Should I get a refund back at the car shop?

[imported_ThinkPad]

My 1993 Toyota Camry with 250k miles just died on me recently (it wouldn't start). I took it in to TiresPlus and after the diagnostics, the mechanic said the fuel pump needed to be replaced, so I paid the $400 to get it replaced.

When I went to pick up the car today, I noticed the engine made some rattling noise, so I had the mechanic take it for a test drive. A couple minutes into the test drive, the car broke down on the street. TiresPlus had the car towed to the Toyota dealership for inspection (without my consent), since they couldn't figure out what was wrong with the car. However, they promised they would pay the dealer diagnostic fees, anything further than that, I would have to pay for it myself.

So am I entitled for a $400 refund on the fuel pump replacement by TiresPlus? I understand that the agreement I amde with TiresPlus was just to get the car running again, and it did for a moment.

 

[isekii]

so it wasn't the fuel pump.

I'd make a stink and have them refund me and put the old one back on.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: ThinkPad
My 1993 Toyota Camry with 250k miles just died on me recently (it wouldn't start). I took it in to TiresPlus and after the diagnostics, the mechanic said the fuel pump needed to be replaced, so I paid the $400 to get it replaced.

When I went to pick up the car today, I noticed the engine made some rattling noise, so I had the mechanic take it for a test drive. A couple minutes into the test drive, the car broke down on the street. TiresPlus had the car towed to the Toyota dealership for inspection (without my consent), since they couldn't figure out what was wrong with the car. However, they promised they would pay the dealer diagnostic fees, anything further than that, I would have to pay for it myself.

So am I entitled for a $400 refund on the fuel pump replacement by TiresPlus? I understand that the agreement I amde with TiresPlus was just to get the car running again, and it did.

Depends. If the problem today was fuel related, Id say you have a good case that the other repair wasnt needed. But if say a ujoint failed, well, its a card with 250k miles on it and perhaps another system failed.

Short version: We need to know what the dealer said.

 

[sniperruff]

i'd blame the mechanic for breaking my car.

 

[imported_ThinkPad]

Originally posted by: isekii
so it wasn't the fuel pump.

I'd make a stink and have them refund me and put the old one back on.

I think the fuel pump was only one of the problems, but the mechanic didn't find out the other problems when they did the diagnostics.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: ThinkPad

Originally posted by: isekii
so it wasn't the fuel pump.

I'd make a stink and have them refund me and put the old one back on.

I think the fuel pump was only one of the problems, but the mechanic didn't find out the other problems when they did the diagnostics.

Well if the fuel pump needed to be replaced, then no, you shouldnt get that for free just because they didnt fix an additional problem.

 

[imported_ThinkPad]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: ThinkPad
My 1993 Toyota Camry with 250k miles just died on me recently (it wouldn't start). I took it in to TiresPlus and after the diagnostics, the mechanic said the fuel pump needed to be replaced, so I paid the $400 to get it replaced.

When I went to pick up the car today, I noticed the engine made some rattling noise, so I had the mechanic take it for a test drive. A couple minutes into the test drive, the car broke down on the street. TiresPlus had the car towed to the Toyota dealership for inspection (without my consent), since they couldn't figure out what was wrong with the car. However, they promised they would pay the dealer diagnostic fees, anything further than that, I would have to pay for it myself.

So am I entitled for a $400 refund on the fuel pump replacement by TiresPlus? I understand that the agreement I amde with TiresPlus was just to get the car running again, and it did.

Depends. If the problem today was fuel related, Id say you have a good case that the other repair wasnt needed. But if say a ujoint failed, well, its a card with 250k miles on it and perhaps another system failed.

Short version: We need to know what the dealer said.

The dealer told me the timing was off 120 degrees, but he was unsure what caused the timing to be off. He said he would have to remove areas of the timing belt to find out exactly what was causing this timing to be off, which would cost about $230.

 

[Foxery]

My previous car was a similar story. With 250k miles and multiple failing parts, it's time to take it as a sign... :-/

I can't describe how good it feels to drive a newer vehicle that I don't have to constantly worry about.

 

[imported_ThinkPad]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: ThinkPad

Originally posted by: isekii
so it wasn't the fuel pump.

I'd make a stink and have them refund me and put the old one back on.

I think the fuel pump was only one of the problems, but the mechanic didn't find out the other problems when they did the diagnostics.

Well if the fuel pump needed to be replaced, then no, you shouldnt get that for free just because they didnt fix an additional problem.

But when they did the diagnostic, shouldn't they have found out about the other problems? It's not like the diagnostics is free. It's only free if you decide to have them fix your car.

I probably wouldn't had fixed the car had I known it was giogn to cost that much.

 

[duragezic]

I doubt you could get it back.

Same damn thing happened to me a while ago. I forgot with the few times my car broke down, but I think it was the distributor that started it one day. So they replace that, it worked for a little while then crapped out a lot, they did the basic tune up parts, same thing as before, replaced a few other things, same deal. So I forgot what the deal was then as this fuel pressure gauge didn't seem to drop when it stalled, but they decided it had to be the fuel pump. Replaced that for a total of like $400-500 (Mazda parts...)

Get it back, and SAME DAMN PROBLEM! Gee, thanks for that new fuel pump... I really needed that.

Someone finally figured out that the distributor, the original culprit, was the wrong one or faulty or something, so then for another $300 for a second new distributor, the thing was fixed. I highly doubt it was ever the fuel pump (seemed to be electrical the whole time), and I probably got screwed on some other things like the first distributor. All in all, paid way too much for replacements that probably didn't matter. Wasn't able to do anything about it.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: ThinkPad

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: ThinkPad

Originally posted by: isekii
so it wasn't the fuel pump.

I'd make a stink and have them refund me and put the old one back on.

I think the fuel pump was only one of the problems, but the mechanic didn't find out the other problems when they did the diagnostics.

Well if the fuel pump needed to be replaced, then no, you shouldnt get that for free just because they didnt fix an additional problem.

But when they did the diagnostic, shouldn't they have found out about the other problems? It's not like the diagnostics is free. It's only free if you decide to have them fix your car.

I probably wouldn't had fixed the car had I known it was giogn to cost that much.

They can only diagnose (generally) to the first failure. Hard to tell the timing is off if you cant start the car...

 

[imported_ThinkPad]

duragezic, that sucks.

The thing with mine was the mechanic was the one driving the car when it broke down. This happened while I was still at the shop. I assume they didn't even test drive the car after replacing the fuel pump.

 

[imported_ThinkPad]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: ThinkPad

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: ThinkPad

Originally posted by: isekii
so it wasn't the fuel pump.

I'd make a stink and have them refund me and put the old one back on.

I think the fuel pump was only one of the problems, but the mechanic didn't find out the other problems when they did the diagnostics.

Well if the fuel pump needed to be replaced, then no, you shouldnt get that for free just because they didnt fix an additional problem.

But when they did the diagnostic, shouldn't they have found out about the other problems? It's not like the diagnostics is free. It's only free if you decide to have them fix your car.

I probably wouldn't had fixed the car had I known it was giogn to cost that much.

They can only diagnose (generally) to the first failure. Hard to tell the timing is off if you cant start the car...

How could the dealer tell if the timing was off if the car didn't even start when it got there? It has to be towed to the dealer.

 

[bsobel]

Car not starting due to timing is different than a car not starting due to no fuel. For what its worth I agree it sucks. And if the fuel pump wasnt bad to begin with I'd definately think you should get your money back. But by your own admission it was bad and the timing belt was a seperate problem. If your argument is you wouldnt have spent the money if you knew, well I feel for you and you could try arguing with the first shop to get the diag fee back. But it could have just as easily had the second failure a week later, and if they are truely unrelated its hard to see their fault here.

 

[imported_ThinkPad]

Isn't it a coincidence that both the timing is bad and the fuel pump fails?

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: ThinkPad
Isn't it a coincidence that both the timing is bad and the fuel pump fails?

At 50k miles sure, at 250k, dunno