dllhg

I have a local Indy shop I have gone to for 15 years now with the same owner. He used to always give me my car back by the next morning or by noon the following day at the latest.

So I drop my car off over 4 weeks ago to him for a hard starting condition I have had for some time now. I gave him detailed notes on exactly what it has been doing and what I have done to date to fix it. He states he will be able to really take a look at it over the next couple days.

For the next two weeks all he did was test drive it and scan it once. Leaves my car outside to get totally filthy. Every time I go in its the same thing , "ill get right on it, been super busy" etc etc etc. End of week two I decide I am going to just take my car back if he hasnt worked on it. I go in to find he took my blower and intake manifold off because he thought I may have a leak in the gasket even though he didn't verify this with smoke or any other method. Looking at gasket it sure looked fine.

End of week 3 he finally tells me two injectors aren't spraying a good pattern. So I order two injectors overnight last Friday. Come in Monday and he hasn't done anything to car at all. Tuesday same thing. I told him I just want my car back by the end of the week. Put it back together and give it back. He agrees but of course he doesn't follow through.

Today/Thur I go in and talk to one of his mechanics. His worker even said it was crazy and he didn't know why they weren't being told to work on it. I come back later in the day and corner the owner once again. Same BS AGAIN. He goes on to tell me that if it was some simple part he could order in 15 minutes like his other jobs it would be easy. He even goes on to tell me about the car he was working on while I was there and how he got it today and was easy etc. I asked him why he wasn't working on my car he had had for over four weeks ! Lots more BS excuses and says he might have to come in early morning or on the weekend to put it back together.

I was so pissed on my drive home. At this point I am thinking I need to go in and tell him he needs to give my car back to me by the end of the day. He didn't even have an invoice when I dropped it off so there is nothing signed or anything. I was thinking of having a tow truck come if he can't put it back together and possibly having to sue him for the cost of having someone else put it back together.

The whole thing is bizarre to me. I can't understand WTF he is thinking. Drugs ? Maybe he saw my car at another mechanics so he is pissed at me and making me pay ? Or he knows its not my only car and put it on back burner......

Ron'sGS

If I was you, my car ( and my business ) would've been gone a long time ago. 4 weeks time to find another mechanic.

Don-Vette

Obviously the guy is screwing you over. Go there and demand he put the car back together immediately and have it towed to another shop!!! or just have it towed out of there immediately "as is" . I wouldn't pay him a freaking penny either!!

PAULEB07

Get the car and never go back to him!

enventr

As others stated - get the car out of there. After you can file a complaint with the BBB and never go back. I'm sure you can find a specialist corvette repair mechanic in your area. Ask any corvette clubs near you who they use

Patsgarage

If this was a shop that you had no history with I might agree that he is screwing with you, but 15 years is a long time. Talk to him, maybe he has a reason for his actions. You may also want to think having a modified car if you cannot work on it yourself. Most general repair shops do not have the time/patience/knowledge to deal with those cars. If you absolutely have to have the car worked on by somebody else, find a local specialty shop that can do the work.

BadAV

Yep, get the car the he!! out of there, even if you have to have it flat bedded as-is. He obviously doesn't want to work on it. No way in he!! would I have been as patient as you have been. Good luck getting your issue sorted out after you get the car back.

RicardoFors68

This, maybe the shop screwed something up and are trying to find a solution to it, which would come up as soon as an experienced corvette tech troubleshoots it.
Maybe not, in the pro wrench world, cars that can be "in and out" are preferred over days-long jobs in which you might not end up making a bigger margin of profit. Especially on year's long customer in which you know loyalties are at stake.
Then again, you being a repeat customer should have warranted an above average service. Either way, good luck, and let us know what became of it

ruxvette

I'm not sure the OP is looking for advice or just venting.
Certainly, the experience is frustrating. However, I think you might have trouble flat-bedding the car out of his shop without paying him for worked performed (good or bad). Make sure you now how mechanic's liens are handled in your jurisdiction.
Me? I would probably visit the guy daily, kiss him on the cheek, get my car back, and see what my options are. Just sayin...

unixcorn

Best advice yet. I would go to the shop and nicely tell him I want to drive the car home tonight and I will be waiting there all day, if necessary, until I can. If it's not fixed, that's ok too. Most important part of the whole process is to be nice no matter how much it hurts.

I think that as owners, we let this sort of thing happen to us. We drop the car off and forget about it until Friday or it's a nice day, and then we call complaining about how long it's been. The mechanic probably knows it's a second car so he figures he can take his time. It's up to us to provide the expectations and them to tell us if they can't be met.

jrose7004

I would have the car towed out of there before the end of the day! I wouldn't put up with it.

Jughead

Find another shop, after a while they take regular customers for granted. I went to a new shop and was in and out of there in no time.

cclive

I'm thinking that he has no idea what is wrong and so doesn't want to start putting lots of time into it if he thinks that he will not be able to charge you for all that time.

BadgeZ28

Yep, pull the car without paying the bill is a no no. He then has all the cards in his hand. So, you can pull the car and pay his bill or wait. Definitely file a complaint on the business when the car is back home with the State attorney generals office. Most have a on line form you can submit. Give dates and how many times you have been delayed by the guy.

dllhg

Well after a crappy night sleep I went into the shop at 8 AM this morning to talk to him.
As usual he was polite etc. He finally did say it was because it was my second car and he is super backed up. He said I was right it shouldn't have taken this long and actually apologized. I flat out asked him if he was upset with me for some reason and he right away said not at all and said "You're great". He told me he couldn't guarantee to have it for me today but could tomorrow. Said he and his other mechanic are coming in tomorrow on his day off so they can take care of this.

I asked him if I had his word it would be ready for me tomorrow and he said absolutely and shook my hand while looking me in the eye.

I doubt the problem I took it in for is even going to be fixed. Said intake gasket was leaking but it looked okay to me. A couple injectors weren't spraying evenly but not clogged or leaking. My last guess is the Magnavolt for fuel system. Magnuson told me how to bypass it to verify if that is it or not. I passed it on to the Indy but at this point I just want him to put it back together and let me drive away.


Soo...... We shall see tomorrow.

96GS#007

He's a basic repair shop, not one that does specialty trouble-shooting on modified cars.

He should have leveled with you upfront that this was going to take some time with no guarantee he'd solve it. Can't have mechanics tied up on a money loser but can't leave a customer hanging. Poor approach on his part.

acesx4

Have it towed out of their & find yourself a new mechanic!!

dllhg

Well I guess he was blowing sunshine up my a*s Friday..... Drove by shop on Sat and no one was around. He didnt call my home or cell phone. Looking like he bold faced lied to me this time. Looked me in the eye on Friday saying I have his word he would get it done Sat. Said he and his helper were both coming in to put it together.

The damn thing just needs to have intake and super charger put back on. I honestly don't think it needed to be removed. He is saying it was leaking but provided no evidence of this. I did not approve him removing it and tearing things apart like this. He was supposed to check the injectors first and get back to me. Gasket looked fine but I guess you never know. Keeps talking about it being a project. Its a freaking intake gasket. First time I ever saw this guy 15 years ago I dropped my car off the night before. He replaced the intake gasket under a supercharger similar to this and called me before noon the next day to pick it up. Don't know WTF is happening with him now.

I don't know how I will react tomorrow when I go in if he hasn't done anything since I talked to him Friday morn. I may have to contact an attorney since I can't legally just tow the car away without his permission. He clearly seems to be jerking me off big time now.

So pissed

ruxvette

Wow, I understand. But...be nice, kiss him on the cheek, get your car back, and pursue your options.

RoadkingC6

You will probably have to pay his bill to get the car flat bedded out of there, once you pay his bill he has to release the car, then you can take legal action to try and recoup your losses. I would try to not lose my temper nothing good can come from that except for a police intervention and him possiby having you removed from his property, in the end i think you would win if it had to go to court. It's definitely time to get the car out of there. Good Luck