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HELP need answer before I hand over $$$

aussieghostrider

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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

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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

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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

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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

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^^

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

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^^

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

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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.

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

Zuicider

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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.

**** 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

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

Not_An_Abba_Fan

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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.

**** 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.
 
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