Short version - Car broke down over Xmas, so used the 2nd car - bought a new smaller car in Feb so decided to sell the other for parts or fixer upper. Sons friend who is a mechanic had a look and said looks like the cpu playing up and says around $250 to fix. He does business with local auto electrician and asks us if we want them to take a look! We said, may as well, but only fix if it is around the $300 - 350 mark as we are selling it anyway. Don't bother if any higher. Get a text on Friday. Car is ready - $780.00! We are beside ourselves (and angry).as the car isn't worth alot anyway! Ok, rant over.now to figure out how to pay, as I'm picking they won't let us sell it until bill is paid but we won't have money until it's sold.*sigh*
jarrod261,
Mar 27, 6:41am
that sucks. Should ask them if they heard you say not to go over $300.
bellky,
Mar 27, 6:45am
Some/many of them just can't be trusted unfortunately.
midimiss,
Mar 27, 6:54am
Yep, found that out bellky and yes Jarrod - just about to ring them.will just have to leave it there until the bill is paid off. The worse they can do is sell it to get their money;).lol, It is not a total clunker (Mitsi Galant) and has a brand new Battery, Personalised plates and a couple new tyres last warrant.so should sell now it is fixed:) Just didn't want to spend that much on it to begin with as we didn't have funds to pay a high bill! Will let you know what happens, out of interest.
midimiss,
Mar 27, 7:09am
Just rang auto place - they had kept in contact with sons friend, who unfortunately didn't follow through with us:( Lesson learnt. Luckily they are going to store car until bill paid off and put feelers out for a buyer in the meantime. They said car is worth around $700 - $800, so we will break even.
trogedon,
Mar 27, 7:57am
Sad. Can you sell the PP!
texastwo,
Mar 27, 8:01am
I know its too late but if you are putting monetary limits on repairs it is important that you either communicate this in writing or make sure thegarage fully understands your limits, even if it means repeating it until the mechanic agrees.
3tomany,
Mar 27, 8:13am
you could have just got two or three hundred at the crusher for it so even spending 300 wasnt a very bright idea
midimiss,
Mar 27, 8:58am
Yup, lesson learnt:) Probably going to put the plates on here, when the bill is paid.unless a prospective owner wants them included:) 3tomany, it had been a great car up until then, with new battery etc, so we thought it a waste to crush it over $300 bucks, when it could be a great first car for someone willing to do a wee bit of panelbeating (blimmin skateboarders in the Supermarket Carpark).thanks for posts all!
trogedon,
Mar 27, 1:12pm
Let??
spongefrisk,
Mar 27, 7:39pm
If the car is worth the same amount as the bill just give them the car.! But do your own research on the value first!
midimiss,
Mar 28, 5:33am
Hehe trogedon.ty for that:) Yes sponge, will definitely check out the some comparisons first. They reckoned it wouldn't make a difference to asking price, whether it had the Personalised plates, but I would think it would! It is a pure letter one (SCOOTZ) and we have had heaps of comments on it.So hoping they will let us take those (and my CHIEFS car seat covers, lol) then advertise it. They were happy for us to do the SALE thing, as long as it wasn't removed from premises until bill paid. Hey all, thanks for the understanding comments:) Much appreciated!
snj11,
Mar 28, 6:00am
Be very careful here, them saying its worth $700-$800 may be an attempt to get you to offer it to them for the bill. Its hard to know without knowing the year of car etc, but take the plates off and sell them seperatly (you might get $200 if the right buyer comes along for them and sell the car on here $1 reserve, if its tidy and drives well and has a WOF (if it doesnt spend the $40 to try get one) it has to be $1000 - $1500 minimum
midimiss,
Mar 28, 6:23am
Yes, we thought around the 1,000 - 1500 mark if we got it fixed (thinking it would only cost around 300! Which made it worth it:) Have just been researching, so am going to the auto Electricians today to get updated pics, and all the info of the car. Warrant and rego have run out over the last month, so have to decide if it is worth it.need to reregister it anyway to put GOVT Plates back on it, if we planning to sell instead of wreck - but seems such a waste to wreck after getting a brand new cpu in it! lol.ahh decisions (doesn't help that I loved this car, before I needed to get my Wagon for all my Band / Sound Equip).gonna be sad to see it go.
supernova2,
Mar 28, 8:47am
Sounds to me like son's friend is the one who should be paying.He authorised the work without checking with the owner.Contract is between "friend" and auto electrician not you.Simply go pick up your car.You didn't authorise the work so nothing for you to pay.Don't think can impound car when it is not owned by the customer - thats theft.Good luck!
scoobeey,
Mar 28, 8:49am
In WRITING verbal not worth the mouthpiece it came from:)
scuba,
Mar 28, 9:38am
take the plates off and sell them separately- costs $839 to get a personalized plate nowadays and thats for the cheaper one.
check out what they're going for and sell those plates . costs about $20 to issue new rego plates i think. go to garage and see if they will let you remove plates - car isn't worth anymore with them and they shouldn't be too hard to sell and youu can use the money to pay the bill. worth a tryanyway.
scuba,
Mar 28, 9:41am
Actually even if you sell the car you still own the plates as the plates themselves belong to you .
mecanix,
Mar 28, 10:30am
800 bucks for a computer repair!
scuba,
Mar 28, 10:37am
yeah good luck with that.tgaragecan always take their parts out.
pebbles61,
Mar 28, 10:45am
Note to self: Never buy a car with a computer in it!
grangies,
Mar 28, 10:47am
You'll have to settle for an old pile of junk then.
midimiss,
Mar 28, 1:30pm
Thanks all:) Yes, we were gutted at our sons friends 'actions' and our son feels really bad.Yes, it was only verbal, so don't think we have a leg to stand on. Thanks again for comments, will see if they will let us remove the plates to sell separately.
bellky,
Mar 28, 1:34pm
Sad situation when you have to do this. What happened to a man being as good as his word!
midimiss,
Mar 28, 2:08pm
Just rang Citizens Advice.they suggested (as nothing in writing) that we pay something up front, and to meet us halfway, due to the situation, of them allowing us to sign a Promissory note - allowing us to take the car with the intention of cleaning, changing the plates to Govt ones,reg and warranting it for sale and paying the amount owing to them upon sale. If not, signing it over and be done with it.cut our losses, if it is fact worth as little as they say it is! If anyone can help with advice: It is a Mitsi Galant MX, auto, V6, 1998cc 1994 with spoiler and towbar. Tidy inside, but has the peeling paint in areas and a few dings on passenger door. Dark Grey and can't remember the Odom reading exactly but under 200,00km. Has brand new CPU, battery and good tyres. Any idea if worth more than $800, or just let them have it! Thanks all:)
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