Need help big time!!!

dean07 · Aug 20, 2012

HEY ALL, I have a 07 sprinter 2500 and went to a dealer for service, they did an oil change and recommended that i need to replace 2 glow plugs, at the moment, i didnt have time to get it done. a week later i went to a local garage that i dealt with before, and asked if they can do the work. The OWNER of the shop tells me that he has replaced glow plugs on a sprinter and can have in and out with a day or 2. The next day i went to the shop and see the mechanic drilling into the glow plug area, i asked what he was doing, he told me that the glow plug broke, and he has to drill it out. To make the story short, they drilled too deep and put a hole in the head, and things went down hill from there, i asked the owner of the shop that i have no choice but to take it to a dealer, that was on july 28 when i pulled it out of the shop. today the sprinter is still at the dealership, and they are milking me big time, my bill as of today is $9800.00 and counting, my question is i need a good lawyer to help me out with this mess. can someone recommend me a lawyer that has experince in this field. All your help would be GREATLY apprceiated. please do not ask what garage its in, i do not want to mention any names until i get this in court...thx!! I am based in the taylor michigan area!!!!

BigCat · Aug 20, 2012

Just curious but have you requested the shop cover the bill? They have insurance for these purposes.

Tennesseahawk · Aug 20, 2012

dean07 said:
HEY ALL, I have a 07 sprinter 2500 and went to a dealer for service, they did an oil change and recommended that i need to replace 2 glow plugs, at the moment, i didnt have time to get it done. a week later i went to a local garage that i dealt with before, and asked if they can do the work. The OWNER of the shop tells me that he has replaced glow plugs on a sprinter and can have in and out with a day or 2. The next day i went to the shop and see the mechanic drilling into the glow plug area, i asked what he was doing, he told me that the glow plug broke, and he has to drill it out. To make the story short, they drilled too deep and put a hole in the head, and things went down hill from there, i asked the owner of the shop that i have no choice but to take it to a dealer, that was on july 28 when i pulled it out of the shop. today the sprinter is still at the dealership, and they are milking me big time, my bill as of today is $9800.00 and counting, my question is i need a good lawyer to help me out with this mess. can someone recommend me a lawyer that has experince in this field. All your help would be GREATLY apprceiated. please do not ask what garage its in, i do not want to mention any names until i get this in court...thx!! I am based in the taylor michigan area!!!!

Which local garage did you take it to? Big Cat is right... they need to pay for the repair. THEY messed up.

dean07 · Aug 20, 2012

i told them that, they said they fixed the problem, they are out of their minds, that is why i am looking for a lawyer....

Tennesseahawk · Aug 20, 2012

dean07 said:
i told them that, they said they fixed the problem, they are out of their minds, that is why i am looking for a lawyer....

PM me with the name of the shop, if you don't want to post it. I live near Taylor, and want to steer clear of them.

ATeam · Aug 20, 2012

Make sure the dealership is documenting everything well. Keep the parts. Get photos if you can. Reconstruct the events while they are fresh in your mind and write them down (events, dates, times, talked to, etc.).

Look into small claims court before going with an attorney. Small claims courts have claim limits that vary from state to state. If your state's limit is greater than the amount of the damages you will seek, that may be the way to go.

purgoose10 · Aug 20, 2012

If you belong to OOIDA call them for an Attorney. Any Attorney will jump on that with both feet. Make sure you include down time etc,etc,etc..

mjmsprt40 · Aug 20, 2012

I remember having to get a couple of glowplugs replaced in my Sprinter. Like you, one of the plugs gave trouble and had to be drilled out. Unlike you I got lucky and it stopped at that, the head is furiously expensive (like, you can replace your entire Ford or Chevy gas engine for less than the head of these Mercedes engines), so I was glad not to have to do that. The price you're getting charged by your dealer sounds close to what mine told me it would be if the head had to be replaced.

dean07 · Aug 20, 2012

i dont belong to ooida, so do you have another recommendation?????

Turtle · Aug 20, 2012

I'm of the "you break it, you pay for it" school, and I'd make whoever drilled through the head pay for ever penny of it.

Brisco · Aug 20, 2012

Of course the shop that drilled into the head needs to cover that Dealership bill......Period. If it takes getting an Attorney involved.....then so be it.

What has me befuddled is THIS:

....today the sprinter is still at the dealership, and they are milking me big time, my bill as of today is $9800.00 and counting......

$9800 for WHAT???? Just replacing the Head?? Parts AND Labor??? Holy Heck..............

Turtle · Aug 20, 2012

Brisco said:
$9800 for WHAT???? Just replacing the Head?? Parts AND Labor??? Holy Heck..............

It is a little high, but it's 16 hours book labor to pull and replace the head. Might be more or less on an 07 or later, I'm not sure. But it shouldn't be much more than $2000-$2500 to replace the head. I'd love to know what the other seven grand is for, too.

Brisco · Aug 20, 2012

Turtle said:
It is a little high, but it's 16 hours book labor to pull and replace the head. Might be more or less on an 07 or later, I'm not sure. But it shouldn't be much more than $2000-$2500 to replace the head. I'd love to know what the other seven grand is for, too.

My sentiments too.......

Can't you replace that WHOLE engine, NEW engine at that, for $9800 or less??

xiggi · Aug 20, 2012

Brisco said:
My sentiments too.......

Can't you replace that WHOLE engine, NEW engine at that, for $9800 or less??

Nope

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EasyDoesIt · Aug 20, 2012

Your number 1 priority is to hire a lawyer ASAP. Evidence disappears and stories change. Get a lawyer NOW!! Call OOIDA for advice and join them if need be but the longer you wait to initiate legal action the greater chance you have of losing your case. Did you tell the dealership to take photos and save parts?

pearlpro · Aug 21, 2012

Id make it very clear that unless they agree to fix this and pay the dealer for the repair, youll have no choice then to call the BBB, and charge them for Attorneys fees, Court costs and the damage there reputations gonna take when the BBB Lists them as Less then Reputable, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, Get written statements and descriptions of the work, the repairs, and your lost time....thats gonna be way more then 9800.00 bucks....they should call there Insurance UNLESS they dont have Insurance, then your attorney simply places a LIEN against the business and you sue the crap outta them...downside, it may take quite a while for that to work thru the courts, BUT your billing them for each days lost wages also....