A COUPLE'S wedding savings were almost wiped out after Arnold Clark told them it would take £7,500 to fix their car - which was then repaired elsewhere for a cost of £250.

Ras Okai and partner Lyndsey Robb are set to get married and were saving for the wedding when their car, purchased last March broke down.

Lyndsey, 35, was driving the car when it broke down on April 17.

It was taken to Arnold Clark Greenock Ford, where they'd purchased it.

The couple were stunned when they were told the vehicle needed a brand new engine at a cost of £7,500.

Ras, 31, said: “We bought the car last year and it's only done just over 26k miles.

"I couldn’t believe that the engine would need to be replaced, and at that cost.

"If we had paid that we would have had to call off the wedding because that would have wiped out our savings.”

They were not convinced that the correct fault had been found and went elsewhere for a second opinion, having the car towed to Autotec in Port Glasgow.

Mechanics there found an issue with the coolant not mixing correctly within the engine.

The repair cost £1,200, with the couple only having to pay £250 out of their own pocket as the warranty covered the rest.

Ras said: “They couldn’t understand why we were told we would need a new engine.

"They had the problem worked out and the car repaired in a week and it has never run better.

“The whole experience with the car was a nightmare but Autotec in Port Glasgow were brilliant.

“We are so glad that we asked the questions and got a second opinion."

The couple say Arnold Clark also told them they would not be entitled to a courtesy car.

Ras said: “We were without a car while it got repaired.

"Lyndsey’s mum was brilliant, she came and picked our little girl Mila up and took her to and from nursery and also dropped me at work.

"If she hadn’t been able to help we would have been stuck.

"We later discovered we were actually entitled to a courtesy car."

Now the couple are forging ahead with their wedding plans and delighted that they didn't shell out the sum Arnold Clark had said was necessary for the repairs.

Ras told the Tele: “Going with the first opinion would have had a huge impact on our savings and it would have stopped the wedding.

"I am glad we took the time to stop and think.

"Although we were without a car for a week we saved a lot of money.

“I would encourage people to think twice.

"If something doesn’t seem right don’t be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion.

“I have learned my lesson and won’t be afraid to ask questions and even go elsewhere if need be.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Autotec, they couldn’t have been more help.”

Arnold Clark today defended themselves and their handling of the situation.

A spokesperson for Arnold Clark said: "This customer’s car broke down and had to be brought to a branch, showing a warning light that advised to stop the engine.

"On initial inspection, without having stripped the engine, our technicians advised that there appeared to be a potential serious fault with the engine that could require its replacement.

"The potential costs involved were also explained to the customer at this point and it was made clear that there would be a shortfall after using the Autocare warranty.

“After hearing this, the customer did not authorise any further work and took their vehicle to a third party.

"We requested a copy of the report from the customer from the repairing garage, however we received no further communication from them.

“To the best of their knowledge at the time, our technicians did the right thing by preparing our customer for the worst-case scenario, by being upfront about the extent of the work that could potentially be involved based on their experience of similar faults.”