Date:         Tue, 20 Sep 1994 18:27:33 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Thom Fitzpatrick" <thom@tim.com>
Subject:      Shop Problems

Hi,

	I know this is not exactly a question related to this list, but
we have an assemblage of people with various backgrounds, and I think
I might be able to get desperately needed info:
	
	My SO took her BMW 530i to the shop on the 9th (Fri) of this month to get
it adjusted to pass smog.  At the end of the day, she gets a bill for $95
and they tell us that before it can be smogged, we have to clean the EGR
valve, or they can do it for her for $XXX.00  The next day, I took it off
and cleaned it, no sweat.  The car ran good, but now the idle was low.

	She takes it in the next Monday to have them finish up the smog.  She
gets the car back that night, and its running like shit (no power) and 
running way too hot.

	She takes it back the next day, and tells them to fix it, so they have
it all day Tues and Wed, and she gets it back Thursday.  Its the same, now
only worse!  Only difference is that she's another $500+ poorer!

	She takes it back Friday.  4:45pm I get a call from the shop asking me
to come down and look at a piece that was broken.  Turns out they decided
to disassemble the entire cooling system (rad, fan clutch, hoses, thermo
housing) and now are saying that we need a new thermostat, fan clutch, and
thermo housing, 'cause the bolt head on the thermo housing broke off.  The fan
clutch had some of the fins _freshly_ broken off.   They told me that it
was gonna cost $150 for a new thermo housing unless I either fixed the
one they broke, or got one myself.  I got one in a (PRICEY) BMW junkyard
for $35.

	Monday comes and goes, and they still don't have the car together cause
they are waiting for a fan clutch from some place in Hayward.  You see, they
didn't want to get one from the dealer 'cause it was too much, so they are
gonna charge us $99 'cause thats what they would have paid the dealer, but
of course they are getting it for much less than that!

	Tuesday comes and goes, and the car is s'posed to be done, but they won't
let her have the car 'cause they think now its the head gasket! (Blown?)

	By now we are pissed, 'cause its been in there for a week and 1/2, and
it keeps getting worse!

	What recourse would it seem we have here?  At this rate, she'll have a
new car in a matter of months!  We are guestimating that the most recent
set of repairs will cost around $500 or so, but they won't tell us yet.

	She's thinking about stopping payment on the VISA charges for the stuff,
any ideas on that?

	Now who gets to pay for getting the thing right?  She doesn't want to
keep having these geeks f**k with it, but she needs a working car!

	Would she be entitled to have them spring for all of the stuff they broke?
People have told me that if a shop breaks a part, they have to fix it. 
Hell, what would keep them from breaking stuff at random to get the
labor and margin on the parts?   

	Any suggestions would be appreciated!

	She is already opening comm channels with Bureau of Auto Repair.  Would
the Better Business Bureau be of an help?  Small claims?

Thanks in advance!
Thom
-- 
>> Pentiums melt in your PC, not in your hand.
............................................................................
:    Thom Fitzpatrick                             Transamerica Info Mgmnt  :
:  Systems Administrator                          1860 Howe Ave            :
:  tfitzpatrick@tim.com                           Sacramento, CA 95825     :
:   fax (916) 921-6781                            (916) 565-3346           :
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