Auto Shop repaired my car w/o consent!

[Ladybugg]

Hi, I had my 1984 BMW towed into a shop and he diagnosed the fuel pump was bad so I had him replace it ($300.00). The car ran for ONE day then had it towed back to the same shop. He said he'd have to "check the car out" to figure out what the problem was. I signed a form that had no dollar amount on it. I believe it was for him to perform an estimate only.

He went ahead and replaced the computer and various other parts and says I owe him $2,000.00!! He also said if I didn't want the new parts, he could take them back off and I'd still owe him $600.00 for labor and the car wouldn't run. He claims he worked on the car for three days and had to call long distance to get advice on how to diagnose the problem. They charged him per minute for his phone calls (about $45.00 total).

I didn't tell this guy to go ahead and fix my car. I only wanted an estimate but he fixed it and expects me to pay $2,000.00 for parts and labor or just $600.00 for labor only and he'll take the parts back off. What the heck should I do? I would have never authorized him to fix the car for that amount. I only paid $1,500.00 for the car in the first place!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm supposed to get back to him later today and I have no clue as to what I should do about the $600.00 labor fee since I do NOT want the car to be fixed at that ungodly price. YIKES!

Thanks again... Ladybugg

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

We'd like to assist you; however, you apparently didn't see that red writing up at the top of the page. Without your State name, or the name of the State where the problem happened, it would be difficult to assist you. Laws are different everywhere.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to you editing your post.

IAAL

 

[Ladybugg]

OOPS!

Sorry about that. I'm here in Southern California.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

This is all you're going to need - - -

It's the California Bureau of Automotive Repair to the rescue !!

http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/smogweb/Consumer/default.asp

Good luck to you.

IAAL

 

[Ladybugg]

Thank you!!!

I'll check the link out as soon as I hit the "submit reply" button.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!

I really appreciate your help )

Miss Ladybug~~

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Re: Thank you!!!

I really appreciate your help )

My response:

I know. That's what she said last night.

IAAL

 

[Ladybugg]

HAHA!!

You must be gooooooood ;~}

 

[Ladybugg]

Update -

I'm going to have my car towed out of that shop tonight. I spoke with the mechanic yesterday and he said he'll put all the old parts back on but I'll owe him for labor (about 600.00). A friend of mine told me to pay the $600.00 with a credit card then call the CC company and dispute the charges. She said people successfully do this all the time (????).

I want to dispute the $350.00 charge as well for a new fuel pump he put on a few weeks ago that the car obviously did not need. It ran only one day after he put the pump on. He now says the computer is shot and that's why the car doesn't run.

Any advice or experience on disputing a CC charge in a case like this? I'd hate to put 600 smackarinos on my card and not be able to win a dispute with this sheister.

Thanks from The Bug~

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Re: Update -

I'm going to have my car towed out of that shop tonight. I spoke with the mechanic yesterday and he said he'll put all the old parts back on but I'll owe him for labor (about 600.00). A friend of mine told me to pay the $600.00 with a credit card then call the CC company and dispute the charges. She said people successfully do this all the time (????).

I want to dispute the $350.00 charge as well for a new fuel pump he put on a few weeks ago that the car obviously did not need. It ran only one day after he put the pump on. He now says the computer is shot and that's why the car doesn't run.

Any advice or experience on disputing a CC charge in a case like this? I'd hate to put 600 smackarinos on my card and not be able to win a dispute with this sheister.

Thanks from The Bug~

My response:

Sure, you can do that. But it's risky. Sometimes it works, other times you might have trouble. You see, he could come back at you with a charge of fraud - - that you used your card in order to get your car out of his garage, intending to cancel the charges all along, and to rob him of his labor. Serious stuff.

Also, if he's the type of mechanic I think he is, he's "hip" to the CC charge cancelation gambit and, because he knows you're having a dispute with him, will insist on cash to get your car out.

Why don't you use the Bureau of Automotice Repair instead ? Seriously, to a mechanic, that's a death knell. It will really put the fear of God into him.

IAAL

[Edited by I AM ALWAYS LIABLE on 01-18-2001 at 02:36 PM]

 

[Ladybugg]

hmmmmm.....

I read the site you posted yesterday and got alot of good info from it. The guy should have never worked on my car without my consent. As a certified mechanic, he has to know this so why he did what he did is beyond me. At this point, he has no clue that I'm unhappy and planning on disputing any charges. He thinks I'm a dumb blonde without a clue. HA! Boy, is he in for a rude awakening. Blonde? Yes. Dumb? Far from it. Clueless? Only on every 9th tuesday when the planets are aligned just so ;~}

I think I'll contact the BAR this morning and tell them the story. I'm willing to bet they love to chew up guys like him and spit them into the wind.

Here's an interesting note: this guy works on BMW's, Mercedes and Rolls Royces, almost exclusively. I'll bet he pulls this crap often but never gets questioned because his clients have the BIG bucks! "Oh, $3,000.00 to replace a radiator hose that I didn't ask for? No problem. Here ya go." Amazing.

I'll let ya know what happens. I just KNOW you're clinging to the edge of your chair waiting for the outcome.

Film at eleven...

 

[Ladybugg]

The nightmare is over

I went and had my car towed out of there last night. The mechanic said I owe him "alot of money" and I proceeded to tell him I didn't authorize any of the work he did. After a light dispute, his wife told me that I didn't own them anything and I was free to go. She wasn't too happy about the whole thing but there ya go. They screwed up but didn't expect me to say anything and to just blindly hand over my credit card. I doan theeeen so.

This case is closed. Thanks for listening.

Miss Ladybug~