Mechanic messing me about - where do I stand?

Right so here is the story, I took my car in December last year to a
mechanic to have a problem diagnosed. A week or two later he told me
that it would need considerable engine work including a new cam,
lifters, rockers, pushrods etc and it would cost quite a lot. as its an
American car I told him that I should be able to import the parts
cheaper via the web which he was fine about.

After hassle with the company in america, another saga entirley, I got
the parts in mid February and took them to my mechanic where he said
that he had suddenly had a huge amount of work arrive and it would be
about two or three weeks before he could start work and then it would
be another week to do the work. I said that was ok as he had been kept
waiting and appreciated he had other work to do. I called him 3 weeks
later to find out what the progress was and he told me that he was
really busy but he should be starting in the next week or two. Every
week I called him to find out the progress and was told, sorry we are
so busy it'll probably be the following week.

I called him last week and asked again and it turns out that he had
started work on it and that I would have it back last week, or the
start of this week (bearing in mind its 2.5 months later!) I called him
monday to find out when I could collect it and he yet again said that
it wouldn't be this week.

Basically I need to know where I stand now, I don't want to wind him up
too much in case he does a bad job, but I can't take the car elsewhere
because the engine is still open, I have tried every approach and have
been met with no joy. I am getting very frustrated now and think that
because I ordered the parts myself and took some of his profit margin
(I got the cam shaft for £300 when he was quoting £600 for a shaft)
that he is deliberately taking his time and putting other work above
mine.

Some help please!

> wrote in message
oups.com...
Right so here is the story, I took my car in December last year to a
mechanic to have a problem diagnosed. A week or two later he told me
that it would need considerable engine work including a new cam,
lifters, rockers, pushrods etc and it would cost quite a lot. as its an
American car I told him that I should be able to import the parts
cheaper via the web which he was fine about.

After hassle with the company in america, another saga entirley, I got
the parts in mid February and took them to my mechanic where he said
that he had suddenly had a huge amount of work arrive and it would be
about two or three weeks before he could start work and then it would
be another week to do the work. I said that was ok as he had been kept
waiting and appreciated he had other work to do. I called him 3 weeks
later to find out what the progress was and he told me that he was
really busy but he should be starting in the next week or two. Every
week I called him to find out the progress and was told, sorry we are
so busy it'll probably be the following week.

I called him last week and asked again and it turns out that he had
started work on it and that I would have it back last week, or the
start of this week (bearing in mind its 2.5 months later!) I called him
monday to find out when I could collect it and he yet again said that
it wouldn't be this week.


Here is how *I* see it. Opinions will vary...
Bottom line..you are a cheap ass.....
When you took the car to him you should have gotten a "Estimate" on the
complete job.
If you got one and you agreed to the price on the complete package, that was
the deal.
Then you go and change things. You want to supply your own parts.The
mechanic has no idea
of the quality of said parts.How can he stand behind this job, not knowing
the supplier?
Yes..he does make SOME money on the parts.This is understood. If you said UP
FRONT
you were going to supply the parts, i suspect he would have passed on
working on your car.
In the USA the mechanics have a "Guide Book" that says how much time it
should take to do a
"Top End" job on a certain engine.A certified mechanic can't go over that
amount without a good reason.
Bottom line...you took a lot of his profit margin away. He is not in
business to make friends and do favors.
Next time...shop around. If it's a fair deal then go with it.If you want to
supply your own cheap parts,
then do your own wrenching too.
Now is the time to BE NICE. Tell him you are just trying to save some bucks,
ask him NICELY to get it
back together for you. Unless you are driving something really exotic, a top
end job is a one day deal to
get it back together.I am a "Backyard" mechanic and have done the top end on
a Ford Escort in a weekend.
It's NOT a complicated deal.
If you needed all the parts he said you did, you either ran it out of oil or
lost the timing belt and trashed the engine.
While cams/lifters do wear out, pushrods/rockers are good for hundreds of
thousands of miles.These parts are available
single, NOT in sets.Either this engine is VERY tired or there is something
fishy going on here.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
Right so here is the story, I took my car in December last year to a
mechanic to have a problem diagnosed. A week or two later he told me
that it would need considerable engine work including a new cam,
lifters, rockers, pushrods etc and it would cost quite a lot. as its an
American car I told him that I should be able to import the parts
cheaper via the web which he was fine about.

After hassle with the company in america, another saga entirley, I got
the parts in mid February and took them to my mechanic where he said
that he had suddenly had a huge amount of work arrive and it would be
about two or three weeks before he could start work and then it would
be another week to do the work. I said that was ok as he had been kept
waiting and appreciated he had other work to do. I called him 3 weeks
later to find out what the progress was and he told me that he was
really busy but he should be starting in the next week or two. Every
week I called him to find out the progress and was told, sorry we are
so busy it'll probably be the following week.

I called him last week and asked again and it turns out that he had
started work on it and that I would have it back last week, or the
start of this week (bearing in mind its 2.5 months later!) I called him
monday to find out when I could collect it and he yet again said that
it wouldn't be this week.

Basically I need to know where I stand now, I don't want to wind him up
too much in case he does a bad job, but I can't take the car elsewhere
because the engine is still open, I have tried every approach and have
been met with no joy. I am getting very frustrated now and think that
because I ordered the parts myself and took some of his profit margin
(I got the cam shaft for £300 when he was quoting £600 for a shaft)
that he is deliberately taking his time and putting other work above
mine.

Some help please!

Do you also bring your own eggs to the restaurant for them to cook your
breakfast? < grin> It sounds to me like the mechanic is doing you a favor by
installing the parts you provided and therefore is more concerned with his
other more profitable customers. After all, you probably cut into his profit
margin. Maybe you should ask him straight out if that is the case, and offer
to pay him enough to make the job worth while so he would get it done.

I do agree that you should avoid winding him up too much. It would probably
only make matters worse. Of course, I do not know all the particulars of
your original agreement, and if he did willingly accept your providing the
parts it may just be that he needs a little goading to get the job finished.
Either way, you both need to communicate and work out an agreement that is
satisfactory . Don't just second guess his motives. Tell him what you think
and ask him to explain the problem.

Good luck

--
Kevin Mouton
Automotive Technology Instructor
"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"
Red Green

Kevin wrote:

>
> Do you also bring your own eggs to the restaurant for them to cook your
> breakfast? < grin> It sounds to me like the mechanic is doing you a favor by
> installing the parts you provided and therefore is more concerned with his
> other more profitable customers.

I bring my one wine when I go to a restaurant. But any way I think
they're more concerned that it could be the wrong part, which would
then throw off their train of thought, etc.