Discrusted of Formby writes
In June Liverpool Volkswagen (Derby Road, Liverpool) carried out what it described as a '2nd variable service' on my 4-year-old VW Golf. I was charged nearly £300, which included the service charge (£156) plus filters, oil, plugs etc (£104) and VAT (£39). No mention was made of any deterioration or wear and tear to any significant parts of the car. Two months later I took the car back for its MOT. Shortly afterwards a received a telephone call at work to tell me that the front pads and discs were worn down, while those on the rear were heavily corroded. I therefore gave authority for the work to be carried out. When I collected the car I asked why the pad and disk problems had not been spotted during the service only 2 months earlier and was told that only a visual check is carried out during a service. When I got home I checked the handbook and found the statement that during an interval service the brake pad thickness front and rear is checked. While I accept that pads and discs can wear down and move from being acceptable to unacceptable over a couple of months, am I being naive to think that it is unlikely that they could move from being acceptable to heavily corroded in that same period?
Rear disc corrosion is entirely normal because discs are bare metal so rust all the time and the rust is only cleaned off by very hard braking (95% of braking is by the front brakes only). But you have a very good point. Service inspections, and MoT inspections are visual only and they don't take the wheels off. But if the MoT inspector could spot something the garage did not, then the garage obviously did not inspect the brakes as part of the service and if that is listed as part of the service you have a case of negligence against them. On the other hand, what actual 'damages' did you suffer? Actually, no more than 5 minutes labour time looking at the discs. So there is nothing really to sue for. Far better to have service and MoT carried out at the same time by the same garage so the car is pre-inspected for the MoT before the actual MoT and anything wrong is put right.
Answered by Honest John on