Lets say you take your truck to a dealership to fix your wheel bearing on your truck.
You agree for them to replace the wheel bearing and hub. Labor and parts comes to the tune of $200.
While pressing out the bearing/hub they are having a hard time with it and crack the knuckle while trying to press it out.
You now have a broken knuckle and need it replaced. The new knuckle/bearing/hub are now installed.
Turns out the drag rod that stabilizes the rear wheels, is too small for the pre-drilled hole in the new knuckle. Turns out there has been an updated drag rod that is bigger and it is now required to install the new knuckle.
Now you need to install a new rod, and do an alignment.
Your $200 repair bill is now approaching $600, REAL FAST. The shop hasn’t billed me yet, but they informed me of the price of the new knuckle and rod and told me “this happens a lot when replacing bearings”. Making it almost seem, like it’s not their fault. Upon review of the broken knuckle, you can clearly see that they were pressing it incorrectly, and applied no heat whatsoever in order to help the fused bearing/knuckle.
Am I in the wrong to refuse payment? I didn’t bring them a cracked knuckle…THEY cracked it while pressing the old bearing out. If it wasn’t for the new knuckle, i wouldn’t need a new rod and consequently an alignment.
It’s almost like hiring someone to paint your house and they break a window, and tell you it’s your responsibility because “these things happen”.
I hate morons. You break it you eat it. plain and simple. This is not your fault by any means. As you stated none of the other crap would be necessary if they didn’t screw up. By the way i’ve broken bearings before because they cock sideways but never a knuckle. you must be an extreme moron to have that happen.
this is part of my plan. i hope to lift up my shirt, revealing the masterpiece and they won’t charge me for ANY work. He’ll they might just give me a new truck.
So, from their point of view, in an extreme case, say that the knuckle was fubared and it would happen no matter who tried to work it out, like a bolt that was rusted in place beyond all scope of ever wrenching it loose, thus breaking. I can see why it is the customers responsibility to pay for this.
HOWEVER,
I believe it is in the shops best interest to notify the customer of a “speed hump” where you may incur additional chargers/labor to finish the original job, and give you the opportunity to agree on this possibility before going any further. Looks like this place failed at that.
Make a big stink with the service manager in front of other people if they insist you must pay. Then throw in the lines, I will NEVER recommend this dealership for anything, etc, etc
You could also call the manufacturer HQ and complain about it.
This is how it happened when I worked at the dealership and 99.5% of the time it worked.
The repairs to the job they are doing should be done at no cost to you. Pauly could probably give you a better idea of what should happen here, but I would fight that cost.
A shop cannot legally exceed the estimate without your approval. You agreed to a price- they exceeded it without your knowledge.
Done.
I’ll look up the exact section of repair shop regulation shortly.
ok go to www.nysdmv.com d/l form# CR 82 (under business use forms) read section 82.5 Obligation of the repair shop
82.5 Obligations of the repair shop.
The repair shop shall:
(a) Upon the request of any customer make an estimate in writing of the parts and labor necessary for
each specific repair or service offered and shall not charge for work done or parts supplied in excess of
the estimate without the consent of such customer. The repair shop may charge a reasonable fee for
making an estimate. The estimate shall contain the following information: the customer’s name, the name
and facility number of the repair shop, the date of the estimate, a list of parts necessary for each specific
repair together with the costs for each part, indicating any parts which are not new parts of at least original
equipment quality, the labor charge for each repair together with the costs of each labor charge, year and
make of vehicle, registration plate number or vehicle identification number, a description of the problem
reported by the customer, and a statement informing the customer of his right to receive replaced parts if
the customer makes a written request for such return. In addition, for body parts, the repair shop must
indicate if the part is a new original equipment manufacturer part, a new after market equipment
manufacturer part or a used part. A statement on an estimate that all body parts are in one of the three
classes except as otherwise indicated complies with this last requirement. All information on an estimate
must be legible;
(b) Not perform any services not authorized by the customer by a work order. If a repair shop prepares a
written work order, a copy shall be given to the customer. If a written work order is prepared by the
customer, such work order shall be attached to the invoice. If the customer gives an oral work order, the
oral work order shall be noted on the invoice and shall include the date, time and manner of authorization
and by whom such authorization was given;
