Does this seem right?

[Laila619]

Hi everyone,

Long story short...my husband and I took our car into a mechanic we've used before many times to get some work done. His quotes are always super reasonable which is why we've used him before. The work went fine and we went to pick up the car yesterday evening. When we got to the shop, he told us, "There's one small problem." Uh oh. One of his guys BROKE the car key in the ignition, trying to pull the key out! Half of the key is still attached to the key ring, and the other half is stuck inside the ignition and can't be removed. The mechanic told us that in order to get the stuck half of the key out, he'd half to remove the entire steering wheel and it would take an hour's worth of work. Now get this, HE is CHARGING us for the work! Does that seem right? He keeps insisting that it's not his responsibility they broke our key, because it "would have happened sooner or later." He claims the key was "old." We argued with him for several minutes, but the bottom line is, he's not budging and is charging us more money for the work. Anything we can do? Thanks if you made it through this novel.

 

[Smurfysmiles]

...is the key old?

If not then he really doesn't have much of a case. i hope it works out for you

 

[Lauren8211]

Umm.... NO! That does not seem right!

Even if it *was* that old, he should have checked the integrity of the key before putting it into the ignition!

He can''t just break stuff, claim it was old, and charge you for it! That seems absurd!

And seriously... I''ve never heard of a key being so old it just broke off!

And I have some old freaking keys.

 

[Laila619]

Thanks girls. I knew that sounded wrong. What a jerk! No, the key was not old, no different than any other car key.

The thing is, though, he's holding our car hostage so to speak. If we want the broken key out, we have to pay him. If we take our car with the key still in there, then we'll really be stuck as a locksmith will charge just as much as him, if not more! What about maybe paying him the extra money for the removal of the key and then disputing it with the CC company?

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:26:23 PM
Author: Laila619
Thanks girls. I knew that sounded wrong. What a jerk!

The thing is, though, he''s holding our car hostage so to speak. If we want the broken key out, we have to pay him. If we take our car with the key still in there, then we''ll really be stuck as a locksmith will charge just as much as him, if not more! What about maybe paying him the extra money for the removal of the key and then disputing it with the CC company?

Yeah you are in a crappy place. Obviously you need your car back!

The CC dispute definitely seems like your best option, otherwise you''re stuck fighting with them and they keep your car.

Make sure you get the "old" key back!

 

[lilyfoot]

*$%# NO, don''t pay for that!

Is he JOKING?!?

His shop damaged something, and he thinks YOU''RE going to pay for it?

How much is he trying to charge you?

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:26:23 PM
Author: Laila619
Thanks girls. I knew that sounded wrong. What a jerk! No, the key was not old, no different than any other car key.

The thing is, though, he''s holding our car hostage so to speak. If we want the broken key out, we have to pay him. If we take our car with the key still in there, then we''ll really be stuck as a locksmith will charge just as much as him, if not more! What about maybe paying him the extra money for the removal of the key and then disputing it with the CC company?

If you''re going to do this, I''d have him ring them up as 2 seperate charges (assuming he did the other work he was supposed to be doing).

That way, you can still pay him for the work he did do, and NOT pay him for that bullcrap charge

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Interesting - this happened to me a few years back. My car was old, my key was old and it snapped off in the ignition while I was driving.

So it can happen, but if it happened while it was in the workshop, I wouldn''t have expected to pay for it.

I think you might have to pay the charge and dispute it later. Write on any paperwork, including CC slip, that you have paid under protest to have your vehicle released to you. Alternatively, can you get advice from a citizens advice centre / law clinic or even a lawyer? How much money are they charging for this?

Good luck - hope you get a resolution quickly.

Jen

 

[Bia]

It probably broke from the cold - that happens a lot.

No, you shouldn't have to pay. But since you need your car, pay and tell him he lost a customer after you have your keys in hand. I'd also tell him that you're reporting him to the BBB - if he's even a member - and that word will get around that he's a crappy mechanic/owner. Not that it will do much but you never know. A lot of these places rely on return/local/loyal customers.

My local place would never dream of doing this, and that's why I keep going back. That and it's a garage owned and operated by women - I love that!

ETA: How heavy are your keys? I was told that putting too many keys/keychains is bad for your starter/ignition and can also cause the key to snap. Just a FYI.

 

[swingirl]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:15:49 PM
Author:Laila619
Hi everyone,


Long story short...my husband and I took our car into a mechanic we've used before many times to get some work done. His quotes are always super reasonable which is why we've used him before. The work went fine and we went to pick up the car yesterday evening. When we got to the shop, he told us, 'There's one small problem.' Uh oh. One of his guys BROKE the car key in the ignition, trying to pull the key out! Half of the key is still attached to the key ring, and the other half is stuck inside the ignition and can't be removed. The mechanic told us that in order to get the stuck half of the key out, he'd half to remove the entire steering wheel and it would take an hour's worth of work. Now get this, HE is CHARGING us for the work! Does that seem right? He keeps insisting that it's not his responsibility they broke our key, because it 'would have happened sooner or later.' He claims the key was 'old.' We argued with him for several minutes, but the bottom line is, he's not budging and is charging us more money for the work. Anything we can do? Thanks if you made it through this novel.

WHAT? That's not true. I've had some mighty old cars in my day and that is NOT an inevitability. Yes, it can happen with an old worn key but NO it wouldn't happen "sooner or later". If he won't fix it I'd consider towing the car somewhere else and pursuing small claims court. Do you have a quote for the cost of the new ignition and labor? You might also talk to a dealer and ask how often that happens and when it does who pays.

 

[Bia]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:41:27 PM
Author: swingirl

WHAT? That's not true. I've had some mighty old cars in my day and that is NOT an inevitability. Yes, it can happen with an old worn key but NO it wouldn't happen 'sooner or later'. If he won't fix it I'd consider towing the car somewhere else and pursuing small claims court. Do you have a quote for the cost of the new ignition and labor?

Initially I wanted to say to just have your car towed to another garage. The problem is, paying for the tow truck and the labor, AND the new key. It might cost more. But maybe it's worth it to you, just out of principle. Small claims? Hmmm. It's a lot of trouble to go to for $80 (I'm assuming he's just charging you labor - cost of labor is usually $50-$80/hr - since there isn't anything wrong with your ignition).

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I would have the car towed to another repair place, fixed and then sue the other guy for screwing up your car. Or, claim it on your insurance. Keys don''t "get old." They''re not manipulated in a manner that would weaken the metal (not a car key anyway). They need to pay for this repair.

 

[Bia]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:47:04 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
I would have the car towed to another repair place, fixed and then sue the other guy for screwing up your car. Or, claim it on your insurance. Keys don''t ''get old.'' They''re not manipulated in a manner that would weaken the metal (not a car key anyway). They need to pay for this repair.

It''s just that Small Claims is SUCH a PITA!

 

[SapphireLover]

Has your state got a Better Business Bureau you can report them to. We don''t have them in the UK, but have heard some States have them and find them helpful

 

[rhbgirl24]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:29:09 PM
Author: lilyfoot
*$%# NO, don''t pay for that!


Is he JOKING?!?


His shop damaged something, and he thinks YOU''RE going to pay for it?

How much is he trying to charge you?

DITTO! This is so wrong! He did the damage, he needs to give the car back to you in the same condition (with repairs you agreed upon) as when you dropped it off to him.

 

[radiantquest]

That is nonsense. First of all I have had cars that were in the shop and something close to what they were working on broke from being knocked and they told me, and covered the costs. As they should.

I had a 1988 Corsica in 2007 that I drove as my primary car. That is pretty darn old and my key didn''t break. That is 19 years old! and my key didn''t break. I am assuming that your key is not that old. I bet that you have an ignition that you have to do a "secret handshake" to get the key out like a push in turn and pull or something like that and there was a new guy working and didn''t know what he was doing and broke the key off.

You have to pay it to get the car back, but I would definently fight it after the fact. I would take him to court or do CC dispute. If for any reason you would need my story of the 19 year old car with a key that didn''t break I would testify for you.

 

[Porridge]

No way would I pay that! That''s ridiculous, what an outrageous claim to make, with no grounds whatsoever. Maybe make a seperate cc charge and dispute it, might be the beet option. Or would your insurance cover it? I would make it very clear to that mechanic that you will not be paying for his mistake.

HE broke the key, in HIS garage. What nonsense.

 

[panda08]

Yeow, sorry, that sucks!

I wouldn''t pay either, even if the key was old. It seems odd that the mechanic wouldn''t take care of it as part of good customer service, especially since you''re a repeat customer. Guess times are tough

Before charging it to your CC and disputing it, I''d check with the dispute terms with your CC company. Since you are technically authorizing the charge and there isn''t fraud involved, your CC might deny the dispute.

If the CC route won''t work, you may consider paying for it and filing a complaint in small claims to try to get the money back, if the money is enough to make it worth your while. You have to pay to file a case in small claims and where I live, it''s about $30 or so.

Good luck! Hope things work out for you.

 

[lucyandroger]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:50:44 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 1/21/2010 12:47:04 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
I would have the car towed to another repair place, fixed and then sue the other guy for screwing up your car. Or, claim it on your insurance. Keys don''t ''get old.'' They''re not manipulated in a manner that would weaken the metal (not a car key anyway). They need to pay for this repair.

It''s just that Small Claims is SUCH a PITA!

True but it will be a PITA for him too! So maybe he''ll just pay for the repair to avoid it.

I would just document with a letter that you offered to let him fix the key issue for you free of charge but he refused so you are taking it to someone else to be fixed and will send him the bill.

 

[Laila619]

Date: 1/21/2010 1:01:31 PM
Author: radiantquest
That is nonsense. First of all I have had cars that were in the shop and something close to what they were working on broke from being knocked and they told me, and covered the costs. As they should.

I had a 1988 Corsica in 2007 that I drove as my primary car. That is pretty darn old and my key didn't break. That is 19 years old! and my key didn't break. I am assuming that your key is not that old. I bet that you have an ignition that you have to do a 'secret handshake' to get the key out like a push in turn and pull or something like that and there was a new guy working and didn't know what he was doing and broke the key off.

You have to pay it to get the car back, but I would definently fight it after the fact. I would take him to court or do CC dispute. If for any reason you would need my story of the 19 year old car with a key that didn't break I would testify for you.

That is exactly what happened radiantquest! It's one of those where you have to push in to get the key to release. The guy probably just kept tugging and twisting on the key to get it out.

Thank you so much for your replies everyone! You've given me some very good suggestions. I want to avoid small claims court, because as Bia says it's a PITA. Sounds like claiming it on insurance or disputing are the best options at this point.

 

[decodelighted]

Call the police. Not the emergency number ... but get an officer on the phone. Explain that they are holding your car hostage.

Perhaps even the THREAT to call the police will give the mechanic a wake-up call. That is so totally wrong of them.

 

[LilyKat]

Date: 1/21/2010 1:20:50 PM
Author: decodelighted
Call the police. Not the emergency number ... but get an officer on the phone. Explain that they are holding your car hostage.


Perhaps even the THREAT to call the police will give the mechanic a wake-up call. That is so totally wrong of them.

Ditto this.

Also, have you tried calling your insurance company and explaining the situation? They'll probably have some advice as to what to do. Technically you could claim this on insurance (depending on your cover), and my bet is that they will NOT be impressed by this guy's story. Try your credit card company too, and see what they advise you to do.

 

[Porridge]

Date: 1/21/2010 1:20:50 PM
Author: decodelighted
Call the police. Not the emergency number ... but get an officer on the phone. Explain that they are holding your car hostage.

Perhaps even the THREAT to call the police will give the mechanic a wake-up call. That is so totally wrong of them.

Of course! Great idea, why didn't I think of it!

Get the number for local police dept...not emergency number obviously.
What is the currant situation? Have you guys agreed that can go ahead and do the work? Or are things at a standstill, with the car stuck there and you refusing to pay?

It is so totally wrong that he is trying to charge you for this.

 

[Laila619]

Date: 1/21/2010 2:14:16 PM
Author: Porridge

Date: 1/21/2010 1:20:50 PM
Author: decodelighted
Call the police. Not the emergency number ... but get an officer on the phone. Explain that they are holding your car hostage.

Perhaps even the THREAT to call the police will give the mechanic a wake-up call. That is so totally wrong of them.

Of course! Great idea, why didn't I think of it!

Get the number for local police dept...not emergency number obviously.
What is the currant situation? Have you guys agreed that can go ahead and do the work? Or are things at a standstill, with the car stuck there and you refusing to pay?

It is so totally wrong that he is trying to charge you for this.

Hi Porridge,

Yes, the current sitch is that we agreed last night (after arguing and protesting for quite a bit) to have him do the work and remove the broken key. We got it in writing what he will charge. We'll pick it up today. Then we plan to dispute it, and sign the credit card slip 'under protest' like Mrs. Mitchell advised.

 

[tlh]

I can say that this does not fall under the category of wear and tear. This falls in the category of that''s too bad... FOR HIM. Yes it may have happened EVENTUALLY, but it happened while in his care... not yours!

His employee caused damage to your car... the same as if an employee accidentally broke a belt that was "old". Shady practice to charge you for an employees negligence.

The car was in his care and CHARGE. So because you are PAYING him for his service, he must return the items back to you in the condition you left it to him in - and fix the items that he pays you to fix... not break stuff, and then charge you for his mistakes.

He will have to cover the charge for repairs himself- and eat the labor and cost of parts... or file a claim under his own commercial policy and see if there is any coverage for that - but most likely there is not... you never know. Commercial policies can range from 200 - 2,000 pages... so there may be coverage in there for him.... but this is NOT your concern. He just needs to fix the part he damaged.

Case closed.

 

[that_someone_special]

Well, so, I was working on your car and dropped a tire on your windshield that cracked it. But you need to pay it, because after time glass gets weak and really, we both know it''s your fault for owning such a bad windshield.

PUH-leeeeaseeeee



SO WRONG!!!

 

[jet2ks]

Not only should he be removing the broken key without charge, he owes you a new key to replace the one his employee broke.

That may seem ridiculous, and if it is just a regular key, it isn't worth discussing. However, if it is a key with a transponder chip, those can run upwards of $100 to replace.

 

[rockzilla]

Have him fix it. Then, when he gives you the itemized receipt, pay him (in cash) only for the work that doesn't include the key. Then drive away, and never look back.

It's really hard to get $$ back (whether through a CC dispute or small claims). Much easier to not give to him in the first place. If he wants to take you to small claims court, let him have the judge laugh in his face.

 

[somethingshiny]

My car is 13 yrs old, DH''s car is over 20 yrs old. We have the original keys. Keys don''t just "break off sooner or later."

I would contact a dealership about the issue. Get a cold hard fact of how long the keys are supposed to last. Take that documentation to the mechanic and tell him you''re no paying for it. Additionally, tell him that you''ll take him to court if he doesn''t fix his mistake. I can''t believe that lack of responsibility!!

 

[4ever]

Tell him to piss off and pay a locksmith to do it instead.

Maybe a locksmith could get it out easyer and if you have to pay anyway, I would not be putting my money in th poctets of your machanic.