Mechanic Rip off?

[stinkynuts]

Fuck. Today was my day off, and I spent the ENTIRE day at the garage.

I brought my car in at 9, and it was done at 4. What a fucking waste of time. I waited there because I was told it would be done in only a few hours.


To make matters, worse, I don't even know what they did. The warning light that's shapd like an engine (usually goes on if you don't tighten the fuel cap tight) kept staying on. They told me that some wires were chewed by an animal that got inside the engine.

How the hell does it take seven hours to put in a new wire?? WTF? To top it off, they charged me $400. I'm furious.

 

[Kya_Jean]

Ya you got ripped.

I am a girl and mechanics love to rip us off because we know nothing or should know nothing abut cars, but you got a tailpipe up the ass on that one for sure bud.

I would be pissed too.

Where did you take it?

 

[pc0mo]

i really hope this wasnt done at named place like canadian tire. if it was i would bring your anger to the manager.

 

[mb12ca]

That's why I always say that sp's are such a good value. I recently got my struts replaced at all four wheels, along with the stabilizer links, and was quoted at $2300 for about 2 hours of work. I refused and told the mechanic I could see the top escort in toronto, bang her all day and night for less money that that.

I found a driveway mechanic who did it for $1000, so I took the $1300 in savings and went to see one of the girls on my TDL.

 

[pc0mo]

haha mb that is one way to do it .

 

[blackrock13]

Did you ask to see the wiring? That'll be a clue and you go with them when they retrieve it. They'll say your not authorized and point to the sign, but the shop manager can authorize you to go in.

I feel your pain as I've learned from experiences just like it.

 

[beenthere123]

I always ask for a rental car and return it in the morning. Learned my lesson as well, time is too valuable.

BT123

 

[stinkynuts]

Did you ask to see the wiring? That'll be a clue and you go with them when they retrieve it. They'll say your not authorized and point to the sign, but the shop manager can authorize you to go in.

I feel your pain as I've learned from experiences just like it.

Yes, I asked to see the wire, and there were two wires that were cut or chewed. How do I know that they didn't do it themselves? And why does it take seven horus to fix it??

 

[Pleezerwell]

i really hope this wasnt done at named place like canadian tire. if it was i would bring your anger to the manager.

I would be surprised if it didn't happen at a place like Canadian Tire.

Atrocious service.

PW

 

[mb12ca]

The thing I hate most about mechanics is that they charge the allowed bookable hours for each repair they make - the industry standard. So, they will charge say 2 hours for brake work when they only take 35 minutes. I mean, I could change my brakes in 2 hours in my driveway, but I don't have a hoist, an air gun etc.

 

[stinkynuts]

Will insurance cover the damage caused by the animal?

 

[papasmerf]

The thing I hate most about mechanics is that they charge the allowed bookable hours for each repair they make - the industry standard. So, they will charge say 2 hours for brake work when they only take 35 minutes. I mean, I could change my brakes in 2 hours in my driveway, but I don't have a hoist, an air gun etc.

You need neither a hoist or an air gun to do brakes.

I recommend you stick to letting the pros do it.

 

[mb12ca]

I have a slopped driveway and soft asphalt. If I try to jack the car up, it will start to tip and dig into my driveway. The garage is too small, single car, and doesn't leave me enough room to manouver.

 

[Bill the Pirate]

not that I am defending your now ex-mechanic but 9 to 4 is 7 hours in this case $57.00 per hour.

that's pretty cheap as Toronto labour rates go.

I would be pissed as well though if I waited around all day. did you ask how long earlier?

 

[stinkynuts]

not that I am defending your now ex-mechanic but 9 to 4 is 7 hours in this case $57.00 per hour.

that's pretty cheap as Toronto labour rates go.

I would be pissed as well though if I waited around all day. did you ask how long earlier?

Yes, they told me three hours.

 

[Moraff]

Not defending them per se as there are a lot of bad garages out there, but depending on which wire it could have been a lot of work to get the old one out and the new one in (depending on where it went and what needed to be removed to get to it). Plus there could have been holdups in trying to find the replacement part and get it to the garage (but it would have been nice of them to tell you....)

 

[Moraff]

I have a slopped driveway and soft asphalt. If I try to jack the car up, it will start to tip and dig into my driveway. The garage is too small, single car, and doesn't leave me enough room to manouver.

Can always take it to a friend with a flat driveway....

You don't need to jack it up very far, I'm surprised that stability is an issue.... you are chocking the tires you aren't jacking up right? Must be quite the slope on your driveway if so.

 

[topoon]

Buddy, you should have taken it to "Winner07" 's repair shop....I'm sure you would get fantastic services, and you would also be given the secret information and allowed to pay for the services of the girls that work in his incalls...you should have done your homework like winner07! he does all his homework like a good boy, and then he hides his secret phone numbers in fortune cookies, that he dispenses from a vending machine in his auto-shop

 

[johnnyjohn17]

ive had problems with my check engine light also, they said it could be a nymber of things, the gas cap being one of them, they tightned up the gas cap, and then the light stayed on, they hooked up the tester and they shut the light off. i was told if car is running fine and there was no problems, then dont worry about, its been on for 3 years now, and nothing has happened, i drive a pontiac, and my old car before that, also a pontiac that engine light was on for 4 years, without a problem.

 

[MYSITEONLY]

Engine light is emmissions related, oxygensensor, cataltic, egr,. Car can run fine. As far as the wire is concerned, electrical is not always easy to find the problem. If they new what wire was the problem from the get go and charged 400 then thats alot. However to find the problem can take hrs sometimes. I am not a shop, we operated a used car dealership, so we encounter problems like these often.