Kelly Colwell
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Illinois.
I took my 2002 Dodge Intrepid to the mechanic to replace the water pump. The timing chain needs to be removed to do this job. After the job was done, the mechanic started the car. I told him something was wrong, the car was shaking a bit, and click was coming from under the hood. He informed me that the noise would go away. I asked him a second time, because me engine always purrs, he assured me it was the lifters, and the symptom would go away. Within 30 minutes my car was dead on the side of the road.
The mechanic towed it back in, and informed me that my timing chain had broken. It would cost $1600.00 to fix it. The next day he told me that the chain had bent all my valves and it was not worth repairing, offered to sell me his wife's car. I left and started doing research. The dodge mechanic told me that the clicking and shaking was actually an improperly installed timing belt. It was slapping around in there, and finally broke.
I went to speak to the mechanic, who owns the shop by the way...to ask to work something out to make me whole, he said he didn't do the repair so wouldn't think of giving me any money back. I told him it was his shop, he was responsible for any repairs done there. He suggested, that I take him to court.
I hope that's not too much info. I've read some of the other replies, and didn't want to get wordy. Which I probably did. It's just that I've never had the misfortune of being in a court for any reason, except jury duty. Can I sue him for the blue book value of my car and the repairs in civil court, or would it be small claims court?
Any help you could give me in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your time,
Kelly
I took my 2002 Dodge Intrepid to the mechanic to replace the water pump. The timing chain needs to be removed to do this job. After the job was done, the mechanic started the car. I told him something was wrong, the car was shaking a bit, and click was coming from under the hood. He informed me that the noise would go away. I asked him a second time, because me engine always purrs, he assured me it was the lifters, and the symptom would go away. Within 30 minutes my car was dead on the side of the road.
The mechanic towed it back in, and informed me that my timing chain had broken. It would cost $1600.00 to fix it. The next day he told me that the chain had bent all my valves and it was not worth repairing, offered to sell me his wife's car. I left and started doing research. The dodge mechanic told me that the clicking and shaking was actually an improperly installed timing belt. It was slapping around in there, and finally broke.
I went to speak to the mechanic, who owns the shop by the way...to ask to work something out to make me whole, he said he didn't do the repair so wouldn't think of giving me any money back. I told him it was his shop, he was responsible for any repairs done there. He suggested, that I take him to court.
I hope that's not too much info. I've read some of the other replies, and didn't want to get wordy. Which I probably did. It's just that I've never had the misfortune of being in a court for any reason, except jury duty. Can I sue him for the blue book value of my car and the repairs in civil court, or would it be small claims court?
Any help you could give me in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your time,
Kelly