do you still pay the amount?

[rh71]

- car brought in to fix a check transmission light
- flushed transmission + fan added assuming this will fix the problem = $300
- problem remains, says sorry repeatedly that he can't find the problem.

Do we argue the $300 or pay?

 

[KLin]

Did he get the diagnostic code being reported by the computer?

EDIT: And I think you should pay for the work done already since it's preventative maintenance to get your transmission flushed.

 

[spidey07]

Pay in full. He performed a service, you pay for the full service parts and labor.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Pay in full. He performed a service, you pay for the full service parts and labor.

hmm he paid to fix a problem. the mechanic mis diagnosed it.

i say argue and get some off. should it be free? no. but it cost you $300 you didn't need to spend now

 

[dquan97]

I would try to negotiate to pay a partial amount, since his main job was to fix the problem, not just to replace transmission fluid.

 

[BoomerD]

Where was this done? Independant shop? Dealer?

I agree that even if it didn't fix the problem, you have an oblication to pay for the service done, HOWEVER, if the transmission is FUBAR'd, they should have caught that before doing the service, and you shouldn't have to pay.

 

[OdiN]

A tranny flush and...a fan = $300??

What kind of fan?

It isn't all that difficult to flush a tranny.

 

[waffleironhead]

Next time take the car to a transmission place, not just a local repair shop.

 

[rh71]

- he did spend a whole week with it as it was an intermittent problem
- code was supposedly just "overheating" of some sort... said transmission is fine... hence the cooler fan that I looked up to be somewhere between $80-150. Then you add labor. He's saying an electrical problem now.
- independent mechanic my dad has gone to for years... I'm not going back there again. Should've gone to a tranny specialist to begin with... but at the time I suspected it was just a faulty sensor that those specialists may gouge you for.

I don't have a problem paying him for the time spent on it, but it just sucks that I'm going to be spending more someplace else after this. Was wondering what you people would do.

 

[poopaskoopa]

My stepfather owns a transmission shop. That's not to say that I know anything about transmissions. However, $300 is a strange amount. Usually flushes don't cost that much, and if it's a flush doesn't fix it(and personally, I don't know if it's supposed to fix anything... I think it's supposed to be a preventive maintenance thing), you gotta get it rebuilt, and that's way more than $300. I guess adding a fan takes some time?

Is this a transmission shop or dealership?

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: OdiN
A tranny flush and...a fan = $300??

What kind of fan?

It isn't all that difficult to flush a tranny.

Tranny flush is normally in the neighborhood of $100 AFAIK. So I'd guess two hours of labor plus parts for the fan.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Pay it. You aren't paying to have a problem fixed. You're paying for services rendered.

 

[OdiN]

What kind of car?

If it's the X5 then I don't feel sorry for you.

If you can find out what the actual codes are and do some research that may help. With overheating stuff it could just be a faulty thermostat or something like that somewhere.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Pay it. You aren't paying to have a problem fixed. You're paying for services rendered.

BS. You are paying for a problem to be fixed.

I'm not saying don't pay, but I'd try to negotiate it down. Tranny flush is good prev. maint. so at least there is that. But if the fan wasn't bad and it was replaced - I wouldn't want to pay for that.

 

[rh71]

Yes, I bought the X5 at a garage sale and so it doesn't come with a full warranty. It's funny I'm getting more diagnostic responses out here than here.

 

[OdiN]

Problem is that BMW electical issues could be a pain in the ass. Depending on the issue, you may want to bite the bullet and find a better place that deals more specifically with foreign (German) cars. I'd say take it to a dealer, but I hate dealers.

Usually you can take the car to a place like AutoZone and use a code checker for free or a small fee.

Also - once codes are thrown to the ECU, you have to follow a specific procedure to clear the code after performing work to see if the code is thrown again. I would assume any mechanic would know to do that though. You may try clearing the code yourself and see what happens. If you don't have any drivability problems and don't hear any strange noises and it doesn't feel different than normal, then you are most likely fine to drive it for a bit to see if that code comes back.

 

[rh71]

^ thx for trying to help - it's an Isuzu Rodeo and I was being sarcastic. Like I said in the garage thread, there's no more Isuzu dealers to bring it to.

I'll ask more details about him diagnosing the code and if it returned with the same one.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: dquan97
I would try to negotiate to pay a partial amount, since his main job was to fix the problem, not just to replace transmission fluid.

I agree.

 

[Leros]

Before I was good at dealing with computers, I took a computer that was randomly restarting to a computer shop to get it looked at. They spent three hours working on it before they gave up which lead them to charge me $120 ($40 an hour). I told the guy I'd give him $30 since he tried and failed. He agreed.

I say try to talk him down a bit.

 

[OdiN]

It's a Rodeo?

Dude...if you find the codes, I know some people. I'm part of a 4x4 club here and there are a few people I know which may have run into a similar issue with a Rodeo before.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Pay it. You aren't paying to have a problem fixed. You're paying for services rendered.

thats bullshit.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Pay it. You aren't paying to have a problem fixed. You're paying for services rendered.

thats bullshit.

Depends. If the mechanic said "I can fix that problem for $300" then you're right.
But, more likely, he said "We can do a tranny flush and add a cooling fan for $300, and that should fix the problem" in which case, yes, it's services rendered.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Pay it. You aren't paying to have a problem fixed. You're paying for services rendered.

BS. You are paying for a problem to be fixed.

I'm not saying don't pay, but I'd try to negotiate it down. Tranny flush is good prev. maint. so at least there is that. But if the fan wasn't bad and it was replaced - I wouldn't want to pay for that.

If you go to the doctor and he thinks you have cancer and orders an MRI or exploratory surgery which comes back negative, do you pay for it? Just because the problem isn't fixed (or didn't exist) doesn't mean you shouldn't pay for the services they performed.

 

[Injury]

Depends on what you sign when you were quoted the price. If you didn't get a confirmation that this will fix the problem you shouldn't have approved the work to be done. If the mechanic didn't get an approval to do the work to your car before you agreeing to the estimate, I don't believe you are liable for the costs, but not because the problem wasn't fixed and more because you weren't given a fair quote.

At the minimum, the mechanic should eat the labor costs. If not, this person isn't worth going to EVER... because it's downright bullshit to charge a person for not doing the what they asked. I mean, they can't exactly un-do the work they did and take their parts back, but they can sure as hell not charge you for both your and their time wasted.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: joshsquall

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Pay it. You aren't paying to have a problem fixed. You're paying for services rendered.

BS. You are paying for a problem to be fixed.

I'm not saying don't pay, but I'd try to negotiate it down. Tranny flush is good prev. maint. so at least there is that. But if the fan wasn't bad and it was replaced - I wouldn't want to pay for that.

If you go to the doctor and he thinks you have cancer and orders an MRI or exploratory surgery which comes back negative, do you pay for it? Just because the problem isn't fixed (or didn't exist) doesn't mean you shouldn't pay for the services they performed.

If a plumber comes over to your house to fix a leak, spends six hours working, and your sink is still leaking, would you pay him? I sure as hell wouldn't pay him fully.