Serious Problem, need advise

If you don't mind the publicity, the media can probably convict him for you - resulting in him having to shutdown/rename/startup again. Probably the same result with the courts but more time consuming. From the owner's lack of intelligence I'd guess he has no assets to go after. And yes - get a friend of a friend to get a copy of the video, or even a friend of a friend of a friend, and after you get your car back.

What do you want out of this guy besides that he never touches your car again? $'s, public record, protect us other car nuts?

Makes me sick thinking of the other abuses he's done over the years - go get him! but get local legal help.

 

DrStrangelove is possibly en route to Afghanistan at this very moment. He'll be out of touch for a while.

 

Wow - that SUCKS!!!! I would explain things to the shop owner with a baseball bat.....but that's just me. tjacoby's TV idea is a good one - there has to be a local station just itching for stories like this. Get the tape and have a chat with one of their reporters. And a lawyer.

 

Right on Smith, I'm with you. Godfather, you need to "make him and offer he can't refuse" when it comes to reimbursement for all costs you may incur for having someone else look your car over, when you go tomorrow to pick it up you need to go with several guys, as big as you can find, armed (I am not joking) with guns and/or bats and pipes, and TAKE your car back, by force if necessary, and tell him to take his bill and shove it up his ass. THEN get the attorney working on all that legal mumbo-jumbo.

 

Definately call hte BBB, get the tape first. Take him to court, there is no damage to the car so you will have to file theft charges. I would put it in the local papers too, ruin the guys business. who took the car? shop boy or owner of the shop? what state did this happen in by the way?

 

Guns and baseball bats? God bless America, eh

Is any car worth threatening someone's life for? And if you aren't threatening this, why are you suggesting taking weapons?

I sincerely hope you chaps are being tongue in cheek with this stuff, especially anyone UK based!

Trace copies of the video as quickly as you can and secure them.

When picking your car up on Monday, check that the car is ready for collection, get them to take it out front for you and get the keys. Then ask for a chat with the proprietor of the garage and have a civil, calm but firm discussion with him about what you have heard and what his thoughts are.

Prior to picking the car up, be clear on what it is you expect by way of recompense (if the deed was done, you cannot wind the clock back, so get over it). It may be that he waive all charges, you might want to have your car thoroughly checked out by another service agent etc etc. Just be very clear about what you want.

If the guy admits to the situation, tell him what you want and discuss it. Only threaten legal action if you are definitely going to pursue that route, understanding that it could be expensive and might even be fruitless.

If he states he didn't do it, then wait for the video (or if you have it, take a copy and show him). If this shows up, take him to task once more.

Whatever you do, keep in mind at all times it is ONLY a car and it's not worth some of the suggestions that the less balanced of the posters above have given. The world is turning into a sh*tty enough place as it is without this sort of cretinous stuff.

Oh, and if he did do it, let him know that you'll be posting his name and his garage's name on these forums. Bad word gets round fast, and in this sector of the market, that sort of PR will hurt where it hurts most - in the wallet!

Good luck with whatever you find out.

PS Didn't look at what sort of car you have, but it is always possible that your witnesses saw a car very similar to yours, but that might not have been. Certain models of Ferrari aren't that rare, and can easily be mistaken Not saying this is necessarily the case, but it's all too easy to jump to conclusions.

 

HEY GUYS

TOO MUCH INFO WE ARE GIVING GODFATHER HERE..

HE WAS ASKED SEVERAL TIMES, HIS LOCATION, WHAT KIND OF CAR HE HAS, NO PROFILE,,,HMMMM

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM( SCRATCHING MY HEAD)

BRUCE

 

Unfortunatley this is a very common practice. I have known several guys that have been mechanics and they said they regularly took customers cars out for the night and even the weekend. One of my friends worked at a large BMW dealership here in Dallas and he said they always took the cars out at night. Epsecially the M cars. Leason #1 do not trust anyone and always let the shop know that you know the miles when you drop off the car and there better not be any more when you get it back.

 

Interesting and yes I would be upset.

I have actually had this happen to one of my cars (that I used to own) twice. But I believe there was no racing involved , just a good old fashioned thrash.

The first case was by a wheel alignment guy who was actually a club member also and a bit of a mate. When I returned to pick up my car both he and his apprentise were looking a bit sheepish and my car was up in the lift and most definitely nice and hot ... which considering all they had to do was drive in into the lift bay it should never have been. He admitted that they were curious and took it for a lap or the surrounding area. No damage, I was just worried about the full race engine ... and that they had warmed it up properly ... but was not impressed.

Second time was my engine builder. Now I actually was glad he took it for a blast as he finally was able to understand the flat spot problem I kept talking about, what I was not happy about was that it appeared that every Tom, Dick and Harry in his shop had had their go also!!!!. I was somewhat amazed at what speed the guy took it up to (as he discussed this with me, regarding a handling issue) as he had been over 125 mph on a public highway ... with my plates, etc.

In the end while I 100% do not agree with the street racing part, when you drop off an exciting car to a garage fill of petrol heads what do you think happens when you have gone and there is a need for a road test , er, or maybe not but they will find an excuse. My father used to own a car repair garage and that is how I got to drive many interesting cars I would otherwise not had the chance to drive, I also worked at an Alfa Romeo repair garage and loved the road tests ... especially the Ford Sierra Cosworth (man that thing was fncken fast for a road car) and the Rover SDI v8 that I was told to take for a blast as it had an oil leak ... and thus a BLAST I did take it for ... quite fast those things.

Even my mother used to take some cars out as she knew the owners did not ever extend their cars and thus before they were put on the tuning machine she would take them for a quick blast to clear out the crap, and clear the plugs. This actually saved the customer money as many times the car did not need a tune just a good old blast to make it run properly.

NOW racing is very different and not on, but next time you drop your Ferrari off to get tuned do you think the mechanic hates the test drive ... **** I never did.

If you want to ensure no body ever nails your Ferrari you better start servicing it yourself ... remember MOST mechanics are big petrol heads, and probably do NOT own their own Ferrari.

Pete

 

you could always not pay him and ask him to come to court to demand payment... by the way what work was being done?

 

So what happend in the end?