Get the Lube ready for this Quote!

[hypergenesis]

Need some more feedback if anyone can help:


So I started to tally up the machinist receipt and this is what I have come to the conclusion of


I was told 1400-1600 for the rebuild which he now says was just for the bottom end of the engine to be rebuilt. So I went ahead and tallied up all the machinist costs for the bottom end and it was only 1000$ Is it just me or is he just shoving his foot in his mouth because it seems like nothing he has been saying actually matches up.


Thanks
Armin

 

[jimmythesaint]

Let me see if I understand this. You have the engine, but havent paid anything yet. So.... wheres the problem? Maybe I misread something, but you could just cancel the card?

Also, Im pretty sure anything you buy with a VISA automaticly has a warranty through VISA. You could call them and double check. While on the phone with them you could file a complaint against the business through VISA, I know from experience, this works wonders.

Good luck, sounds like you had a gut feeling about getting a quote in writing up front but didnt follow through.

 

[hypergenesis]

Let me see if I understand this. You have the engine, but havent paid anything yet. So.... wheres the problem? Maybe I misread something, but you could just cancel the card?

Also, Im pretty sure anything you buy with a VISA automaticly has a warranty through VISA. You could call them and double check. While on the phone with them you could file a complaint against the business through VISA, I know from experience, this works wonders.

Good luck, sounds like you had a gut feeling about getting a quote in writing up front but didnt follow through.

Interesting I will look into this thanks for that.

Yet again I literally have 5-6 Different times, in writing, /Texts/Face book messages, where I have repeatedly asked him for a written quote as well as the parts that I had brought him. I was always responded with "I need to make revisions based on the machinists quote." Its not like I left my engine there for 5 months and didn't check up.

 

[phunny]

I'd say you had a case until you signed the paperwork. You saw the price and agreed it was okay so it's over. Even if you didn't agree did you wrote anything where you signed gating such?

 

[n0de]

Thing is I haven't Spent any money to it. He gave it to me without me paying anything yet, along with that

By Law, the auto repair shop must provide a written estimate before doing any work. Ask if there is a charge for the estimate. After you have received the estimate, feel free to go to another shop for a second opinion.

A written estimate must include the total estimated price for parts and labor for a specified repair or service. The estimate must also itemize the parts to be used and the method of repair. The repair shop must stick to the method of repair and the parts listed unless you agree in advance to any changes.

In addition to the total amount, the estimate may itemize the parts to be used and the method of repair. If so, the repair shop must stick to it. They may not legally substitute parts or change the repair method without your consent.

The technician will ask you to sign the estimate/work order, which gives the shop permissionto proceed with the work.

Thats from the CA.GOv website, So if what its saying is true,

He never gave me a quote before the work was completed
He didn't tell me it was going over the inital budget
And the quote was brought after completion of the project.

Ok, to be completely fair, regardless of tha fact they did not provide a estimate prior to rendering services, the fact that you signed a paper saying you would pay $2300 then took the motor means that you owe them $2300. If there was something wrong then you should have voiced your concerns about it right then in there instead of signing something you know you shouldn't have had to pay for.

Example: If i went to go purchase a new car and the sales person told me that my payment would be $500/month with no money down, then when I went to sign my loan documentation with the finance manager and he pointed out that my monthly bill would be $700, and I signed it, then it would be obligated to pay $700/mo, not $500/mo.

If there is an issue, speak up. If you felt that they wouldn't give you your motor back, take a picture of the motor with your phone then address the payment issue. Worst case scenario is while things are going through the legal process, if anything happened to your motor you can prove the condition it was in when you started the dispute.

Just to clarify (not that you care), im not disappointed with the fact that you signed the paper obligating you to pay an outrageous $2300 (could have a brand new rebuilt shortblock from buscher racing), I'm disappointed that you (fellow DSM'er) arnt in the right in this situation.

Update - (after reading your other thread) If he has stolen parts from you then this is another story, don't pay him shit, and fight it. Good Luck and keep us updated.

 

[laserspeeddemon]

Since you signed the paper, you pretty much screwed yourself on the $2300. If he sues you for the money he will probably win, however if you have anything in an email/text from THEM about the $1400-$1800 you have a cause for fraud.

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a written quote. Both shops that "screwed" me had given me a written quote before I dropped off the parts. But in my case it was a failure of the shop afterwards, not before. The second shop tried to pull the same stunt. I told them I wanted them to MACHINE WORK ONLY, not to assemble the engine. The next thing I know, I get an email from them and my quote went from $1000 to almost $2000. First I told them: "No, I will not be paying $19xx" Then I asked them to break down the pricing. That's when I discovered that they decided to take it upon themselves to assemble the engine. They did not inform me of this nor did I consent to it, therefore I told them they had the option to deliver the engine to me disassembled or suck of the cost of the assembly. They sucked the cost of the assembly.

A quote works both ways. This is the reason ALL dealerships require a written quote (or at least in Virginia). It protects the shop in the case you decide you want to NOT pay for the repairs and attempt to take your car away. They can hold a mechanics lien against your car. On the flip side, like the shop above they could not legally hold my engine because they never informed nor did I consent to them assembling the engine. They just assumed I'd cave and pay for it (kinda like you did). In another case, Hyundai replaced our ball joints on my 07 Sonata. On the estimate was just the labor and parts to remove and install new ball joints. When my wife picked the car, they added an alignment. This modified the estimate and required extra work that I did not consent to. My wife argued that the charge/work was not on the estimate and they did not call us to get consent. The ball joints themselves did not require the adjustment of any of the alignment bolts so I did not understand why they thought they needed to do it anyway. We walked away with a free alignment. They can not hold a lien against your car or parts that you did not authorize.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

An alignment is entirely prudent after performing a task such as replacing a balljoint. Not informing you prior to performing the alignment is the problem.

 

[laserspeeddemon]

Is it a good idea to get it checked? Sure. Is it absolutely required? No. If removing the ball joint required an alignment, then every time you do any kind of hub removing task (replacing the cv shaft, removing the transmission, etc.) then you would need an alignment and this is not the case.

 

[hypergenesis]

Since you signed the paper, you pretty much screwed yourself on the $2300. If he sues you for the money he will probably win, however if you have anything in an email/text from THEM about the $1400-$1800 you have a cause for fraud.

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a written quote. Both shops that "screwed" me had given me a written quote before I dropped off the parts. But in my case it was a failure of the shop afterwards, not before. The second shop tried to pull the same stunt. I told them I wanted them to MACHINE WORK ONLY, not to assemble the engine. The next thing I know, I get an email from them and my quote went from $1000 to almost $2000. First I told them: "No, I will not be paying $19xx" Then I asked them to break down the pricing. That's when I discovered that they decided to take it upon themselves to assemble the engine. They did not inform me of this nor did I consent to it, therefore I told them they had the option to deliver the engine to me disassembled or suck of the cost of the assembly. They sucked the cost of the assembly.

A quote works both ways. This is the reason ALL dealerships require a written quote (or at least in Virginia). It protects the shop in the case you decide you want to NOT pay for the repairs and attempt to take your car away. They can hold a mechanics lien against your car. On the flip side, like the shop above they could not legally hold my engine because they never informed nor did I consent to them assembling the engine. They just assumed I'd cave and pay for it (kinda like you did). In another case, Hyundai replaced our ball joints on my 07 Sonata. On the estimate was just the labor and parts to remove and install new ball joints. When my wife picked the car, they added an alignment. This modified the estimate and required extra work that I did not consent to. My wife argued that the charge/work was not on the estimate and they did not call us to get consent. The ball joints themselves did not require the adjustment of any of the alignment bolts so I did not understand why they thought thQey needed to do it anyway. We walked away with a free alignment. They can not hold a lien against your car or parts that you did not authorize.

Quick thing yet again I have not payed a thing to them.

Also in recent discovery theres some new news pertaining to this.

1. The 3rd revised invoice that I now have states that all the parts in the head were used, states the same thing in the warranty, and only states that I brought the head crank block rods and pistons to the shop but I also brought new valves, valve guides, and valve stem seals as well as springs and retainers. The invoice says that he gave back all the used parts but everything I gave him to replace I never received back and the invoice states nothing of the parts. I have receipts for them though and dates dropped off. I also have him stating that the invoice is 100% correct to their shops information.

2. After inspection of the engine I found ridiculous amounts of metal shavings all throughout the motor, They charged me for a bore on the block but the measurement says STD+.003 which is a hone job unless I am mistaken.

3. One of the head studs sits about 1/8" higher than the rest, I am assuming due to the fact that they didn't clear the holes for the headstud like BogusSVO mentioned before.

4. The machinist receipt shows a charge for 400$ just to install valve guides, this seemed really fishy.

I will get pictures up shortly,

Also would it be a horrible Idea to tear down the motor? I havent touched it yet just curious