Coolant Question
Well.... guess what... my engine is now trashed! I started it up last Wednesday and by the time I got it backed out of the garage my low oil pressure light was on and the gauge read ZERO and the engine sounded rough so I just pulled it back in the garage and called Mike Morgan, the ONLY guy who has ever worked on my car and he said "sounds like it's time for a new engine" WHAT?? This is the same guy that told me back in April (after he practically rebuilt the bottom half of my engine after HE jacked it up by not properly sealing one of the gaskets he replaced and drove it while all the oil leaked out) that my engine "will last another ten years after all the work I just did". So instead of taking it back to him I took it to a friend of mine who is the assistant service manager at a Hare Chevrolet and he just called me and told me the bottom portion of the engine is trashed. I know it's hard to prove that the work he did back in April is the reason my engine is trashed but I know HE knows that it is and I DO NOT have the money to buy a new engine right now! My friend at the dealership said he could get me a Jasper with 87K miles that would cost me $2700 including labor but it might as well be a million dollars because I just don't have it! What are the chances that I could make Mike, the guy who last worked on it pay for it? I mean wouldn't that be the RIGHT thing to do? I'm just so mad right now I can't think straight. I am going to call this guy and let him know that I believe he is the reason my engine is trash now but what do I say? Any suggestions on how to approach this with him to get the right result?? Any and all help is much appreciated!
Monte Of The Month -- January 2016
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,293
From: Pacific NW
Wow!, that sucks! So sorry to hear your sad news Brandy.
I probably don't have to tell you you're 'gonna have a uphill battle getting the mechanic responsible for the damage to admit fault and make it right, but I would try that first. If unsuccessful, contact the BBB. Still no luck...sue him, but you still have to prove neglegence. That's the hard part, unless you have in writing "your engine will last 10 years", which only a fool would do, and/or an expert witness (your new mechanic) can prove faulty workmanship, you may be SOL. What exactly did the new mechanic do/find to deem the engine as "toast"? I haven't seen the details of what work was done on the BOTTOM half of the engine. It's been some time since your last post on this thread. Was it running OK between then, (when you said all was well) and now? The $2700 installed for a new Jasper sounds like a good price.
I probably don't have to tell you you're 'gonna have a uphill battle getting the mechanic responsible for the damage to admit fault and make it right, but I would try that first. If unsuccessful, contact the BBB. Still no luck...sue him, but you still have to prove neglegence. That's the hard part, unless you have in writing "your engine will last 10 years", which only a fool would do, and/or an expert witness (your new mechanic) can prove faulty workmanship, you may be SOL. What exactly did the new mechanic do/find to deem the engine as "toast"? I haven't seen the details of what work was done on the BOTTOM half of the engine. It's been some time since your last post on this thread. Was it running OK between then, (when you said all was well) and now? The $2700 installed for a new Jasper sounds like a good price.
Last edited by plumbob; Dec 31, 2016 at 10:58 AM.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12,606
From: Mentor, Ohio
That is unfortunate! Sorry to hear about it. I briefly looked over this thread to "refresh" myself on it. As I recall, something did not seem right and sounds like that is what happened.
As Plumbob mentioned, going after the first mechanic is near impossible. At most if you bring up the past history and his comments, depending what failed he *might* cut a deal on what needs done (but I would not trust someone to get you out of trouble if you suspect they are the ones that got you into trouble to begin with).
Best of luck on this and keep us posted.
As Plumbob mentioned, going after the first mechanic is near impossible. At most if you bring up the past history and his comments, depending what failed he *might* cut a deal on what needs done (but I would not trust someone to get you out of trouble if you suspect they are the ones that got you into trouble to begin with).
Best of luck on this and keep us posted.
Wow!, that sucks! So sorry to hear your sad news Brandy.
I probably don't have to tell you you're 'gonna have a uphill battle getting the mechanic responsible for the damage to admit fault and make it right, but I would try that first. If unsuccessful, contact the BBB. Still no luck...sue him, but you still have to prove neglegence. That's the hard part, unless you have in writing "your engine will last 10 years", which only a fool would do, and/or an expert witness (your new mechanic) can prove faulty workmanship, you may be SOL. What exactly did the new mechanic do/find to deem the engine as "toast"? I haven't seen the details of what work was done on the BOTTOM half of the engine. It's been some time since your last post on this thread. Was it running OK between then, (when you said all was well) and now? The $2700 installed for a new Jasper sounds like a good price.
I probably don't have to tell you you're 'gonna have a uphill battle getting the mechanic responsible for the damage to admit fault and make it right, but I would try that first. If unsuccessful, contact the BBB. Still no luck...sue him, but you still have to prove neglegence. That's the hard part, unless you have in writing "your engine will last 10 years", which only a fool would do, and/or an expert witness (your new mechanic) can prove faulty workmanship, you may be SOL. What exactly did the new mechanic do/find to deem the engine as "toast"? I haven't seen the details of what work was done on the BOTTOM half of the engine. It's been some time since your last post on this thread. Was it running OK between then, (when you said all was well) and now? The $2700 installed for a new Jasper sounds like a good price.
I will definitely be filing a complaint with the BBB because the last time he worked on my car it was to fix an oil leak that he was supposed to have fixed 8 months before that. He also has not returned any of my calls so he's avoiding me now. He always returned my calls before
It was running "ok" after the last time he fixed it except every now and then it would cut out on my and not during acceleration, it would do it while I was driving on the interstate and one time it did die on me while I was stopped in traffic. I called the "mechanic" and he said it was probably bad gas and told me to get some fuel cleaner and see if that helps. I did what he suggested and it didn't die on me again after that but it did still cut out while driving every now and then but none of my gauge lights came on or anything. It's just been so frustrating and what I really wanna do is call him up and tell him that I KNOW he KNOWS he jacked up my engine and he needs to make it right and help me pay for the new one... but that would probably get me nowhere so I'll just file a complaint with the BBB and see how that plays out. Thanks for your input!
