My Repair Shop Stole From Me... (LONG)

Flight 951 · 06:48 PM

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kukunaokala · 06:02 PM

What a horror story! A couple turbos! A clutch! Ring gear? Ever seen melted pistons? Geeezz....That's why auto repair people are up there with politicians and lawyers.

But really, the independent shops that I've worked for fix their screw-ups and they try to keep their customer's car running satisfactorily. No doubt the guy that performed the work is NO longer there, you just so happened to hand them a BOMB.

AUWE (ohhh...*****), Neal

I was re-reading your post and the shop owner replaced one front seal? There's a weeding process in the repair industry. Shops come and go or change names. This guy's karma has definitely gone bad.

Flight 951 · 03-07-2002, 06:11 PM

Of the four mechanics working at the shop (owner included), three have left. So it's apparently just the owner there now turning wrenches, and his girlfriend is the office manager.

Towards the end of the ordeal, I had a wide fire head gasket put in because I thought the car was drinking coolant. (Turned out to be the radiator.) The cylinder walls showed some wear, but I am not sure if it is excessive because I didn't see it myself. I'm going to have a leakdown test done soon. The owner had told the former employee that the wear was likely caused from the overboost condition, and this info was just passed to me. The pistons apparently were okay.

As for fixing the screw ups, I believe the Tial situation was a huge money loser for everyone involved. The owner kept blaming the mechanic and made him put in the clutch, etc. for free. The owner bought the parts, the mechanic donated the labor.

But the first instance was theft, plain and simple. I believe some shop owners truly believe that they have a right to make money on each and every car in their shop. I believe, however, they have the right to TRY to make honest money from each car. Some repairs make money; some don't (especially when you experiment on customers' cars).

ae1969 · 03-07-2002, 06:23 PM

WOW....

Now I remember why I work on my own car....

...Good luck........I can't even begin to imagine the other damage they have caused.........

The problem in any profession that there are always one or two bad apples................ and this one is definitely rotten

kukunaokala · 06:52 PM

Okay dude, here's my "professional" recommendation, I'd pray (sue) for a whole new drive train, engine, torque tube, trans and axles. Lying, shoddy work, that guy is not fit to be doing business.

Britwrench, Scott R, you guys are "professionals", give your full dollars worth.

Aloha, Neal
ASE Master Auto Tech

Eturbo924 · 03-08-2002, 04:16 AM

Sorry to hear about your experience
I have recently had a similar, but not as expensive situation with the body shop that did my recent make over. Anyway reports will be later.

I now need to learn how to do my own body work. Moral of the story. Don't trust anyone. Always inspect the parts they want to replace right there with them and as you report always get the old parts back. I must say I have a great mechanic that I implicitly (sp?) trust. I just can not always afford him and like to do the work myself.

If anyone needs a good Porsche, Mercedes, Lambo, Ferrari, Jag or such Euro cars mechanic in Mass let me know. I can recomend a guy that will never do you wrong. I have known him for 15 years.

Eric
Eric.Lynch@itt.com

DennisR_944 · 03-08-2002, 05:18 AM

To sue and just get compensated for your money, time, inconvenience, etc. is NOT enough in this case. Try to get the whole sorry thing on one of the TV/reality court shows, (Judge Judy, etc.) so you can put this jerks face and everything else all over the place so everyone can see what he's about. I would settle for nothing less. The majority of mechanics are honest, but it just takes one jerk like this to give all mechanics a bad reputation. Sorry situation.
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