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The Straight Story

(48,121 posts)
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 12:06 PM Apr 2013

'Anyone Know a Good Auto Mechanic?'

'Anyone Know a Good Auto Mechanic?'

CHICAGO (CN) - In a classic lawsuit against an auto shop, a customer claims police impounded his truck because the shop let an employee with a revoked license drive it around to deliver parts.

Marin Rodriguez sued Jose Vacio and Classic Cars Body Shop & Repair, in Cook County Court.

Rodriguez says he took his truck to the defendants because its "check engine" light was one.

The auto shop, in Hometown, quoted him $398 for the repairs, he says.

...

"Sergeant Tregoning informed Mr. Rodriguez that the actual reason for impounding the truck was that Jose Vacio had been arrested for driving the truck on a revoked/suspended driver's license, (not the invalid truck license plate reason provided by Rosa).

"Moreover, despite Rosa's representation that the car had been fully repaired at the time it was impounded, and being road-tested, the car had not been properly repaired," Rodriguez says. (Parentheses in complaint.)

After paying $415 to reclaim his truck, Rodriguez says, he "immediately saw that it was full of auto parts, none of which had to do with his vehicle."

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/04/01/56238.htm

Note to self and others, check to see if the mechanics have a valid license or else you will end up paying to get your car out.

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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'Anyone Know a Good Auto Mechanic?' (Original Post) The Straight Story Apr 2013 OP
A good car mechanic is worth his weight in gold. southernyankeebelle Apr 2013 #1
Two of them. Both are in Harrisburg. Small shops, but they know the cars when I call. talkingmime Apr 2013 #2
Two different local mechanics screwed me for about $2500 Orrex Apr 2013 #3
I do. He's even in Chicago. And really hates Yelp. ieoeja Apr 2013 #4
 

talkingmime

(2,173 posts)
2. Two of them. Both are in Harrisburg. Small shops, but they know the cars when I call.
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 03:35 PM
Apr 2013

They don't even have to look anything up. They know my cars. And they do great work and only what needs to be done. If it's "recommended", they phrase it that way instead of "necessary".

Orrex

(63,086 posts)
3. Two different local mechanics screwed me for about $2500
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 03:41 PM
Apr 2013

Throughout the whole ordeal, they kept insisting that they're honest businessmen and that the last thing I should do is take my cars to a brand-name mechanic.

Fuck them.

Those two assholes (and their asshole employees) gave me such a bad experience that I will never again willingly choose a small, independent mechanic for any work more complicated than changing the oil.

 

ieoeja

(9,748 posts)
4. I do. He's even in Chicago. And really hates Yelp.
Mon Apr 1, 2013, 04:07 PM
Apr 2013

He was a one man operation happy with his existing customer base. But occasionally someone driving down the alley would see this hidden gem, and he would get a new customer. Then customers started going on Yelp. Now he is overworked (because he can't bring himself to turn anyone away).

An old timer let me in on the secret after a local dealership charged me $150 to tell me that I had a thermostat problem that could not possibly be causing the issues I had and that it would cost me $75 for them to fix it.

Yes, you read that correctly. I paid $150 just to get an estimate!

So I went to see him. He reached the same diagnosis in 5 minutes, but said it would absolutely cause my problems, and had it repaired an hour later for $50. Was going to him ever since. But he's so busy now, I save him for real problems. Routine oil changes and the like can be handled by pretty much anywhere.


Oh, and one day in his office I saw a picture of him and Red Green. Turns out my mechanic used to work at Channel 11 (public TV) on a Mr Fix-it type of show. Kind of cool.


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