Rod thrown while dealer was test driving

[GSX-Tasy]

My 95 Eclipse GSX was running a little slower than ususal and a mechanic friend of mine told me to take it to Mitsubishi dealer thinking it was a simple adjustment to the fuel/air mixture. Manager took it for a test ride and did know what the issue was. Technician took it out and threw a rod. Lifters have been clicking ever since I bought it 6 months ago but it did not seem like a major issue. Now the dealer wants to charge me for both towing and technician time ($168).

People have told me that the dealer is responsible for the damage. However, I cannot find any laws on this subject. Has anyone had a similiar experience or know what my options are? Dealer said he could install 100K mile engine for $3400. Why would I want an old engine in my baby?

 

[thekellbeast]

2500 is still crazy to do an engine swap. I see 1g's for sale all the time, sold for parts with running engines for ~500 bucks. Hell, one just needed a tranny and it would have been fine.

2500 can buy you a whole new 1g, mint.

 

[silver bullit]

Well they broke it when it was in there possession, and of course they are gonna say that to cover there ass, but they broke it trying to diagnose it, and tell them you never allowed them to test drive it or take it anywhere but in the shop to be checked out, yet they took it around for a test drive without your say so, so make sure you can prove all or any of this.

 

[Black 95 TSI]

When you take a car to a shop and fill out the paper work, you have to sign it. The reason they want you to sign it is to protect them you are giving them premsiton(sp) to drive your car for any reason

 

[Littlebeeper]

If you were not able to talk yourself out of the $75 well your out $75. I'd forget about the waste of time trynig to get them to pay for the repairs. I'm sure the motor would have let go sooner or later with you driving it. At worst you also learned to NEVER let anyone you don't know to drive your car. These things attract attention and envy and you'd be a fool to beleive a person won't rag on it, tech or not. Shit i have Friends that work for Crysler and they beat on the cars they fix to mimic worst case on their repairs to check their work. Sucks for the owners but hey, you took your car to Satan. That was your 1st mistake

 

[Zenja]

I doubt the technician did anything to break the engine. You said it was running slower than usual, which can easily mean you were knocking, causing timing to get pulled and make the car slower. Knocking hard after a while can kill the engine. Even if the technician did do some hard pulls with it, it seems reasonable considering he was trying to diagnose why it wasn't pulling good.

 

[Raph]

I hate to tell you but you wont win in court, what did the tech do wrong? You came to them withand said you car was running slower then ususal, first off with out a test drive to see what its doin, a tech just cant walk out and touch a car and know whats wrong with it, if your timing is off or air/fuel peoblem will casue major problems depending on how long that car was driving. And second if your mechanic friend was dring the car and the engine went, would you make him pay for a new one, Sorry to vent but i am a tech and im tired of being trashed for stuff like this, trust me I know how some techs test drive cars, if i was the tech i would have asked you to drive the car with me playing passanger, alot of times a tach cant find a problem do everyone has differnt driving styles like i said sorry to vent in your post

Word!

imagine if the tech didnt drive the car.. then you would have pulled out the the dealer lot ,driven 2 miles,and your motor would have gone anyway...

 

[92AndAHalf]

Word!

imagine if the tech didnt drive the car.. then you would have pulled out the the dealer lot ,driven 2 miles,and your motor would have gone anyway...

Right. Sounds like it could have gone at anytime. Just a bad coincidence.