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[HiProfile]

I'm hoping there is a lawyer around here, or someone who knows one. I'm being asked to return money received for a car repair job, or pay for damages (replacing the timing belt) that happened 2 days after it drove just fine.

I repaired an automobile's water pump for a co-worker, and 2 days afterwards the timing belt supposedly jumped 60* ADVANCED, causing piston-valve contact. I never had to touch the timing belt, but it is VERY close to the pump. I did tell the person the timing belt looked bad, and they told me they would fix it later. I did not offer a warranty. I do not have any certifications.

I feel I deserve the money, after doing it half-price what a shop quoted and helping extensively after it broke again. I have 15 hours into this, along with $70 in fees for towing it twice with a dolly.


Do they even have a case??

[spoonfedcrx]

How much did you charge?

If you did it on the real cheap I would just give money back to avoid a hassle (if they can legally do something), if they can't fuck em they'll find somebody else who wont fuck their shit up next time.

[Tim]

I never had to touch the timing belt, but it is VERY close to the pump. I did tell the person the timing belt looked bad, and they told me they would fix it later. I did not offer a warranty. I do not have any certifications.

How much really did you charge for a timing belt and how much is it for them to take you to court over it?  Would it realistically be worth it for them to even try or are they just bluffing.

If what I quoted above is true fuck em let em try to harrass you about the work.  They could have taken it to a shop and then be out twice the money and still have a fucked car.

[brine04]

I would tell them to fuck off. Not your fault they didn't change the t-belt at the recommended interval. The only problem I can see is that it's a co-worker and there will be some bad feeling toward each other now.

[Urban Indian]

They don't have a case, no reason to worry. You did not express warranty whatsoever, thus you can not be held liable for something that you didnt touch. You also stated that they should replace the timing belt because it was fucked.

Unless the waterpump is run by the timing belt.

[LS1pwNzJ00]

tell em fuck off or you'll rape their mother, and then rape their mother anyway

[Joseph Davis]

You told me the story weeks ago via PM.  Fuck them.

[HiProfile]

You told me the story weeks ago via PM.  Fuck them.

The only problem that my bro (cop) and a free legal advice place gave me was that w/o a license, I could possibly get fined. For the life of me I cant find that info. It's just bullshit on how to find a mechanic or lien/lemon laws.

I probably have 15 hours into the pump, towing, diagnostics, and general bullshit, so what I charged for a $700 quote is very reasonable. Technically it was 2 guys charging $157 each ($315 total). Here's the tricky thing for them. The amount they are suing for is technically for replacing a belt. The belt wasn't broke, it was simply off 3 teeth. The mechanic told me it ran fine afterwards.


One angle I could use is she's hiding cash from her divorce via shared checking account with her boyfriend. Hell, I picked the damn thing up from one of her jobs.

[Joseph Davis]

Don't worry about it, do something else with your life.  They'll go away.

[Lowerit]

If the waterpump and parts in relation to it's replacement are in no way related to the part that failed you are off the hook.

1) get shop manual
2) photocopy pages of manual that show pump R&R
3) if need be use as evidence.
4) get testimony from others (written) that you performed similar repairs on their cars with positive results.

It would be the same as if the pump were replaced and the muffler fell off.

You verbally warned them that it would need to be replaced.

Not your fault

stop being a baby.

[salesmonkey]

reason i dont like working on other peoples cars. but i wouldnt worry about it. just try to avoid them/ just  remind them it wasnt your fault when they do see you. no reason to get hostel till they get hostel then burn there house down and shit in there car.

[HiProfile]

I try to avoid confrontation with overwhelming evidence/blackmail. Regardless, I am great at demolition.

[Urban Indian]

pussy

[j.h.christ]

this is exactly why i don't touch other folks cars. hope it works out for you.

[Urban Indian]

this is exactly why i don't touch other folks cars. hope it works out for you.

I thought it was because you couldnt fit under the car?



zing

[j.h.christ]

this is exactly why i don't touch other folks cars. hope it works out for you.

I thought it was because you couldnt fit under the car?



zing

get a new intercooler

[blade8r]

can you at least tell us what kind of car you worked on?

if the water pump is ran off the timming belt i can see how they have a case. because they could just lie and mentioned that you broke the fucken thing and you that you didn't mentioned anything about itl. but if it's not ran on the t-belt at all. then just tell them to fuck off politely. (im an advisor for an automotive place and have dealt with the BAR many times in my work)

there are WAY too many shit things customer think they can get away with.

i had a fucken guy come in for a coolant leak inspection. the car had tore a Heater hose and most of his coolant came out. when we did a block check, the reading came out positive for blown headgasket. his shit was toast. that's what the fucker gets for paying attention to his temp gauge. and driving the piss shit out of his POS.

the fucker called the BAR and said that during the inspection we ran his car overly too Hot to the point where WE Broke the head gasket.

but just as i said we politely told the guy to fuck off. the Bar came in i shook his hand told him what happen and he closed the book on the case no problem.

i have yet to deal any bad shit or pay any fines with the BAR knowing full and well i don't do half assed jimmy worked shit.

btw it doesn't matter what was charged. it doesn't matter how much you made out of it. what really matters is what your involvement is in it.

i've had customer who only wanted a water pump on his Hatch only to find when i pull the timing cover off. i saw a stretched and partially torn T-belt. (take example honda civic d16z6 92-95) i told him that i HAD to replace to belt or i stop working on it all togeather. either he paid for

$45 Tbelt
$70 Tbelt Tensioner
.7 additional hour labor with overlap ($90 hour rate) $63.33

$188 total with tax (in addition to his Water pump job)

or i don't do the job and i still charge him R&r T-cover Removal.

it's pretty easy you tell the customer how it is and get only what you deserve. i've had them tell me (ill replace it later too) and i tell them i can't do that job that way. that or i hold onto their car till they do pay for it.

remember it's not the rich people with money who want to fix their car who are going to give you problems. it's the cheap mother fucking who is half paying half fasting his shit who is going to give you the most problems. but either way regardless of how much fuss they make.  you got to tell it how it is.

i wouldn't worry too much to be honest.

[HiProfile]

It's a 01 Saturn L300 v6. Basicly the worst GM car ever, and that's saying a lot.

Basicly told her my legal counsel told me I'm off the hook since I warned her the belt was bad, and that I can't be held liable since the pump is driven by the serpentine belt. Since it drove fine for a while, she's SOL. When she really started objecting, I added I'd counter sue for car storage (10 days in parent's garage), 2x towing fees, diagnostic fees, and charge to put the new serpentine belt on (part of the process, but I did do it). At this point, her argument would be he-said-she-said, so why not add some myself.

A few hours later I got 5 unpolite calls from her boyfriend. Discussed the matter with the local police, and they informed him I'll be pressing harassment charges if he ever calls me again, or brings the matter up with me ever again in person. Kinda funny how he bragged about his lawyer friend, then threatens to beat me up.



I soooo wanted to tell him how easy a quarter stick and mini-timer or motion detector can make a car into fireworks. I just don't want homeland security on my ass or anything.

[chris]

So there is no contract and she had someone who doesnt run a business work on a car he knows nothing about and your worried. Come on dude this is all nonsense talk plus we are talking about a amount of money that is laughable too most who make more than 8 dollars an hour.




A case like this sounds like something that would be on the people's court and get thrown out for stupidity. If this scares you I recommend you stay out of the automotive field sir.

[salesmonkey]

I soooo wanted to tell him how easy a quarter stick and mini-timer or motion detector can make a car into fireworks. I just don't want homeland security on my ass or anything.

this is the type of thing you never tell people but do anyways