This guy came very highly recommended. His shop was almost referral only type stuff, and was about a 30 mile drive for me. Although I still think he does good work, when he will do it, I had problems with him doing what I asked him to do.

The straw that broke the camel's back is about two months ago, some may recall that I had my MAS replaced. While she was there, I told ****** to do the "works" service from stem to stern. I got a $700 bill, which I assumed was for what I had ordered. The first thing I asked him was if he replaced the activated charcoal cabin filter, per the specs for the 45K mi service. He had not even checked it. When I got home, I received an FSS warning, that service was due in 500mi. I had to force him to check the transmission fluid (yeah, I know, sealed for life, but) . Well, at the bottom of my bill was $89.50 for Checking, Clearing Codes and Shop Supply (diagnostic computer test). He blew me off for 60 days before he could 'get around to ' resetting my FSS, and then said, by the way, you will just have to keep up with the mileage yourself until your next service, b/c I can't set it back to the mileage from your last service. He charged me for all of this stuff, but didn't do it until the second time around, and I am sure there are other things he did not do as well.

I usually don't seek advice on matters like this, but: Should I have a chat with him (he is an arrogant sob) and try to get him to be more specific on his bills, or go to the other guy, who's reputation is not that great by some, but overall, he is the big volume indi in town. The dealership is not an option.

Yep, these guys are out there.

Good luck,

The question is - do you represent a center of influence among his customers? He will listen when he feels that you can impact his business. Otherwise, he will continue to gaze down his nose as if your problems were petty little grievences that have nothing to do with him.

I read somewhere that the average person has a circle of influence of about 300 people.

If they have a good experience they will tell 15, if they have a bad one, they will tell 150.

Anyway, I too had a bad mechanic experience lately.
It was a place that came recomended from this board.

They wanted to charge my $700 to take the 7 or 8 bolts out of the bellhousing so I could look at the transmission and then put it back (just the 7-8 bolts, not even the driveshaft or mounts).
I will certainly never be back there!

I could probably ruin him if I wanted to, and I used to operate in this manner, but I can sleep alot better now than I used to. I really don't want to burn the bridge or punish him into making this stuff right. I just want to take my car which I love to someone who will help me keep it in what is pretty much pristine condition, so I can show off my 'badges to you guys some day. If he would itemize each thing he does to my car on the bill more specifically I would probably keep using him, but he is one of those guys who will sort of harrumph at requests like this. I think I will move on and just not recommend him to anyone else. If I ever run into him and he asks, i will tell him why I changed mechs.

We have an old guy like that here. Been in bus. in the same location for fifty years and he works on what he wants when he wants. Crusty old dude but he drives MB diesels and knows which way is up.

Same snob kinda guy works at the local shop here. Over charges- eventough I only buy parts. Acts like the god of the town. By the way, according to him, he knows everything.

Sad thing is, he was the second owner of my car (I'm the 4th).

My friend often turns down work, but then he is 62 and is entitled, so far as I can see. He won't do rear suspenstion links anymore because he has to take a day off after doing a set, can't turn his head or lift his left arm. Getting old is the pits.

On the other hand, he has had a car or two where the computer wouldn't take the FSS reset, I watched him and it just blinked at him, refused to reset. Big bother.

Some of it depends on who you are and how you get along with a specific person -- Hans has "fired" a couple of customers over the years I've known him, just because they were never satsified. They prefer to pay more and get less service somewhere else.

I've fired a customer or two myself -- when someone expects me to do something that reflects negatively on my professional reputation, I draw the line. Cost our business a customer, but hey, I'm not in jail, so there!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Just service your car at the dealer.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Most German car mehanics are arrogant jerkoffs. I stopped talking to one about two years ago after I gave him repeat business and referrals and he treated me like garbage.

Employing a mechanic you don't trust makes as much sense to me as getting the cook mad at you. As for a mechanic who doesn't present an itemized bill...what does that say about their work habits? Of course, I won't own a late-model car, because of an irrational belief that the increased complexity invites problems...or is that one of the laws of thermodynamics?

On the positive side, I've posted before about my Asian MB mechanics. Yesterday I was complaining that they had stuck me with a part I had brought for them to install (by buying the part themselves, leaving the part I bought on the front seat), and their (new) office person was going to blow me off when the mechanic saw how they felt and said "You bring it in- we credit- we'll use it eventually". You can probably guess their invoices are clear as a bell.
My other good mechanic knows his limits. When I was shopping for a car he said "Just don't buy anything with a carburettor." When I showed up with the 240D he said, "I thought once that I was smart enough to do a brake job on a Mercedes. Boy, was I wrong!" He does only what he can do well and has saved me a ton of money by doing a book job for a book price.

Peter, I am actually a pretty nice guy, and have sent this fella a lot of business. There are a lot of MB owners in mine. He admitted he forgot to reset the FSS. He has always admitted he didn't do the things I inquire about--he just doesn't apologize, and I have to drive an hour round trip to cure his mistakes. He charges for things he doesn't do, because he has a wealthy clientel who don't ask the questions I have learned to ask on this Board. Alot of times, I have a runner pick-up the car, and this is I guess part of my problem--but I shouldn't have to police him.

Don't worry, I am not THAT customer

Omegabenz--there are complicated reasons that I cannot use the dealership here in town. They mostly involve fraudulent fleases, and my punishment of that evil deed.

"He charges for things he doesn't do, because he has a wealthy clientel who don't ask questions"

If he does as you say he's nothing but a thief and why would you want to deal with a thief?

Hey Narwal, you a lawyer :-0