ENGEN NORTHMEAD WILL BURN YOUR CAR!!!

On Friday 30 November 2020 I filled up with 95 at Engen Northmead, in Benoni, Gauteng. Soon after filling up my vehicle stopped on the way back home. After waiting a few hours at night on the side of the road my father and friend came to see what was wrong. My father suggested it was probably fuel related as I had never had any issues with my car before. I got the number of the owner and reported the problem and he said to take the car back to the service station and they would deal with the matter in the morning.

We had to tow the car ourselves back to the Engen. I left the car and my details.

The Saturday morning I missed a call from the owner. I went to the service station at around 10am to find that the car had been moved and was now at a mechanics workshop behind the Engen. I drive a Mercedes Benz and would have expected the car to be taken to the dealer or to at least be given the option. I did not have a chance to remove my personal belongings or give consent that my vehicle be moved.

I met with the manager on Saturday and he explained to me that there was water in the fuel that was put into my car and apologised for the inconvenient. He told me to expect my car on Monday afternoon.

I was not impressed and told him that I live in Mafikeng and had work on Monday. He told me there was nothing he could do.

On Monday I went to check the car in the workshop, only to be told that there was a fire in the workshop next to my car when they were removing the fuel and as a result the inside of my car was full of white residue from the fire extinguisher.

I moved my Monday meetings to Tuesday to accommodate the change in plans and by Monday evening it was clear that my car was not ready. I then borrowed my cousin's car and left for Mafikeng on Monday evening as I could no longer delay.

My cousin picked up the vehicle the following Tuesday and it is currently with him in Benoni. The manager of the service station called and apologised for the inconvenience and offered me a complimentary car wash and full tank of fuel. To be honest I found this insulting for the amount of inconvenience caused to myself, friend and family members which we are still experiencing as additional trips must be made for me to collect my car in Joburg. It also implies that I would refuel at the same service station that caused the problem in the first place which is untenable.

I would have expected the owner to arrange that my car be towed when it was first stuck back to Mercedes Benz to be diagnosed and fixed by the manufacturer (I was not given this option). This will affect my service record on my vehicle as it was worked on by an unauthorised repair centre. Further to this I should have been given a rental car while mine was in the workshop as I had to incur costs of Uber and using other peoples' cars. I lost a day of work and drove to Mafikeng at night, tired after waiting for my car in vain. The fire that occurred in the workshop- although not the owner's fault- is a direct result of his decision not to take my Mercedes Benz to Mercedes Benz and I can only imagine what would have happened had my vehicle burnt in the workshop.

I write this 15 months later and only R10,000 has been paid to me for damage totalling R39,000 to my car. I am unable to sell the car due to the damage done to the car which has not been fixed yet.