Your problems are 1) you don't know much about cars or what to do about it if something like this happens. Some auto techs but not all auto techs when they see someone that does not know much a car they take them for a ride cash wise. as in for a 10 a year old car and can't find parts that's a bunch of crap. My car is an 06 wife's 04 and both brothers and family 95,74,99,04 for all the years and the hardest one to find parts for is the 74 if you want it original but if he does not want original parts no problem. So you need to learn all that you can about cars first of all. you could learn all that you need to know on youtube most of it is sound but not all but for the most part it will do what you need it to do. 2) You need to learn about how to handle this when a problem like this arises. The more you know about the car repair the less likely you will be taken and when they try to take advantage you will know how to handle it and tell them how you are about to handle it. Most of the time the mechanic will not want this and are more eager to settle this if you are right.
If you haven't already paid for the work to be done, don't. And don't let anyone in this shop touch your car again. It doesn't matter if this is the 2nd or the 13th mechanic to look at your car, this one did not do the job properly (actually, they appear to have made it worse...), but worse than that he expected you to take it back damaged and to pay for it like that. You do NOT want this person or shop touching your car again.
If you already paid for the work, tell the shop you either want most/all of your money back or you're taking them to court (small claims court can be used for this kind of disagreement). If they offer to fix it instead of offering a refund, again, I wouldn't let them touch it. They've already had their chance to prove themselves and they've shown very clearly how they will treat you and your car.
And additionally, I bet they lied to you about parts not being available. Figure out what part(s) were needed and ask at any autoparts store or your car dealer's parts department if the parts are available. If necessary, use that lie against them if you find out they lied. And take photo/video evidence of the job they've done in case you need it in court.
And find someone else to fix it right... Better to find a 3rd shop that fixes it right than worrying about a 2nd shop screwing you over a 2nd time. Good luck.
Tough one. Mechanic tried to do you a favor by using junk yard parts. Now you're proving that no good deed ever goes unpunished. It's not his fault your car is old and new parts aren't available.
On the other hand, he should have explained the risks to you upfront of trying to use junk yard parts. Then you could have made a decision about sharing in the risk.
I suggest you negotiate a settlement with him. You seem to want him to take all the risk. That's simply not fair on your part.
IMHO, he should have turned you down flat and never taken on the job. You have unrealistic expectations about what he should be able to do with an old car.
My old car was almost 30 years old, and I never got, "Well, they don't make that part anymore, so you're going to have to live with it". Only once, and I had it for 10 years, did a mechanic have to search the junkyards for a part. When they take your money to fix it, they can't give it back to you half-assed. Find a new mechanic.
I think you best just get a bother mechanic. It sounds like they just do notknow what they are doing. Mechanic for 46 years, from New Zealand.
Ten year old cars can be a false economy because of the problems they have.
Might be better scraspping it and getting a newer one.
i can find parts for cars that are much older than that. find a different tech to do it.
wtf thats a lousy mechanic" they dont make parts for cars 10 years old" I have cars 40 years old and get parts for it
Took my car in for 2 reasons, battery light flashing and door jammed in the locked position. Mechanic agreed to fix both. He later found out because my car is 10 years old they no longer make the part, so he offered (and assured me it was ok) to get from the junk yard he uses. I get a call today from him the door is fixed and ready. Then he adds the door stays slightly ajar, door light stays on, and electric lock won't work. I tell him not acceptable, I need him to fix it. He says thats what happens with used parts sometimes. He has a 5 star rating online...after this I'm really not sure how.
I literally had to break it down to him that it's not fair nor okay to charge parts and labor and it doesn't work properly. Instead of agreeing to guarantee his work, he tells me used electronic parts are not a guarantee. I tell him that's not my problem. He offered to fix it, he got the part from his trusted junk yard, and he told me he could fix it with no problems. His only reply to that is "well I thought we could".
I swear I have the worst luck with mechanics. He has reluctantly agreed to fix it, however he has come up with a new list of problems with my car. I don't even know what to do at this point. This is the second mechanic to look at my car.
Am I expecting too much? What am I doing wrong? How do I get somebody to just fix a problem and get my car back? I can't even believe I have to ask these questions but I am beyond stressed and my bill keeps going up.
