# Is mechanic trying to sue me? Negligence? What can I do myself?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-mechanic-trying-to-sue-me-negligence-what-can-i-do-myself/57098>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 2, 2010, 8:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-mechanic-trying-to-sue-me-negligence-what-can-i-do-myself/57098 "2010-11-02T08:25:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ephesian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@Ephesian](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ephesian)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-mechanic-trying-to-sue-me-negligence-what-can-i-do-myself/57098/1 "2010-11-02T08:25:56Z")

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Hi All -  
  
  
  
 Looks like a great community, so thanks in advance. I have a 2005 Hyundai Elantra GLS that has recently started needing pricey repairs. Please look at the estimate below and let me know what I should do myself (I’m a bit of a tinkerer and have a mechanical engineering degree). I’d rather buy tools than lose it to labor. Also really skeptical of mechanics in general and this one in particular - i.e. they wanted to charge $100 to replace the cabin air filter (typical cost I think). I bought the filter online for $20 and did it myself in 15 minutes.  
  
  
  
 ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS: $1056 (parts + labor)  
  
 - Replace lower control arm bushings (2 x P $68 / L $99)  
  
 - Alignment ($80)  
  
 - Upper and lower radiator hoses (1 x P$69 / L $150)  
  
 - Rear disk brake service (whatever that means) (P $56 / L $101)  
  
 - Rear Brake Rotors ( 2 x P $66 / L $0)  
  
 - Oil change ($24)  
  
  
  
  
  
 INVOICE FROM REPAIRS COMPLETED 4 MONTHS AGO: $1,446  
  
 - Check brakes for squeal  
  
 - Alignment  
  
 - Belt adjustment  
  
 - R&R Both rear struts and mounts  
  
 - Front Brake Disk Pad Replacement  
  
 - Front Brake Rotors  
  
 - R/R ABS Sensor to be replaced  
  
 - Two tires, inspection, emission, oil change  
  
  
  
  
  
 Specific questions:  
  
  
  
 - Were they negligent 4 months ago in doing the check and not catching the things they did this time?  
  
 - If they did front brakes/rotors last time, shouldn’t they have seen the bushings were bad? I shouldn’t have to pay for alignment twice!  
  
 - If they did rear struts/mounts and were supposed to look at brakes 4 months ago (3,500 miles) - shouldn’t they have caught the rear brake problems then?? Would it have saved the rotors?  
  
 - $99 labor for replacing each lower control arm bushing? At $75/hr that’s 1.5 hours. Does it really take that long for each one? 2 hours for radiator hoses? Seems way too high.  
  
 - Of the invoice items, which do you recommend doing myself? How long would they take? i.e. bushings looks possible, but I’d rather have photos to work from.  
  
  
  
 Many thanks!

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**Author:** ![Ephesian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@Ephesian](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ephesian)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-mechanic-trying-to-sue-me-negligence-what-can-i-do-myself/57098/2 "2010-11-02T08:26:39Z")

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Tile should be “screw me”, not “sue me,” sorry for the typo. Though I have half a mind to sue him… 😉

PLEASE IGNORE this thread. Reposted with correct title:

[http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/2157193.page](http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/2157193.page)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ephesian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@Ephesian](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ephesian)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-mechanic-trying-to-sue-me-negligence-what-can-i-do-myself/57098/3 "2010-11-02T08:30:04Z")

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Please ignore this thread. Reposted with correct title.