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Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?


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paguy215
Novice

Jun 25, 2019, 4:00 AM

Post #1 of 9 (910 views)
  post locked   Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

I took my 2007 Camry in to a mechanic 2 weeks ago with Engine Code P0301, misfire cylinder 1. The mechanic still ran diagnostics for $100 and then did a tune up replacing all plugs and coils. After driving less than 200 miles, the light came on again with the same error code...the performance was sluggish as well. So naturally, I call them and take the car back.

Now they want to charge me again for a diagnostic, even though it's the same code and they just did this 2 weeks ago. I think that's absurd...frankly I don't think they should charge me a nickel for fixing anything that they fixed 2 weeks ago.

So here's my question...what recourse do I have? I know a few places who can diagnose for free, but if I ultimately still need to get the plugs and coils replaced again, I feel this place should do it since I already paid. Their warranty for parts and labor says 24,000 miles/2 years. Of course I'm now afraid they're going to blame something else for the code.

Other than finding a new mechanic after this, what advice would you give on how to handle this. I don't want to give this place anymore money, and I don't want to 'void' any warranty but having somewhere else diagnose it.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jun 25, 2019, 4:53 AM

Post #2 of 9 (899 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

Same code right on time it was reset and suggests none of that was the source of the problem. Their warranty if in some form of document isn't being honored if charging you again IMO on that.
If you used a credit card or some auto club associated help that could help you now.
You do have the new parts the paid diagnostics failed. $100 only doesn't cover much time (labor) let alone shop expense.
IMO just that waived for another try or think I might seek out another place backed by a motor club sometimes or other organized help.
If you did stop payment you can forget doing biz there again so make your choice and think it through.


Good luck it may be no fault on anyone but the trade deals with this up to "eat" some failures if only the diagnostics,


T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 25, 2019, 5:17 AM

Post #3 of 9 (895 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

Not only would I expect them to diagnose this problem for free, I would be demanding a refund for the previous misdiagnosed repairs. (unless it was proposed as normal maintenance and not a cure for the current problem)

Regardless, they charged you for a diagnosis and repair that wasn't the solution for the problem.

Now, as for what tools you have available to you to force them to resolve this is "not much". Unless you want to sue them in small claims court or just report them to the BBB, you don't have much recourse.

If they value their reputation they will resolve this for you.

If this happens to be a chain location of a larger company, then you can go further up the chain of command to the district level.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



paguy215
Novice

Jun 25, 2019, 12:49 PM

Post #4 of 9 (863 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

Took the car elsewhere ... basically what they said was that the Cylinder 1 was sucking in too much oil. The plug in that cylinder that was replaced 2 weeks ago was soaked in oil, and my engine was down 2 quarts (about 1500 miles since prior oil change). I'm not sure how the last place didn't catch this, I guess their $100 diagnostic charge went no further than replacing the plugs.

Anyway the new place changed the oil and advise I bring it back in 1000-1500 miles to check things further. Not sure if it's a bad valve or piston or something. And who knows how long this might have gone on, I never noticed any issues until the CE light 2 weeks ago.

At this point I might just ride it out and change the oil every 1500 miles or so until I get a new car in the fall or winter...better than replacing the engine if that's what's needed. I'm going to take it somewhere else after a few hundred miles and see what they say, if its a valve or something like that.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 25, 2019, 1:09 PM

Post #5 of 9 (858 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

I don't know that increasing the frequency of oil changes is going to help anything in your situation. Possibly changing to a different oil with maybe a little higher viscosity might help. Also maybe an additive like the old STP oil treatment. One of those molasses type additives that will adhere to the metal and help seal excessive clearances in valve guides and piston rings.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



paguy215
Novice

Jun 25, 2019, 1:21 PM

Post #6 of 9 (851 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  


In Reply To
I don't know that increasing the frequency of oil changes is going to help anything in your situation. Possibly changing to a different oil with maybe a little higher viscosity might help. Also maybe an additive like the old STP oil treatment. One of those molasses type additives that will adhere to the metal and help seal excessive clearances in valve guides and piston rings.



Oh I certainly don't think it will fix anything...at this point its more about buying a bit of time until I can get a new car, which I was looking to do near the end of the year anyway.

Any oil you recommend that might help however mildly it might be? I currently use 5W20 synthetic...I do know that today they put a blend in there but i'm not sure which


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 25, 2019, 1:27 PM

Post #7 of 9 (849 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

I would probably bump that up to 10W30. I've had good luck with Castrol brand. I think your biggest benefit would come from the additive I suggested. Only the real heavy thick oil treatment. it will help seal the gaps that this oil is slipping through.

There is really no benefit to increasing the oil change frequency unless your car has a sludge problem.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jun 25, 2019, 1:28 PM)


paguy215
Novice

Jun 25, 2019, 3:40 PM

Post #8 of 9 (834 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

Thanks, very much appreciated.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 25, 2019, 3:42 PM

Post #9 of 9 (830 views)
  post locked   Re: Advice on how to handle mechanic charging again?  

You're welcome

Closing this now as solved.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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