Shoddy workmanship - so bad it was actually dangerous

<p>As an Overland traveller in a 4x4 we needed out front drive shaft attended to as the slip joint was wearing.</p> <p>Left the shaft to M+Z Motors the Mercedes Dealer in Windhoek for attention. They subcontracted the repair to Paco Engineering in Windhoek. The quote was R9,745 ! I think excessive but they offered " a stronger spline fitment" so I accepted.</p> <p>M+Z fitted the shaft and 10 days later whilst in the Kafue Nat Park in Zambia we needed 4x4 to cross the wet swamp roads and the vehicle travelled only 10 metres hefore it would not move..we had no turning of the front wheels. On inspection the front shaft was turning out of the transfer box and the spline slipping.</p> <p>Fortunatly we winched ourselves free, but it could have been serious.</p> <p>Paco/M+Z offered to repare the shaft "if we returned it to them on our account" and I would have to pay for on freight. I asked for a refund and they refused !</p> <p>It cost us 10 days of travel and $$$'s whilst we FedExed a replacement shaft from Australia</p> <p> </p> <p>The more I analise the job the more I think that because we were a passing tourist we were a target to be ********** ! </p> <p> </p>