Dodgey mechanics

[paul4459]

just wondering if anyone else has had any issues with mechanics being very dishonest? (sorry this is a long one) Took my car down to the local pro-fix this morning to get a new engine mount put in my car. When the mechanic finished he phoned up n was being unusually nice and helpful, then when i went to pick the car up he had left the workshop leavin only the apprentice there. so i got there paid for the work got into my car turned the key and it wouldnt start. so tried few more times and it finally started but was coughing n choking for about 5 secs then it revved up to bout 2500rpm and sat there. put it into reverse and it stalled. went back in to talk to the apprentice n he basically shrugged me off n said they are shuttin up n i have to leave i suggested. i told him that it was running perfectly fine when i took it in n he said well they couldnt of damaged anything because all they touched was the mount.so they sat there n watched my car die about 9 times whilst tryin to reverse out of car park. finally got home after car had stalled a few more times, popped the hood to find that they had twisted the bracket the MAP sensor sits in n snapped the lug off where the vacuum hose sits. so i am assuming they knew what they had done(that y being nice on phone n rushing me out of the workshop). so they obviously didnt bother undoing anything when they hoisted the engine up and just bent n snapped parts. now i have to wait till monday to confront the dodgey guy! the worst part is i have just spent 2 weeks rebuilding the engine after my car being off the road for 2 1/2 months, thought i could finally drive it! Has any one ever had something similar happen to them and did they fix it for you?

 

[Scooter79]

Wasn't really a problem with the mechanic but they were dodgy. The wifes laser had no dash lights, gear selector lights or tail lights at night. I couldn't find any blown fuses so took it to an auto electrician in the Blacktown area (if anyone wants to know the name PM me). They said the light selector switch was a little loose and needed to be replaced. They wanted to replace indicator and wiper stalks and 4 hours labour, nearly $500 they wanted. I'm not that stupid. That weekend I pull off the steering wheel and stalk assembly and found the light contacts were coroded. A bit of emry paper to clean the contacts and a few hours and a couple of beers later all fixed. Cost $0. No problems for over 6 months.

Mate in your case I'd be going back and opening up a big ol' can of whoop ass cos you already forked out the money. How much did her charge you for the engine mount. Make sure you demad everything to be fixed or take him to MTA if he's a registered member. I wanna know what happens

 

[Immortality]

someone else in the VN/VP section have had a lot of hassles with pro-fix as well over a set of headers. the general consesus would be to stay away from these people. give 'em hell on monday

 

[sircruisealotVS]

i think ive had my fair share of dodgy, or at least dishonest mechanics in my time...its such a relief when you find a good trustworthy mechanic though - as hard as they are to find, especially in qld where alot of tradies seem to be all about the money and less about quality of work.
my worst experience i can remember was with pedders and their mechanics. i booked my car in for a simple wheel align and balance, which they said no worries to (i told them exactly what kind of car i had and the wheels on it).
dropped it off in the morning and they said they'd give me a call when it was done, when i dropped it off there was only one other car in the workshop, so they werent busy.
it got to about 2pm and i was wondering what the hell was taking so long, so i gave them a ring and the bloke said it was "almost ready" and i could pick it up after 3pm.
so i go to pick it up at about 3.30pm and when i walk in the door the bloke says to me "oh, hey mate, we couldnt do the wheel balance for your car, your rims are too big for our machine - we did the alignment though".
so im like wtf?! you took all day to not do the job i wanted?
then he pulls out one of their inspection reports which they did without me asking and starts telling me practically all the suspention needs replacing, a bill of over $2500.
so i go over this report they've done and i see that there's a whole bunch of stuff on there which they say needs replacing - but i know half of the stuff listed is new, only done two weeks before.
so i confront him about it, telling him that all these bushes and my power steering pump are barely two weeks old and that i think they're trying to pull one over on me.
to which he starts trying to tell me that they "look stuffed" and the "pump is all oily"...which means they should be replaced....
anyway, i told him he was full of sh*t, paid them for the alignment and got the hell out of there...i hate to think what would happen to people who dont know any better who go in there and get ripped off replacing perfectly good parts.

 

[kopper69]

Actually my gf got some major work done on her honda civic week or two ago (including new brakes), was coming home Friday and brakes wouldnt work properly. Was coming down a small hill and had foot just about through the floor she said. Hit a VT in the back at about 5kms/hr cause it just wouldnt stop.

Ive been to a few. When you find a good one, you just have to stick with them. When i first got my car I went to get a service I think. I went to a mechanic on a Friday, waited all day, they didnt call, so I went down at 5 to pick it up, wasnt done, they didnt even touch it, had forgotten all about it. Apologised and said they work Sat morning so would do it than. OK, bit inconvenient, but ok. So went back next morning at about 10, still hadnt done anything to it. They closed at 12 so i picked it up. Went and got some fuel, drove home, car is just pissing out fuel everywhere from tank. Oil light came on next day when i started the car. Went back and got charged for new oil pressure switch and they did my fuel leak. Got home, and I was missing my lock nut, so back again to pick that up. Ended up making so many trips there it wasnt funny. Learnt my lesson, do as much of your own work as you can. If you do it yourself, you know it is a good job, you know that your not getting ripped off anywhere and you know your car better.

Funnily enough, I went to my pedders recently for the first time and found them really good.

 

[Scooter79]

Funnily enough, I went to my pedders recently for the first time and found them really good.

It all depends on the manager/owner of the store. Some pedders are great and some a dodgy. Same thing with Ultra tune, Even Holden service departments have their good and bad ones. I hope you abused the crap out of whoever did the brakes on the Honda.

 

[paul4459]

Well i took it back this morn and confronted the guy. he tried to talk himself out of it, he said it was possible that they could of done it but very unlikely. said maybe i did it when putting my engine back in. i told him i that it was working fine in when i took it there and now i can't even get it out my driveway. he ended up phonin around to get prices then asked me to go and pick the new MAP sensor up n i'll have to fit it myself. (he paid for part) not the best result but i'm just happy i can start and drive my car again and didnt have to pay extra.

stay away from pro-fix!!!!

anyone know a half decent mechanic in the southern suburbs in adelaide??

 

[Scooter79]

Never heard of Pro-fix here in NSW. Finding a good mechanic is becomming more like winning the lottery nowadays. A few years ago when living out in the western suburbs of Sydney near Penrith a old guy called John O'Brien (behind the 7/11 on the Great Western Hwy at Kingswood) He was brilliant. He was the most honest mechanic I ever came across and a nice old guy too. Would talk for days and days... It's all about word of mouth.

 

[97 SEN]

Problems with mechanics? just about every single one of them, have been a problem.

new timing chain= 3 liters of oil on the drive way the next day.

new steering rack= real bad squeaking and shudder over bumps, look it all over it was clear it was where the steering rods went into the rack, 45 minute "discussion" with the mechanic about how it couldn't be then 5 minutes to put it up on the hoist and for him to realize he forgot the grease them.

had a warrenty on one of my cars had to get it serviced there all the time, asked them to grease the door hinges like i got charged for every time (door was sqeaking) mechanic said grease wouldn't fix it and it need a new hinge, 15 minutes "discussion" later he put a couple of dabs of grease on it he swung the door twice it went squeak, squeak he said i told you so, i swung it twice it went squeak, 'silent'. he walked off.

same place, i thought the idler pulley need replacing and asked them to have a look and quote me for it, they said know it was the water pump and to bring it back Monday they would replace it under warranty, Monday they told me it was the idler pulley they wanted $120 to replace i said no thanks, they said $40 just for looking, i told them not a chance, they said they would hold my car till i paid i told them to get stuffed and hung up, service manager called me and said that i had to pay but it would only be $25 because of the stuff around i told him to get stuffed and hung up, the manger of the dealership rang me about 2 hr later and said come get my car and there would be know charge and that there was a note in my file to notify me before they did anything on my car that was going to cost more then the service fee. (i changed the idler pulleys my self for something like $35) Next service they tried charge me for a new air filter, my k&n filter was still in and i cleaned and oiled it 1 week earlier. Told them to shove there warranty.

had a place give me a quote to fix the squeak in the a/c unit $1800 quote was told i should stop using it straight away etc. etc. (a/c worked fine not a problem at all) got a second opinion, replaced the belt squeak stopped 18 months later car still going. Should have known this place was dodgey after 10 minutes of trying they rang me to ask how to start it, ( i had already explained about the standard hsv imobiliser to the guy who went straight to my car to move it).

Pedders is one of the only places that i've been that weren't completley full of crap, they are dearer, but they haven't told me a story yet.


Sorry that is some serious venting just there.

i recommend doing as much as possible your self, get a workshop manual and this web site and you can do most stuff at home.

If you have problems start of by being civil about it, then tell them to get stuffed. Don't pay for stuff if you shouldn't have been charged for it, speak to ACCC or MTA or who ever it is after that.

P.s. sircruisealot, whos the mechanic that you use/trust?

 

[Bax]

Well currently I've got a mechanic that has taken 3 months (and still counting) to install an engine + gearbox. Managed to get parts flogged by leaving my windowless car outside for the day. Not voluntarily wanting to pay back the 1700 owing. Until I said that I was not going to pay for it about 100 times. He finally agreed. Promises to have it done by Christmas, then packs up a few days before I drop the replacement parts off and goes on a 1 month (still counting) holiday. I'm worried. Irritated and Impatient.

Edit, I forgot the other one:
Dropped my car off at an auto electrician to fix my CAS. At this stage I had no idea about VL's and wasn't sure what was failing as CAS code was fine. Drove it around, spoke with the manager directly. Said that my alarm remote was draining batteries as it got wet the week before (can of alcohol spilt onto it) And that the only way for it to work was to connect it to the bare wires from an led on my dash, providing 12v - therefore disarming my alarm.

I get a call, my cars done. Come pick it up, they tell me they couldn't disarm my alarm - obviously hadn't done what I told them too. Ripped my alarm out. And charged me an extra 300 dollars labour for their efforts. Really didn't want to pay. But being young and stupid I did. I've learnt now at least to stand up to these things.