Crooked back alley mechanics

[benz_890]

A friend of mine just picked up a 97 Accord yesterday. On the prepurchase inspection a lower ball joint was said to be needed to be replaced. We grabbed one from Auto Value and took it to some back alley mechanic 2 blocks down from his house. Left it there and an hour later the mechanic calls my buddy up and tells him the following need to be replaced:

- Both tie rods
- Both lower ball joints (he also recommended the uppers be changed as its apart)
- Both struts, coils and strut mounts
- Steering rack and pinion


Apparently they all needed to be changed as the car hit a curb and they were damaged from the Impact. He offered to buy the car from my friend for a "couple hundred bucks". :nut: I have a feeling this guy rips people off like that on a regular basis as he's always got different cars with expired plates parked in front of his house and on his driveway. Is this guy even allowed to be fixing cars for profit from his house? What can we do about him? :whipped:

[97'Scort]

Dude, get your flame suit on.

[FiveFreshFish]

Which neighborhood?

[Cooked Rice]

don't take your car to a crooked mechanic? :dunno: that may be a start

[Cock Knuckle]

Give the guy a break, all he is trying to do is have his car ready to go to the Charity ball @ the Cocobongo club.

Unfortunately the OP seems to have forgotten to take "The Loaner" and stumble upon a wooden mask down by the river, so he can become a green faced caricature of himself.

That btw is a best case scenario, otherwise you are playing a game of roulette with backyard mechanics.

[Pollywog]

Originally posted by benz_890
A friend of mine just picked up a 97 Accord yesterday. On the prepurchase inspection a lower ball joint was said to be needed to be replaced. We grabbed one from Auto Value and took it to some back alley mechanic 2 blocks down from his house. Left it there and an hour later the mechanic calls my buddy up and tells him the following need to be replaced:

- Both tie rods
- Both lower ball joints (he also recommended the uppers be changed as its apart)
- Both struts, coils and strut mounts
- Steering rack and pinion


Apparently they all needed to be changed as the car hit a curb and they were damaged from the Impact. He offered to buy the car from my friend for a "couple hundred bucks". :nut: I have a feeling this guy rips people off like that on a regular basis as he's always got different cars with expired plates parked in front of his house and on his driveway. Is this guy even allowed to be fixing cars for profit from his house? What can we do about him? :whipped:

I've had people's friends drop off their cars with me to fix one problem only for me to find several others.:dunno:

I think you need to understand that 1)You obviously are not personally capable to diagnose any of the worn or damaged parts on the vehicle, and 2)You were the one who decided to bring it to a guy's backyard rather than a shop.

Thats the problem with helping out people who don't have a clue what they are talking about. Everytime you tell them that something is wrong, or try to explain "preventative maintenance" they think you are trying to rip them off. :rolleyes:

My point isn't that the guy you are dealing with is perfect, rather the fact that you took it to him and are whining about it here without even knowing that perhaps he might be right.

[Zero102]

Originally posted by benz_890
A friend of mine just picked up a 97 Accord yesterday. On the prepurchase inspection a lower ball joint was said to be needed to be replaced. We grabbed one from Auto Value and took it to some back alley mechanic 2 blocks down from his house.

...

Is this guy even allowed to be fixing cars for profit from his house? What can we do about him? :whipped:


Sounds like you got yourself into this one. You didn't want to pay for a reputable shop, and are surprised when you get screwed. You went LOOKING for a guy like this, and are surprised and want to report him now? :rolleyes:


My advice is to learn to fix your own cars, and take it as far away from this shady guy as possible.

[scat19]

^:werd:

[ercchry]

... there is always amvic IF he really was trying to scam you

[mr2mike]

Was it this guy?
Seems to sell cars for CCCCHHHHEEEEAAAAAPPPPPPP.

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[benz_890]

Some of you guys can not read. The pr-purchase inspection was done at a reputable shop which showed the ball joint needing to be replaced, don't you guys think all those other front end parts would have been found?

[mr2mike]

People fix cars for profit all the time at their houses.

I would just take it to someone else. I mean if you say the inspection said just the ball joint and you told the guy, just replace the ball joint, unless the car was in an accident where when he starts pulling things apart, they snap out of place (ie they were bent) and he can't get it back togther. But really, he should be able to see if it's that bent or not.

I would have said, fix the joint and here's what I'm paying you.

Go somewhere else. Ball joints are typically pretty easy to replace, it's the old one and it's removal that could be a little hard if there's rust to contend with.

[masoncgy]

Take the car to someone else and see what they say... not really sure why you're getting all mad when you took your car to a backyard mechanic and it seems that he wants to make some more money off of you...

...or, your car actually DOES need all of that work done, and the person who did your pre-purchase inspection is a moron and missed a whole bunch of items.

2nd opinions are always ideal if you are not 100% certain someone is giving you all the right information.

[Zero102]

Originally posted by benz_890
Some of you guys can not read. The pr-purchase inspection was done at a reputable shop which showed the ball joint needing to be replaced, don't you guys think all those other front end parts would have been found?



A friend of mine just picked up a 97 Accord yesterday. On the prepurchase inspection a lower ball joint was said to be needed to be replaced. We grabbed one from Auto Value and took it to some back alley mechanic 2 blocks down from his house.

...

Is this guy even allowed to be fixing cars for profit from his house? What can we do about him?


All I said was you got exactly what you were looking for, I think everybody can read perfectly, we are just all confused why you were looking for something really shady and cheap, and were shocked when you found it and want to pursue further action against the guy for being exactly what you were looking for.

[Hamann]

Originally posted by Pollywog


I've had people's friends drop off their cars with me to fix one problem only for me to find several others.:dunno:

I think you need to understand that 1)You obviously are not personally capable to diagnose any of the worn or damaged parts on the vehicle, and 2)You were the one who decided to bring it to a guy's backyard rather than a shop.

Thats the problem with helping out people who don't have a clue what they are talking about. Everytime you tell them that something is wrong, or try to explain "preventative maintenance" they think you are trying to rip them off. :rolleyes:

My point isn't that the guy you are dealing with is perfect, rather the fact that you took it to him and are whining about it here without even knowing that perhaps he might be right.

Huge reason I don't help people out anymore

[ringmaster]

Originally posted by benz_890
Is this guy even allowed to be fixing cars for profit from his house? What can we do about him? :whipped:

Im no expert but Im pretty sure you need a home business licence to run a "business" out of your home. If you can prove that what he is doing in his back alley is being run like a business (intent to profit, keeps records, systematic, etc..) than you have something to go on.

[gretz]

look at what the "backyard" mech says it needs... see if it needs what he suggested.

if you think the price is high, go somewhere else and forget it...it didn't cost you anything, no harm no foul

"What can we do about him?" For doing what? Inspect + quote high?

[benz_890]

he ended up taking the car to a shop and getting the ball joint replaced there and a wheel alignment, everything else was gravy so definately back alley guy trying to scam him :thumbsdow

[J NRG]

.

[FlySi]

If you are dumb enough to be "scammed", you deserve it.

[Kennyredline]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caveat_emptor