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Auto Service: What Would You Do?

ernest_t_bass
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ernest_t_bass

ernest_t_bass 1196

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Got a copy of the Cat. converter bill today.  ~$630.  He can't give me a straight answer as to why the service manager said they would not pay for the fix (which lead him to pay out of his own pocket).  I told him that 1) I would not have paid it, and 2) if they refused to fix it (what they broke), I would have driven away and not paid a cent of the entire bill.  I will be meeting with the service manager and dealership owner (with the service writer) in the near future, and I informed the writer that I would not touch the bill until everything is out in the open (with all parties).

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ernest_t_bass

ernest_t_bass 1196

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47 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

You would have driven away without paying?  Chances are, you wouldn't have access to the vehicle and they wouldn't have given you the keys until you paid up.

No.  This is a pretty small rural town in NW Ohio.  They told me to drive away with it "broken," basically.  Also, they can't hold my car ransom.  What if I can't afford the payment b/c it is higher than I budget (which it was, but I still have the cash).

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Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25980

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18 minutes ago, ernest_t_bass said:

No.  This is a pretty small rural town in NW Ohio.  They told me to drive away with it "broken," basically.  Also, they can't hold my car ransom.  What if I can't afford the payment b/c it is higher than I budget (which it was, but I still have the cash).

No idea about Ohio law, but out here, they absolutely CAN and WILL hold the car, and they'll auction the fucker off in a "lien sale" to get their money.  Shops do it quite often. 

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Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25980

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a quick trip to the googles says "fuck yeah, they hold your car "ransom" if you don't pay the bill" in Ohio

 

When people ask me about mechanics’ liens, I always have to ask for more details. There are two types of mechanics’ liens in Ohio, and they are not related to each other in any way, even though they share the same name.

Traditionally, people think of mechanics as the people who work on motor vehicles. Sometimes, these mechanics can keep possession of a vehicle upon which repairs were made, if the repairs are not paid for. This is a traditional mechanics’ lien. There is no filing or formal process for this lien to be used. The mechanic’s power to retain the vehicle is the lien.

The vehicle’s owner can sue to ask a court to order the mechanic to release the vehicle. At that time, the mechanic can formally assert the lien in the context of the court proceedings.

There are limits on traditional mechanics’ liens. Traditional mechanics’ liens cannot exist if the mechanic did not follow various unrelated laws before or during the repairs. For example, if a vehicle repair is expected to exceed $50, the mechanic must make certain disclosures to the owner in writing. If a mechanic fails to make the disclosures, the mechanic cannot assert a traditional mechanics’ lien (keep the car until paid).

 

Lee R. Schroeder is an Ohio licensed attorney at Schroeder Law LLC in Putnam County. He limits his practice to business, real estate, estate planning and agriculture issues in northwest Ohio. He can be reached at Lee@LeeSchroeder.com or at 419-523-5523. This article is not intended to serve as legal advice, and specific advice should be sought from the licensed attorney of your choice based upon the specific facts and circumstances that you face.

Edited by Gil Bang
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ernest_t_bass

ernest_t_bass 1196

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1 hour ago, Gil Bang said:

No idea about Ohio law, but out here, they absolutely CAN and WILL hold the car, and they'll auction the fucker off in a "lien sale" to get their money.  Shops do it quite often. 

When I took my truck in, it was running fine, and no "check engine" light was on.

When it was returned to me, it was not running fine, and "check engine" light was on.  

...

This is what lead them to replacing the cat.  They, in essence, "broke" my truck.  Why should I have to pay for something they broke?  The services for which I agreed to be performed did no include them breaking my truck.

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UnivTex34

UnivTex34 1763

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28 minutes ago, ernest_t_bass said:

When I took my truck in, it was running fine, and no "check engine" light was on.

When it was returned to me, it was not running fine, and "check engine" light was on.  

...

This is what lead them to replacing the cat.  They, in essence, "broke" my truck.  Why should I have to pay for something they broke?  The services for which I agreed to be performed did no include them breaking my truck.

4172360.gif

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Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25980

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34 minutes ago, ernest_t_bass said:

When I took my truck in, it was running fine, and no "check engine" light was on.

When it was returned to me, it was not running fine, and "check engine" light was on.  

...

This is what lead them to replacing the cat.  They, in essence, "broke" my truck.  Why should I have to pay for something they broke?  The services for which I agreed to be performed did no include them breaking my truck.

Tell it to the judge when you sue to get your truck back after the shop keeps it for the unpaid bill.  

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texas08

texas08 1599

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Dude, after that tech said...”I paid it out of my own pocket”...I would’ve said, “damn you didn’t have to do that...but thanks”...and walk the fuck out quick.

 

That dude basically went to the back, got a cat from a box and installed it for free. He was just tying to guilt trip you into coming back...no fucking technician in the history of technicians would front a $600 cat from his own pocket because he “values you”.

 

 

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ernest_t_bass

ernest_t_bass 1196

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It is settled.  Total bill was $1395, plus service tech paid $650ish for a new cat. converter, as mentioned.  I talked to the service manager today, and I will be paying $695 and the dealership will be paying $700 (plus covering their employee for the cat. he paid for).  He DID pay for it out of his own pocket, but he acted on his own, and the dealership didn't make him do it, as that was not their suggestion.

Suck brontosaurus dick, Gil Bang!

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Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25980

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the dealership will be "paying" $700 of their own bill?  Will they take the money out of the cash drawer, then put it back in the cash drawer?   Will they give themselves a receipt?  Will they get a discount because they have a friend at the dealership?  

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zork

zork 629

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On 8/10/2018 at 2:16 PM, NeverMarryAStripper said:

If the problem was that common to that model, then a little googling would identify it pretty easily.  There are plenty of brand specific forums on the web that contain a lot of good information.  I ran into a problem like that with my explorer.  A little reading on a ford explorer forum and I was pretty sure that I was running into the same problem that many owners were.  I took it to my independent mechanic and told him what I thought it was.  He confirmed it, and fixed it for much less than a dealer would have charged me.

which explorer forum is the one you recommend?

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zork

zork 629

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1 hour ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I’ve found explorerforum.com very useful

cool.  I'll check it out.  Been a rough year for my 2008 XLT, replaced a dead tranny and full brake job.  Should make it run a few more years though.  

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Chewbacca

Chewbacca 7780

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On 8/10/2018 at 6:43 PM, ernest_t_bass said:

No.  This is a pretty small rural town in NW Ohio.  They told me to drive away with it "broken," basically.  Also, they can't hold my car ransom.  What if I can't afford the payment b/c it is higher than I budget (which it was, but I still have the cash).

Look up the term 'Mechanics Lien'.  They most certainly can hold your car ransom.

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TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31510

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They replaced all the coils, plugs, and harness, right?

 

The explanation may be that your engine computer is fuct up.  Most of that stuff that you referred to should throw a code and be diagnosed easily.  If it wasn't diagnosed easily and immediately, as it sounds like it wasn't, your computer could be jacked.

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Eastwood

Eastwood 4394

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And Gil is right, there is a common-law "artisan's lien" in favor of mechanics in Ohio.  They can legally retain possession of your car until the bill is paid.  If you dispute the charges, and can't work something out, you have to go to court.
Artisan, huh? They must have used those artisanal spark plugs made from porcelain made from hand selected grains of sand from an organic beach and fire blasted in a kiln made from 100% recycled material and fueled by algae from a biomass farm. It costs a little extra, but you're paying to save the world.
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Jkwellborn

Jkwellborn 6713

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Still misfiring today.  I already have a printed bill that shows the discount off the initial bill.  Interesting to see what happens this go around.
What is typical "warranty" on work done from a dealer?  Specifically, in this situation, sparks + coils + cat.

That shit is yours when you drive it off the lot.

Is there a check engine light on?
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Anton Chigurh

Anton Chigurh 3319

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Check engine light is not on.

So... if this comes back on the reader as a coil or spark, it's (based on your first line) on me?  That makes no sense.

 

It’s misfiring but the CEL isn’t on? It typically flashes when it’s bad enough and should stay illuminated once it reaches a certain count. When does this happen? All gears and engine loads?

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Jkwellborn

Jkwellborn 6713

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Check engine light is not on.
So... if this comes back on the reader as a coil or spark, it's (based on your first line) on me?  That makes no sense.

How do you know the truck is misfiring? If it’s doing it enough for you to tell, it should throw a code. What engine speeds? Going down the road?

In response to your post, I don’t know if they would warranty those parts or not. The actual manufacturer might, but you might be responsible for the labor.

Find someone with a decent scanner that reads the transmission codes too.
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