Both sides learn lessons in car repair dispute

FOREST GROVE, Ore. - For one woman a $285 quote to fix a broken clutch on her car turned into a $2,300 nightmare, and her car still doesn’t run.

Cheryl Bixby said at first a repair shop refused to give her 1966 Mustang back until she paid hundreds of dollars more than an original quote for repairs that had yet to be done.

Bixby bought her classic Mustang 18 years ago when she was a junior in high school and just over a week ago her husband took it to the repair shop with a noisy clutch.

“He (mechanic) said we’ll open it up, put the new clutch in or new parts, we’ll find out what the parts are, so it doesn’t include parts, and then we’ll put it back together,” said Bixby.

Bixby’s husband told a mechanic named Mike to make the repairs but a few days later Bixby said Mike called to tell her that the quote was now higher - a lot higher.

“Monday he calls me and gives me a verbal quote of $2,300 to repair the transmission,” she said.

Mike said he told Bixby’s husband that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. “I stood there and told him that,” he said.

Mike said Bixby’s husband approved the transmission repair and costs, but he admitted he had no paperwork to back up that claim.

“He authorized me verbally to do it,” he said.

But Bixby said the shop was never told to do the work, and she may have Oregon House Bill 2268 on her side.

That bill became law and went into effect earlier this year and now “before commencing repair work” shops must give you an “estimate in writing” and can “not charge for the work … in excess of the estimate.”

Bixby said she learned a valuable lesson from the experience.

“Anytime I go anywhere I am going to ask how much and get it written down,” she said.

Bixby got the car back but the transmission is now in parts on the floor of her father’s garage. Some of the parts are missing and she still had to pay the original $285.

The mechanic said he too learned a lesson since he did not get a new quote for work and get it signed.

Bixby’s father said he is getting the car’s transmission repaired for about $500.

Here are tips from Consumer Reports to keep you from getting ripped off at the repair shop:

• Make sure you comparison shop or go to a mechanic you know and trust.
• Write down symptoms of what’s wrong but don’t offer a self-diagnosis of a problem. You could be opening yourself up for unneeded repairs.
• Request a test drive before and after repairs are made with the mechanic.
• Ask for evidence of damaged parts. Don’t just take a mechanic’s word.