I'm wondering about the word "again" in the title..... has this happened to you before? Obviously it seems a two way communication failure, yet it amazes me that in a forum like the HAMB, the mechanic gets all the blame right off the get-go. (in your title) I'm a mechanic, and damn honest too. maybe I'm just being over-sensitive about this, but this is why I took my tools and knowledge away from the general public to work fleet repair. I hope you both give each other a fair shake and make it work. And I wish you the best in health, thats the important thing.
We can argue each side of this but you've never stated what the shop owners response was. Did you tell them your concerns after you paid for the car but before you left the shop? If so, what was their reply?
I was a mechanic in 3 different shops till I got sick of standard repair work.The back of the car is just that THE BACK not the sides!They are wrong here,Now I have had on several occassions had NEW parts be bad and I'm talking OEM parts not rebuilds.The Master cylinder could indeed be bad either out of the box or as someone else suggested improper bleeding.the garage in question should correct the tail pipe issue NO CHARGE and they should have NOT have released a car with defective brakes!If the garage says the master is bad get that in writing and bring it back where you bought it.Give the garage the chance to make good FIRST If that doesen't work then check with the dealers and repairers division of Motor Vehicle or who ever issues repair lisences in your state they usually have an arbitration board for matters like this.In my state you HAVE to pay for work done there is a mechanics lean on your car as soon as you sign a repair order .There is a written copy of the lean at the base of the repair order you sign spelling out your rights and the garages including arbitration.I notice NOWHERE did you say that you spoke to the garage First about your complaint. I'm guessing that this is a shop you use regularly since you say they did the work from a note !None of the shops I worked for would have done that but for a few special customers.
I fully agree. Look at it this way: A car only has 4 sides namely the front, left, right and back (rear). The side definitely doesn't mean from front wheel to rear wheel, unless the wheels are located right on the corners. Even if it's behind the rear wheel to the side it still is to the side and not the back. AND, it doesn't matter where the factory put it originally the back still doesn't mean the side too.
the first garage i was ever in taught me the first day there is NO right or left when it comes to auto repair !there is only DRIVERS SIDE and PASSENGER SIDE as in drivers front or passengers rear etc.this way if the customer said check my right front for a noise it didn't matter if they meant their right while they faced the car !And yes customers have done exactly that !If customer said left/right side we were to question right then if they meant passenger or drivers sides
When $$ are exchanged that is it. It is the approval you gave them that the work they have done is sufficient enough for you to hand them the dough. Not inspecting the car before payment is, sorry to say would be your fault. I would still try to go back and nicely ask them do the exhaust right but I would not go in there like a Navy Seal looking for Osama..Good Luck.
did you sign a work order? a note scribbled on a napkin and left under the wiper can be hard for the shop to decipher. in some states if the customer doesnt sign a work order they arent obligated to pay for work done. your note may be accepted as a signed work order in a small claims court but ive seen customers get out of paying for repairs here when a shop does repairs not listed on the signed work order. if this is a shop with a good reputation for honesty and good service they will work with you to be sure you are happy. have you talked to them about the problems you have with there work? it will do more good than asking us about it. i speak as a manager of a repair facility. we are not all out to screw the customer. sometimes it comes down to a problem with communication. talk to them.
As a mechanic in a dealership there are always instances of mis-information and lack of communication.We only know what is written and directed on our work orders. If specifics are left out shit doesn,t get done to the customers standards or request! Leaving a note on the seat is definitely not a good idea.Talking directly to the service manager or mechanic is wise. Thoroughly explain what you want and don,t sign the work order until he knows exactly what you want done.If it didn,t get done correctly to what is requested it should stay and be done right for the original estimated price. A shop fuck up should be absorbed by the shop and not the customer! I would contact them and discuss that the job was not performed to your requests and ask what they were going to do about it. If its going to cost you then I,d tell all of my friends about the shitty service! Lesson learned the hard way....
Damn, ask a simple question and you sure get an abundance of answers, around here!! A little empathy would help. Hey old fart, are you still hanging in there!
1) don't stop payment on the check or you'll be arrested for thief and you don't need that. 2) the $577 is mostly the cost of the exhaust system. I have a 93 GMC pickup that I had a complete system, w Flowmaster (1), and it was $600. So that's not bad..just take it back and have them run it out the back it may be more money but, not much, if your nice. Be sure you explain it to the installer as well as the guy at the counter, that helps too. 3) The m/c may need to be bench bled first before installation. Ask them about that and explain that it's new. The ticket probably said "adjust brakes" or something like that. If your nice and again, talk to the mechanic...he may not know it was new and not bb. Who installed the mc? 4) If your having all these cardiac problems maybe it would help to have a friend or family member go with you to help explain what you want. Don't have a "cardiac event", you may get what you asked for, and you don't need that. 5) I think you can work this out with a little communication with the shop. If you go in there acting like an idiot, yelling and raising hell, your liable to get throw out. I'm hot headed sometimes and I wish I'd kept my mouth shut..not as bad as I used to be when I was younger. Good luck! and wait until you cool off to go back but, don't wait too long. Aman.
Sooo You Paid Before Hearing About The M/c Or Seeing The Pipes Hmmmm You Have Good Meds Is It Your Car? Wow Cool Hand Luke Seems To Be Looping Here Too "what We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate"
Heres something you can do on your way home today! Look at every car and truck out there and notice that 98% of everyone on the road has the exhaust coming "OUT THE BACK" and you will see eveyones exhaust is pretty damn different yet all "out the back."
good point zman. I have to say, who leaves a note? I would wait til theyre open or go back some other time when I could talk to the guy in person. As far as the brakes go, I would say thats not a very good shop. When I was working in a shop, we would have fixed the problem before we ever let the customer take the car outta there.
solo 99 has some valid points....its basically a frickin lack of comunication.... its everybody's fault. ...so go in in person and try to settle the problem man to man..no loud voices, just say, i was wrong to just leave a note. how can we correct this fuckup? i am not happy with the job you performed. if its a good shop they will take care of the problem..if it's not go someware else and explain clearly the thoughts you have in your mind. so they can perform the job the way you want it...but to pay the bill and not get pissed right there and then...will only fuck with your heart condition. do not hold shit in..its not healthy. let it out right when it happens... boy when jimmy" T" was in new symerna? fla. he would of done it right..he was a fucking mind reader... cadillac dave
yeah, no shit! btw,they might have done you a favor by NOT running it out the back. every one i've ever had like that smelled like exhaust in the car.... i don't know what you're note said exactly or if YOU fucked up the m/c (possible) or it was a bad one out of the box ( more likely). my advise with that attitude is,do it yourself. but if you can't,don't walk in with an attitude, they CAN tell you to take a hike....
Well a 1961 Bel air exhaust did in fact come out behind the rear wheels from the factory. This has an X frame and it is a different kettle of fish than other cars from that era. The exhaust runs between the tire and the frame inside the wheel well as it goes over the rear axle. Most exhaust runs inside the frame rails...not on this example. It sounds to me like they put a factory style dual system on it. Without specific instructions detailing where you wanted it to be, I probably would have made the same mistake too. I'd need more than a note saying to bring it out the rear. They brought it out the rear the same way Chevrolet did in 1961. That note is too ambiguous on this model.IMHO On custom stuff like this, it's the customers responsibility to be sure that the vendor understands what he wants. Sometimes the customer wants something that is physically impossible. It can be extended out the back though. It will be able to be seen from the side of the car though. I never liked it but the customer was happy. I never liked the Bell flower tips either. The make and model of this car complicates what many people think is plain and simple instructions. You need more than a note under the wiper if you want a specific unusual custom installation. IMHO I've gone as far as putting a strip of tape on the bumper to show the customer where the pipe will come out. There are limits to what can be done. All this being said, I'd have called to get detailed instructions because I've been"beat up" by customers that expect me to read their minds. Sorry, I can't see that picture in your head. I hope you get well soon.
Always give verbal instructions and never, never leave a note only. Also if you get an estimate for anything(even non car related) be sure and get the name of the estimator. You cant believe how many times people say that they got an estimate for 50 bucks when in fact the job would be 200 bucks, then ask them who they talked to and they never can give you a name. When you tell them up front that joe told you 50 bucks then they have to ask him why that amount and what he estimated to be done for 50 bucks.ALWAYS COVER YOUR ASS. Then there can be no disputes.My 2 cents.
Go back and talk WITH them. Try to come to an understanding. Most places will work with you. Even if you dont take it back, let them know you were displeased and why. They might think that 'no news is good news' and it's actually the opposite. mike
OLDFART ,1rst i hope your health is okay,you're a good guy,2nd i'd talk to the shop owner about the problems,especially the brake issue.Ask if they could have damaged it buy running it dry.Hopefully he'll make the corrections,but the main thing is don't risk your health over this.I know it can be a bit overwhelming,dealing with this kind of crap,but maybe the shop will help you out.Just talk to them about it.Keep your chin up,but be cool,it isn't worth the hassle if it harms your health.
Aaamen!...eliminates a whole lot of confusion..my partners in the auto salvage business were always saying "Well, right and left is the lingo of the business" screw that, you will deal with a couple of people in the "business" during the day and the other hundred people will be customers that understand driverside and passengerside..no confusion
Okay fellas,now that I am a little calmer I will do a little more explaining then close this discussion.I should have explained a little better in my 1st post but I was really pissed.I talked to the mechanic on the phone & told him what I wanted,I talked to the mechanic IN PERSON and told him what I wanted,then left a note on the seat telling him what I wanted and still did not get what I wanted.His explaination was "they came stock coming out the side"My point is I dont care if they came stock stickin'out of the roof.I asked that they come out the back!Why did the system need to be bled? Because the whole system is new,lines,shoes,drums,springs,master,everything but the pedal is NEW.Installed by ME.I tried to bleed them myself but CANNOT BREATHE while lying on my back(I have slept in a chair for the last coupla months)& the guy tells me that only 1/2 of the master is working & I need to buy a new one and then bleed the system again??How ta Hell am I supposed to do that?The point w/that situation is;If the car was a $50.000 car(which to ME it is) would he have done the same thing?If I walked in w/a $4000 brooks brothers suit & $800 alligator shoes would I have left w/a half a brake system?To him its probably just another clunker & that pisses me off.I am just as good as you guys w/a fat wallet and my car is just as good as yours.I get $910. a month from the VA and it took me 3 months to save that $600.I even furnished my own new mufflers.To those of you who condemned me right from the start,UP YOURS!I dont see you here offering to help in any way!!to the others, THANK YOU for realizing that not everyone has the money or knowledge to do everything themselves.For those that are wondering,I failed the stress test in the hospital and the VA is scheduling a chemical stress test.I take 23 pills a day already and they will probably give me more.The cardiologist said the the right side of my heart is only working at 40% and the left side is @ 80%...ANYBODY WANNA BLEED MY BRAKES???
I've had this discussion before. I don't know what happened but as far as this little segment I've seen it happen alot. Someone clearly asks for what they want and they get something different. Only thing I can say is that if someone else is doing something for you, you really need to make sure it's right where possible before paying up. I think you likely learned that this isn't a good place to have work on your car. Luckily for me, when I have to have something done I have a buddy down the road that has his own shop. Surely there has to be someone who knows a good independant shop in the Daytona area on here.
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