Did my mechanic rip me off?

[chrisl757]

Ok,
I thought that this guy was giving me a fair deal until my latest problem.

A few days ago, the engine jerked a few times while driving on the highway, and then shut off. I coasted to the shoulder, called for a tow and couldn't figure out what was wrong. When I tried to start it back up, it started to turn over, but sounded like it wasn't getting any fuel.

I thought it might be the fuel pump, but didn't know and had it taken to the mechanic.

He checked it out and told me that it was the cap and rotor, had them replaced and it is running fine. The trouble is that he charged me $55 for parts and $155 for labor. And then he tried to upsell me on a new radiator claiming that I had a leak. I have noticed some fluid coming out, but thought that it was a leaky power steering unit (it wasn't green, so I never thought antifreeze)

Let me backtrack a little...As part of my routine maintenance, I replaced the cap and rotor myself a few weeks ago. I went at least 3000 miles without any problems. 21 mpg and no trouble at all.

If a cap and rotor go out, is this what happens (just dies as you're driving)? Also, having replaced them myself in 20 minutes, it is hard to believe that it would take a professional an hour of labor and $85 in diagnostics to get to this problem.

Nonetheless, it works (so far).

Is it possible that I could have incorrectly installed the cap and rotor, but still managed to eek out 3000 miles without any problem?

Thanks for any help.

[vamc]

I think i know what it is. Im having one of thoes days so bear with me on this. i will more then likley edit this later when i remember what this thing is called. its the unit that sends power to the distributer cap. Its not the roter either. Its a squair thing that is connected to the side of your engine, in the left hand side. i think its the coil now that i think of it. One of thoes days. this would cuse that problem as well. Do you have any check engine lights on at all?

[Ray H]

Its unlikely you installed the cap and rotor wrong. Its possible that the cap or rotor (more likely the rotor) was the problem. It wouldnt be the first time a faulty part has been sold. If the rotor actually "broke" it would cause the engine to just shut off.
Im a little leary of the labor charge, especially if most of it is for diagnostics. Its just not that complicated to tell if an engine isnt getting any spark, and if its not getting spark, its not running, theres not much "diagnostics" that can be done to an engine thats not running.

Whenever you take a vehicle to the doctor and they tell you they replaced a part, demand to see the part that was removed. Theres no telling what was wrong with it now and theres no way for you to prove it wasnt the cap or rotor. Lesson learned for $210, its cheaper than college.

[thinmints]

Getting bent over by a mechanic is never any fun so i would suggest that you seek out a good JEEP mechanic i was lucky to find one at a jeep dealer they have always done me right ( they even replaced all my tires and rims from a wrangler so that i could see if i still had DW with there wheels they told me to drive for a few days and see if that solved the problem most dealers wouldnt do that so i take my rig to them if i am really stuck on a problem check with a jeep club or offroad club they will be the first to tell you who is good and who isnt Good Luckopcorn:

[AlohaBra]

Hey Chris, you need to tell us what year that Jeep is...there is a lot more electronics in the later model. If fact they have no cap and rotor.

The most common thing is a crank positon sensor.
On some years, there is a recall for the fuel gage being off and the Jeep runs out of gas while showing some in the tank.

[car5car]

You have to ask price before any job done. Diagnostics can take long time. Also you have to argue about price. Why don't you say: I have replaced rotor myself, it took me 20 min, why do you charge me so much? Ask him to show you labor book. It is possible that he will not fix your car anymore if he has plenty of work. So next time don't be shy.