How can I get an auto repair shop to refund me money without going to court?

December 15, 2009 by admin · 13 Comments
Filed under: Maintenance & Repairs 
auto
Brothaman asked:

My car broke down in Pensacola, FL while I was on my way back to Hampton, VA. I called roadside assistance and was towed to an auto repair shop. They told me that I needed a master and slave cylinder for my clutch for a Pontiac Transam. I was told it would take 7 hours of labor. I was skeptical, but I went ahead and had them perform the repairs, because I had to get back to work and did not want to risk getting in trouble. Plus, I figured if I charged the amount, I could dispute later. Well, later I did dispute. I tried the Florida State Attorney General, they could not help me, so I tried the BBB. They told me that they could not arbitrate because the auto repair was not a member. So I am looking for a consumer advocacy group that will arbitrate my case. I am so disappointed in the system. I thought for sure that the Attorney General or BBB would help me.

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Comments

13 Responses to “How can I get an auto repair shop to refund me money without going to court?”
  1. Justsyd says:
    December 16, 2009 at 4:55 pm

    Have you disputed the charge with your credit card company? That would be a good place to start. You didn’t state what was wrong with the repair, so I’m not quite sure what else to advise you on. Justsyd

  2. Bigi Bal says:
    December 19, 2009 at 6:51 am

    Did they give you a written estimate before they started the work?
    Did you sign it?
    Did you pay the amount (or less) of the estimate?

    If you answer YES to all the 3 questions, I don’t think you have a case.
    The repair shop did what they told you they would do and you agreed. Bigi Bal

  3. Nikki says:
    December 20, 2009 at 12:50 am

    I don’t think they exaggerated the labour.
    I just had my master & slave cylinder’s changed by a friend who wouldn’t screw me. It probably did equal about 7 hours (he did it over two days).
    You could always check around though, if you do feel you were hosed. Nikki

  4. melissa says:
    December 23, 2009 at 2:55 am

    Threaten to take them on Judge Judy……she hates the ‘big’ guy. he’ll fold like a house of cards….. melissa

  5. emilystartsfires says:
    December 26, 2009 at 8:34 am

    I live with a mechanic. He said 7 hours on a master and slave is a good quote for that make/model because you have to tear the engine apart to get to it. You really can’t get them to refund anything because when you sign the paper that gives them permission to work on your car you are also releasing their liability as long as they use new parts.

    Pal, you got screwed because you thought you could screw them. They gave you a good deal. Shame on you. emilystartsfires

  6. dodge man says:
    December 29, 2009 at 12:16 am

    i own a repair shop,and you are liable to pay the bill if the work was done,but it doesn’t take 7 hours to do,,its like a 2 hour job at the most to do you cant get out of paying nothing for the repair,,even if you fight it and win the cost to do so is going to be 10 times more than you will get back,and that’s a lot just to prove a point id chalk it up to bad experience and let it go,,if you loose you,ll wind up maybe having to pay the repair shop more if one of the mechanics has to go to court and loose a day of pay for it,,either way your going to loose something out of it,good luck if you decide to pursue it,,your going to need it,i hope this help,s. dodge man

  7. Justa_Honay_Guy says:
    December 30, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    First off. Did they fix your car so you get to your destination? If they did and you told them to go ahead with the work. Thats a verbal contract or did you sign a work order? Thats as good as a contract. If they charged you what you feel is to much, well tough chit. You agreed to it. Justa_Honay_Guy

  8. CowboyBill says:
    January 1, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    Seven hours labor is an insane charge for this…BBB is a joke. I hate to say it but this will probably have to be chalked-up to one of those $hit eating life lessons.
    Not much help, I’m afraid, but trust me….a weird sort of karma does exist in automobile world. This shlep will get his one day. I’ve been associated with the auto & repair industry for thirty years and these @ss-holes are getting fewer and farther between every day. Just pray he screws up and pulls this stunt on a physco lawyer soon and watch what happens! CowboyBill

  9. mailbox1024 says:
    January 5, 2010 at 2:43 am

    Unless you can prove that the repair was defective, you may not have a recourse. You already admitted that you pre- meditated to file a claim so i think you are just looking for money and not at the quality of repair.Do some homework , find out what the actual labor repair in hours that the repair should actually take. But 7 hours labor could be the fair time.Even if you filed a claim or stopped payment on your credit card, there may be a possibilty that you may be sued for non-payment. Then in the end you would be footing a bigger bill.
    good luck mailbox1024

  10. edselmanll says:
    January 6, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    get some legal letterhead paper and send them a demand for refund or you’ll take them to court, worth a try.

    Remember, it doesn’t cost much to take them to small claims and let the judge settle it. :) edselmanll

  11. Ironhand says:
    January 6, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    If you signed a repair order with the written estimate for the 7 hours and the parts, you are most likely NOT going to get anywhere.
    IF, however, you were not offered a wirtten estimate, you MAY be able to collect damages.
    In any event, if Florida Attorney General could not recommend an advocacy or watchdog agency, about anything you get is going to be through the courts.

    Good Luck Ironhand

  12. ladylucknc says:
    January 7, 2010 at 1:33 am

    They fixed your car right?
    They gave you an estimate up front right?
    You agreed to this estimate right?
    If you answer yes to all these questions, then you don’t have a leg to stand on.
    When the garage quoted you a price for the labor and you agreed to that amount you entered into a contract. They performed the work, and I assume that it was done correctly because you haven’t complained about that, so they held up their end of the contract. You paid them so you held up your end of the contract.
    Now you want to go back and change the terms of the contract? You can’t do that, your time to change the terms have passed.
    Why are you so disappointed in the system? The system has nothing to do with your situation. The “system” is in place for people who make a contract with another party and one of the partys involved doesn’t hold up their end of the contract.
    The situation that you are in would be no different than if your boss hired you to perform a job, you did the job, and then he decided that he didn’t want to pay you for the job done. Would you be happy in that situation, because that is exactly what you are trying to do to this garage. ladylucknc

  13. JSalakar says:
    January 9, 2010 at 12:33 pm

    I don’t understand why you are unhappy. I mean, the shop fixed your car and got you back on the road. You didn’t mention that you have had any problem with it since they fixed it. You saw the quote and agreed to the price. I have no idea whether the estimate they quoted you was high or not, because I’m not a mechanic.

    It seems to me that the only thing you are upset about is that you couldn’t get away with disputing the charge like you had planned on to get out of actually paying for the work, which is being extremely dishonest! I’m happy your plan fell apart, because it’s people like you that cause the prices to go up for the rest of us, who are honest when it comes to paying for the things we buy or the services we need.

    If I don’t get the 10 points for giving you my opinion, then so be it. At least, I can go to sleep at night with a clear conscious, because I have not tried to cheat anybody out of anything. JSalakar

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