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Auto Mechanic severly ripped me off
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
brandonhall@billa1.com
Aug 31, 2007, 10:34 PM
Post #1 of 4
(1298 views)
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Auto Mechanic severly ripped me off
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I have a 2001 Range Rover, 2 weeks ago the transfer case went out. So I took it to the only mechanic in tow that will work on them. He told me to get a new transfer case is around $3400.00. But he said he can usually get a rebuilt one for around 600.00. I said ok. After a few days I never heard from him,so me and my wife started looking around online and found a rebuilt one for $1150.00. We bought it and had it shipped here to the mechanic who told me it would cost me about $250.00 to change the transfer case and the fluids. He also told me the belt and pulley may need replacing. I told him no matter what I could not go over 2K, that is including the price of the transfer case. He said ok. Well when i called today to see if it was done, my quoted price had gone from 250.00 to $851.00. and he changed the belt and pulley with out calling me. This is a 1 1/2 hr job tops, I know he ripped me off. Is there anything I can do. I havent gone to pick up my car yet. Thanks for any help.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 1, 2007, 4:01 AM
Post #2 of 4
(1296 views)
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Re: Auto Mechanic severly ripped me off
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What is the cost of this "belt and pulley" and time for just that? If you were quoted $250 and it was going to be that much more expensive you should have been notified and needed to agree on the higher amount.
Try to stay cool and discuss it with them. Where did the "meeting of the minds" go wrong with this job? Who owns this shop? Go to them if necessary. If this is in fact an overcharge with mal intent you need to persue it. It's sad but nobody wins by fighting.
Let us know how you make out with this,
T
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Sep 1, 2007, 6:52 AM
Post #3 of 4
(1294 views)
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Re: Auto Mechanic severly ripped me off
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I'm not sure how much the belt and pulley were, I do know that I told this guy at least 3 times, before you do anything else,please call me. He said ok each time. He is the one who owns the shop. I know he charges $80.00 an hr for labor.
Do mechanics have regulations on how much time they can charge for certain things. When I told him I dont have 800$ he said well Ill take it down to $641.00Basically saying he is not going to charge me for the belt and pulley. which means he is charging me for 8 hrs of labor to put in a transfer case. If I do decide to pursue this,what exactly can I do if anything. Thanks again for all your help
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 1, 2007, 7:51 AM
Post #4 of 4
(1287 views)
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Re: Auto Mechanic severly ripped me off
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Simple math here. If he could do the first job for $250 and the belt and pulley came to $210 then the bill should be $460 - did I miss something? Wouldn't both of you been satisfied with that? What and where did the extra expense come from after those #s? If they ran across problems you said you wanted to be notified. With my customers from when I was active (now retired) I would just do little things that weren't expected but I knew all my customers well and knew of any financial limits. There were times I'd run across something so expensive I'd stop and did call to say this problem is now more than the car is worth - what do you want to do?
I think I'd offer to pay the $460 and get the vehicle out of there. Once back in your hands you are holding the cards and being reasonable works both ways. If you pay the whole bill you will have a challenge ahead of you for recourse which may take a year, lots of time and small claims court. Seems like you don't have use of your vehicle right now which is surely frustrating. If you do pay the bill to just get the thing back write "In dispute" or "under duress" with your signature. If there's a misunderstanding sometimes reasonable people can just agree to split the difference of the disputed amount and carry on.
They should be able to explain this discrepancy. At any rate get the vehicle back. Do what it takes to do that. Perhaps agree to pay something per month on some amount. It is a rock and a hard place and neither of you win by fighting as said. If it's that bad - get a lawyer but that's such a mess you probably don't want to do that.
Keep me/us posted on the progress. Good luck,
T
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