What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Mississippi.
I took my car into this shop in Sept if 2012 for fixing oil leaks that had been happening for a while. My local small repair car clinic had been watching the leaks for a couple of years and they had gotten bigger, and recommended they be fixed but it was more of a job for them to complete. So I took it to a shop. He replace the seals (front / rear). While he was in there, I asked that he change the timing belt and water pump. It was little over $700.00 when I got it back. Drove it for 3 weeks and kept noticing that the oil leak was worse...called and at first he blew me off, but told him I was losing too much oil for this to be normal. Took it back, and he said yes we have a problem, that the seals had blown out. Told me about some pressure built up in the engine and blew them out. Well from there...it has been downhill. He suggested painting the engine so that he would know where leaks were if they did not get fixed....and I said fine. Instead of working on the engine while it was in the car, he took the engine out. He suggested to replace a few things while out and putting the engine back in. these were small bushings, etc parts that would not really add much to the cost, he said one of the parts was like $1 for the part. He recommended replacing the clutch (which I had a brand new one in the box for my other car), so gave it to him. I also had a small freon leak and had it for years, he said he found the leak and I needed a new compressor(ordered) and supposively replaced. Needed a new oil pump (but had a hard time figuring out the part number for my car, said he kept getting the wrong part. He called and asked if the engine was the original, and I said yes...I use stock parts on my car as well. He told me the issue, and I drove to his shop and gave him a Dealership website and contact to order parts from for my car. Also gave him the part number for the oil pump (at this point I am wondering what type of mechanic is this). So every 2 or so weeks I would stop by the shop to check the progress, which was none or slow, no rushing that I could tell, nor did i see people working in the shop area (I went into the back to see my car). I also pointed out several things with this car, and to be sure to keep this in mind. THere were parts all over the place...engine in the air, parts all over the ground, hood in another area, transmission in another location. The reason he explained taking the engine out was that it was easier to work on. Well each time I called, he would tell me just about ready, but we ran into another problem, waiting on a part...call you in a day or so, no call, so I would stop by, then at this point it was another issue. This has gone on for over a year. He called in June 2013 for me to pick up my car, and I get there, and he said there were some issues but needed me to drive it for a couple of days, and make a list of what is wrong. He told me 3rd cylinder was not working and they could not figure it out, but hoped me driving it would make it come back. I drove it home and realized how unsafe it was to drive. The car smelled horrible, the air was not working, it missed badly, the front end jumped all over the place. When I picked up the car and they had the hood up, the engine rocked back and forth, mechanic said that is fine...this engine is made to do that. I said I have had this car for many many years and been under the hood myself and this was not right. I made a long list of things wrong with the car...(these are not things I took the car in for). The owner said he would fix all of these issues that it was their fault for the engine being out of the car so long. I took it back 2 days later with only driving it maybe 44 miles. I was told those issues were fixed but the smell in the car, but to come pick it up and drive it, and bring it back in a few days to replace the ac evaporator coils. This was in November 2013. I drove the car off, horrible...the front tires were flat and the odometer was not working, and the car's front end jumped all over the road. Drove car back and parked it. They tried to fix the odometer, said the sensor was corroded...but I could drive it and I refused, said to fix it. 4 weeks later and excuse after excuse, waiting on parts, I told them I was picking it up today, he said he was working on it...so got there and was told the car was a part because it now has electrical problems due to the odometer, they can't get it to work. I am beside myself, each thing they touch is now broken. It's been a year and 3 months and my car has more problems, different problems than what I originally took it in for. They replaced some parts that were fairly new because the car sat for a year. I have paid 2 bills, with both being around $700.00, and both bills have the same work and parts on them (like I paid him twice for the same work). He did have to take the heads to the machine shop (which he claims the machine shop messed up), he also put a new head gasket on it. Also had to seat the values??? All this while he had it, which he admitted was their fault...but I still paid a bill for it (he said he gave me $1200 worth of free work), well these things were not broke on my car. I need recommendations...I need to get my car back as the more they touch it, the more is broken. The care has 208,000 and has been maintained and well cared for. Had been a very dependable car, but not anymore after this mechanic has touched it. I did back in June 2013 drive it by another mechanic shop just to listen to it, and he could not believe the shape of the car, but said to take it back and give the guy a chance to fix it before considering sueing and taking it elsewhere. At this point today, my car dash is apart and they are trying to figure out what is wrong now. Should I go get it? then sue? I can't afford to pay him more money for what he never fixed in the first place plus what they keep breaking. There was no need to take the engine out of the car originally, and that is where the problems started. I am really upset over this whole ordeal, I miss my car, I love this car, but I don't think it will be the same, with all these issues and pieced back together. Oh forgot to mention, the ac compressor on the car is the original...so it was never replaced, now I wonder what else I was charged for but not replaced.
I took my car into this shop in Sept if 2012 for fixing oil leaks that had been happening for a while. My local small repair car clinic had been watching the leaks for a couple of years and they had gotten bigger, and recommended they be fixed but it was more of a job for them to complete. So I took it to a shop. He replace the seals (front / rear). While he was in there, I asked that he change the timing belt and water pump. It was little over $700.00 when I got it back. Drove it for 3 weeks and kept noticing that the oil leak was worse...called and at first he blew me off, but told him I was losing too much oil for this to be normal. Took it back, and he said yes we have a problem, that the seals had blown out. Told me about some pressure built up in the engine and blew them out. Well from there...it has been downhill. He suggested painting the engine so that he would know where leaks were if they did not get fixed....and I said fine. Instead of working on the engine while it was in the car, he took the engine out. He suggested to replace a few things while out and putting the engine back in. these were small bushings, etc parts that would not really add much to the cost, he said one of the parts was like $1 for the part. He recommended replacing the clutch (which I had a brand new one in the box for my other car), so gave it to him. I also had a small freon leak and had it for years, he said he found the leak and I needed a new compressor(ordered) and supposively replaced. Needed a new oil pump (but had a hard time figuring out the part number for my car, said he kept getting the wrong part. He called and asked if the engine was the original, and I said yes...I use stock parts on my car as well. He told me the issue, and I drove to his shop and gave him a Dealership website and contact to order parts from for my car. Also gave him the part number for the oil pump (at this point I am wondering what type of mechanic is this). So every 2 or so weeks I would stop by the shop to check the progress, which was none or slow, no rushing that I could tell, nor did i see people working in the shop area (I went into the back to see my car). I also pointed out several things with this car, and to be sure to keep this in mind. THere were parts all over the place...engine in the air, parts all over the ground, hood in another area, transmission in another location. The reason he explained taking the engine out was that it was easier to work on. Well each time I called, he would tell me just about ready, but we ran into another problem, waiting on a part...call you in a day or so, no call, so I would stop by, then at this point it was another issue. This has gone on for over a year. He called in June 2013 for me to pick up my car, and I get there, and he said there were some issues but needed me to drive it for a couple of days, and make a list of what is wrong. He told me 3rd cylinder was not working and they could not figure it out, but hoped me driving it would make it come back. I drove it home and realized how unsafe it was to drive. The car smelled horrible, the air was not working, it missed badly, the front end jumped all over the place. When I picked up the car and they had the hood up, the engine rocked back and forth, mechanic said that is fine...this engine is made to do that. I said I have had this car for many many years and been under the hood myself and this was not right. I made a long list of things wrong with the car...(these are not things I took the car in for). The owner said he would fix all of these issues that it was their fault for the engine being out of the car so long. I took it back 2 days later with only driving it maybe 44 miles. I was told those issues were fixed but the smell in the car, but to come pick it up and drive it, and bring it back in a few days to replace the ac evaporator coils. This was in November 2013. I drove the car off, horrible...the front tires were flat and the odometer was not working, and the car's front end jumped all over the road. Drove car back and parked it. They tried to fix the odometer, said the sensor was corroded...but I could drive it and I refused, said to fix it. 4 weeks later and excuse after excuse, waiting on parts, I told them I was picking it up today, he said he was working on it...so got there and was told the car was a part because it now has electrical problems due to the odometer, they can't get it to work. I am beside myself, each thing they touch is now broken. It's been a year and 3 months and my car has more problems, different problems than what I originally took it in for. They replaced some parts that were fairly new because the car sat for a year. I have paid 2 bills, with both being around $700.00, and both bills have the same work and parts on them (like I paid him twice for the same work). He did have to take the heads to the machine shop (which he claims the machine shop messed up), he also put a new head gasket on it. Also had to seat the values??? All this while he had it, which he admitted was their fault...but I still paid a bill for it (he said he gave me $1200 worth of free work), well these things were not broke on my car. I need recommendations...I need to get my car back as the more they touch it, the more is broken. The care has 208,000 and has been maintained and well cared for. Had been a very dependable car, but not anymore after this mechanic has touched it. I did back in June 2013 drive it by another mechanic shop just to listen to it, and he could not believe the shape of the car, but said to take it back and give the guy a chance to fix it before considering sueing and taking it elsewhere. At this point today, my car dash is apart and they are trying to figure out what is wrong now. Should I go get it? then sue? I can't afford to pay him more money for what he never fixed in the first place plus what they keep breaking. There was no need to take the engine out of the car originally, and that is where the problems started. I am really upset over this whole ordeal, I miss my car, I love this car, but I don't think it will be the same, with all these issues and pieced back together. Oh forgot to mention, the ac compressor on the car is the original...so it was never replaced, now I wonder what else I was charged for but not replaced.