Problems with a mechanic -- what are my options
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Anonymous
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I chose a mechanic to do some routine maintenance on an Audi, and they did it about 2 months ago. Last week, my car started overheating and I got all sorts of error messages. I did some online research, which indicated it was the thermostat that was broken. I took it into the mechanic, and they said it's not the thermostat, it's a bad fan that needs to be replaced. So I agreed to let them replace the fan ($$). They called me today after replacing the fan and said that when they went to do the diagnostic, the car overheated again, and they are now saying the thermostat needs to be replaced (more $$).
What are my options here? I do not trust this mechanic anymore. I don't want them touching the car further. I've never had an experience like this before and don't know what, if anything, I can do. Even if I decline to have them replace the thermostat, I'll owe them money for the fan that apparently didn't even need to be replaced. Help. |
Anonymous
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It could be both are in need of replacement. There's no harm in getting both replaced. At this point, you may just want to suck it up and get both done, then never use that mechanic again.
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Anonymous
| Audi owner here. How old is the car and what model? |
Anonymous
But it's an extra $900. The harm done is that I think they've replaced something that didn't need replacing. In fact, how do I even know that they replaced the fan at all? |
Anonymous
By law (at least in MD), you have a right to the old part. Ask them for it. |
Anonymous
It's an A4, 2010. I hope you're not the mechanic in disguise. If so, please don't do anything mean because I can't afford it. |
Anonymous
I doubt mechanics cruise DCUM during the day 
That's the B8 line of the A4 platform. We had a 2008 A4 and a 2012 A4. On an 8-year old car, it's not surprising if both the fan and thermostat are going bad. Both are moving parts subject to high temperatures. Up to you if you want to take it elsewhere to get the work done though. |
Anonymous
Thanks-- maybe I'm being paranoid. It was just running so well until I took it into their shop, and everything has gone to heck since then. It could be a coincidence I guess. |
Anonymous
| Ask them to break it all down cost wise. Ask if they checked the thermostat before replacing the fan. Tell them it's way to much can they cut you a brake in the labor costs. Ask them to keep the old one for you. In the future always start with the cheapest repairs first. You may also want to invest in your own code reader. The card computer will tell you what's wrong. |
Anonymous
| This is why owning European cars older than 5 years or 80,000 miles is a bad idea. |
Anonymous
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When I was in Alexandria 25+ years ago, I had a situation where the mechanic actually disconnected something in my car (when they called me with the quote I told them I couldn'y afford it - I think they had already repaired!). I ended up filing a complaint with the Alexandria Dept of Consumer Affairs. They got the original mechanic to pay me back what I had paid them (to do a small part of the large repairs they had sugfested) AND the costs at the second mechanic. The second mechanic told me that something had been disconnected and there was no way it had happened by accident...
If you are not in Alexandria, there is probably a similar agency wherever you live.... |
Anonymous
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Odds are both are broken. Replacing one thing and then realizing something else is broken is not that unusual. Yes it sucks they did not do the thermostat first, so you would feel better about it.
Some garages are bad at diagnosing. |
Anonymous
Wow. How very helpful you are to the OP! Not!!!!! If you are a single Female - It is likely that you were ripped off. |
Anonymous
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A couple weeks ago I had to take in my car for a weird noise I had diagnosed as a cracked wheel bearing. That's exactly what it was. $900 later it was returned to me with a new wheel bearing and an alignment.
NEXT DAY I am driving home and my car is making a FAR worse noise on the right side of the car. Honestly sounded like thenbottom was falling out. I have NEVER had any mechanical issues with this vehicle so this seems really too coincidental to not be correlated. Take it in and they say oh yeah, now your back right bearing is damaged, possibly from the alignment we did but we can't be sure, it could've also been damaged already. So we have to fix that bearing but we won't charge you for another alignment. $1600 in two days. Bottom line: your car will typically leave a mechanic with additional issues. This scenario doesn't surprise me in the least. I *swear* they f*ck with stuff while they're in there that causes additional problems you have to come back to address. I hate mechanics. |
Anonymous
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The chain of events sounds completely plausible to me. It sucks, but they aren't necessarily taking advantage of you. I had my 7 year old car in and out of the shop over the last couple of months for a total of nearly $3,000 in three separate, unrelated, repairs. When it rains, it pours.
Then again, unless you are a mechanic yourself, you never really know if they are screwing with you. It sucks. I think you just have to pay to have the repairs done and then decide if you trust them or not in deciding if you want to go back there in the future. It's kind of hard to get a second opinion on something like this (as opposed to a recommended service or persistent problem that keeps coming up where you can just take the car to another shop). They've got you. |