So right now I am a student at FSU in Tallahassee, Florida and my parents live near Ft. Lauderdale. On November 12th I was driving home to get some new tires and my transmission broke down in a place called Yeehaw Junction. Its about 5 horus away from my school and 3 hours away from my parents' home. So I called AAA and got my car towed to the only shop in town. The mechanic called me and told me the car would be ready the friday after Thanksgiving. When I called that friday he said it wasn't ready and that he had not even gotten the part. So I call him the next monday (nov. 29) and he says the salvage yard he was getting the transmission from wanted an extra $200. I told him I'd get back to him. I decided not to go along with that and found a towing company to transport my car home. Now whenever I try calling the mechanic he isn't answering his phone. I leave a voicemail every day but no call back. I can't drive down ther cause I have no car and I need his street address to give to the towing company. I'd just look him up in the phone book but I'm not sure which location my car is at (they have 2). I also need his cooperation on this, he needs to know to give the key to the driver and do a quick walk around of the car. So what should I do?

thanks,
ken

 

From what you have said, it sounds like he holding your car hostage...can't you do a reverse lookup of his address by using the telephone #? I guess i'm assuming the # u call him at is where your car is. When is the driver coming to pick up your car?

 

try this site, it allows to do revers look up. www.anywho.com. His phone might be registred, if not you better call your lawyer.

 

Are you freaking kidding me and I mean that with the most respect. How can you tow your car somewhere and not know the location and address. Nothing worst than going on a road trip and have your ride break down in the middle of no where, I feel you on that one. But, we gotta be eduacated consumers and don't bring your property to a location you don't know where it's located. Even if you do find the location sounds like you're going to be in for a fight because this mechanic knows you're not a local, and you are now witnessing his character.

Even if he doesn't do the job you better believe you have his fees and diagnostic time to pay. So if you do end up finding his location he's not going to give up the key untill you pay his fee.

Sounds like you left your car there and either went back home or to your parents house. After you find this place your best best is to get into a car and ride over there, pay his fee and have your towing coming ready to tow back the car.

Of course I'm going on worst case scenerio but you never know.
Good luck

MIKE

 

Normally I wouldn't have left my car at a place I didn't know but if you're from Florida you'll know what I'm talking about. Yeehaw Junction is a really tiny town along the Florida Turnpike in the middle of nowhere. This guy was the only mechanic in the area since there are no other towns around. I really had no choice. I broke down at night around 8ish so I really had nothing to do but this. Last time I had my transmission worked on I had to sign some papers saying I would pay $300 if I chose not to get the problem fixed to cover the labor of diagnosing the issue. This time I didn't sign any papers or agree to any fees so I don't know how this guy can hold fees against me. Getting the address isn't really the problem here. I could just call him from a different # so he won't know its me and get it. I just need him to hand over the keys to the tow truck driver and thats if the car is outside ready to go, not in his shop with old transmission parts laying around.

 

I understand when you're in a bind, you're in a bind. If this guy is already avoiding your calls what does that tell you about his character? Unless this guy is truely busy he seems shady to me, more so knowing the fact you're out of town and he has your car.

Honestly, it sounds like you can get your car back without paying a dime (becasue you never signed a work order) but it doesn't sound like you'll be able to solve this over the phone. Once you find the address and he's still not willing to corporate you might have to take a road trip.

Me personally I would have been heading over there instead of posting. You broke down on Nov. 12th, he said it'll be ready two weeks later on Nov. 26th. You call on the 26th and it's not ready, you call back the 29th and he says he has to charge $200 extra because of the junk yard. Now it's 3 weeks later and nothing has been resolved.

Don't drag this out any longer, find the address, take a road trip, have your tow company ready, and get your car.

Again this is on a worst case scenerio.

MIKE

 

I would have gone down there already but I have no car to get there. Its finals week now so I don't think I could get any friends to give me a ride. The earliest I could get down there would be next Friday. I'll try and see if my parents want to go up there to check it out. But other than that I'm stuck. But thanks for the help so far.

 

wtf man, are u serious.. he just jacked ur damn car.. i been by yeehaw on the way to orlando, your damn right theres nothing at all around there. You left your car on Nov 12, its now Dec 4... Call teh cops.. Would really suck if you went over there, your cars not there, and he says he knows nothing.

 

Well I "lost contact" with him last week. Before that he actually did answer my calls and called me with new info. Heopfully my car is still there. I originally got it towed through AAA so there is a record of it being at his garage. I just called my dad and hes gunna send my brother up there to see whats up. So I'll know more about this on monday but thanks for all the replies. Plus I don't even know if there is a yeehaw junction poilce dept. haha YJPD all it is, is a Disney ticket place

 

Wow what a scarry story,

Maybe its just me but you seem to calm about this situation, I feel you pain but I can honnestly say If that were to happen to me, I would have went there, of course not having a car, I would have rented a car with unlimited milage and went there in person, and got the issue resolved. There is no way I could let that much time pass and I dont hear a word about my car and what is going on with it. I understand your in the middle of finals so you cant dedicate all your time to this issue because you have work to finish and classes to finish up.

You said you could call from another number and get the address, have you done that yet?

Is he the only worker at that shop? no one else answeres the phone and could tell you if that car is there or not?

what work has he done so far? did he give you a update last time you spoke to him?

best of luck, hope you get your car back, keep us posted.

 

Yea I'm calm cause getting mad about won't do anything. I have 2 numbers 1 from each of their locations. I called the2nd number today and got in contact with someone, told him the story and he told me to call him back in 20 minutes while he called Mike at the other garage to see what was up with my car. When I called him back later I didn't get an answer. Mike, the one that I always talked to, gave me what I think is his cell phone number so thats why i can't do a reverse look up on it. hes the only one to answer that phone so I'm thinking he sees my number and pushes silent. I'll try caling from my roommate's phone on monday to see if I can get in touch with him but my bro is hopefully goin over there monday to try and sort things out.

 

just dial *67 before the phone number. that blocks your caller id, so he can't see what area code you're calling from. nail this *******!

 

When these trannys go down, the mechanics are pretty much helpless because of nissan's terrible parts-stocking practices. When mine was down, I was without my car for 7 weeks.

FWIW, my dad used to own a shop and I know he'd be upset if he started work on a car and then the owner wanted it towed out of the shop for factors beyond his control. I definitely wouldn't be suprised if you have to pick your car up with a box full of transmission in the trunk. I just hope all of your parts are in the box and he doesn't rape you on labor.

Good luck with it, it can be frustrating.

 

He wasn't getting the parts from Nissan though it was from a salvage yard and he claims the salvage yard wants an extra $200 from the original price he quoted me. I'm sure he would be frustrated starting to work on it and then me not wanting him to finish but he has to understand that he can't A) take advantage of customers because he knows they can't do anything about it B) not answer his phone for like a week.

Update: He did call my this morning and said my car is done and the total was the original price he gave me +$200 he told me later even though I never told him to work at it on the price. Thats why he wasn't answering his phone, so I couldn't tell him to stop.

 

Hope you know that if your car has been in a spot for more then a months time, then the ower of the property has the right to file an abandoned car report and keep your car. So hurry up and get your ride.

 

I hope you are also getting some type of warranty on that tranny and like PRP said hurry up and get your car.

 

I see where you're coming from but, if his story is true and the salvage yard wants an extra $200 for the transmission, there is nothing he can do about it. And about him not answering his phone, that is f'd up, but I guess you gotta expect that from the only garage in Yeehaw Juction

Glad your car is done though

How much is the bill on the whole deal?