Engines

Plot:

In the UK today, over 31 million cars are serviced by garages, part of a motoring industry worth £55 billion. But what happens when we hand over our keys to the local mechanic? How do we know how they will treat our pride and joy? When Jo Gaffikin's car broke down, she found a company online who said that they could collect the vehicle and fix the engine for a good price within two weeks. But just days after collection, the garage called to tell her that the agreed price had almost doubled. Although Jo agreed to hand over more than £2,000, after four months, her beloved car had still not been returned. When she finally went to the garage to demand it back, not only was she charged £450 in storage fees before they would release it but, to her horror, the engine and gearbox were in pieces in the boot. Dom and Melinda hear a similar story from nurse Jenny Matthews. Two months after paying over £3,000 for its engine to be reconditioned, Jenny still does not have her car back. The Cowboy Traders team goes undercover to try to reclaim Jenny's car – only to find that the vehicle's engine is now only fit for scrap. Melinda has an uphill battle trying to replace two top-of-the-range cars on an old banger budget. Meanwhile, Dom's investigations open the floodgates to a horde of unhappy car owners – all with similar tales to tell. He uncovers a web of companies stretching back several decades and makes it his mission to expose the rogue behind them.