96 Town& country: engine stall & transmission oil le

TYRON

MEMBER
1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

Original problem was engine stall: once the car was turned on it took time (15-30 sec) till it shifted from Park to Drive and started moving. Sometimes it happened at the red light as well.
I went to the mechanic (original Chrysler dealer) and was told I have a transmission oil leak. They sealed it ($100), flushed it and filled it ($132). They said that there is a chance for another small leak but shouldn't be worry right now and they’ll check it next 4K (and hope if its there, it won’t not require to take out the engine).
Came back home and got a paddle under my car with ~30 drops a minute of transmission oil.
When I went back to the shop, they said they need to take out the engine ($270), find where its leaking from and fix it (~$350 and up). I asked them to deduct the $230 already paid and they refuse saying they fixed something anyway.
Since I'm a novice, should I:
1) Give up and let them do the work and pay full price
2) Let them do the work but fight for deduction of the $232 I already paid
3) Take my car somewhere else hoping for cheaper cost?

Looking forward for your reply,

Tyron, PA

1 Reply

WILBER

MEMBER
5 POSTS

I would be tremendously pissed off. Bring it back and have them do the work, but DEMAND they deduct the original price for work done. You brought the car in and they told you it was a transmission leak and then you bring it home and the problem is worse? Obviously, they screwed up. They made the problem worse so why should you pay for their incompetence. Be advised, dealerships charge a premium price on repairs done on a car because if the car comes back as a result of their negligence, the mechanic doesn't get paid. Therefore, they charge extremely high prices. Also, try and find the repair manual for your car(ebay) and see if it's something you can do yourself. I had a similar issue when the dealership quoted me $1700 to have my car fixed. You know what I paid for all of the parts to fix what I was quoted? $450! And I did the work in 4 hours. So if I did it in 4 hours, that translates into $312.50 per hour in labor. See what I mean about being screwed by the dealership. If they refuse to credit you for the initial work, take the car to an independent mechanic at your local garage, someone you trust, and have them look at it. Tell them what work was done and have them let you know if you got screwed.
Let me know what happens! :X :x :x :x :x :x
Bill