Have I been ripped off by mechanic? (single woman story...)

fifitrix123

I will try to keep short.....

Cam belt went.
Breakdown came and guy said he could do job cheaper than any garage (on the side at home after using garage vehicle to come and tow my car to his place) and he sourced some parts but I also got prices of:-

Gasket Set £56
Bolts £10 (I bought)
Belt £20
Head £85 (recon) (I bought when got engine)

Total £165

He gave me price of £150 labour and job was his as I said I would not want to spend more than £300 in total as car not worth it.

He then said he found an engine for £100 which would be cheaper so I went and got it as he said seemed fine for job, chap I got engine off agreed to refund if not suitable.

Mechanic said he would also have a pre mot look and I asked him to rewire fag lighter. He also said he would get gasket set and belt as I already had engine and bolts which should have been £86 from elsewhere.

Needed car back for 25th April which would have been over a week to do job, then he tells me it should not be driven on motorway after such a big job as speed could damage it? I then had to insure another car and pay £103 for additional breakdown cover!

Then he said could only use cylinder head off engine and he had to go get more parts (after I said don't spend any more money without telling me first).
I asked why I had got engine then and he told me he only decided after not to use it (well I could have returned it and got all the parts cheaper!)

Now he says cheapest price is £400!!!! Has left me waiting for car since Saturday as he didn't return calls despite me leaving several messages saying car needed urgently!

I have now spent £110 on parts and he wants another £400 as he said he has also welded exhaust and rewired fag lighter and serviced it............
I have spent extra having to use another car as he said my repaired car cannot be thrashed on a motorway?

I have now consulted garages who tell me the job could have been done a lot cheaper than £510 it will now cost me.

If I contact his works he will get into trouble which I don't want to do as I still think maybe it is genuine, but several chaps seem to think I have been ripped off as I am a single woman who has no choice now but to pay him to get car back?

Sorry long story but advice please?

tomstickland

It doesn't strike me as "being ripped off". Quite a lot of work has been done for the money.

anewman

If a mechanic said not to thrash a car on the motorway though I'd be having serious doubts about their faith in the quality of their own work. What do they think will happen? Have they set the timing up correctly? Have they used substandard parts? I'd expect the work to be guaranteed, and to be able to thrash it on the motorway.

tomstickland

Possibly he said not to thrash it straight away. It needs a bedding in period, depending on what he's done.

fifitrix123

tomstickland wrote: »

It doesn't strike me as "being ripped off". Quite a lot of work has been done for the money.

I was asking a serious question as lots of people said he is asking too much I was not saying I had been ripped off!

fifitrix123

anewman wrote: »

If a mechanic said not to thrash a car on the motorway though I'd be having serious doubts about their faith in the quality of their own work. What do they think will happen? Have they set the timing up correctly? Have they used substandard parts? I'd expect the work to be guaranteed, and to be able to thrash it on the motorway.

Thanks for that, I have asked him for all receipts for parts so hope they are good!

LandyAndy

fifitrix123 wrote: »

I was asking a serious question as lots of people said he is asking too much I was not saying I had been ripped off!

Oh! I must have misunderstood the title of the thread.

Have I been ripped off by mechanic? (single woman story...)



I think if you had gone to a decent local independent garage you would have got a proper repair you could rely on (and complain about if not) and that it wouldn't have cost you any more.

custardy

fifitrix123 wrote: »

I was asking a serious question as lots of people said he is asking too much I was not saying I had been ripped off!

and what wasnt serious about that reply?
The fact is you took a chance on a breakdown guy doing a 'homer'
as you have found its not always the best option