Car garage reported to fraud team

Bosses at a Paisley engine repair garage that closed suddenly have been reported to a fraud watchdog.

Engine Engineering chiefs pulled down their shutters on Wednesday, despite a backlog of unfinished repairs that car owners had forked out thousands for.

Fuming customers arrived at the McFarlane Street yard to get their motors back after word spread of the firm’s shock closure.

Some discovered work they had paid up front for hadn’t been completed and their cars left in pieces, without lights, bumpers or engine parts.

A fuming customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims the company offered him his engine back on two pallets and that a truck turned up to take parts away.

He said: “I have reported the company to Action Fraud over the way they have treated customers.

“They said it might be several weeks before we hear anything back. It might be too late by then.”

He added: “People have paid out thousands of pounds and their cars have been left in bits.

“They seemed to be filling a large lorry with parts from inside the building.

“They said I could have my engine back on pallets or in the back of my car. I’ve already paid around £4,000 for work — which has not been done.

“Now I don’t even know if I have all the parts back for my car. It’s terrible.”

Police were called on Wednesday when raging drivers refused to move until they were given answers by tight- lipped company bosses.

One customer had paid more than £6,000 for a repair, only to find his engine stuffed in the back seat of his Range Rover.

A company spokesman told the Paisley Daily Express the company was closing due to Brexit.

He added: “All I will say is we will put all the wrongs right and everyone walks away happy at the end of the day.”

Trading Standards refused to confirm whether it had launched a probe into the firm, which was previously raided by police amid stolen property claims.

A Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “Trading Standards is unable to provide information about traders, or their trading practices, by legislation which makes disclosure of this information a criminal offence.

“Any consumer who requires advice on pursuing their rights should contact our partners consumeradvice.scot on 0808 164 6000.

“Any business which requires advice should contact its local Trading Standards service for business advice.”