HELP need answer before I hand over $$$

[aussieghostrider]

I took my car in to get waterpump and thermostat replaced as waterpump was leaking and they said its best to change thermostat ...

anyhow i got a call saying they had snapped a bolt trying to take of thermostat ...

Am I going to have to pay for them spending an extra hour or so removing the bolt ?

I was told $280 all up but make it $300 to be on safe side and thats all the money have put aside ...

I know the thermostats are a pain in ass to remove on the s1 engines as its at the back behind throttle body and if these bolts are known for being a pain to remove then shouldnt this mechanic know this ?

I just dont think I should have to pay for someone who should have turned thoses bolts back and fourth slowly to remove ...

This mechanic is wel known and has a few guys working there so its not like I went to some nobody .. these guys are Nrma aprroved and MTA members ..

your thoughts ?

[levymetal]

it depends, you should have asked them on the phone. sometimes these things happen, you can't blame the mechanic for snapping the bolt. so if it's not the mechanics fault (no way to prove if it is or isn't), he's not going to do his job for free... aka you'll probably have to pay. he might be a good guy and not charge though, really does depend. i've had a couple of places i know make some mistakes, and both of them fixed up their mistake for free. like i said though, you can't prove he wasn't being careful, and maybe he was and it snapped anyway.

this is why i am trying to do as much work i can myself now. no one to blame except me . and my time is technically free as well.

[greenfoam]

Yeah if you take it to a mechanic and well that's the risk you take. You may have broken the bolt yourself but at least he will have the tools to quickly fix it

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Some places will warn you beforehand of any potential problems.

I know the VL 6cyl is notorious for snapping manifold to head studs, so whenever one came into our workshop we would tell the customer before we touched it that they are prone to breaking and it would cost X amount if they broke. When doing extractors on them, I replace all the studs anyway, but quote an hourly rate if any break.

[aussieghostrider]

^^

these guys are good .... They know about all the dramas I have had ...

I used to go same mechanic for 10 years ... until he started ****ing up ... i.e. not doing bolts up tight enough , used a hammer and flat head to remove a bearing on air compressor ****ed that and I had to pay for a 2nd hand one ...not installing crank angle sensor properly so ****ed that ..

I think if you have a mechanics license then you must know what the **** you are doing ...

so how much extra should I pay for that ... they would have done it many times before and have right tools as you said so what $50 more ?

[aussieghostrider]

^^

these guys are good .... They know about all the dramas I have had ...

I used to go same mechanic for 10 years ... until he started ****ing up ... i.e. not doing bolts up tight enough , used a hammer and flat head to remove a bearing on air compressor ****ed that and I had to pay for a 2nd hand one ...not installing crank angle sensor properly so ****ed that ..

I think if you have a mechanics license then you must know what the **** you are doing ...

so how much extra should I pay for that ... they would have done it many times before and have right tools as you said so what $50 more ?

[Peter89]

i wouldnt pay someone for their mistake, if the mechanic broke it, he should fix it for free. that's like saying, you take your computer to be fixed but they damage the hard drive, they would have to pay for a replace part since it was their fault.

shit happens but they have the responsibility to return the car in the same condition it was and the repair parts as required.

[Zuicider]

i wouldnt pay someone for their mistake, if the mechanic broke it, he should fix it for free. that's like saying, you take your computer to be fixed but they damage the hard drive, they would have to pay for a replace part since it was their fault.

shit happens but they have the responsibility to return the car in the same condition it was and the repair parts as required.

completely different senarios. could be shifted on the owner for not maintaining the car to service rules etc . bolts are usually easy to move when snapped anyway if u have the right tools. jut hope he cleans out the thread and uses anti sieze in it so next time u wont have a drama

[ScoHar]

Can't anyone start a mechanics business regardless of qualifications etc

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

i wouldnt pay someone for their mistake, if the mechanic broke it, he should fix it for free. that's like saying, you take your computer to be fixed but they damage the hard drive, they would have to pay for a replace part since it was their fault.

shit happens but they have the responsibility to return the car in the same condition it was and the repair parts as required.

Why is it the repairers fault that something on the car broke? If they put a hammer through a window, that is different, but a mechanic can't be held responsible for a broken bolt. It probably would have broken no matter who did the job.

[delcowizzid]

surely a quote is a quote thats how it is here get quoted thats the max it will be no iffs buts or maybes.the only time it would be different is if they ring and say we found this and it needs fixed should we do it if you aggree then its added to the bill.any work done you havnt agreed on must be either un done for no cost or free of charge.

[PaRaDoX]

he shouldn't charge you to fix it.

most likely he snapped the bolt on tightening and said he snapped it loosening.. given what mechanics charge $70 p/h tell him that he was working on it therefore its his fault. if they cared about their reputation they should have offered not to charge in the first place.

the shitty thing with mixing metals is alloy + steel do funny things together due to thermal expansion...

[aussieghostrider]

^^^

I was just told car wont be ready by time said by them and that was it ...

The car is looked after... everythings orignal except for paint,suspension,front rotors.Its only got around 205,000 kms on it .. oil/filter change every 5000kms or so , flush and change coolant every 2 years , transmission service every 70,000kms ,change plugs and leads every 20,000kms so I was thinking of getting a 2nd hand engine but I doubt I could get an engine in better condition than mine .. so I keep pouring buckets of money into it ..

I was going to detail car and sell on and get a motorbike but when its raining the cars great ...so decided on keeping it ..

you guys wont like what Im going to say but silicone and nulon products have kept the car going lol ...

I removed all dirt and crap ( gently of course ) from under the rubbers of front and rear windows and the rear quarter windows leak putting water in the boot also the boot lock can leak... then put silicone to stop water getting in , also brake lights instead of replacing I just went over all the joints that were cracked with silicone .. which stopped boot leak

problems car has

1.rear main seal has had slight one drop only on bottom of housing been like that since 1994 (nulon stop leak every 2nd oil change and its not got worse)

2. timing cover very slight leak top right where cas wire comes down been like that for 8 years ( use Cargo stop leak has stopped/slowed it/ bars stop leak)

3.Power steering rack leaking ( tightened clamps and nulon stop leak , leak has stopped and been so for a year or more)

4.inlet manifold has recently developed slight leak which causes slight miss at idle ( cargo stop leak and bar stops leak has really helped)

5.Transmission rear seal has slight leak ( nulon stop leak has helped)

I can do most work like plugs ,leads , oil , flush raditator etc the basic stuff ... stop leaks and so on will slow the problem down and may stop it and If I had thousands to throw at car to fix I would ..

anyone live in sutherland shire want some work and can do mates rates

Thank you to everyone above for responding so quickly ...

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

That's the problem with any business though. You can obtain a quote for a certain job, but it is only for the work listed. If other work needs to be done to complete the quoted job, then the repairer is often not obligated to inform the customer if it is reasonable.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I have been trying to find something in the Fair Trades Act about quotes, but all I can find so far is that the only time a price has to be stated is when a deposit is asked for.

Basically, you have entered into a contract to repair your car. He is repairing your car. If your car isn't repaired when he is finished, then you may have some recourse. The price involved in repairing it is something you have to work out. Good will may determine the price you eventually pay.

[aussieghostrider]

Ok I just got the call i did not want .. he said car is not ready so have to get tomorrow morning..

I have not spoken to them my mum did as its her car really .... they did not say anything about it costing more ... but if he said be ready in the morning then it would have to be nearly all done..

When I called them to get a quote I was told we change the water pump and thermostat and coolant .. $280 but make it $300 all up to be on safe side ..

this quote was from the son of the owner of the business .. If I fix someones computer which I do as a living and if I stuff something up I repair it or make good on that ... the thermostat was replaced like 4 years ago ... so its not like its never been replaced ...


will let u all know if I actually get car back tomorrow..

[greenfoam]

I've never had a quote in my life from a mechanic that ended up being the actual cost, it's allways been around twice as much. That's the major reason I struggle away with it myself now

[maldotcom2]

My mechanic always always sticks to his quote, not that i've personally had any major work done, but my family have taken all our cars to him over about 10 years or so. Most work is one day wait, sometimes if i'm stuck with something i'll drop in and he'll help me out for free.

If i booked my car in to be worked on and then went to pick it up and they wanted more i'd kick up a stink. The only way that's allowable is if they ring saying "we've found something that should also be replaced, we could leave it but i recommend it be replaced" Then i'd say sure. If they break something on their time that's just too bad - they fix it.

Some examples of how it should be done:

I got a front bar resprayed after i botched it myself. The guy spent 3 times longer than anticipated to get it prepped but still charged as quoted.
I got a wheel alignment and the guys couldnt get the tie rod loose, took two guys 15 minutes hanging off it to do what should have been a 10 minute job all up. No extra charge.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

And they probably charge you more for each job because of it. They build in a contingency.

[maldotcom2]

Not really. We've found he's the cheapest guy in the area, and doesn't do any of the bullshit "add on" fixes.

[rob drag racer]

I've never had a quote in my life from a mechanic that ended up being the actual cost, it's allways been around twice as much. That's the major reason I struggle away with it myself now

that makes 2 of us i find most mechanics today dont know half of what they should and i end up doing the job better my self as well as right but i suppose its a horses for courses thing

[aussieghostrider]

Ok got car back today ...

$430 all up ..

he had to take off the bonnet and then throttle body to get to it ....

said it took him the whole day just to get bolt out ....

anyhow .... next thing on the list to get fixed is inlet manifold gasket ..

he said he could do for $250-$300 ...

I am going to them from now on they open 7 days a week and open till 10pm ...

they an auto electrician specialists as well ....

anyhow thanx all for your replys..

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Be careful getting the gasket done. Another member is going through the motions of having the gasket done, then the engine has stuffed big ends...after the gasket was done. The workshop will not pay for the job as they refuse to admit liability.

Here is the thread need advice on this situation please

[aussieghostrider]

just read that... so if mechanic did job properly 100% making sure all old gasket is removed and not fall into engine then everything should be ok ?