[1bgtoy]

Heres the deal. I have a friend that owns and operates an auto body shop. I needed a little surface rust taken care of on my 94 legend gs 4 door sedan. I needed the surface rust under the wing that was from improper installation on the original oweners part. I also needed the surface rust under the rubber moulding on the lips of the rear quarter panels. He had to do some sandblasting but no patching was necessary. He quoted me 150.00 labor plus paing. The color is triple coat white pearl. Now he sends the bill and it shows 650. labor and 75.00 for materials.
I think that the bill should not have been more than 400.00 Would you pay him the 675.00?

 

[Guest]

That is really really ****ed up. No way would I pay it. When someone quotes me a price for something I never pay it if its more than twice what they told me for normal car things. That is the point where I come to them and give them the talk about being a professional and how they should know their job well enough to tell you how much time it would take. Sounds to me though that if this was a real good friend it wouldn't even be an issue so it probably doesn't matter if U kinda piss him off.

 

[Guest]

no i wouldnt
why did the price jump from an estimate of 150 to 675?
and that is just to get some rust off?



with that much money i could b gettin some nice stuff for the legend

 

[1bgtoy]

Thats kinda how I feel about the situation. He did this to my brother when he painted his 67 dodge charger. he quoted my brother 1300.00. They kept the car a year and then told him when he picked the car up that it would be 2600.00. So its not like he has not done this s**t before to a family member. He has me soo f****ed off that I have half a mind not to pay him at all and just not go back. I can find some one else that is just as good of body man as him or even better.

 

[Matt Whelan]

You say $150 for labor plus painting...Isn't painting labor? We know that materials cannot be labor, so $75 for materials + $150 for labor is all that you legally have to pay...He cannot go up on what he originally told you unless he notifies you about it....So in my book, you owe him $225...That is all that you agreed to...If he disagrees, it is his own fault, and there is nothing he can do legally...

 

[DaTimez420]

yeah man, definitely you don't have to pay it, nor are you required to by law, unless he had given you notice before he did the work that it was going to increase. Usually, if it is only a little bit of an increase from original estimate, like within 100 dollars or so, I'd pay it, depending on what was getting done, but when the price just jumps all of a sudden by a lot and they expect you to pay it...just refuse to pay the difference from original quote and tell him to take you to court, because he will not be able to do anything to you. If he tries to pull a scam and not give you your car back until you pay, then you take him to court. Either way, if you had not been notified or accepted the additional charges, as they are required to notify you, then you don't have to pay it.

Doesn't seem like he is too much of a friend anyways if he'd do that to you and other family members too.

 

[stevieray]

If he was any kind of honest businessman at all, he should have contacted you and discussed the bump in the price beforehand. However, if you have a written estimate, f*@k him---pay the estimate price and be done with it. If not, it's still your word against his. Let the SOB try to take you to Small Claims court for the rest. Whatta dickhead....

 

[94legendsedan]

i would NOT pay it...first off it's your friend he shouldn't be doing that to you anyway and 2nd he shouldn't go back on his word like that, that's f*cked up.

 

[ChrisK]

Where are the lawyers? Isn't there a law that states something to the effect that the final price needs to be no more than 15% of the estimate, or they need to contact you before they perform any work?

However, you need a written estimate for proof.

To be honest, this guy sucks, but you IMHO made a few mistakes (Maybe).

Fist mistake was going back to him for work even after he did what he did to your brother.

Second mistake is not getting a written estimate (Unless you have one?)

$650 is a lot of money, but it might not be worth the trouble in court fees or trying to argue with this guy. It is up to you, but if I had no legal grounds (No written estimate) I would simply pay it, chalk it up to life experience, never do business with this guy again, cut the friendship (Which it appears there was none on his part to begin with) and tell everyone you know your story and to stay away from this guy.

Good luck

 

[LiasLegend]

I'd contact the better business buearu(sp) if I were you.

 

[tnelson]

just get your car back and write him a check for 225 like matt said, thats what you owe him. Dont let him screw you.

peace
Tnelson

 

[1bgtoy]

Then nice thing is I have my car. I have owed him this for some time now and have been trying to decide if I want to pay him. I think I will pay him the amount we agreed on and f**k him on the rest. I just will not go back to him for anything else nor will I recomend him to anymore people. This was the last and final time I was going to let him screw me over on work. He never gives me a written estimate only by word of mouth, now I know why. So he can try to charge more after he is done with the job. I can find other body shops that are more honest and just as good at doing the work.