Mechanic at fault?

toetatoe

Hi, I'm looking for advice on an issue I had today. I put new tyres on my 320 coupe and brought it to a tyre centre in the market in Ennis where I was charged 65 euro for four wheel alignment. When I went to pick up the car I'm told the front passenger side has seized and so he couldn't track it. He recommended I bring in to a guy in the Ballybeg business park who could heat it with gas which would get it open and he would then finish the tracking. He tells me this guy is great with Beamers and will look after me well. So over I went. I'm quoted 30 euro to do the job. The guy comes out about 10 mins later and tells me he got it loose but in doing so, bent the tracking bar. I'm now looking at 120 (50 for the part, the rest labour) to have it replaced tomorrow. Was this a simple enough job botched? Any advice?

Anan1

One way of looking at it is that the guy shouldn't have bent the bar. Another is that, if he couldn't open it without damaging it, then it would have had to be replaced anyway. Personally, i'd lean more towards the second option - i've had to have seized components replaced for tracking before. The underside of a car is a harsh environment.

djimi

I think if it were a case of him having to bend the tracking bar, he should have at least informed you that it was going to involve an extra cost first. Not a very professional way of handling the situation, even if it was necessary, as it makes it look like he botched the job.

Sisu200

I agree with option 2, if it was that seized, it could have lead to other problems, would be as well to change it and be finished with it, what if he had got it opened unbent but the threads were knackered and no one seen it

Anan1

Anan1 wrote: »

One way of looking at it is that the guy shouldn't have bent the bar. Another is that, if he couldn't open it without damaging it, then it would have had to be replaced anyway. Personally, i'd lean more towards the second option - i've had to have seized components replaced for tracking before. The underside of a car is a harsh environment.

Excellent post in fairness and is the way to look at it.

a_v525

Might be a bit off-relevance but €65 for four wheel alignment??

Head to the tyre & exhaust centre on the Limerick road, beside Francie Daly's.

Got my 4 wheels balanced & alignment done for €45.

TJJP

toetatoe wrote: »

I'm quoted 30 euro to do the job. The guy comes out about 10 mins later and tells me he got it loose but in doing so, bent the tracking bar. I'm now looking at 120 (50 for the part, the rest labour) to have it replaced tomorrow. Was this a simple enough job botched? Any advice?

I've had this tracking issue on a BMW before, always knew there was something not right, so when they identified the issue I was glad to get it sorted and it improved the car.

I paid a lot more than you're being quoted though, €120 isn't bad in my experience. Does it include a discount from the €30 you were being charged (or have paid)? If they are not charging you the €30 or it's included then €120 seems even better. All in all, and while it's a bit of a pain, you're getting the problem sorted for €120.

Not what you need I’m sure, but all in all not unfair I’d say. You should have been warned of the risk in the attempted repair that’s true, but if it was identified as beyond repair at first would you have just left it be? I wouldn't.

choo choo man

Is your car an english import by any chance ?

toetatoe

Many thanks for the input guys.
Yup, choo choo man, it's originally from England, why d'you ask?
The car's booked in for a service with a specialist next Monday so I called into him today to ask his advice before I did anything.
Firstly, he said gas should never be taken to a car in this way as it can cause serious damage to the parts. Of course this is his opinion only.
Secondly he quoted almost half of what the original mechanic would like to charge me.
Being female and not too savvy with the mechanical side of thing, I can't help feeling like this guy was trying to take my wallet for a ride. Having asked around, like I should have done in the first place!, I understand the original mechanic has a rep for sub-standard work. Perhaps I'm wronging him here, but I certainly won't be going back.

gofaster_s13

toetatoe wrote: »

Yup, choo choo man, it's originally from England, why d'you ask?
.

English cars suffer terribly from rust due to road salting over there, if it was seized so badly that it needed heating then chances are it was never going to be freed out without damage being caused, its just one of the joys of motoring:D

sundodger5

as stated above 2 ways to look at it. if seized it technically needed replacing or you can not track it.
They tried to free it using heat (a common practice)
it was so badly seized that the component got damaged.
you are back at it needed replacing... if it had worked you would have saved a few euro. it didnt work so you have to replace.
no loss.