What's Your Read on this Situation with my Mechanic?

"notsomethingstructural" (notsomethingstructural) 09/18/2016 at 13:49 • Filed to: None

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Well my RX-8 had a coolant drip, took it in and turns out the nipple to the expansion tank was cracked. Needs a replacement radiator. Fine. Mechanic has a shitty no-name aftermarket brand available, Mazda only has one in the parts network in North America - in Canada - with a 6-8 day lead time. It won’t work for me because the cost of the radiator and rental and storage at the shop would bury me. I ask the mechanic about used, which he discourages, he’s pushing the aftermarket one very hard. I tell him in no uncertain terms that warranty or not, I do not want an aftermarket radiator on the car, because rotaries pump an ungodly amount of coolant and by the time I figure out it wasn’t a sufficient radiator there’s a 50/50 shot the rotor housings are already FUBAR. This is in NYC, where your fans and radiator WILL be put to their full potential. So it’s fairly heated disagreement of opinion. Fine. I get him a used one after 2 days, he puts it in. Works fine, he gets paid, all is well.

I’ll note here I’ve used this guy like 5-6 years, he’s generally on the mark, his rates are fair, he offers cash discounts sometimes, he carries a portion of costs on $600-800 repairs once in a while if I need to wait a week or so to pay him in full. We have a good relationship, I’m happy with the repairs and we rarely disagree. Onward.

Now this weekend I go to use the AC. It’s not working. I call him up and say I don’t know if he temporarily removed the condenser or bumped a connector but it’s not working. He tells me they vacuumed it out to make sure it wouldn’t be released during the work, but the machine said there was no refrigerant in there, so they didn’t put any back. Bring the car back and they’ll put at least a little in it because it was certainly not full. I have no basis to question this because it probably WAS low, but it also was working well so long as the car was at least rolling.

Well the more I think about this, the more I realize I was lucky to have a reason to use my AC right after the repair, because if it was finished next week I probably wouldn’t have noticed the AC issue until spring, and I have a hard time believing if I went in 4-5 months after the work that he would give the same answer and instead would just charge me $180 for the coolant service.

I can’t decide whether the error was 1) the truth (or equipment malfunction on his side), 2) an honest mistake (i.e. he forgot), 3) immaterial because he would have fixed it in spring (really doubt this, but may have done it at cost), or 4) trying to screw me because I didn’t want his shitty radiator or he thinks he just could have gotten away with it. Like I said, we have a pretty good relationship, the other time there was a big argument was when he had 3 alternators fail in 14 months and I told him I expected him to do the last one at cost with an alternator I provided. He refused and wanted his full rate because the 12 months on the first alternator was up, and he would only replace in-kind on a warranty issue regardless.

All that said, what’s your read here? I can’t decide whether to even bring it up and say I’m upset, and how if I didn’t have a reason to run the AC I’m guessing he would have stuck me with the repair in the spring rather than say “oh we didn’t put anything back” at that point. I don’t really like to pick fights with the guys I trust with my cars, but at the same time I’m not sure what to think here. It could have been an honest mistake or hes telling the truth, and that he would have put it back if it said it was 1/2 full. I don’t know, but again, if I missed it, would it have really mattered? Share all opinions.

yamahog > notsomethingstructural 09/18/2016 at 14:03

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Lately Oppo seems to be having more nipple issues with mechanics than usual...

notsomethingstructural > yamahog 09/18/2016 at 14:08

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Zing

dogisbadob > notsomethingstructural 09/18/2016 at 14:13

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Rock Auto has Denso radiators in stock :)

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > notsomethingstructural 09/18/2016 at 14:19

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Find another shop. You’ve become just another number there.

notsomethingstructural > dogisbadob 09/18/2016 at 14:22

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I looked at that but even if I ordered overnight on Wednesday it wouldn’t have arrived until late Friday/early Saturday because it was in an outside warehouse, so I’d still need to get 4 day rental (and pay storage charges)

notsomethingstructural > V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! 09/18/2016 at 14:24

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You wouldn’t even waste your breath with a “wtf” because it wouldn't change your opinion?

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > notsomethingstructural 09/18/2016 at 14:34

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It’s been my experience that when you’re a good customer at a place and you start getting dicked over, it’s usually because things are starting to get tight. Your case sounds as of he’s not too far bad yet. It will probably get worse though. I’d bail. Had a guy do something similar to me about 15 years ago. Decided on a new place. He was out of business within a year.

notsomethingstructural > V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! 09/18/2016 at 14:58

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That’s what’s hard to say, WAS I getting dicked over? If he denied it or I was 100% sure I’d be gone. But right now I can’t figure out if that’s the case. I know they (legally) aren’t supposed to charge an AC system they KNOW is broken. It’s a very murky situation, and I’m not sure if asking would clear anything up. What would I say? I could MAYBE ask why he didn’t call me when he thought it was empty. Would that salvage anything anyways, so is it even worth doing?

Certainly if I do change shops, it’s with a whimper, not a bang.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > notsomethingstructural 09/18/2016 at 16:27

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Had I been working on your car in my shop I would have charged your AC and put some leak dye in it. Can’t say for certain it’s actually leaking bad enough to do anything about, all AC systems will lose some charge over a long enough period of time. I would have buried the cost of the refrigerant and dye into your original estimate so you still didn’t end up paying more. If it leaked bad enough for me to find a problem before it left I would have quoted it and discharged it.

With your alternator situation I would have covered your 4th alternator and used a different brand. No questions asked. However, if the one you originally bought was a cheap off brand that you suggested or asked for I would charge you the difference to move up to my preferred brand. But if I’m the one who suggested a crap part then I would probably throw in a free detail or service or coupon.

Take that as you will. My take is that he isn’t actively trying to screw you, just being passive aggressive because of some perceived slight. Keep in mind you buying your own parts cuts into his profit, even if only a few dollars, and simultaneously questions his knowledge and abilities. I’m not saying that excuses him or that it’s wrong for you to question him and supply your own parts. Just that I would probably start shopping around, or at least let him know your frustrations if he’s an otherwise reasonable guy.

Joe6pack > notsomethingstructural 09/18/2016 at 17:18

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I had something similar happen to me a several years ago. I took my Jeep to a guy my near my office on the recommendation of a co-worker because the A/C had begun freezing up on long drives. Now, I know enough to know this probably meant it was low on refrigerant. Anyway, these yahoos call me and tell me it need a new “manifold” that is in some way related to the A/C system as it “probably” has a leak. The price they quoted me was ridiculous. I almost believed them and I almost authorized the work, but decided to look at it myself. Anyway, when I picked the car up, the A/C wouldn’t work at all (it cooled fine when I brought it in). I went back inside and said wtf? They said it didn’t have much refrigerant in it so they didn’t put any back. I said that’s crap as it worked when I brought it in. After some back and fourth, they agreed to put a couple of pounds in - but they were real jerks about it. It sort of worked on the way home, but not nearly as well as before. I stopped at Autozone on the way home and bought one of those R134a cans with the gauge on it and charged it in the parking lot. It went another 3 years with no problems and it cured the freeze up problem.

Bottom line is that I do not trust mechanics in general. I’ve had too many bad experiences over the years. They do not have the time or care to give your car the attention it needs and if they did, you couldn’t afford it. I either have a warranty or I learn everything I can about the car. The fact that he didn’t bother to tell you that he had removed your refrigerant is an immediate red flag. Stop by Autozone on your way home and charge your system. This isn’t rocket surgery. And find a new mechanic or, better yet, buy a Haynes manual.

notsomethingstructural > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 09/18/2016 at 17:39

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Yeah this was his preferred alternator. After the 2nd failure on his unit I offered to buy a Denso or Hitachi unit and pay the parts cost if he would continue to carry the warranty because I was no longer comfortable with wherever he was getting them. He said he wouldn’t cover anything other than his alternators, so that’s what got used. When the 3rd went he was upset I would even ask him to eat some of it because he had so many failures and took such a loss, etc. His opinion on alternators is it doesn’t matter where you get them they’re all a crapshoot. I don’t agree and I don’t disagree, but I’ll repeat - 3 in 14 months (oh, and a DOA unit he changed before I took the car). Says something on its own.

I’m probably gonna talk with him and say what the fuck and offer to buy enough freon for him to do the whole system, and I might have him do an oil change just to try and keep things smooth. But I do think he’s gonna have to answer for why he didn’t call and whether he would have fixed the AC if it had been a couple months. If he says no to my face it might be time. It’s a shame to leave a place where it’s been so long, but I think I’m trying to deny something I already know.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > notsomethingstructural 09/18/2016 at 20:31

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Alternators aren’t all a crapshoot. Get a good brand and you should be fine. FYI I don’t consider Bosch to be a good brand unless it comes with an OE manufacturer label on it from a dealer because Bosch is incredibly terrible at selling sub-par parts to second tier suppliers, those are a crapshoot. Still, it’s really shitty the way he handled it. Cars don’t come from the factory with alternators failing every few months, why should they after he’s “fixed” them?

Let us know how it goes. Good luck.

notsomethingstructural > Joe6pack 09/18/2016 at 22:44

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Yeah, not 100% sure I’m leaving but over 50/50. He’s going to have to give me a satisfactory amount of refrigerant, a good answer as to why he didn’t call me, and some kind of assurance it was an accident and he would have taken care of me if it happened in the off season.

I’ve done many, many repairs in the past (I had a mazdadpeed protege where the front was taken down to the longblock and harness at one point) but it’s exceedingly hard since I’ve gotten to NYC. I was building a house for 2 years and had zero time, but I’m starting to free up (I’m doing a set of struts on my Focus tomorrow). You’re also not supposed to do this stuff on public streets though, and if it’s there for too long they will tow and impound it. All that said, I knew the radiator was shot before taking it in, I probably would have done it myself. I pay to not deal with this shit, but hard to see the value if I’m dealing with it anyways.

brianbrannon > notsomethingstructural 09/19/2016 at 00:57

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I’m a tech and would never “vacuum” a system just in case. Only if replacing the radiator required it. (It shouldn't)

brianbrannon > brianbrannon 09/19/2016 at 00:59

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And if I did and found it was low I would for sure sell you a leak check and an a/c service.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > notsomethingstructural 09/19/2016 at 01:45

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WAS I getting dicked over? If he denied it or I was 100% sure I’d be gone. But right now I can’t figure out if that’s the case.

The fact that you’re questioning it means you should at least start looking around.

There’s no bang or whimper to it, just the fact that you should feel comfortable with who repairs your transportation.