Terrible Engine Repair by 101 Autohaus #WayneVanReenen

Below is a letter I wrote to the owner of 101 Autohaus;

For Attention: Wayne Van Reenen I have been debating with myself for quite a while as to whether I should even bother informing you about the latest developments that I have been forced into regarding the Caddy panelvan. Needless to say I’ve arrived at the conclusion that it needed to be said as much as it needed to be heard. You came recommended by a gentleman that I trusted and therefore I engaged you. You claimed to be knowledgeable and honest, wanting to build a business based on integrity and therefore I trusted you with a difficult job. You promised to send back to me a vehicle that operated within an acceptable specification after I informed you about ALL the issues that existed with my vehicle. You promised that you took on only one vehicle at a time and dedicated your time and efforts to THAT vehicle so as to ensure a ‘good result’. When you took receipt of my vehicle, you started hinting at a possible repair of the existing engine. I stopped you cold because that engine was a medley of components which was the root of the problem. You told me that you had a complete engine that would work in my vehicle. You said that you had done many before. You gave me none of what you promised! Instead I received back a vehicle with the same lack of power and problems that it had before……and then some. Noisy lifters and oil light that came on at the strangest of times. Only to find that I had not received and original engine (albeit second-hand as was expected) but a carbon copy (although a 2L as opposed to 1.6L) of the mix-and-match component engine that I had expected to get away from. The mechanic who diagnosed all the faults was knowledgeably bold enough to place his report on paper. A report that you refused to acknowledge in its entirety. To your credit, you had enough integrity to admit that your job was an ******** from the outset and that your assistant was the one who finished the job\incorrectly installed the components (please correct me here) that caused or was the root of the problem. This little fact alone gives lie to your claim of taking on a single vehicle that enjoys your undivided attention. My vehicle then had to be returned to you at my considerable expense for the job (which any professional person should have successfully completed the first time round) to be attempted for a second time. I am rather aggrieved at that expense because it was not a minor warranty issue but a total botch job by your workshop in the first place. Before this return I suggested that you take back your sub-standard engine and supply me with what you promised. You stood by the fact that the fitted engine was good and only needed pistons. The Port Elizabeth mechanic disagreed with you on technical issues which were contained in his report and pointed out to you via Whatsapp. He would not touch the repair of that engine based on the technical points that he mentioned to you. The bottom line is that the engine was not to specification and he stated that it would not work in my vehicle. I had no alternative but to return the vehicle to you and I implored you to fix the engine according to specification as I needed a reliable vehicle for the type of travelling that I needed to do. Once again you promised me a vehicle that would perform to standard. To your credit I must acknowledge you taking back the vehicle to at least attempt a repair. But again, you gave me none of what you promised! The performance of the vehicle remained sub-par in that I had to race the engine to achieve any manner of performance from it and uphills and overtaking were disgraceful at best. The vehicle would take forever to achieve even a lowly 100km\hr and I would not attempt to overtake another vehicle while travelling at the cruising speed of 120km\hr (when I eventually reached it) unless there were no vehicles approaching from the rear as the speed pickup was dismal. At around one week since receiving it back from you the lifters again became noisy and your standard response was to question the spec of oil in the engine. The same oil that you put in. Each and every mechanic that I engaged regarding the poor performance questioned the advice of the person who stated that a 2.0L motor would be a suitable fit and match for a 1.6L ECU. ALL questioned my sanity. YOU told me that it would work. IT DID NOT!!!! Besides the thousands of rands that I paid to you in the belief that you would solve my problem of a very bad buy, I’ve also lost thousands more in revenue by the absence of the vehicle for the second time. Then I’ve lost thousands more when I eventually had to throw in the towel and have your engine removed and have the mechanic who liaised with you, fix the problem the way you promised to do and should have done. He procured a stock standard second-hand engine from a source that he uses often and trusts and fitted it correctly as you should have done in the first place. So you see Wayne, Sirehan did not just bad-mouth you with nothing to back it up as you did him. He was prepared to place his objections on paper and was specifically factual about it. He did not just talk-a-talk. He actually walked-the-walk as I now have a vehicle that I’ve been driving for the past 3 weeks and it drives like a dream. Performance is exactly what it should be. I do not have to race the engine to achieve any kind of power. Each component, electronic and mechanical speaks to the other according to specification. This is what YOU promise me!! I have now had to go into debt to achieve this. I understand that you had difficulties and I’ve been mindful. I do, however feel that your difficulties have severely penalised me. You claim to be wanting to build and honest business. I would believe that if you had the honesty, integrity and self-respect to take back your engine and refund me the cost of as well as installation charge of the motor. I would like to make a formal request that you do. I feel that is the least that anyone would do who claims not to want to do another in. If you intend responding, I would appreciate you doing so by Friday 1st November 2019 Lester Sayster

I have a written report detailing the faults of the engine that Wayne Van Reenen supp****. I've also sent him videos of my now properly repaired vehicle. His response was, "No I've spent enough on your car in time and money so sorry I can't help you."

This after he messed up the initial job as well as the attempted 'repair'. Also the 'complete, to-specification engine' that he supp**** turned out to be a mix-and-match in which at least one of the pistons was installed the WRONG WAY AROUND!!!! This is not the definition of competent or even knowledgeable mechanic by any stretch of the imagination. In my opinion you will be throwing good money after bad by using this excuse for a mechanic.