Missing Air box !!!!

I have just found that a major dealer who "repaired" my 1.8i Freelander station wagon ('98) forgot to replace the complete airbox after replacing the gearbox!! I suppose I was naive in not checking that they had done the work properly, but I have put nearly 1000 miles on it since then. My question is this: what sort of damage will an unfiltered engine likely to have sustained and can I sue them for negligence and/or a new engine!!??

1000 miles done,so the job was done approx 4 to 6 wks ago,have you been back for the filter,if not i would be suprised if they admit they still have it or infact admit any liability what so ever,as for damage if you have none now you should be fine,but get a box on asap

I'm guessing it depends on where you've been driving.
Dusty environment (such as a dessert or mountian pass) will cause damage as it's sucking dust into the engine.
Standard road, should be fine but like Marco says, get one fitted asap just in case.
As for claiming for negligence, they'll deny all knowledge of leaving it off. May be worth asking legal advice though.

Thanks Marco, they have admitted on the phone that the parts are still in their workshop! They want us to take it in and they will fit them back on F.O.C. It just makes me wonder though if they can "forget" to fit something as big and basic as an air box and tubing....what else might they be "forgetting" at service time??!! I have bought the Freelander with 60K miles and a 3 year servicing agreement (paid upfront)....wondering if I am a mug or what?!

Newby4x4 said:

Thanks Marco, they have admitted on the phone that the parts are still in their workshop! They want us to take it in and they will fit them back on F.O.C. It just makes me wonder though if they can "forget" to fit something as big and basic as an air box and tubing....what else might they be "forgetting" at service time??!! I have bought the Freelander with 60K miles and a 3 year servicing agreement (paid upfront)....wondering if I am a mug or what?!

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**** me thats generous of em, to offer to fit a part f.o.c. that one of their incompetant ****s left off

it was probelly a case of ' quick!! the ****er's running !!!get it out of here'

what else might they be "forgetting"

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A renault main dealer left the dipstick out of my Laguna - fortunately I checked under the bonnet when I got home - but by then the engine compartment was covered in oil - dipstick lying on the front panel! Another garage left the car jack sitting on top of the engine in my Espace (like the Disco, they are stored in the engine compartment) I found it in there (roasting hot) a couple of days later when I opened the bonnet. Bloody glad it hadn't fallen down into somewhere important. I always open the bonnet when I get home from a garage now!

Matt

Judging by that story Mmaddock I'd check under the bonnet before even starting the engine.
It's a sad World we live in if the pros can't even do the job right

Many thanks for the stories! i agree that it is "big" of them to offer to do F.O.C. what they should have done in the first place. I hope the comment regarding washing their hands of it just cos it's running was in jest.........but having read several similar comments elsewhere, I am doubting my choice of 4x4 now. The sad fact is that a lot of the work done in garages is done to a tight time schedule and to get as much custom as possible corners are often cut and mechanics pressurised to do a job ever faster. I understand WHY this happens, I just don't like it when I may have to pick up the bill for further work as a result! I shall be pressing the garage concerned for an extension of the warranty they supplied with it....its worth a try!!

i got my maserati back from the garage after a respray, got onto the motorway and gave it some welly. the flucking bonnet flew up and back. i had to jump on the thing to get it back down. drove back to the garage and vented me splean at them. scared the plop out of me i can tell you. 80 odd mph and suddenly can't see ****!!!