Generic photo for illustration purposes only.
JOHOR BARU: A businessman has been having trouble with his seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) since it was first sent for repairs in Pekan, Pahang, more than a year ago.
Claimant Nur Firdauzi Mohamed Tah, 38, was travelling to Pasir Gudang in Johor from Pekan on Nov 7, 2021, when the MPV broke down.
“I was on my way back from a business trip when the vehicle suddenly stopped in the middle of nowhere,” he said when met outside the Johor Baru Consumer Claims Tribunal.
After an Internet search, he found a workshop in Pekan, sent the vehicle there for repairs and took a bus home to Johor.
Nur Firdauzi said the workshop owner told him there were problems with the vehicle’s compressor and the repair work would take about a week.
“After a week, I went back to the workshop to take the vehicle and paid the owner RM1,900,” he said.
On his way back to Johor, he said, the vehicle broke down again in Nenasi, Pahang, and it had to be towed back to the workshop.
He said the owner told him this time that the breakdown was due to engine problems and had to replace the engine with a used one costing RM4,200.
“I went back to the workshop on Dec 8, 2021, and paid the amount,” he added.
On Jan 3, 2022, Nur Firdauzi was with his family heading back to Pasir Gudang from Batu Pahat, when the vehicle broke down in Pekan Nanas, Pontian, at midnight.
He called the workshop owner, who told him to send the vehicle to a workshop in Taman Johor Jaya, Johor Baru, and he (the owner) would bear the towing cost of RM250.
“He told me the Johor Jaya workshop owner was his friend and would be able to fix the problems,” said the claimant.
The Johor Jaya workshop owner dismantled the engine and sent it to Pekan and the Pekan workshop owner had to send another engine in its place.
“My car was ready on April 12, 2022, and I paid RM1,828 but the next day, the radiator was damaged and I paid RM700 to replace it,” said Nur Firdauzi.
He said the Pekan workshop owner asked him to send the vehicle back for repair and assured him that there would be no more problems.
“I went back to Pekan on April 21, 2022, and left the vehicle there and until now, the vehicle has been left idle,” he said.
Nur Firdauzi decided to file a case at the tribunal as the respondent became uncooperative and did not complete the repairs.
“I had to fork out RM8,800 to buy a used car,” he said.
Tribunal president Rashidah Abu Bakar ordered the respondent, who did not attend the hearing, to return RM17,000 to the claimant within two weeks.
Keyword: Workshop ordered to refund MPV owner for frequent repairs