Car's stuck in Kentucky

[nickrule99]

Hey guys...

I bought a car with a bad tranny back on the 7th. I had everything worked out with the guy, he took it to a tranny shop in Louisville, who I had already talked to. I wanted to have the tranny dropped and taken out, shipped to Shep, then have then put it back in when he sent it back. The owner says sure, no problem, get the car to us and we'll take car of everything. I was told it would cost around $500 for the labor, plus shipping charges.. so I say ok, Ill have it dropped off.

Well, I called on the 8th to be sure the car got there, which it did. The guy I talked to says they'll take it out either that day or the next, and it will be sent out the 10th.

Well, I called shep on the 14th to see if he got it yet. He said the shop had just called him asking if he wanted the transfer case with it or not. So I called up the shop, they say "yeah, we didnt know if he needed it or not, but it will be sent out tomorrow and he should have it by the end of the week." I was going to florida on the 15th-23rd and had a plane ticket for the 26th to fly down to kentucky to pick it up, so shep said theres no way it could be rebuilt that quick, since the shop took a week longer to send it to him, unless I wanted a new one, then he'd have to know by the 17th, and I might need one anyways cause the tranny was pretty messed up.

Hoping shep had it by the 17th, I called and he said he hadnt gotten it yet. So, now theres no chance of making my timeframe, and I dont want to deal with this on vacation, I dont call the shop in Kentucky. Well, I got home today, called them up and they said the tranny is STILL there. They didnt have a stamp or something needed to have ups pick it up.

I've had enough of this shop. Its excuse after excuse why it hasnt been shipped out yet. I ask the guy how much I owe them now, considering Ive had to cancel a flight and all, and he says $377.50 They want $377.50 to just drop the tranny. I told him to have the owner call me and that was it.

Now, my question, is there any was I can get around paying the full $377? Im pretty sure Im just gonna have to eat it. He said it was now going to be $670 to drop the tranny and install it again. So why more than half to just drop it?

I can't do a damn thing being in mass, and since the car doesnt run, I cant very well take it somewhere else.

Anyone have any suggustions? or do I have to eat the $377 and figure something else out?

 

[Omega]

Never, never, never, never have a shop in a different area work on your car. Especially something like this.

You should have got him to send you an invoice for the original quote. Get shit like this in writing. You can try and tell him that the original charge was $500 but I doubt that will get you anywhere. He knows you are out of state and won't take the time to goto small claims court there.

Sorry, I know it doesn't taste good.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

If you pay it, You are crazy. I paid my shop guy $40.00 and we dropped the tranny 3 times in the same nite. Taking a tranny out is not hard at all. It might look hard, But once you are there with the tools, It's easy work. Don't pay the money, Fight it.

 

[nickrule99]

I called 2 more of the same shop in Loiusville, and quoted me $450-500 to remove and put in another transmission for a 1995 Eclipse GSX, and I made it clear it was AWD.

So Im going to talk to the owner tomorrow and tell him that they originally quoted me $500, and it was supposed to be shipped out 2 weeks ago. I'll be in concact with this companys nationwide customer service as well, probably wont get me anywhere, but charging me double is bullshit.

Anyone know a cheap way to get it towed 330 miles? Or anyone want to make a quick buck?

I'll let you guys know what comes of me talkin to the owner tomorrow.

-Nick

 

[91orangeGST]

Legally they cant charge you more than 15% of the origanal quoted price. So if you get them to admit that they quoted 500 then you can take them to court, but it may not be worth your time.

 

[nickrule99]

Yeah, if the owner says its going to stay at $377 then Ill have to pay it. I'm not going to take them to court, ect. The money Id spend on a plane ticket would negate anything I might gain by doing that.

Guess I should have gotten it in writing, but they're a national shop... didnt think they'd screw me. Live and learn.

 

[nickrule99]

I just got off the phone with the owner, and he was trying to tell me the original quote was $650. Basicially, we argued back and forth, and I told him the other 3 of the same shops in Louiville all said $450-500, so why am I being charged an additonal $150.

I got it down to $525 + shipping, and I made sure that he fax me a qoute saying labor will be $525, plus the actual cost for fedex, and it will be sent out by the 29th.

So, yeah, Im still getting raped, but not as bad as before... atleast I feel I acomplished something.