In May 1999 I had to have my clutch replaced as it was making a whining noise. A mechanic at the centurion branch of Hyundai had told me that it was the pressure plate. When I tried to book my car in one Friday I was told that they were full so I booked it in at Midrand where I had bought the car 2 years previously.

I collected the car at 5.00pm that day and on the highway found that they had not reconnected my speedometer. I called the workshop manager on my cell phone and he said for me to call back the following morning so that they could sort it out. As I drove the clutch seemed to get worse and failed to engage certain gears.

On Saturday my speedometer was reconnected but I was told to bring the car in on Monday, as they were unable to sort out the gear problem.

On Monday my wife took the car in and was given a courtesy car to use in the meantime. On Wednesday I was called and told that I now needed a new gearbox and that it was at my request that the clutch had been replaced and that I had been dishonest as to what the real problem had been. I went ballistic. I then phoned the Midrand Branch Manager and related this story to him. He promised to look into it. When he called back it was to tell me that the workshop manager was checking with the Hyundai technicians to see what the fault could be. The following morning I was told that the car could be collected. No additional cost was levied, as apparently it had been something to do with the clutch. My wife collected my car and returned the courtesy car.

I have still not received an apology from the person who said I had been dishonest.