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        General >> Off Topic Subjects >> Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
        
(Message started by: Highlander on Mar 9^th, 2011, 12:35pm)

Title: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Highlander on Mar 9^th, 2011, 12:35pm

A few of you may remember a forum member called Wojtekor from a couple of years back.

He was a bit confrontational on the forum, wound a few people up and was eventually banned.

He was quite local to me, I actually met up with him a few times, swapped some parts, fixed some Scorpios etc.

He was quite a joker, liked a good laugh and a good argument, he was Polish and communicating in English so I don't think his character translated well into the faceless world of internet forums ;D

Anyway, last December Wojtek passed away, sudden death, natural causes, just one of those things, he was only 30.

His fiancee still stays in Edinburgh and still has his car, 2.3 Auto Ghia saloon, she doesnt use it much but its there if she needs it, its in excellent condition, he looked after it well.

She is not well off and I offered to help with the car if ever anything went wrong with it.

I got a call last week...

The car had failed to start in the supermarket carpark, AA were called and diagnosed inhibitor/selector switch on the gearbox and recovered it home.

Local garage had a look at it and quoted £600 plus to repair it.

I went to have a look, jumped in, PATS ok, selector in P ignition lights come on with the key but no cranking, looked to be the inhibitor right enough.

Went to try it in Neutral in case it was the switch and the gear lever was completely slack, no resistance at all!

So, out with the trolley jack and axle stands and underneath we go.

The selector rod linkage had broken! something we've seen before on the forum. especially in cars that arent used regularly.
I've seen a couple that have seized up but its been the cast pivot that seizes up due to dirt then breaks when force is applied to move a stuck selector but in this case the rod had snapped on the threaded part.

The picture shows the back end of the selector rod (1) attached to the bottom of the Transmission Range sensor, the other end of the selector rod is attached to the gearstick end.

http://i51.tinypic.com/dev09y.jpg

The two ends of the selector rod are sockets that push fit onto a ball, same idea as the boot/bonnet struts, one of the sockets had seized stopping it from turning when the gears were changed putting pressure on the rod which eventually weakened and snapped.

Unfortunately this is one of the few parts I don't carry with me ;D

Rod now replaced and car working perfectly.

I can sort of understand the AA diagnosis, it was late, dark, pouring with rain and only a short recovery journey back home but as for a garage looking at the car (and supposedly spotting the real fault) then quoting for the job the AA diagnosed to a young woman with limited funds, thats just not on

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Tenfut on Mar 9^th, 2011, 1:02pm

Hear hear

Well said Stuart

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Pianoman on Mar 9^th, 2011, 3:51pm

We sorted Stuart :-)
I would have called the garage and asked them how they reached a figure of £600

Tony

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Jonnycab on Mar 9^th, 2011, 5:27pm

That's a real shame about old Woj :( .....I exchanged a couple of PMs with him when he was a member & found him to be really quite a nice guy :)

As for the garage wanting £600 for a simple job like replacing a selector rod ???....maybe Trading Standards might like to know ?...that's if they don't already have complaints about this garage. I would imagine any garage that rips people off like that, is bound to be known to them.

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Simmo on Mar 9^th, 2011, 6:02pm

Stuart, At the risk of your blushes I would venture to suggest that your reponse to the lady and subsequent help were exactly what you are renowned for on this Forum. ;) Thank you from all of us. :) Mike

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Tenfut on Mar 9^th, 2011, 6:19pm

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Seconded :)

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by scorpio_man on Mar 9^th, 2011, 6:48pm

well done stuart.

as stated, the help you've offered to this forum is renowned.

as for Wojtek, sad to hear that. i never got along with him. just couldn't get to grips with him, but that all pails in to insignificance with his death at such a young age.

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Matt on Mar 9^th, 2011, 7:59pm

ive just stripped an auto box ready to tat the ally :P but ive kept hold of the entire linkage gubbins, so if any one needs one i only want postage costs

Matt

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Tenfut on Mar 9^th, 2011, 8:08pm

Matt

You have a PM

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Matt on Mar 9^th, 2011, 8:14pm

wow only took 9 mins that one lol

sad to hear about woj, i was reading a few of his old posts the other day while looking for a bit of info, never knew he was polish!

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Scorpio_Mike on Mar 9^th, 2011, 9:28pm

Sorry to hear about Wojtekor - tragic for someone to have such a short life.
I had a couple of dealings with him some time ago, always seemed such a nice guy.
Hope his old car still has that wooden steering wheel I sold him.

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Baz on Mar 9^th, 2011, 9:39pm

Stuart, you are a real asset to the forum....... and i would like to express my sadness at the passing of Woj... I too had a few "chats" but it is still very sad news

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by gozz on Mar 9^th, 2011, 11:36pm

Poor old Woj,I remember facetiously answering one of his posts and calling him 'Wojercallit',his untimely demise tinges me with a little guilt :-[
As I've said before Stuart,"you're not a bad bloke for a jock",indeed you are a bloody good bloke whatever your 'affliction' ;D
All the very best
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Mike H on Mar 12^th, 2011, 2:56pm

Nice one Highlander!

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by Snoopy on Mar 13^th, 2011, 8:58am

It is indeed very sad to read of the death of a person so young. I too had many dealings with him during his membership and gave him some considerable assistance along with some software. It is sad that his latter rants and raves and lack of respect for the rules of the forum eventually got him banned.

But I would expect nothing less from any member of the forum if they were in a position to help, but well done Stuart you are a legend in your own time.

Title: Re: Rip off Britain! A sad tale!
Post by L6ENY on Mar 13^th, 2011, 3:25pm

Sad to here about Woj, never had any dealings with him but at 30 its well to young, I'm more than double that just makes you think , Stuart nice one very well done, next time your down this way call in kettle is always on as you know :) as for the garage name and shame >:( Len.