What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? florida
I hired a local mechanic to do a head gasket job on my 2001 ml320. he said he would do the job for 900.00 and it would take him 2 to 3 days and he would need 450 to start and 450 when the job was completed. I agreed and he came to pick up the car I paid him and gave him a box of all the new parts I bought that he would need to do the job. that was on a Friday night he picked up the car and the next Friday having my car 7 days already he asked me for more money. I told him no that our agreement was 450 to start and 450 when you were done. no, remember that he told me my car would be done in 3 days it's no gone on for 7 days. so he says well I cant keep working on your car if you don't give me 200. I tell him to look I just want my car done and am only giving you 180. he said fine when I pick up the money I will keep working on your car. he picked up the money and I text him and called him to see if the car was almost done and no answer I just couldn't get a hold of him. then when he did get back to me he would just say yeah its almost done and this went on for days. I texted him and said look am done with the excuses I just want my car back it's now 12 days you have my car and it seems as if you have stolen it from me cause you won't return it and you won't tell me where it is. I said am sorry but am going to the police to report my car stolen and give them your picture and phone number. then he texts me back and told me where I can find the car. so I asked him if the car was drivable cause if it's not I can make arrangments to have it towed but he said I told you already the car is drivable. I went with my son to pick up my car and it was not drivable it was actually sabotaged with parts being pulled out of place and some parts were even broken. I called a tow truck and towed it home and at this point, i was just glad to have it back after 12 days of hell. so a few days later I go check the damage and I was very surprised to see that none of the parts I hired him to change were changed. so he kept my car 12 days for a job he said he would do in 3 days. stole my 450 deposit and took me for another 180 and ripped me off for 115 bucks in new parts that he didnt install. he didnt even do the job nothing was done to the car he was just setting me up to rip me off for the full 900. now the bad part is there was no written agreement it was verbal but I do have all the text messages and he's actually buried himself in the messages. people are telling me i have no case becase there was no written agreement. will the messages hold up i a court . dont know what i should do am really angry but dont know what my next step is .. he shouldnt get away with this cause he will only do it to someone else.
I hired a local mechanic to do a head gasket job on my 2001 ml320. he said he would do the job for 900.00 and it would take him 2 to 3 days and he would need 450 to start and 450 when the job was completed. I agreed and he came to pick up the car I paid him and gave him a box of all the new parts I bought that he would need to do the job. that was on a Friday night he picked up the car and the next Friday having my car 7 days already he asked me for more money. I told him no that our agreement was 450 to start and 450 when you were done. no, remember that he told me my car would be done in 3 days it's no gone on for 7 days. so he says well I cant keep working on your car if you don't give me 200. I tell him to look I just want my car done and am only giving you 180. he said fine when I pick up the money I will keep working on your car. he picked up the money and I text him and called him to see if the car was almost done and no answer I just couldn't get a hold of him. then when he did get back to me he would just say yeah its almost done and this went on for days. I texted him and said look am done with the excuses I just want my car back it's now 12 days you have my car and it seems as if you have stolen it from me cause you won't return it and you won't tell me where it is. I said am sorry but am going to the police to report my car stolen and give them your picture and phone number. then he texts me back and told me where I can find the car. so I asked him if the car was drivable cause if it's not I can make arrangments to have it towed but he said I told you already the car is drivable. I went with my son to pick up my car and it was not drivable it was actually sabotaged with parts being pulled out of place and some parts were even broken. I called a tow truck and towed it home and at this point, i was just glad to have it back after 12 days of hell. so a few days later I go check the damage and I was very surprised to see that none of the parts I hired him to change were changed. so he kept my car 12 days for a job he said he would do in 3 days. stole my 450 deposit and took me for another 180 and ripped me off for 115 bucks in new parts that he didnt install. he didnt even do the job nothing was done to the car he was just setting me up to rip me off for the full 900. now the bad part is there was no written agreement it was verbal but I do have all the text messages and he's actually buried himself in the messages. people are telling me i have no case becase there was no written agreement. will the messages hold up i a court . dont know what i should do am really angry but dont know what my next step is .. he shouldnt get away with this cause he will only do it to someone else.