Mechanic Billed Customer, Did Not Do Any Work

Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
118
Location
Pennsylvania
My fiance's 2015 Jeep Wrangler has been at a Jeep dealership for the past nine days. It was brought in for extended cranking before it started and stalling at idle. We briefed the service advisor of an independent shop already have changed the 6 plugs with NGK iridiums, replaced the crank sensor and the cam sensor with no improvement. The dealership service advisor called my fiance the first day it was dropped off informing her that it still has the factory original crank sensor the independent shop charged fiance $171 to replace. Also the dealership reported that the crankshaft sensor wires were tampered with. Yesteday the dealership reported the iridium plugs are shot aand likely the cause of the misfires. The coils checked out okay. The dealership will be handing over all the original worn out parts to us when the Jeep is ready to be picked up. What would be the best way to approach the independent shop that didn't seem to do any of the repairs they agreed to and billed us for? My fiance missed over a week of work already since her Wrangler is a rare right hand drive used for her 96 miles rural mail route for the post office. She had a massive amount of misfiring and stalling for a couple weeks while we relied on the independent shop to fix the Jeep. Would that have taken the life out of the catalytic converters? She's stressed to tears over this. I'd like to help prevent this from happening to other customers as well as recover the hundreds of dollars she payed the independent shop. Thank you in advance for your advice.
 
The cats are probably done for if it went on long enough. You will probably have to confront the independent shop. It sure is a shame they would do this to someone. Must of put used plugs in it. I would not think in 6 years that Iridium plugs would of gone bad depending on the miles too of course.
 
I don't believe that it's at all customary to get the 'used' or replaced parts after a repair. If you have to ask, that means you don't trust them from the start. If that's the case, why use them for the work ?
I don't think I've used a shop for repairs in over 20 years but remember a few things on the invoice including a line saying "You're entitled to a written estimate for any repairs over $50 and the shop can't charge more than 10% above the estimate without your approval." and "You have a right to your old parts back." You generally trust a shop knows what they are doing technically, whether they are cheating you is another story.
 
I don't believe that it's at all customary to get the 'used' or replaced parts after a repair. If you have to ask, that means you don't trust them from the start. If that's the case, why use them for the work ?
Been through this before a couple times in my 42 years, not including my fiance's current situation. The shop provided good service to us multiple times, then changed drastically. My fiance's coworker ran into the same situation my fiance is in with this independent shop. The coworker sang of this shop's praise to us and got us to switch to them. Now this coworker also recently found out this shop did not do certain repairs and others were done in an improper manner.
 
I don't trust any shop or dealer.

So, if there is work being done that I can not do, I ask for all old parts. And, I make sure I know what brand/pn is being installed.

Could this Jeep have other issues? Do you trust the dealer more than the indie shop?

Poorly running vehicle could eat plugs. Rodents could mess with wiring.....

So, I don't see any recourse at the old shop and I wouldn't blindly trust the dealer either.
 
I don't believe that it's at all customary to get the 'used' or replaced parts after a repair. If you have to ask, that means you don't trust them from the start. If that's the case, why use them for the work ?
Funny.

Because you can't trust any of them. Whoever you use, can't be trusted.
 
Weird thing is, most of the times I've had this happen has been incompetent dealerships, even to the point of TELLING THEM what the issue was, and how to duplicate it, and they either didn't want to do (or didn't know how to do) the repair, or just didn't really give a crap at all. I've said this before, if you find a good indy mechanic, give him (or her) all the business you can, because most places just want to shaft you as much as possible. My apologies to any honest mechanics here.
 
My fiance's 2015 Jeep Wrangler has been at a Jeep dealership for the past nine days. It was brought in for extended cranking before it started and stalling at idle. We briefed the service advisor of an independent shop already have changed the 6 plugs with NGK iridiums, replaced the crank sensor and the cam sensor with no improvement. The dealership service advisor called my fiance the first day it was dropped off informing her that it still has the factory original crank sensor the independent shop charged fiance $171 to replace. Also the dealership reported that the crankshaft sensor wires were tampered with. Yesteday the dealership reported the iridium plugs are shot aand likely the cause of the misfires. The coils checked out okay. The dealership will be handing over all the original worn out parts to us when the Jeep is ready to be picked up. What would be the best way to approach the independent shop that didn't seem to do any of the repairs they agreed to and billed us for? My fiance missed over a week of work already since her Wrangler is a rare right hand drive used for her 96 miles rural mail route for the post office. She had a massive amount of misfiring and stalling for a couple weeks while we relied on the independent shop to fix the Jeep. Would that have taken the life out of the catalytic converters? She's stressed to tears over this. I'd like to help prevent this from happening to other customers as well as recover the hundreds of dollars she payed the independent shop. Thank you in advance for your advice.
This is also why paying with a credit card is a good idea, it gives you an extra measure of protection from ripoff artists!
 
Unfortunately a guy who would pull this stunt is going to fight tooth and nail and swear he did the work the dealer's a liar etc. and won't give your money back. Will the dealer back up their claim about the old parts in writing? Might be good to have everything possible lined up before you confront the guy. You may have to walk away from it as much as you hate it.
 
I don't trust any shop or dealer.

So, if there is work being done that I can not do, I ask for all old parts. And, I make sure I know what brand/pn is being installed.

Could this Jeep have other issues? Do you trust the dealer more than the indie shop?

Poorly running vehicle could eat plugs. Rodents could mess with wiring.....

So, I don't see any recourse at the old shop and I wouldn't blindly trust the dealer either.
The Jeep dealership just called. They inspected it including under the valve covers, fuel system and found no other issues. It'll be ready tomorrow morning. It only needed the crank sensor and spark plugs. Exactly what she paid the independent mechanic several hundred dollars to do very recently. The Jeep dealership has never let us down these past six years. She just can't afford to fix the constant small problems these Jeeps encounter at dealership rates. We do use OEM parts and service every fluid and wear item earlier than the manual calls for.
 
but remember a few things on the invoice including a line saying "You're entitled to a written estimate for any repairs over $50 and the shop can't charge more than 10% above the estimate without your approval." and "You have a right to your old parts back."
Yeap, I've seen the same or similar wording on work orders including the one about getting your parts back. In all seriousness, how many people do you think ask for them ? 1% ? That's my guess....Regular consumers just don't care (pffft, I've never asked for parts back either). They want their vehicle fixed and don't want dirty, oily, used auto parts. Let the shop throw 'em away.
 
When my mom had to have the carburetor on her Cutlass replaced during a ski trip, about all I could think about on the way back was tearing into the old one when we got home..
 
The Jeep dealership just called. They inspected it including under the valve covers, fuel system and found no other issues. It'll be ready tomorrow morning. It only needed the crank sensor and spark plugs. Exactly what she paid the independent mechanic several hundred dollars to do very recently. The Jeep dealership has never let us down these past six years. She just can't afford to fix the constant small problems these Jeeps encounter at dealership rates. We do use OEM parts and service every fluid and wear item earlier than the manual calls for.
Maybe you can’t afford not to use the dealer.
 
I don't believe that it's at all customary to get the 'used' or replaced parts after a repair. If you have to ask, that means you don't trust them from the start. If that's the case, why use them for the work ?
Trust must be EARNED, the auto repair and service industry has ALWAYS had a bad reputation for many decades, so if a shop is on the up and up and honest and competent they will not have any issue returning the old parts. Those that do or those that appear to have their feelings hurt should be avoided in the future!
 
I don't believe that it's at all customary to get the 'used' or replaced parts after a repair. If you have to ask, that means you don't trust them from the start. If that's the case, why use them for the work ?
You must be a "younger man." When I was a younger man, honest repair shops would return used parts, placed like trophies on clean cardboard in the trunk. Wrapped in rags if it was something that might still have fluid in it, like a used master cylinder.
 
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