How long is too long? 4runner in the shop

Ok here is the deal:

I have a mechanic in town that I have used fairly often for the past 4 or 5 years. They have always (for me) done good work for a fair price..and fast. Always used them and recommended them to people. So when my brother and I figured out we couldn't make the runner run after a HG job, I called him up and towed it down to the shop. That was January 7th.

So a week or two later I am back at home for the weekend (attending college 110 miles from home) and drive by the shop to see the 4runner in the same spot. Called the guy up and he says they can't get it in the shop due to snow and ice. I'm thinking "ok I took him a busted 4runner. Not his fault it is icy. no biggie". The next weekend I go by and it is inside the shop finally. woohoo!
He calls me the next Monday and says he got it running and from what he said, he made it sound like, but didn't actually say, it would be done in a couple of days. I call him on Friday and he hasn't had time to look at it....hmmm.

This is when I start calling him every couple of days. He installs a new MAF sensor and now it has an oil leak and what he thinks is a clogged cat (from the coolant). It has not been back in the shop in at least two weeks, maybe 3. Now granted it has been snowing a lot lately, but it runs well enough to limp it into the shop. Every time I call the guy he acts like it is not big deal and says "he needs to get back to work on it" or "been meaning to look at it". I don't know what is going on with him. 5 weeks and no 4runner.

So has he spoiled me in the past or am I right to be concerned? Maybe the fact that we kind of caused a mess ticked him off? I don't want to make him mad or anything but come on man! How do I tell him nicely that I want my stinkin 4runner back? I know if I call him and get upset I will have a nice bill and a still broken 4runner. What would you guys do?

wish i could help but my stepfather is a mechanic and does my work for me.. took a week and $450 for a head gasket job, plus oil change, all fluids, and replacing a seal somewhere. might have been something else too, not sure [sorry, i'm a girl lol. don't know a lot about this stuff yet], so i'm not really sure what the normal shop time is for really anything. doesn't seem like it should take this long though.. is it the same guy who's been there that's working on it, or is it a different guy? i know you said it's the same shop, but you said "they" so i assume it's more than one guy. maybe this guy is slower than your normal guy.. but if you live/run a business in an area that typically gets snow or inclement weather of whatever sort on a regular basis, you should be prepared and know how to still do your job in those conditions.. i'm in new england, and i would expect a mechanic or really any business to be able to still work when there's snow outside, forgiving for big storms and stuff of course.. but i would expect him to be able to do his job, and it doesn't sound like he's been doing it or really making the effort.. as for what to do about it, i really don't know.. like you said, if you make a fuss about it you'll probably just end up getting screwed..

Well it has been the same guy this whole time, but they have all done work for me at one point or another. I'm calling again on Monday for an update and if he doesn't have any news (good or bad), I'm going to do something stupid! :boxer:

lol well i'd try to avoid that, but good luck :] hopefully he has some good news for you

5 weeks?, you are kidding right?. You are getting screwed by this guy. I spent 5 years working in a shop (not as mechanic) and watched our mechanics clear the schedule on a daily basis. A "good" mechanic with the right tools and the experience can diagnose and fix these issues rather quickly. Toyota's can be a pain in the arse to work on, but they really aren't that complicated.

Here's what happened, he looked at it, probably gave it a good two or three hours, couldn't figure it out and dumped it in the lot til he could get back to it. Probably had a steady stream of easy, money-making brake jobs and tune-ups that kept the shop busy. Felt like it would be a money loser to turn away those jobs and have yours tie up the shop. You probably don't push it, maybe you tell him to take his time cause your away at school?, So there it sits, when the shop is empty, they haul it in and see if they can handle it. Nothing changes, can't figure it out, push it back to the back lot. If they could have fixed it, they would have.
To blame it on the snow in OK is weak, aren't you guys buried from Dec thru March?, i'm sure the state doesn't shut down.

My advice, tow it to another mechanic who wants your business. They are out there. Screw this guy.

mikedks said:

5 weeks?, you are kidding right?. You are getting screwed by this guy. I spent 5 years working in a shop (not as mechanic) and watched our mechanics clear the schedule on a daily basis. A "good" mechanic with the right tools and the experience can diagnose and fix these issues rather quickly. Toyota's can be a pain in the arse to work on, but they really aren't that complicated.

Here's what happened, he looked at it, probably gave it a good two or three hours, couldn't figure it out and dumped it in the lot til he could get back to it. Probably had a steady stream of easy, money-making brake jobs and tune-ups that kept the shop busy. Felt like it would be a money loser to turn away those jobs and have yours tie up the shop. You probably don't push it, maybe you tell him to take his time cause your away at school?, So there it sits, when the shop is empty, they haul it in and see if they can handle it. Nothing changes, can't figure it out, push it back to the back lot. If they could have fixed it, they would have.
To blame it on the snow in OK is weak, aren't you guys buried from Dec thru March?, i'm sure the state doesn't shut down.

My advice, tow it to another mechanic who wants your business. They are out there. Screw this guy.

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Hey thanks for the response! That sounds like a pretty likely scenario. We actually don't get a whole lot of snow around here. Maybe 2 or 3 good snows a winter but yeah it is nothing to write home about. I never told the guy I was at school. As far as he knows I'm still in town. All he said when I first took it in was that he was a few days behind schedule. Not a few weeks.

I think when I call Monday I will try to light a fire under him and if that doesn't work I will go get it and figure something else out. I just hate that my go-to mechanic is doing this to a repeat customer.

runnerC2 said:

Hey thanks for the response! That sounds like a pretty likely scenario. We actually don't get a whole lot of snow around here. Maybe 2 or 3 good snows a winter but yeah it is nothing to write home about. I never told the guy I was at school. As far as he knows I'm still in town. All he said when I first took it in was that he was a few days behind schedule. Not a few weeks.

I think when I call Monday I will try to light a fire under him and if that doesn't work I will go get it and figure something else out. I just hate that my go-to mechanic is doing this to a repeat customer.

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Don't mean to be so harsh, but its done, your relationship with this guy over, fire him. If I were you, I would call on Monday, ask him for a tally, and tell him you are coming down with a tow truck. Let him know you are bringing it to someone who can fix it in a timely manner. Bad business should not be rewarded, take it to the guy down the street and tell him your story. I think 9 out of 10 guys would make it a personal mission to get you as a customer and make the other guy look like an incompetent jerk. Just my 2 cents, take it for what its worth.

mikedks said:

Don't mean to be so harsh, but its done, your relationship with this guy over, fire him. If I were you, I would call on Monday, ask him for a tally, and tell him you are coming down with a tow truck. Let him know you are bringing it to someone who can fix it in a timely manner. Bad business should not be rewarded, take it to the guy down the street and tell him your story. I think 9 out of 10 guys would make it a personal mission to get you as a customer and make the other guy look like an incompetent jerk. Just my 2 cents, take it for what its worth.

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I understand. I have another shop I trust owned by a family friend. Only reason I never use them is because this guy had never given me a reason to switch. I will call him Monday and probably go pick it up Friday unless he has made some dang good progress.

My last experiance

What started as a intake gasket replacement morphed in to an engine replacement back before Christmas. Th e head mechanis tore down the engine quickly but while he was on a test drive for the shop , he was pulled over for some minor violation, Turns out he was an illegal - he was given the option of sitting in jail for months while he trys to fight it, or self deport that day. He choose the latter of the two.
The owner of the shop hired a replacment heavy mechanic but had to wait two weeks for him to quit his old job. Then it took another week for hiim to install the fresh motor.
That being completed , the new engine had a loud rod knock. So it had to be towed to the engine rebuilder for him to replace it under warranty. Then he didn;t have another short block ready so that took another week.
In all it took eight weeks for a 3.0 rebuilt engine replacement.:sadwave:

But all is good the 3.0 has some pull. I can drive in fifth gear on the highway with no problem at 75. The lower gears have some bite and the truck feeld fresh and ready to go. Have to put on 500 miles till I can see what a new 1991 3.0 can do.:bravo:

wow in the time it took me to read this post i could have replaced the MAF 4 times.

As far as the oil leak if it didnt leak before you brought in then its not responsibility to pay for this new problem because he might have been the one that caused it to leak by bumping something he should have been careful with.

I live in michigan and we have a law that states "if the owner of the vehicle wants all the parts from the repair the mechanic must give them to them." well it sounds more legal then that but you get my point. check your local laws and see.

As far as your bill being high tell him this
" Sir i have had good luck with you in the past and have recommended your company before but with this overly high bill for no results i will not recomend your company, in fact i will tell everyone i know to stay away from you."

if that doesnt work get a sign that says con artists or thief or something clever and stand on the side walk right in front of his shop he cant do anything if your on public property. and he will think twice as everyone who drives by see's your sign.

The leak could easily be our fault. With the truck not running and oil not circulating, it didn't start leaking until he got it running.

Here's a little update. I called the mechanic today and my 4runner is IN THE SHOP. I repeat: In. The. Shop. He has to fix the oil leak and "replace" the cat. He acted like it ought to be done in the next couple of days...we'll see

I had that happen years ago with a Landcruiser transmission rebuild. I delivered the tranny and he said it would take a week.
4 weeks later, still not done, I dropped by with 2 100 dollar bills and said "This will start ya and I need it pronto." He had it at the end of the week.
I was young, and he figured it was just a project, so he put it off.

Maybe I should have done that about 3 weeks ago

Finally picked the dumb thing up on Friday. Couldn't have been happier driving home. Ran great....still runs great. When cruising a little bit last night to test it out and stopped by the gas station. Saw a trail of fluid behind us. It started leaking antifreeze from somewhere on top of the motor...great! :cry2::ybrick::AK47::gun4:

well it could just a hose or the heater valve. dont go crazy so fast.