I should have fixed it myself

[carshinebob]

I guess I just need to vent. I left my Bravada with the mechanic across the street from my restoration shop yesterday. I supplied a rebuilt front diff. and new axles that needed to be installed. although I personally have'nt done this exact repair before, I did remove the drive shaft and axles in June so that I could drive it while I got the parts together. I also did a lot of research on removing the diff. and felt that this guy couldn't mess it up too bad. Well I just got off the phone and here's what's happened so far. He could'nt get the intermediat shaft out and then busted the disconnect housing. next his brother drilled a hole through the oil pan. OK I know that a 12 year old rust belt vehical can have it's issues. But this seems to be getting out of control. So now the rest of the story. I was going to fix it myself when he came to me and offered to do this for free because he's been using my parking lot for the last two years for nothing. Now he wants $500. for the oil pan and disconnect housing. I try to stay on good terms with my neibors because I still have to work next to them, but this guy is pushing me a bit far. It 's going to get ugly tomarrow morning when I get to see the damage. wish me luck. ~BOB

 

[dmanns67]

Wow man sorry to hear that. For offering to do a job for free, he has no personal accountability. Whether I am being paid to do a job or doing it for free, if I break it I buy it.

I would be hot if a guy broke something on my truck and expected me to pay for it. I would get in his a$$ regardless of being my neighbor, friend, family, etc.

Hope everything turns out well and he pays for his mistakes.

 

[Mounce]

Hindsight is always 20/20. Hope you get things worked out and that guy has fun changing the oil pan, which from what I've heard, isn't easy at all.

 

[Paul Bell]

I think the best you'll do is to take the truck back and fix it yourself or have somebody else fix it.

It's time to start charging him rent-or he can park his car(s) somewhere else.

It takes a lot of balls to now ask you for $500.00 to fix what he screwed up.

Good luck Bob!

 

[carshinebob]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I'm thinking of all my options here and we'll see what happens next. ~BOB

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I would take it away from his dumbass ASAP.

 

[KNBlazer]

When I work on a friends car, I let them know, something could accidentally break... thus far nothing has...

 

[The_Roadie]

Does letting them know something could accidentally break mean you accept the cost if it does, or is it clear that you work on it at THEIR risk and expense?

 

[KNBlazer]

Does letting them know something could accidentally break mean you accept the cost if it does, or is it clear that you work on it at THEIR risk and expense?

at their risk, lol.... especially when swapping O2 sensors, I let them know what could happen.... I don't make money either way...

 

[dmanns67]

Either way, you break it you buy it whether there is a risk or not. Regardless, if you are doing a favor or working on the vehicle for free. Responsibility and accountability

Now if WE are working on my truck together and WE break something, that is a different situation.

 

[carshinebob]

Update. I got it back today. He covered the cost of the oil pan and installation. The disconnect housing was already cracked as it was corroded inside the crack. Anyway we came to a mutual agreement on the price and it worked out. Now I get to trouble shoot the transfer case as it is stuck in 4 wheel drive. This was very likley malfunctioning when I got it back in June. But since I've been driving it all summer with the front axles and driveshaft removed, I had no way of knowing if the T-case was working of not. The previous owner had just installed a used T-case and a new encoder motor just before I got it in June. If anyone remembers from my previous posts I got this vehical for almost nothing because the poor previous owner couldn't aford to put any more money into it. Anyway I'm fixing the rest of these problems myself. ~BOB

 

[northcreek]

Great outcome...I think that he is a stand up guy to do all the work and cover the cost of the pan, working on old rusty vehicles can go bad real fast even for the best mechanics...glad that you are happy, Mike.