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Owner of Mobile Mechanic Shop Offering to Pay for Damages; What's a Fair Amount?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by NoThrowningRocks, Aug 13, 2021.

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  1. NoThrowningRocks

    NoThrowningRocks Junior Member

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    Owner of Mobile Mechanic shop offering to reimburse for damages from mechanic's hasty combo meter install.

    I had my combo meter replaced by a mobile mechanic who apparently hadn't worked on a Prius before and definitely had no interest in looking at the Combo Meter Replacement instructions (little dumbstruck when he told me to "get that out of my face you're slowing me down" and tossed them in back seat). He also tried to jack the price up $200-$300 as "more involved than initially anticipated" (3 hours budgeted, I agreed to pay for one more hour labor ($95). He finished the install just under 2 1/2 hours.

    He successfully replaced the unit, but did some damage to the dash along the way. I thought maybe after the first item broke (panel surrounding a vent cracked apart) he'd be more careful, but I was wrong. Unfortunately, I'm still dealing with a "getting gas to into the tank and not having it spill back out" problem, so don't really know what if anything may be loose when driving around.

    A bigger concern is something like the airbag wire harness may be damaged [this guy was pulling things off like a maniac, at least it seemed that way to me] or something else that could be a problem by rushing through the process. Are the odds of messing some other components during a combo meter install a low probability event?

    So what do you think is a fair price for ask for damages?
    [Pics of broken pieces found so far attached; No idea how many, if any, broken clips, claws, etc. tossed out or yet to work their way to the floor; Understand may be overreacting some, but I've taken good care of the interior and these cosmetic issues along with potentially other problems worrisome (to me)]

    Thanks!

    20210730_191014_2.jpg 20210804_070857_2.jpg
     

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  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I would go to a dealer and get prices on new. Then have the mobile mechanic replace them. If the mobile mechanic wants to find good ones in the junkyard, let him go get them and install.

    In general the airbag system has plenty of self checks such that if it was damaged you would get a light and code.
     
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  3. NoThrowningRocks

    NoThrowningRocks Junior Member

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    Thanks for the info on the airbag system, I was pretty sure - not positive - an error code would pop up, so I'll definitely get Techstream out and run a Health Check.

    Honestly, I don't really want to have anything to do with this shop so need to come up with a dollar amount. I'll go on several websites for prices on the two more identifiable pieces and maybe come up with a modest fudge factor for the other items with clips/clamps/etc missing and if something happens I'll have some funds to take care of it then.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that is pretty typical damage for a 15 year old prius, those materials get very brittle from sun and age. tough to do that job without breaking some eggs unfortunately.
    is the mech the owner, or is that someone else?
     
  5. NoThrowningRocks

    NoThrowningRocks Junior Member

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    The owner doesn't have any employees, just finds "mobile mechanics" and hires them as independent contractors. I can see how this could be industry practice.

    However, she sent out someone she "outsourced" to fix the "gas tank not filling, then the fuel slowly pours out" issue. He dropped the tank, refused to even look to see if the charcoal canister was filled with gas or any other valve, put it back together, and I was charged $165 for that waste of time. I now appreciate the fact fuel tank diagnosis and troubleshooting issues can be pretty complex and a PITA. No worries... Just don't take the job.

    She claims since he was "outsourced," his failure to even do a partial diagnosis is my problem not hers. If she didn't send a mechanic like that and bill me for it I'd definitely let the damages go. But as a matter of principal I want to recover some of those funds.

    But it is good to know they are brittle and even if he didn't toss the Service Manual out the window he'd still likely broken something.

    He replaced the combo board and both headlights in 2 hours 37 minutes.
     
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that might be a little fast for someone who's never done it before, but average for the experienced.

    if it's any help, dealer charges over a grande for that job
     
  7. NoThrowningRocks

    NoThrowningRocks Junior Member

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    I paid $35 for a pre-programmed combo unit on eBay.
     
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    great price!