'We found the exhaust pipe had been cut off. The old body kit was not returned to us.' - S. Kolenthavelle
A CAR owner who sent his vehicle to a workshop after watching its promotional videos on social media was left unhappy with the results.
The claimant, S. Kolenthavelle, 34, said he had been impressed by the workmanship depicted in videos uploaded by a workshop targeting car enthusiasts.
Outside the Johor Baru Consumer Claims Tribunal at Menara Ansar, Kolenthavelle said comments by the workshop’s followers seemed to attest to the quality of the workmanship.
The claimant, who works in Singapore, went to the workshop in Taman Desa Jaya, Johor Baru, on Feb 26 to book bumpers for his car.
Kolenthavelle and his wife went to the workshop again on Feb 29 at 9am to have a body kit installed on their German-marque car for RM2,500.
“I paid a RM1,800 deposit on Feb 26 and RM700 on Feb 29. The installation was completed around noon,” he said.
A body kit is a set of modified body parts or additional components that are installed on a car.
It is typically composed of front and rear bumpers, side skirts, spoilers, bonnets (bonnet scoop) and sometimes include front and rear guards and roof scoops.
While body kits primarily focus on enhancing the visual appeal of a vehicle, certain aerodynamic components within the kit could have a positive impact on performance.
“Upon inspection of our car, we found that the exhaust pipe had been cut off.
“The old body kit was also not returned to us,” Kolenthavelle said.
He had demanded an explanation from the workshop as to why the exhaust pipe had been cut without his permission, and was told it was standard procedure when installing the body kit.
Dissatisfied with the explanation, he told the workshop representatives that the exhaust pipe had not been cut when the previous body kit was installed.
“They were unhappy and even threatened to take us to court,” he said.
The couple went to another workshop to have the cut part of the exhaust pipe welded back on, as they made their way back to Taman Nusa Bestari, Skudai, and paid RM100.
Kolenthavelle filed his claim at the Tribunal seeking RM1,300, as he claimed that the old body kit that was not returned to him could be sold for RM1,200.
He also sought compensation of RM100 for the welding of the cut exhaust pipe.
The respondent did not attend the hearing.
Tribunal president Lee Chee Thim said the respondent’s act of cutting the exhaust pipe put the lives of the car passengers at risk.
“The exhaust pipe collects gases from the engine, removes harmful gases, reduces engine noise and prevents those gases from entering the interior of the car,” he said.
Lee ordered the respondent to either return the old body kit and refund RM100 to the claimant or refund him RM1,300 for failing to return the old body kit, within two weeks.
Those who need Tribunal assistance can call 07-227 1755/1766.
