Johor Consumer Claims Tribunal has dismissed a claim against a workshop that allegedly failed to fix a car after being paid RM2,600.
Its president Hafez Zalkapli said the claimant failed to turn up for the hearing last December and January, despite being given notice.
“I feel relieved that the case was dismissed,” said the workshop proprietor Zulhilmi Rusli outside the Tribunal office at Menara Ansar in Johor Baru.
The respondent said it was the first time in his eight years running the workshop that a customer has filed a case with the Tribunal against his business.
Zulhilmi said the claimant came to his workshop in Johor Baru on Oct 17 when her car broke down about 200m from his business premises.
“We were about to close for the day when she came at around 8pm, but we decided to help her out,” he said.
When the respondent turned on the engine it vibrated badly, he said, forcing him and his workers to push the car to the workshop.
Zulhilmi told the claimant that he would examine the engine to determine the problems within the next two days.
“My mechanic inspected the car on Oct 19 and I gave her a quotation of RM2,600 to repair the engine, inclusive of parts, components and labour charges.”
The claimant agreed to the sum and the repair works were finished on Oct 22.
She was supposed to pick up the car the following day but called to say she was short of cash.
The respondent said the claimant came on Nov 3, paid RM2,600 and took the car.
However, about 30 minutes later, she came back complaining that the engine was noisy.
“The sound came from the exhaust pipe, but we did not replace it as she did not instruct us to do so,” he said.
Zulhilmi said the claimant left the workshop and called him after an hour, complaining that there were problems with the gearbox.
“I told her to bring the car back although it was not our responsibility to address it since the earlier repair work only involved the engine.”
Zulhilmi said the claimant refused and subsequently went to another workshop.
The Tribunal can be reached at 07-227 1755/1766.
