Car repair bill--need advice

[Anonymous]

DH brought our 20 year old car to a service station that we do not usually use for this car, because the air conditioner wasn't working too well. Service people evaluated it and said it needed to be recharged and cleaned and the bill would be $230. DH said to do the work. The service people said they got the air conditioning working and then it blew. They said the cost to put in a new air conditioner would be $900 on top of the $230 we already owe. This is a 20 year old car that probably isn't worth more than $500 (but worth the cost of a car payment--money we don't have right now--to keep it running). So of course I will not put in a new air conditioner, but am I responsible for the whole $230? I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but trust me it is for us right now (remember I drive a 20 year old car!). I feel like if anything, we should only be responsible for the parts and the company should not bill us for the labor charges because: 1) they are giving us the car back in worse shape than when we dropped it off; and 2) how do we know it wasn't something they did that caused the a/c to blow?

WWYD?

[Anonymous]

I would resist paying. You only have their word for what happened between the time you dropped it off and the time you picked it up. All you know is that your AC was iffy then, and it's non-existent now. I wouldn't even pay them for the parts. I'd just say "can't do it, huh? Ok then, bye."

[Anonymous]

Go to the mechanic. Tell them you won't charge them for breaking the AC. Take the car elsewhere and tell them the other guy said he could replace the AC for $700.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the advice. I'm thinking that DH and I should go in together this weekend and talk with the mechanic. Since they have my car, there is only so much I can do I imagine, if I want my car back (I do, even if it's broken), but I just can't see paying for a service that left my car in worse shape than when I brought it in. Uugh, I know some people thrive on confrontation, but I hate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to the mechanic. Tell them you won't charge them for breaking the AC. Take the car elsewhere and tell them the other guy said he could replace the AC for $700.

I like this.

You pay for results, not good intentions. Do not pay this mechanic.

[Anonymous]

I think they should fix the AC for the $230 they originally contracted for plus maybe for the extra parts they now need. None of that extra $900 stuff since the car was still under their care when it blew. Otherwise, I almost think they owe you $ for damaging your car.

[Anonymous]

Adding freon pressurizes the system, to over-simplify the situation. Did it blow a huge hole? Did the compressor go? Why exactly does it need to be replaced?

There have been changes in freon laws by the EPA in the last 20 years. They didn't outlaw the old kind, they just made it ridiculously expensive. Did they retrofit the old freon and add the new kind to find the problem? Did they top off the freon with older, expensive kind? (unlikely)

[Anonymous]

OP here again. We didn't do anything yet.

We may talk to an attorney (through work EAP program we get a free 1/2 hour consultation with one). But I'm curious about the last poster's comment. From what DH said, they filled the freon back to original levels (said it was low), not sure what type of freon they used, but it seems to me they should have known better than to do that on a 20 year old car because maybe a 20 year old A/C couldn't handle working at 100%. I do not know what "a/c blew" means--e.g. just broke, hole, etc. The engine is only about 10 years old but I think everything else is original. The car has been maintained over the years...only two owners, and the first was my mom. I wonder if the only way to get answers to these questions is to get the car back.

I did talk with a lawyer friend who said I would need to pay first and then sue in small claims court if I couldn't work out something with the shop. I'm not sure I want that hassle.

We will need to get the car back next week some time, as carpooling is quite difficult, so I do need to figure out the best way to handle this. Thanks for all the advice!

[Anonymous]

Go back in pissed - they broke your car! They should fix it and charge you the original estimate. It isn't a matter of them finding another problem along the way...The least they can do it meet you half way, but seriously, I would fight to not have to pay for the ac to be fixed.

[Anonymous]

This is the 8/15 10:00.

Adding freon when it is low is the only thing to do to find the problem. If it was leaking, it was only a matter of time (possibly several weeks) before the a/c stopped working entirely. The mechanic was in line with proper steps and it really is not their fault it broke, assuming "breaking it" means a larger freon leak.

To be completely honest, once a car a/c gets a leak and the lines get contaminated, the chances of further leaks are much higher.