eBay trader(s) warning
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 9:25 pm
You may recall,most of you won't I suspect,I had problems fitting a new passenger front door lock to my Mk 5 Golf.
To summarize I fitted a new lock, obtained from a firm trading as carspares-direct from eBay.Having fitted it, I tested it a few times,on the third attempt the lock jammed and wouldn't move at all.It was really solid.This left me with the car unsafe to use as the outer skin has to be removed on this model to get to the lock.I even asked the opinion of a young chap in the street who does a lot more work on cars than I do,but he came to the same conclusion that I had.I would have to get the angle grinder out and cut into the lock to see if I could release it and make the car safe to use.I decided to have a go at the bracket that was holding the lever which had jammed.As luck would have it my first cut,taking the tops of a couple rivet type fixings, enable me to move the bracket ,the lever freed and the door opened.Foolishly I decided to see if the lock could be saved and spot welded the bracket holding the lever back in place,but it didn't help,the lock still would work.So I put the old one back and refitted the outer skin.
So I messaged the lock supplier and said the lock didn't work
He came back to me asking various questions, including how long had the lock been working for.I told him all of 5 mins.
After more messages passed between us they are prepared to refund me if I can obtain a full report from the qualified mechanic,who installed it,stating what was wrong with it.Alternativly if I can return it in the same state as I received it,which I can't of course.
It would seem that hidden in the small print is the fact that to have the warranty they offer the part must be fitted by a qualified mechanic.Now I suspect that the majority of parts are supplied to DIYers like myself.
I think this is a very unfair practice,what do you think?
To summarize I fitted a new lock, obtained from a firm trading as carspares-direct from eBay.Having fitted it, I tested it a few times,on the third attempt the lock jammed and wouldn't move at all.It was really solid.This left me with the car unsafe to use as the outer skin has to be removed on this model to get to the lock.I even asked the opinion of a young chap in the street who does a lot more work on cars than I do,but he came to the same conclusion that I had.I would have to get the angle grinder out and cut into the lock to see if I could release it and make the car safe to use.I decided to have a go at the bracket that was holding the lever which had jammed.As luck would have it my first cut,taking the tops of a couple rivet type fixings, enable me to move the bracket ,the lever freed and the door opened.Foolishly I decided to see if the lock could be saved and spot welded the bracket holding the lever back in place,but it didn't help,the lock still would work.So I put the old one back and refitted the outer skin.
So I messaged the lock supplier and said the lock didn't work
He came back to me asking various questions, including how long had the lock been working for.I told him all of 5 mins.
After more messages passed between us they are prepared to refund me if I can obtain a full report from the qualified mechanic,who installed it,stating what was wrong with it.Alternativly if I can return it in the same state as I received it,which I can't of course.
It would seem that hidden in the small print is the fact that to have the warranty they offer the part must be fitted by a qualified mechanic.Now I suspect that the majority of parts are supplied to DIYers like myself.
I think this is a very unfair practice,what do you think?