Auto repair
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Registered User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 90
From: Atlanta
Rep Power: 18
Auto repair
If a mechanic does work on your car and you pay him $1200. You take it back for him to fix, should you have to pay additional for the hours spent fixing the problem? First time they replaced the throw out bearing, b/c of a rattling noise. Come to find out, the exhaust was loose.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 845
From: Viera, Florida
Rep Power: 53
So they misdiagnosed the problem, charged you $1200 for something you did not need, and now want to charge you for something they should have found the first time?? Hard for me to swallow!
Thread Starter
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Registered User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 90
From: Atlanta
Rep Power: 18
Most definitely. It took me a pretty long time to get back there b/c of my time and distance to the shop. I felt they knew me as a customer and I'd given them plenty of business, but it's time to move on.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 578
From: Florida
Rep Power: 44
I had a mechanic since 1988 until about 2002. I really trusted the man, as he never gave me reason not to. The last time I went there, he did a belt service on my 951. When I looked at the receipt, I saw he had put used tensioners on my car at the time. I questioned him on the wisdom of putting used parts on something as crucial to the engine as the timing/balance shaft tensioners. He dismissed my concerns saying he tested the parts, that they came from a good engine etc.; that he saved me money this way. Had I been given the choice, I would have put new parts, as I wouldn't have skimped on this.
Forward to about two weeks hence; I was on I-95 on my way back from Miami when the motors gives out by Port St Lucie. I had to stay overnight at a hotel next to the interstate, called in a tow truck, and towed to his shop. The diagnosis was a failed timing belt tensioner. I didn't way a word, he fixed it again and dared charge me over $2k because the valves got bent. I payed him as he got nasty and antagonistic when I said this should be warranted by his shop. Not wanting to argue more - and having a card under my sleeve - I used my AmEx car which had a very good buyer satisfaction guarantee and then reversed the payment once the car was back in my possession. He called and called and I ignored him. One day I see a lawyer's notice on my home's front door with a lawsuit threat if I didn't repay him. I went to my lawyer, who drafted a very nice letter telling him I would countersue for bringing on a frivolous lawsuit and for altering the original invoice (he had changed figures on the invoice and I had my own copy, showing the discrepancies) and he backed down. My lawyer also mentioned to me that my signature was absent from all the pages both on my receipt and his and that, under Florida law at the time, the most he could charge me is $100 per page or $200 in this case, if it ever went to court and I was found liable.
Never again did I ever go by there. Also, I warn all potential victims of this fraudster whenever they used to ask me about his shop, which I think no longer is open.
Moving on to another mechanic is the best option, as you very well are opting to do.
Forward to about two weeks hence; I was on I-95 on my way back from Miami when the motors gives out by Port St Lucie. I had to stay overnight at a hotel next to the interstate, called in a tow truck, and towed to his shop. The diagnosis was a failed timing belt tensioner. I didn't way a word, he fixed it again and dared charge me over $2k because the valves got bent. I payed him as he got nasty and antagonistic when I said this should be warranted by his shop. Not wanting to argue more - and having a card under my sleeve - I used my AmEx car which had a very good buyer satisfaction guarantee and then reversed the payment once the car was back in my possession. He called and called and I ignored him. One day I see a lawyer's notice on my home's front door with a lawsuit threat if I didn't repay him. I went to my lawyer, who drafted a very nice letter telling him I would countersue for bringing on a frivolous lawsuit and for altering the original invoice (he had changed figures on the invoice and I had my own copy, showing the discrepancies) and he backed down. My lawyer also mentioned to me that my signature was absent from all the pages both on my receipt and his and that, under Florida law at the time, the most he could charge me is $100 per page or $200 in this case, if it ever went to court and I was found liable.
Never again did I ever go by there. Also, I warn all potential victims of this fraudster whenever they used to ask me about his shop, which I think no longer is open.
Moving on to another mechanic is the best option, as you very well are opting to do.
Last edited by cibergypsy; Mar 13, 2016 at 08:14 AM.
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Registered User
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,541
From: upstate, NY
Rep Power: 238
I had a mechanic since 1988 until about 2002. I really trusted the man, as he never gave me reason not to. The last time I went there, he did a belt service on my 951. When I looked at the receipt, I saw he had put used tensioners on my car at the time. I questioned him on the wisdom of putting used parts on something as crucial to the engine as the timing/balance shaft tensioners. He dismissed my concerns saying he tested the parts, that they came from a good engine etc.; that he saved me money this way. Had I been given the choice, I would have put new parts, as I wouldn't have skimped on this.
Forward to about two weeks hence; I was on I-95 on my way back from Miami when the motors gives out by Port St Lucie. I had to stay overnight at a hotel next to the interstate, called in a tow truck, and towed to his shop. The diagnosis was a failed timing belt tensioner. I didn't way a word, he fixed it again and dared charge me over $2k because the valves got bent. I payed him as he got nasty and antagonistic when I said this should be warranted by his shop. Not wanting to argue more - and having a card under my sleeve - I used my AmEx car which had a very good buyer satisfaction guarantee and then reversed the payment once the car was back in my possession. He called and called and I ignored him. One day I see a lawyer's notice on my home's front door with a lawsuit threat if I didn't repay him. I went to my lawyer, who drafted a very nice letter telling him I would countersue for bringing on a frivolous lawsuit and for altering the original invoice (he had changed figures on the invoice and I had my own copy, showing the discrepancies) and he backed down. My lawyer also mentioned to me that my signature was absent from all the pages both on my receipt and his and that, under Florida law at the time, the most he could charge me is $100 per page or $200 in this case, if it ever went to court and I was found liable.
Never again did I ever go by there. Also, I warn all potential victims of this fraudster whenever they used to ask me about his shop, which I think no longer is open.
Moving on to another mechanic is the best option, as you very well are opting to do.
Forward to about two weeks hence; I was on I-95 on my way back from Miami when the motors gives out by Port St Lucie. I had to stay overnight at a hotel next to the interstate, called in a tow truck, and towed to his shop. The diagnosis was a failed timing belt tensioner. I didn't way a word, he fixed it again and dared charge me over $2k because the valves got bent. I payed him as he got nasty and antagonistic when I said this should be warranted by his shop. Not wanting to argue more - and having a card under my sleeve - I used my AmEx car which had a very good buyer satisfaction guarantee and then reversed the payment once the car was back in my possession. He called and called and I ignored him. One day I see a lawyer's notice on my home's front door with a lawsuit threat if I didn't repay him. I went to my lawyer, who drafted a very nice letter telling him I would countersue for bringing on a frivolous lawsuit and for altering the original invoice (he had changed figures on the invoice and I had my own copy, showing the discrepancies) and he backed down. My lawyer also mentioned to me that my signature was absent from all the pages both on my receipt and his and that, under Florida law at the time, the most he could charge me is $100 per page or $200 in this case, if it ever went to court and I was found liable.
Never again did I ever go by there. Also, I warn all potential victims of this fraudster whenever they used to ask me about his shop, which I think no longer is open.
Moving on to another mechanic is the best option, as you very well are opting to do.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 746
From: toronto
Rep Power: 50
WOW. im glad the outcome was in your favour.
I had a mechanic since 1988 until about 2002. I really trusted the man, as he never gave me reason not to. The last time I went there, he did a belt service on my 951. When I looked at the receipt, I saw he had put used tensioners on my car at the time. I questioned him on the wisdom of putting used parts on something as crucial to the engine as the timing/balance shaft tensioners. He dismissed my concerns saying he tested the parts, that they came from a good engine etc.; that he saved me money this way. Had I been given the choice, I would have put new parts, as I wouldn't have skimped on this.
Forward to about two weeks hence; I was on I-95 on my way back from Miami when the motors gives out by Port St Lucie. I had to stay overnight at a hotel next to the interstate, called in a tow truck, and towed to his shop. The diagnosis was a failed timing belt tensioner. I didn't way a word, he fixed it again and dared charge me over $2k because the valves got bent. I payed him as he got nasty and antagonistic when I said this should be warranted by his shop. Not wanting to argue more - and having a card under my sleeve - I used my AmEx car which had a very good buyer satisfaction guarantee and then reversed the payment once the car was back in my possession. He called and called and I ignored him. One day I see a lawyer's notice on my home's front door with a lawsuit threat if I didn't repay him. I went to my lawyer, who drafted a very nice letter telling him I would countersue for bringing on a frivolous lawsuit and for altering the original invoice (he had changed figures on the invoice and I had my own copy, showing the discrepancies) and he backed down. My lawyer also mentioned to me that my signature was absent from all the pages both on my receipt and his and that, under Florida law at the time, the most he could charge me is $100 per page or $200 in this case, if it ever went to court and I was found liable.
Never again did I ever go by there. Also, I warn all potential victims of this fraudster whenever they used to ask me about his shop, which I think no longer is open.
Moving on to another mechanic is the best option, as you very well are opting to do.
Forward to about two weeks hence; I was on I-95 on my way back from Miami when the motors gives out by Port St Lucie. I had to stay overnight at a hotel next to the interstate, called in a tow truck, and towed to his shop. The diagnosis was a failed timing belt tensioner. I didn't way a word, he fixed it again and dared charge me over $2k because the valves got bent. I payed him as he got nasty and antagonistic when I said this should be warranted by his shop. Not wanting to argue more - and having a card under my sleeve - I used my AmEx car which had a very good buyer satisfaction guarantee and then reversed the payment once the car was back in my possession. He called and called and I ignored him. One day I see a lawyer's notice on my home's front door with a lawsuit threat if I didn't repay him. I went to my lawyer, who drafted a very nice letter telling him I would countersue for bringing on a frivolous lawsuit and for altering the original invoice (he had changed figures on the invoice and I had my own copy, showing the discrepancies) and he backed down. My lawyer also mentioned to me that my signature was absent from all the pages both on my receipt and his and that, under Florida law at the time, the most he could charge me is $100 per page or $200 in this case, if it ever went to court and I was found liable.
Never again did I ever go by there. Also, I warn all potential victims of this fraudster whenever they used to ask me about his shop, which I think no longer is open.
Moving on to another mechanic is the best option, as you very well are opting to do.
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