QUESTION:

Please help me with a problem I am having with my local garage. I know that when you talk to them they will have a different story, but if you check you will find that I am telling the truth.

I bought a car from this garage about three months ago and since that time have put well over $300 into it.

They now tell me that I will have to spend another $400 to have an oil leak stopped. I do not have $400 to spend but I need the car for work.

When I bought this car they told me that it was in excellent running condition, had a six-month warranty and that one of his mechanics owned and looked after the car. I have since found out that this was not the truth because the car was never in the mechanic's name.

ANSWER:

You were correct when you said the garage would have a different story. Apparently, your car was used and on the lot for sale, and the mechanic drove it for three months while he worked at that garage. He did not own it.

The story also goes that you were dating this mechanic at the time of sale and that he was the one who sold you the car at a far lower price than the garage was asking.

According to the garage, this mechanic who you are no longer involved with, does not work there anymore and you now want the car to be like new.

I also understand that the $300 you spent on the car was for two new rear tires -- one that you damaged -- and you had the windows tinted. Not exactly a car dealer problem. I do not know if all of this is true, but the bottom line is that you were sold the car with the garage's own personal six-month warranty, and you are still within that time.

The oil leak is the result of a leaking oil pan plug that can be repaired with a self-threading plug. The $400 quoted was for the replacement of the oil pan that, according to the garage, does not need to be done and they told me that they gave you that option.

They claim that the oil leak can be properly repaired with a self-threading oil plug and that they will do that for you at no cost.

QUESTION:

My daughter took her car into the shop the other day to have work done to the coolant system. When she came home she showed me a wet a spot on the passenger's seat area.

I called the garage and they completely denied that they had anything to do with the wet spot. I believe it was to do with the work on the coolant system but I have no way of knowing how to test the wet spot or find out how it happened.

Can you please help us to find out what the wet substance is? My daughter and wife have conjured up all sorts of ideas of what they think it might be, most of which cannot be mentioned in this letter.

My daughter now drives with a blanket over the seat. Both her and my wife are hounding me to find out what it is, and I have no idea where to start or how to find out.

ANSWER:

Two of the employees were sitting in your daughter's car eating lunch and listening to your daughter's rap music, and one of them spilled a full cup of orange pop on the seat. They then tried to vacuum it up without telling anyone, but I guess they did not do such a good job.

That mistake is going to cost them a $40 seat cleaning job at your daughter's convenience, which I suggest she gets done right away.

There's nothing sordid in this story -- just a couple of young people wasting time, listening to rap music. Your daughter knows the two employees; they were the ones complimenting her on the type of rap music she has.

Call the garage and they will see that the seat is properly cleaned.

Do you have a query for Dennis O'Sullivan?

Send your questions to him

by email at: dennis.osullivan@cogeco.ca,

or by ground mail at Box 10019,

Winona, ON, L8E 5R1.