Scammed by mechanic

[Doubeleive]

There are places I have been referred to and it was a good thing (at first) and I also recommended them along the way then it went downhill, from bad to worse from a good relationship to a bad one, all the way down to questionable repairs. shit flows downhill those places did themselves in and are no longer in business.

 

[Rocket Man]

I agree with Wes. There’s 2 shops near me that I once used in the past and they both started out as very trustworthy but it seems like they started leaning on their reputations and got greedy. I decided after my last dealings with one of them that I’ll do every repair myself. I now trust no shop. They’re still in business but that’s because there’s so many cars in this part of town in need of repairs that they can constantly burn customers and a new sucker walks through their doors every hour. It’s sad that shops will knowingly screw people over on a daily basis and they can stay in business. They’ll never get a chance to f me over again.

 

[Mudsport96]

This is why i do 99% of my own work. I feel for you man.
Had two friends have bad experiences with basically the only "reputable" shop in town.
One had a 72 Caprice with a 400 that we did H/I on ( youd be amazed at what even a factory quadrajet intake and small chamber heads will do for an 8.5 to 1 two barrel engine) and long tubes. He took it to the shop to run true duals. I actually was in the right place and time to witness the car go flying through town id wager between 60 and 70 mph right by a cop that already had someone pulled over. I called him and said the car sounds good but he needs to slow down pretty sure the cop got his plate. He replied im at work, the car is at #####s shop getting exhaust. By that time the officer came to where i was because he saw my truck and knew i know the owner of the car. Read me the riot act( think really small town everyone knows everybody) i said im on the phone with him and hes at work the car is at #####s shop being worked on and one of the mechanics is driving it. The officer hustled down there and caught the guy pulling into the shop. Still didnt get fired till he actually wrecked another customers car on a test drive.
Number 2 was the same shop 4 years later a second friend and i replaced the front axle in his girlfriend's Cherokee. She somehow bent the long side tube, so we just put a whole diffent housing in to it. New ball joints, bearings, bushings, track bar, seals, tie rod ends, the whole shebang. Aligned it with a tape measure close enough she could take it to the shop to get a proper alignment and we could enjoy a few cold ones on a job well done.
She called 30 minutes later to tell us they couldn't align it because the ball joints need replacing. "Hold on we will be right there". Take the parts boxes and head over. Get there and its not even on the alignment rack, just a 2 post lift. We walk in and buddy asks whats wrong. He gets the "well the ball joints are worn out and tie rods have some play so we have to replace them before we can align it." At which point i show the boxes and he informs the "mechanic " that the parts are 15 minutes old and hes lying to make a buck off of a woman. Told him put the jeep down we are taking it somewhere else. Took it 2 towns over and had it aligned no problems at all and it drove fine for 3 month till she was rearended at a stop sign by a guy in a vette.
Shady shops will always be shady shops, get what you can if you can. But may be easier to cut your losses and walk away.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Tell him job is free, moreover, bill him for rental fee on your truck. Lastly calmly ask him for the name and address of his first born son.

This is reason why I have never used a mechanic in my life. You would have mich more easily firgured all those things out yourself w/o some creepy old lying mechanic driving to lunch and farting in your seats.

Backstory, once my parents took my car to mechanic. I went and rescued the car. Mechanic tried to charge me several hundred bucks for a 5 minute job.

Suffice to say the least hebdidnt get $500... All kidding aside, there are good mechanics. I interview them for my family as I only really do my own cars. You need treat them like interviewing a brain sergeon.

 

[HACK BLOCK]

take it to another shop and have him pay for everything

 

[MuddyChevy614]

Whats up guys been a min since I posted. Wanted to get some feedback about a situation.

Back in November 2019 took my 2004 Denali with 159k at the time to a mechanic that was recommended by a co worker. I've dealt with him before and although his practices were strange example like pulling prices for work off the top of his head but I gave him the benefit of being 70 years old and him saying he's been a mechanic all his life credit. So I brought it in for the heat not blowing and a stability warning across the dash. I had brought it to him for that issue before and he told me that there was a issue with my traction control so he would take care of it. As time went on and the issues weren't getting fixed but I didn't bother him because luckily I have another truck so I called myself being patient. Come April he tells me all he's waiting for is a programming guy to program the computer and the stability issue should be resolved. Id call every weekend and he would give a excuse saying he's waiting on the guy, covid, parts delay due to covid the whole nine yards. At this point I'm pissed but he's got the truck and I don't want to make this a bigger issue. He then tells me that my brakes are bad all around but he'd done that back last summer so don't worry about it he'd take care of it. He then tells me that the exhaust system is corroded and ready to fall off and since its in the air do I want him to take care of it. I of course say yes. Every week he gave a excuse since the summer that the truck would be ready but no success. Finally yesterday I said this is enough and I called him straight out said enough is enough he replied well I'm under your steering wheel now and we should have the issue resolved. I told him straight out no thats it I'm coming to pick it up. So upon arriving the first thing I checked was the heat. The heat was blowing but only on defrost, the control module would not change to regular vents or floor. I told him and his response was well you need a new one. I told him well thats why I brought it to you. At that point I just wanted to get out of there. I looked at my current mileage and it's now at 172,642. When I bought it there was exactly 150k, I only use it for work and I live 13 mins from work. I gave it to him in November with 159k. He's driven it more than I have. At this point I'm more than pissed and definitely looking into taking this guy to court.

Whats up guys been a min since I posted. Wanted to get some feedback about a situation.

Back in November 2019 took my 2004 Denali with 159k at the time to a mechanic that was recommended by a co worker. I've dealt with him before and although his practices were strange example like pulling prices for work off the top of his head but I gave him the benefit of being 70 years old and him saying he's been a mechanic all his life credit. So I brought it in for the heat not blowing and a stability warning across the dash. I had brought it to him for that issue before and he told me that there was a issue with my traction control so he would take care of it. As time went on and the issues weren't getting fixed but I didn't bother him because luckily I have another truck so I called myself being patient. Come April he tells me all he's waiting for is a programming guy to program the computer and the stability issue should be resolved. Id call every weekend and he would give a excuse saying he's waiting on the guy, covid, parts delay due to covid the whole nine yards. At this point I'm pissed but he's got the truck and I don't want to make this a bigger issue. He then tells me that my brakes are bad all around but he'd done that back last summer so don't worry about it he'd take care of it. He then tells me that the exhaust system is corroded and ready to fall off and since its in the air do I want him to take care of it. I of course say yes. Every week he gave a excuse since the summer that the truck would be ready but no success. Finally yesterday I said this is enough and I called him straight out said enough is enough he replied well I'm under your steering wheel now and we should have the issue resolved. I told him straight out no thats it I'm coming to pick it up. So upon arriving the first thing I checked was the heat. The heat was blowing but only on defrost, the control module would not change to regular vents or floor. I told him and his response was well you need a new one. I told him well thats why I brought it to you. At that point I just wanted to get out of there. I looked at my current mileage and it's now at 172,642. When I bought it there was exactly 150k, I only use it for work and I live 13 mins from work. I gave it to him in November with 159k. He's driven it more than I have. At this point I'm more than pissed and definitely looking into taking this guy to court.

Whats up guys been a min since I posted. Wanted to get some feedback about a situation.

Back in November 2019 took my 2004 Denali with 159k at the time to a mechanic that was recommended by a co worker. I've dealt with him before and although his practices were strange example like pulling prices for work off the top of his head but I gave him the benefit of being 70 years old and him saying he's been a mechanic all his life credit. So I brought it in for the heat not blowing and a stability warning across the dash. I had brought it to him for that issue before and he told me that there was a issue with my traction control so he would take care of it. As time went on and the issues weren't getting fixed but I didn't bother him because luckily I have another truck so I called myself being patient. Come April he tells me all he's waiting for is a programming guy to program the computer and the stability issue should be resolved. Id call every weekend and he would give a excuse saying he's waiting on the guy, covid, parts delay due to covid the whole nine yards. At this point I'm pissed but he's got the truck and I don't want to make this a bigger issue. He then tells me that my brakes are bad all around but he'd done that back last summer so don't worry about it he'd take care of it. He then tells me that the exhaust system is corroded and ready to fall off and since its in the air do I want him to take care of it. I of course say yes. Every week he gave a excuse since the summer that the truck would be ready but no success. Finally yesterday I said this is enough and I called him straight out said enough is enough he replied well I'm under your steering wheel now and we should have the issue resolved. I told him straight out no thats it I'm coming to pick it up. So upon arriving the first thing I checked was the heat. The heat was blowing but only on defrost, the control module would not change to regular vents or floor. I told him and his response was well you need a new one. I told him well thats why I brought it to you. At that point I just wanted to get out of there. I looked at my current mileage and it's now at 172,642. When I bought it there was exactly 150k, I only use it for work and I live 13 mins from work. I gave it to him in November with 159k. He's driven it more than I have. At this point I'm more than pissed and definitely looking into taking this guy to court.

So from hearing this situation and being a mechanic myself, that guy is something special. How does he make it 70 yrs avoiding customers with bad tempers. I probably would of shoved him in the sngine compartment and slammed ths hood shut.. just saying. I want to apologize,on behalf of us great mechanics who love what we do, for the way you were treated and the outcome. I will tell you that the reason your climate control doesn't switch from floor to vent or defrost is because there is an issue with the blend actuatordoors. Not the actual climate control mechanism itself. Now idk if he has them unhooked or hooked up wrong its hard to tell. But after hearing your story I didnt want another mexhanic charging you $400 for a new climate control switch and replacing $70 blend doors in the heat/cooling system. Ok ive ranted and raved enough good luck and if you have any mechanical questions at all feel free to ask.