# Help me flame my mechanic! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 30, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595 "2002-05-30T19:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/1 "2002-05-30T19:08:49Z")
Please? Long story short, my car’s been back to the same people to be fixed 3 times, each time it works fine for a week or so (just long enough for me to tell the follow up call it seems to be working) and then breaks down in exactly the same way again. Around 2000 dollars and my car not only hasn’t been fixed, but keeps stranding me in different locals – twice at the airport and once at a drive-through. Anyhoo, as I don’t usually get mad with complete strangers I was hoping some people could give me tips on what to say to try and get them to fix it for free when I call them tomorrow. Any takers? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/2 "2002-05-30T19:24:33Z")
tell them your lawyer will be in contact with them. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/3 "2002-05-30T21:19:20Z")
Does Australia have an equivalent of the US Better Business Bureau? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/4 "2002-05-30T21:52:10Z")
Do they keep charging you to fix the same thing they supposedly fixed before? ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/5 "2002-05-30T22:08:07Z")
Whats been getting fixed? ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/6 "2002-05-30T22:27:39Z")
Different things each time, but with nothing that’s actually stopping the problem. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/7 "2002-05-30T22:37:27Z")
Can you be a little more vague? What is _THE PROBLEM_?? What are the different things they have been fixing? C’mon… info, info… First bit of advice, don’t call the BBB (or your equiv) unless you know damn well your right, or else you’ll wind up looking like the ass. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/8 "2002-05-31T00:37:59Z")
I _could_ be more vague, I suppose… Okay okay, battery was running out of power for no apparant reason and the car wasn’t starting. Took it in and they said the battery was fine but the alternator was broken, got that fixed. ~ $1000 dollars (500 bucks US) Car was fine, 2 weeks later, same breakdown. Dunno what they fixed cause my mum took care of it for me (was in Canada for a funeral) but it cost $1600 dollars (so 800 bucks US). Just took the car in cause of the latest breakdown, got a call 5 mins ago saying the battery is shot and they’re replacing it, 500 bucks. I’m still planning on hashing it out when I pick the car up, so advice still wanted!!! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/9 "2002-05-31T01:06:48Z")
$250 US for a new battery??? :eek: Find a new mechanic! ---
**Author:** ![tigergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@tigergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tigergirl)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/10 "2002-05-31T01:41:10Z")
Sorry **silent** , you’re getting ripped. There is no way they can justify that amount of money for the work that’s been done IMO. Do they give you an itimised tax invoice? Because as I understand it they have to detail all charges by law to conforn with GST requirements and such. A battery should cost you less than $100 fully installed. My advise would be to rip them a new asshole and find another mechanic. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/11 "2002-05-31T02:05:41Z")
Well, yeah I’m planning on ripping them, I’m just not sure what to say. That’s the point of this thread. Would the car being a Mercedes make much difference to the pricing? ---
**Author:** ![BalmainBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@BalmainBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BalmainBoy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/12 "2002-05-31T02:29:19Z")
…probably made a difference to THEM: “Aha! An imperialist running dog worker-suppressor! Soak the rich!” $120 for a battery. $400 to replace alternator. 2nd visit not itemised at this stage. Your quoted prices are right over the top. I would complain to the owner of the repair shop about their piece-meal and overpriced work practises. If, like me, it’s hard to do face-to-face, write it down and hand-deliver it. State in the letter you will approach the Qld equivalent of the (NSW) Department of Consumer Affairs due to lack of satisfaction and general ripped-off-ness, unless they do something about it NOW. For what you’ve paid and the number of visits made, they should offer to take it in and fix it all gratis. ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/13 "2002-05-31T02:35:00Z")
There appears to be some sort of electrical problem that they can’t figger out, and are gonna let you pay for it until they do. I’m sure Mercedes, being a luxury vehile, has higher repair fees, but it still appears you’re getting reamed. I’d find another mechanic, take them your receipts to show what’s been done so far, and ask his/her opinion. I’d venture they’d agree that these people are incompetent, and then look into legal action. Not only for your vehicle repairs, but the time/expense/trouble of having to repeatedly get a tow. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/14 "2002-05-31T07:40:56Z")
Okay, NOW I’M PISSED OFF!!! I went to pick it up (100 bucks for testing the battery and telling me everything seems to check out) and when I tried to get out of paying they pulled the cash up front or gosh, I’m sorry sir but we’ll have to hold the car. When I tried to put of paying a week (so I could eat, with my mum overseas and me house-sitting I’m on a tight budget) they wouldn’t go for it. So I’m out food money for a week. If only I didn’t need my car. Damn. On a lighter note I think the blood all over the passenger seat completely grossed out one of the mechanics :). ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/15 "2002-05-31T12:47:04Z")
What is the labor charge per hour at the shop? What is the labor, in hours, to do said job? It _is_ a Mercedes. When I was working at the parts store part-time I recall good quality batteries for regular cars being…hmm…avg $55 to $80, but a Mercedes battery would easily cost $130. I can only imagine what the cost of an alternator would be. What is the year/model/size of your engine? I may be able to do some research to see if they are actually ripping you off. If it was like a GM or Nissan, I’d say yeah, they are ripping the shit out of you, but the Mercedes part can make it a big _if_. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-flame-my-mechanic/111595/16 "2002-05-31T16:57:15Z")
Well, it does sound like you’re getting ripped off. But, your Mercedes probably takes a group 42 battery which is kind of odd, hence a bit of a premium. I would guess, oh, $100 or so (a price I pulled out of my ass). $20 to install (they should do it for free). Alternator? Guessing $200 (once again, a guess). Probably a couple hours to install. Yep, I could see $500. \*\* NOTE \*\* If it is a Diesel, inflate these prices grotesquely. Now, you say they charged you $100 to “test the battery” and it is fine. My guess, is they did an AVR for that price which actually tests your entire charging system. SO. If they replaced your alternator (which probably has an integral regulator) and battery, and say everything tests fine, you seem to be getting screwed. You’ve paid for daignosis, you’ve paid for the parts, and they are still failing. That’s what the diagnosis is for… so they can tell you what is wrong. However, the alternator if it indeed went again (you said the same breakdown[sup]\*[/sup]) it should have been covered under warranty (unless they put something used in… even then it could have been). So, the second time it failed as long as you went to the same shop they should have covered it. Even if the car was taken to a different shop, I would bitch and ask for some compensation. And a bad alternator can indeed ruin a battery. - - Be careful with “same breakdown”. A number of things can make a car not start. Since you don’t know what was replaced the second time it is possible it was something unrelated. Can you get a copy of the bill?