Oil Change - Let down by mechanic!!

452

flusteredmotorist said:

Scrapit said:

flusteredmotorist said:

Just had a call from the repairing garage.  They came bright and early and recovered it at 8:45am and just had a call from them. Apparently, the other mechanic hadn't used a new sump plug and washer and just tried to re use the old one. They think it's the washer that has failed as they have fitted a new sump plug and apparently there are no leaks.  They're keeping hold of the car for the rest of the afternoon just to see if any more leaks occur but it's still dry now.  

Total cost for them to do the recovery, and another oil change is £129.  Not too bad considering.  

I'll give one final update when I get the car back in my hands.  Anyone want to buy a set of axel stands?

what did the original mobiile mech say when you spoke to them?

I've not bee able to get hold of him.  Phone just rings out and no voicemail option available.  I've texted him but no response. 

Name and shame then. 

EdGasketTheSecond

Sounds like the mobile mechanic needs to get into a different line of work; maybe a Houdini show - can easily disappear.

Scrapit

flusteredmotorist said:

Scrapit said:

flusteredmotorist said:

Just had a call from the repairing garage.  They came bright and early and recovered it at 8:45am and just had a call from them. Apparently, the other mechanic hadn't used a new sump plug and washer and just tried to re use the old one. They think it's the washer that has failed as they have fitted a new sump plug and apparently there are no leaks.  They're keeping hold of the car for the rest of the afternoon just to see if any more leaks occur but it's still dry now.  

Total cost for them to do the recovery, and another oil change is £129.  Not too bad considering.  

I'll give one final update when I get the car back in my hands.  Anyone want to buy a set of axel stands?

what did the original mobiile mech say when you spoke to them?

I've not bee able to get hold of him.  Phone just rings out and no voicemail option available.  I've texted him but no response. 

Why on earth do people think its appropriate to text in a business situation? Leave a voice mail, keep ringing, even go round to there premises(or maybe house in this case) but do not text, and no lol either.

shaun_from_Africa

Scrapit said:

Why on earth do people think its appropriate to text in a business situation? Leave a voice mail, keep ringing, even go round to there premises(or maybe house in this case) but do not text, and no lol either.

For a couple of reasons.
1/ If the phone doesn't get answered and there isn't an option to leave a voicemail, (which is the case here), how else can you leave a message for the person concerned?, but what may be more important:

2/ If you send a text message and you don't delete the sent messages from your phone, should it ever get to legal action, you have some sort of proof that you at least tried to make contact.
As the small claims process is based on the balance of probabilities, the judge may well accept the fact that as it can be shown that a message was sent then there is a very good probability that it was received.

Mercdriver

And here is the problem with Fred's recommendation of using mobile mechanics.  They are usually only available on mobile phones and don't give an address.  

OP - have you tried calling him while withholding your number, or using someone else's phone so he doesn't see your phone number and ignore it?  The latter might be more fruitful since a lot of people won't answer an unknown number.  If he is taking on business, he will be answering to calls that aren't your number.

Hermione_Granger

Scrapit said:

Why on earth do people think its appropriate to text in a business situation? 

Because this is the 21st century and not the 1950's.
A great many businesses are more than happy to receive text messages and a lot send out text messages to communicate with their customers.
A quick look on my phone shows that in the past 8 months, I have received texts from:
My doctors surgery,
A roofing contractor who did some work for me,
My home insurers,
A carpet fitter I employed.
Royal mail,
DHL,

and just about every large business may send text messages relating to online orders that have been placed.

roddydogs

If he answers ask him if he wants his axle stands back.

Jumblebumble

flusteredmotorist said:

Just had a call from the repairing garage.  They came bright and early and recovered it at 8:45am and just had a call from them. Apparently, the other mechanic hadn't used a new sump plug and washer and just tried to re use the old one. They think it's the washer that has failed as they have fitted a new sump plug and apparently there are no leaks.  They're keeping hold of the car for the rest of the afternoon just to see if any more leaks occur but it's still dry now.  

Total cost for them to do the recovery, and another oil change is £129.  Not too bad considering.  

I'll give one final update when I get the car back in my hands.  Anyone want to buy a set of axel stands?

This is good news but highlights the fact that much of the commenting here is speculation
Posters stated that the Mechanic had cross threaded the sump because he was a mobile mechanic which is untrue and of course it is absurd to assume that the threads were in perfect condition before he started.

Mercdriver

Jumblebumble said:

flusteredmotorist said:

Just had a call from the repairing garage.  They came bright and early and recovered it at 8:45am and just had a call from them. Apparently, the other mechanic hadn't used a new sump plug and washer and just tried to re use the old one. They think it's the washer that has failed as they have fitted a new sump plug and apparently there are no leaks.  They're keeping hold of the car for the rest of the afternoon just to see if any more leaks occur but it's still dry now.  

Total cost for them to do the recovery, and another oil change is £129.  Not too bad considering.  

I'll give one final update when I get the car back in my hands.  Anyone want to buy a set of axel stands?

This is good news but highlights the fact that much of the commenting here is speculation
Posters stated that the Mechanic had cross threaded the sump because he was a mobile mechanic which is untrue and of course it is absurd to assume that the threads were in perfect condition before he started.

You do realise that this hasn't been sorted out by the mechanic he originally hired, don't you?  That mechanic is blanking him, hence why I have suggested the OP call from a different number, as I suspect his calls are being screened.

roddydogs

Yes,  but that beggars the question of why he did a runner in the first place.