Charge back on vehicle repairs

[Rascalcat]

Hello, I’m hoping somebody can help me with a complex scenario.

 

I live in Germany and own a BMW.

The BMW needed a timing chain replacement which I paid €2500 for at a German BMW dealership.

No less than 2 weeks later the car broke down.

 

I had it towed to the same dealership and now they are saying that I need a whole new engine and the issue is completely unrelated the timing chain replacement.

The car is not worth the cost of a new engine therefore is a write off.

 

They are refusing to accept any responsibility

 I have lost the cars worth plus the €2500 I paid for the repairs.

 

Does anybody now if I would be protected with the Barclays charge back scheme?

 

Or any advice would be appreciated. TIA.

[Manxman in exile]

I think you'll need to ask Barclays.  AIUI, chargeback (as opposed to a s75 claim) is a voluntary arrangement rather than a statutory one, so the banks make their own rules.  (You don't say so, but as you mention chargeback I assume you paid by debit card rather than credit card?)

 

Errr... wouldn't it be more sensible in the first instance to ascertain your position under German consumer law?

[slick132]

Hi Rascalcat and welcome to CAG

 

We need to know more information if we are to help you at all but, as it happened in Germany, we may be limited.

 

1. Did you pay by credit or debit card and was it a UK-based account.

 

2. Have the garage told you exactly WHY you need a new engine.

 

3. What age, model and mileage is the car.

 

4. In average running condition, what would the car be worth to buy from a dealer.

 

You can't simply ask/tell the bank to do a Charge Back or a s.75 refund. You can ask your card provider to investigate and they'll discuss/negotiate with the garage's bank and reach a decision between them.

 

However, any evidence you can provide (like an independant report from a different BMW garage, or a garage appointed by BMW if Head Office is interested) will assist your case significantly.

 

Give us answers to the Q's above and we can move on.