I need your opinion - members & guests
Date: Sun, 05/17/2009 - 20:03
My vehicle broke down in a one horse town in Wyoming, on my way to Idaho last Nov. It was knocking.
We drove it to a close by repair shop. We were 9 hrs from our destination. We stayed over in a motel & rented a car to get to our destination.
The next day, the mechanic said my timing chain came off and bent all the valves. $3000.00 worth of damage. We said, fix it, we paid $500.00 down. I asked if we could pick it up in the spring. He agreed, said he would start it up every now & then during the winter months. We couldn't go to pick it up until spring because we would need to go through two mountain passes, driving is impossible in that area during the winter months.
I sent the repair shop $1500.00 more in Dec. Leaving a balance of $1000.00 which I would pay him when I picked up my car in the spring.
May 6 (Wed.) we were about to call him, but he called us first (ironic). We told him we made arrangements to retreive the car the following Sat. He said GREAT.
An hour later he calls back, says the battery is dead and it needs a new one, we say fine, put a new one in it.
We make reservations for Fri & Sat in a hotel- and reservations to rent a car.
Thurs morn the repair shop calls, ask if we can delay the trip. He says he took the car out for a 10 mile drive, it's knocking, I say it was knocking when we brought it last Nov. He says it's a different type of knock. I tell him I can not afford another dime for the car, I tell him we are tapped out of money. We delay our trip but get charged for the hotel room anyway ($62.00).
The repair shop doesn't call Fri, or Sat or Sun. I call him Mon May 11. He says he tore the engine down, the crank shaft ruined the bearing, it's the last bearing. It will cost a minimum of $1500.00 more to fix the car. I tell him AGAIN I can't pay another dime, I am upset, I tell him I need to speak with other people about the situation before I decide what I should do, he tells me he will give me $500.00 for the car and forgive the $1300.00 bill I owe, then he will try to sell the car to try and recoop his losses. I tell him I need time to think about this.
Suggestions and opinions are welcome.
reply
what is the make,model,year,and engine type?i mean is it a four or six cylinder.i will be abel to offer advice with that info.
It's a 97 grand am with 50,000 original miles on it, the body is
It's a 97 grand am with 50,000 original miles on it, the body is in excellent condition.
reply
i think he took advantage of someone from out of town.if it was the timing chain or belt.you have two choices.
replace the engine or
replace the car.
his incompetence cost you a payment on another car.i would get the agreement in writing(sound familiar).then when you get the 500.00.report him to the BBB.i don't know what else to say except.sorry this happened,but he did it where you either take the 500.00 or pay him 1300.00.he is a shyster.
If a timing chain goes the car stops running! It then will crank
If a timing chain goes the car stops running! It then will crank real fast and not start! I think he misdiagnosed the problem!
I actually don't know what to think about this situation, I have
I actually don't know what to think about this situation, I have no options, but I sure would like to hear other opinions or suggestions. I would really appreciate it. Thanks Paul & Frog.
It does look like you got ripped off. It sounds to me as if the
It does look like you got ripped off. It sounds to me as if the mechanic actually wants the car for himself! He'll give you back $500 if you give him the car?! :shock: How generous of him!
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he took it out for a joyride and wrecked it and is hoping to slide this one over on you....
At the same time, much of it sounds like the typical incompetent mechanic, but his eager willingness to just walk away from $1300 sounds a bit *too* generous to believe, especially considering the "well now it needs this for X amount of $s" string of add-ons....
My suspicions could well be wrong, but that is what I suspect.
my husbands a mechanic and something to consider is this. I kno
my husbands a mechanic and something to consider is this. I know that if a car sits too long at the shop they can file to get the title. but scince you have paid on it i dont believe they can do that. it sounds like to me maybe he may have been robbing parts from it to fix other peoples cars thinking you may not ever come back for it or would forget about it. or like chrys said it got damaged somehow and he doesnt want you to come get it.
ok, shaz--heres the deal... 1--he lied to you about the car.
ok, shaz--heres the deal...
1--he lied to you about the car. Its that simple. When the car broke down you were still able to drive it to that repair shop, am I right? If thats the case, then he flat-out lied to you, because once your timing chain or belt comes off, slips, or breaks, the car will NOT START OR RUN until it is fixed. If you brought it to him because it was knocking, but it was still able to be driven to the shop then that was NEVER what was wrong with it in the first place.
2--when you brought it to him it was knocking. Then he tells you NOW that it is still knocking. So, my question to you would be "what exactly did he do with all the money you already paid him"???? We already know the timing chain didnt come off or break, and the same symptom that you had when you first brought it to him is what it still has now, after you paid him all this money?
Both engines that were available for that car used a timing chain. I checked just in case--if your engine had a belt instead of a chain it would only further show how you have been hosed on this deal.
Since you live in Ohio, youre in a one-party state. My best advice would be to record the phone call and go over everything that has happened so far--mention on this call exactly what happened when your car broke down, how you got it to his shop and what he said about it at that time. Then, you will have a full record of every claim he has made. Seriously, I wouldnt take this offer, but thats because I tend to fight back more than many people do in times like these. There is no way possible that your timing chain broke, came off, etc etc, and yet you were still able to drive the car to the shop. I know this for fact--we just replaced the timing belt on my wife's car last year. When it broke, it left her car stuck on the side of the road right where it broke. Anyways, get it all on tape, including the total amount you sent him---be sure to mention that on the call and that way you will get him on tape agreeing that you already paid him that much. Be sure to mention the total amount he claimed you needed to pay to fix the car in the first place too--if he way overcharged you for that, it will only help your argument. Treat this like youre dealing with a third-party debt collector in all respects--the guy's trying to pull one over on you big-time.
Ah yes, of course. I thinking along the lines of financial matte
Ah yes, of course. I thinking along the lines of financial matters, and not the mechanical issues. I've had a timing belt break, too, and the car died on the spot (in the middle of an intersection).
Oh gees, I just saw this. Here's an update: I live in Idaho n
Oh gees, I just saw this. Here's an update:
I live in Idaho now.
We went to the mechanics place of business about two - three weeks ago. He negotiated for $800 bucks, I am a beaten down consumer who lost a good car to a probable con artist. Life hasn't been very good to me lately but I keep getting up every day to put one foot in front of the other.
All I can do now is hope the tides will turn for me, I am without a vehicle, health insurance and a job, I just keep pushing forward hoping something will change for the better.
I thank all of you for your input. God bless you all.
sorry to hear that shazzers --- i understand how hard things are
sorry to hear that shazzers --- i understand how hard things are for you right now, but I'm sure the tides will turn.
Best of luck & I'll keep you in my prayers.
I truly appreciate it. I will be fine, I just need to keep my ch
I truly appreciate it. I will be fine, I just need to keep my chin up and keep my faith, and I will. Thanks! :)
DEAREST SHAZZERS I WISH YOU FIND A GOOD CAR,A NICE JOB AND I WIS
DEAREST SHAZZERS I WISH YOU FIND A GOOD CAR,A NICE JOB AND I WISH YOU BE VERY HEALTH ALWAYS AND YOU HAVE A VERY HAPPY AND LONG LIFE.
:lol: 8)
Shazz! OMG Please do not give up! Fight for what is right! Repor
Shazz! OMG Please do not give up! Fight for what is right! Report this creep to the BBB and whoever else! I am fighting United Health Care right now because I had the first half of an operation and then lost my job! I need the operation to be finished and I only get form letters! Even from the State advocate! I have a lawyer and I am suing my former employer for several issues and the lawyer wants me to pay the filing fees from my unemployment check and it goes on and on as a bad show on Lifetime Network! BUT I WILL NOT QUIT UNTIL I HAVE VICTORY Because God has my back and with Him all things are possible! Got it Shazz? DO NOT QUIT! GOD HAS YOUR BACK!