Paying Twice for Same Repairs What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? South Dakota
I recently had a new engine put in my car by a local mechanic shop. I was assusred by the manager that it was "no biggie" and they would have it done in no time. I dropped my car off on a Monday, that Wesnesday the manager called and told me it was done. When i went to pick it up, the hood was still off and so had to wait for them to put that back on. When i started it up, it was very loud and rattly. I was told that the mechanic probably just forgot to tighten the clamp on the manifold. I was told it would take another day to fix as the area they needed to get to was now too hot on the car. Thursday i went back, paid for my engine and labor and made it about 2 blocks when the car died. I was eventually able to get it started and running enough to make it back to the shop. I also noticed at that time that there was something dripping from under the hood. Again i was told it would take another day. I then told the manager that i wanted it fixed correctly and for them to just take a few extra days and make sure it was all done. I was assured that the one day was all that was needed. Friday i was called by the manager and was told there was no leak that they could see and the car ran "great". So, i went and tried to pick it up again. I was about 2 miles away when i heard a grinding and smoke came out from under the hood. When i pulled over and looked in the hood i noticed the cover for the fan was completly shredded. It had not been bolted back into place but just set there. I called the shop and "chewed out" the manager and he told me he was also very upset and would personally go over the car front to back.
The next Monday it started all over again, spark plugs not in, freon not in, forgot to put an oil filter in(how they missed that is beyond me) etc etc.. And i still had a leak from my car that i was told over and over was not there. Finally that Friday,on my latest trip to the shop, the manager told me that they found a leak on the gasket that connects the transmission and engine and were going to have to pull the engine out again and fix it. After this was done on the next Wednesday i picked it up and noticed that the service engine light was on and without hooking it up to any computer the manager told me right away that my o2 sensors were bad and i would need new ones and i would have to pay extra for that. I finally went to 2 different auto shops and asked them to take a look at my car and what they would recommend. They both said the same thing, that my gasket was leaking (the one connecting the engine and transmission)and 2 out of my 3 o2 sensors were out because the wires were stretched and up against an exhaust in the engine and were burt in places. Now i have to pay someone not only to pull the engine out again and fix the gasket that i already paid to have done, i also have to get 2 sensors which all together is another $1000.00 with labor. Is the mechanic shop liable for any of these charges?Can i get back some of the money i paid them to work on my car? I feel if they had not been in a hurry and cut corners not only would i not have had three weeks of pure frustration, but also the added charges to repair what they "hurried" through and most likely damaged themselves. Thanks for your help. |