i got riped-off by a mechanic

[Musashi3000GT]

Originally Posted by aloharocky

Just don't buy your parts and bring them to him, that's an insult.

^ why is it an insult, mechanics provide a service not a product. You have the right to choose what stuff goes on your ride, plus 50% of the time a mechanic will swap in stuff they find at junkyard or rebuilt crap and charge you like its new.

In any case if you really want take him to court, a lawyer will charge you about 170 bucks to take legal action but you will recieve three time what you payed in return. i.e. $1600 approx.
I have done it three times in the past 5 years and have always won my cases. once for a simple tune up that ended up frying my ECU, a alternator that shortted out caught fire and once for a crappy paint job that lasted 1 year! the longest case lasted 6 months but I always got my money back and then some. In your case the clutch went to the floor cause of a leaky slave cylinder or bad master cylinder. the job costs around $280 to fix, he lied about you needing a clutch and its bullshit that a bad slave cylinder will damage your clutch, the hydraulic clutch is completely independent of the transmission. find a lawyer dude!

[Insanity_97]

I work at a garage and NOBODY leaves without a receipt.

Many people mark the part they need replacing inconspicuously so they can see if it was truly done. as far as the parts and insults go, they get a commission on the mark up of each part, so it may be insulting to them...depends.

This guy did you wrong and I would demand a receipt and threaten a law suit.

[-Josh-]

oooh, a shop girl

[aloharocky]

The mechanic realizes a small markup on the parts, so it's sort of like not tipping at a restaurant. But the main reason I don't like it is that 99% of the time, the customer buys the cheapest, crappiest parts he can find, like from Checkers, brings them to you to put on, and then complains when his parts fail or don't fit. If a customer wants to supply his own parts, I simply tell him to go somewheres else to have them installed. perhaps some work-at-home guy working out of his pickup. I figure if he doesn't trust me to use good parts at a fair price, then I don't need him or the headache he'll give me later. Face it guys, that $80 part that you got for $15 WILL BE a Chinese-made piece of junk. If you value your mechanic over the long term, treat him right.

[aloharocky]

[quote=Musashi3000GT]^ why is it an insult, mechanics provide a service not a product. You have the right to choose what stuff goes on your ride, plus 50% of the time a mechanic will swap in stuff they find at junkyard or rebuilt crap and charge you like its new.

I've been around this business for quite a while, and I've NEVER seen or even heard of any mechanic "swapping in stuff they find at a junkyard." There are reasons for this. a) it's illegal and will cost him his license. b) it wastes time, and time is money. c) it's not at all profitable, the difference in markup is minute. d) the chance of finding the correct part that would pass as new is small. e) Mechanics aren't criminals, and if they are they are really stupid. Armed robbery would be more profitable. f) (and most importantly) We rely heavily on REPEAT business and reputation. No person in business wants bad-mouthing by ex-customers.

[-Josh-]

That's mostly Bullshit, you can't find a dishonest technician where i'm from, maybe one or two, that's it. The only reason they made that piece is because it's good TV, my dad runs a GM Service Dept. and he watched that same episode and thought it was BS and only proved to put down the already untrusted automotive industry, there are only a select few bad eggs out there who ruin for everyone else.

[aloharocky]

Want happiness? Find an honest mechanic, and stick with him. Two years ago while visiting Phoenix, my son's car broke down on us. We were luckily next to a shop, and they were good. In appreciation, I still send them Macadamia nuts from Honolulu, and my son takes his car only to them. I even stopped by their shop this year, just to let them know how I appreciate them taking car of my kid's car. A good mechanic is valuable to me. A car is probrably the most expensive thing you own, next to a home.

[RSX-S777]

Originally Posted by Fully_Sick

I think you should go up to him and piss on his leg, if he wants to be a dog to you and rip you off, be a dog back and piss on him...

Or sniff his nuts and shit in his front yard...

[aloharocky]

I'd agree that "millions" of people CONTEND that they've been ripped off, but I'd still say they are mostly full of shit. Most of the people that complain don't know shit about their cars, otherwise it wouldn't be broken in the first place. For instance, one common complaint is that the mechanic wants to change the water pump and idler pulley along with the timing belt. "RIPOFF" they scream. I won't take the job if they complain about it, because to do the job half-assed would be worse than sending them to someone else.

[89tracerman]

Lurker_Rex is right it is hard to find a good mechanic, but i will learn from my mistake next time i take it to a mechanic i will make sure I get a recipt for the labor, and a recipt for the parts that he bought. i will also try to take it to a well known shop.

[-Josh-]

Originally Posted by lurker rex

Try telling that to 89tracerman, or any of the millions of people who have been ripped off by dishonest mechanics. I've found that most mechanics are either incompetant or dishonest (that's why good ones are hard to find). I'm sure your dad would say something like "the only reason they made that piece is because it's good TV" - he's a mechanic. BTW is wasn't even good TV - kind of boring. I only watched it because there was something good on after the show.

BTW I'm not saying your dad's incompetant or dishonest. I've never even met the guy for gods sake.

Was a mechanic, service manager now. However i can comprehend what you're saying and i understand. It's just that the automotive industry doesn't need that kind of flak right now, that's why people nowadays need to take their car to known trained professionals, there's so much stuff nowadays that being an apprentice under someone just doesn't cut it. Most independent mechanics might be dishonest and imcompetent but most trained mechanics are very intelligent, try and learn OHM's law and you'll kind of figure out what i'm getting at. I'm not mad at your statement it just irritates me when i hear or see people giving the auto industry a bad rep.

[jon@af]

Originally Posted by lurker rex

Try telling that to 89tracerman, or any of the millions of people who have been ripped off by dishonest mechanics. I've found that most mechanics are either incompetant or dishonest (that's why good ones are hard to find). I'm sure your dad would say something like "the only reason they made that piece is because it's good TV" - he's a mechanic. BTW is wasn't even good TV - kind of boring. I only watched it because there was something good on after the show.

BTW I'm not saying your dad's incompetant or dishonest. I've never even met the guy for gods sake.

Try telling my dad that he's incompetant, and then watch him do a transmission job in 2 and a half hours by himself, or an engine job in a day. There are plenty of good technicians out there, you just have to search around. Take your car to reputable places. It may cost a little extra, but at least you'll know what you're paying for.

[aloharocky]

It won't cost him "extra", just a fair price for a job well done. The other guy keeps his costs down by using inferior parts, not cleaning parts, and cutting all the corners he can withiut getting caught.

[jon@af]

Originally Posted by lurker rex

No offense - I'll take it on your word that your dad's a good tech. However, if I went to a mechanic I've never dealt with before, and he told me he'd rebuild my transmission in 2.5 hours and complete an engine (swap?) in one day, I would go somewhere else. I know that I would be losing out on having my car fixed in a hurry, but I just wouldn't blindly trust a mechanic who rushes thru a job (unless he's someone I've known my entire life). I know most people would agree.

Remember, I don't know your dad, wouldn't recognize him if he walked up and slugged me in the face. I'm not saying anything personal about anyone, just stating my opinion.

I understand what you're saying, and that's why I say search around. Ask people who would know about it who the best people to take your vehicle to are, and other such things.

[SLAYTANIC_1134]

Originally Posted by aloharocky

Want happiness? Find an honest mechanic, and stick with him. Two years ago while visiting Phoenix, my son's car broke down on us. We were luckily next to a shop, and they were good. In appreciation, I still send them Macadamia nuts from Honolulu, and my son takes his car only to them. I even stopped by their shop this year, just to let them know how I appreciate them taking car of my kid's car. A good mechanic is valuable to me. A car is probrably the most expensive thing you own, next to a home.

That is very nice of you! It definatly pays to find a good mechanic. I only had one run in w/ a shady mechanic but that is because I do most of my own repairs. I own a POS Mits. Eclipse( first & last mitsu I own!!) and it would not stay running. I was a freshman in hs at the time didn't know much about cars, took it to a local guy and he wanted $600+ for parts & labor (turned out to be the Mass Airflow Sensor). It sounded a little high and my car still ran, just a little rough, not a big deal! I told him I appreciated hd diagnosis but I didn't have the money at the time. I ended up buying a brand new MAS at the local dodge (DSM) dealer for about $250. As for labor all I had to do was open up my airbox and there was the MAS. $600 for a $250 part and ten minutes(literally) of labor??