to replace the whole rear brakes...

Baaaaaaaaad mood.........

Post by **classicswede** » 12 Jan 2006 09:22 pm

That is why I always do the work myself.

Post by **Chris_C** » 12 Jan 2006 09:32 pm

Mate, thats unlucky

Post by **pettaw** » 12 Jan 2006 10:03 pm

classicswede wrote:That is why I always do the work myself.

Ditto and you were very unlucky

Post by **Duvel78** » 12 Jan 2006 10:04 pm

classicswede wrote:That is why I always do the work myself.

Same here but I don't have the machines for installing new tyres on alloys... And of course I couln't say "NO for the rear brakes" to the seller because the car had no wheels anymore, he could use that argument + the fact that the car was "too dangerous on the road"...

Post by **Duvel78** » 12 Jan 2006 10:08 pm

I hope the work will be done properly now!! (i'm a bit scared, they know nothing about Volvos 300...) Wheel cylinders are the same for the 340 and 360??

Post by **340GLT** » 12 Jan 2006 10:16 pm

Yeh they are the same mate. I would contact the seller and demand for you money back. You are abliged to mate that Ebay policy!!
Cheers Adam
P.S. Sorry for making you bid on them!!!

Post by **daffodil** » 12 Jan 2006 10:27 pm

i thought that the wheel cylinders are different 340-to 360

Post by **pettaw** » 12 Jan 2006 10:44 pm

yeah they are different. Rear brakes for 360s are completely different to 340s. I would take the drums off when you get it home and make sure everything's in order.

Rear brakes are also difficult to bleed properly, so make sure you've got a nice firm pedal.

Post by **Duvel78** » 12 Jan 2006 10:51 pm

Oh Jesus, I was right to be scared... I expect a bad work / news tomorrow! Can't wait anymore... The car should be ready at 6 pm, I won't sleep!

Post by **shimon340** » 12 Jan 2006 10:55 pm

hi there..

360 rear brakes are different... the drums are larger and the wheel cylinders are different too....

Post by **classicswede** » 12 Jan 2006 11:26 pm

Yep they different.

Post by **340GLT** » 13 Jan 2006 12:22 am

Sorry my bad i misread the post mate!!!

Cheers Adam

Post by **petefarrell360** » 13 Jan 2006 12:47 am

DOH! Sorry to hear mate. As I said on MSN, don't let them chuck anything away, make they show you the parts, what was wrong and what they've replaced and ask to take them away with you, as you paid for them originally! They were a part of your car before they removed them! Then (when that dodgy camera of yours is fixed!) take pictures and post them, sure someone will spot if there was any need for the work. Fair enough if they are being efficient and trying to protect yourself and other road users, but there are unscrupulous people out there, ready to cash in on anything they can. And by threatening you with the Police, while your car is incapacitated in their care, it leaves you with very little choice but to let them carry out the work, you've basically been forced to have them do work, which may be unnecessary, and at whatever rate they decide to rob you at. So, if you get a shocking bill, or poor workmanship, or they've replaced anything that didn't need replacing and held you to ransom, threaten them with the authorities!

I hope none of this has happened, but, you never know, as I say, there are nasty people willing to cash in on any situation they can to make some money. But as I said before, lets just hope they've saved you some grief, made your car safe, and have been looking out for the public by alerting you to the problem and making you have the work done.

Pete

Post by **foggyjames** » 13 Jan 2006 01:19 am

Ouch. I've often wondered if I should post a warning on that subject (850 Cetus rims). Bad luck on the work...but sometimes it just happens like that - for example if you have no time to get parts in, plan the work, etc...you have to leave it to an expert (or failing that, your local garage

)

cheers

James