[chloe2222222]

So five days ago now I took my Ford KA 09 plate into a garage where I’ve been having my services and MOT done and a little bit of work here and there for the past two years. So I was having a new can belt and water pump on the car as I was at 48,000 miles and the mechanic suggested that I get it done as I drive into Birmingham fairly frequently which is about 130 miles round-trip, I was also getting a new sump on it as my old one was corroded and I was having the back axle repaired as well. After the work had been done I was then getting an MOT as it was about two days from running out. I had agreed with the Garage that he was going to have it for two days and I agreed this about a month before the work was done as I’m a student and work full-time so I very rarely have two days together that I don’t need my car. So the work was meant to be done on the Friday night and the mechanic said that he would ring me when it was done as Friday night was progressing I was getting a little bit worried because he hadn’t rang me so I just gave him a call to see if it would be done as I was at work early Saturday morning. I was then told that it would be done by 7 o’clock that night and that he would ring me when it’s done the problem is the mechanic never rang me on Friday night and when I rang up Saturday morning he told me that he hadn’t been able to get the work done as when he was replacing the Cambell he had pulled the threads out of the engine. He then said that he would get this replaced on Saturday so I had a lift to and from work Saturday and expected to pick it up after work as I was also going out on Saturday night in my car, he told me that I would have my car to be able to go out that night. I never got a recall from him to go pick it up on Saturday. He explained me on the phone when I rang that he didn’t have the tool kit for the threads the one that he had wouldn’t work so he had to order a new one and he would be doing the work on Sunday instead I then had to pay for a taxi back that night as my partner was able to take me there the taxi back cost me £60. On Sunday I waited for the call for my car. I wasn’t able to pick it up that day so I had given him my dad‘s number to be able to go pick it up as I was at work all day my dad never got a call on Sunday and by the time I had finished work he wasn’t in the garage so I rang up this morning which is Monday morning and he proceeded to tell me that the drill he had he would not be able to drill the holes with as it couldn’t reach where it needed to reach so he had to order a new drill which would become a midday today. I still haven’t heard anything from him yet so my worry is is what are the dangers of having the threats come out on your engine? also is this a normal mistake to happen when having your can belt and water pump changed or should I be concerned? As currently I’m very upset that I don’t have a car and haven’t had a car for 5 days now meaning I’ve been paying a lot of money to get to and from work as well as The fact that I am still unable to go to university in Birmingham without having my car.

[Rolebama]

I honestly have no idea of how many cambelts or water pumps I have replaced without incident, but it's a lot. Only problem I ever heard of with any frequency was Fiesta engine water pumps, where a bolt would snap, leading to the kind of problem you are having. It sounds like he is out of his depth and floundering. Any decent garage/mechanic would have thread repair equipment to hand.

[NMNeil]

@Rolebama Fixing threads is easy; getting to them to do the repair is often a different matter.

[Rolebama]

@NMNeil I have seen the location of Fiesta water pumps, and agree wholeheartedly. It was, at the time, enough that most garages would have the engine out, broken bolt drilled out, and reassembled in a few hours.