Mazda driver rages after paying $700 for a ‘two-day fix’ – months later car is still at mechanic’s and cost is rising

A CAR owner has shared a rant after a mechanic said a maintenance job would take days and still had the vehicle months later.

The Facebook user revealed details about the situation in a post to a group for free legal advice.

Getty

“Going to keep this simple,” Washington -based Jen Cole stated in her post .

“Paid a friend $700 cash in April 2024 to change the heater core in my Mazda. Dropped Mazda off at his house. Was told this was a ‘day or two’ project,

“I knew better than that, but now over 4 months later the entire dash and steering column and heater core are taken apart and still sitting in his driveway.”

Cole said she has urged the car tech to “hurry it up and finish” the Mazda repair multiple times.

“But am told it’s ‘not on his priority list’ and I’m a ‘greedy b***h,” the driver explained.

“One month 2 days ago I offered him another $400 to finish it within one month or I was going to have it towed out. He never touched it that whole month.”

She said that she’s “absolutely sick of waiting.”

“I have all this in text messages,” Cole stated.

Then she went on to say she knew that she “could sue for the $700 I gave him” if she took her case to claims court.

Cole posed her question: “Could I sue for the cost of paying someone else to finish the repair?”

She said that she had “a written estimate” so “that could be upward of $1,500.”

A handful of other Facebookers in the group offered her suggestions.

“Usually a repair facility would have you sign something outlining the cost to complete said repairs,” one person said.

“Do you have a signed document between you and the person providing the service? That would help establish the grounds.”

How to avoid being scammed at the repair shop

Motorautocar and the AARP have east-to-follow tips to avoid being scammed by a repair shop.

1. Motorautocar suggests asking to see parts that have been replaced or to see old fluids after they were swapped. If the shop says that’s impossible or refuses, it could be a sign it wasn’t done.
2. Ask for a walkaround of the repairs that were done. Most mechanics are happy to show you what was done in the shop. While being walked around, look for evidence of repairs like the area being cleaned off, shiny new parts, tool marks on the bolts, tools being out or nearby, etc.
3. Before taking your car in, look at other customer reviews on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Many customers only review a company if they have negative reviews, so keep an eye out.
4. For costly repairs, consider getting multiple opinions. If two to three shops suggest identical repairs, it’s likely to be true.
5. Test a new shop with minor issues you’re aware of to see if they add anything to the repair bill.
6. If applicable, bring someone to the shop who knows about cars to have them double-check or read a repair bill.
7. Get everything on paper. Not only is it important for your repair records, but it can help protect you if legal measures are necessary.

Source: Motorautocar , AARP

“Just an agreement via text and me constantly asking him when it’s gonna be done,” Cole responded.

“And him saying he doesn’t care basically.”

“All you could get back is what you paid him for his work and anything he damaged,” another added.

“You were going to have to repair it anyways. And you likely wouldn’t get the cost of the tow either.”

“Talk to legal aid they may be able to help,” a user said.

“They helped me in a similar situation!”