I would stop in and talk. If shop has ordered the parts and have them ask for them and leave. If not ask for your car and contest the charge with the form of payment used, probably a different tact if you paid cash.
+1
Hopefully the OP used a credit card, in which case your advice should work.
If he paid in cash, or even with a check, he will likely have a harder time if the shop owner isāas most of us suspectāa crook.
Iām not too sure where he stands legally if he paid with a debit card, but there are definitely fewer consumer protections available with debit cards, and the worst part with those cards is that the charge is immediately debited from your bank account. Most banks will tell you that they canāt help you in that type of situation.
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Iām less inclined to use violence. My snow blower needed a new engine under warrantee from Briggs. The only problem was the one man shop had to pay for the engine first and then get reimbursed. I checked back on a regular basis. He always had an excuse for not having the money like getting married and needing a new computer system. Otherwise he was a pretty good guy and knew his trade. I would have been willing to foot the money for the engine but questioned how and when I would get it back. I was storing my sonās blower so just used that one. Eleven months later I got a call to come and pick up my blower with the new engine. No charge. Iām a patient guy unless the guy is a crook. Had I not had another blower though plus my mower dozer blade, I might have had a different attitude. Last I talked to him he was moving to Iowa, same place my dog was sent. Hope it wasnāt Mt. Pleasant.
I turned the transmission guy in to the state sales tax division-hee hee. He was behind about half a mil and my bill added to it.
just my thoughtsā¦ you would think the owner of this shop would be able to install an exhaust system himself. a loss of an exhaust tech might be an excuse for a day if he was really busy, but he should have been able to install it himself the next day. if he does not know how to do it, he should not be in business. I am not a pro mechanic, but could install one in my driveway in a half a day at most.
A very good one for forty years. Most of her recoveries were much more. With the small ones, her theory was "if that guy gets in an auto accident and wants money, heās gonna call me.
This is actually very simple.
Call the police and report a theft at āWhtatever the addressā and meet them there.
If your exhaust is done and paid Iām sure youāll have no problems driveing it home.
If no,t Iām sure youāll have no problems driveing it home.and I suspect that youāll have no problem receiving a l refund.
Aināt nothing like a āMan in blue with brass buttonsā to encourage a reasonable discussion.
I suspect that he is working illegals in his shop and wants to avoid having the cops called. So I am hoping that he keeps his word and has our car done by the end of the week. If not I will be contacting our local police department
You should have done that already and not believed a word out of this guyās mouth. Heās simply stringing you along.
I hope the police are willing to help. This might not be on their list of misdeeds that they are allowed to respond to. Do call them though.
Get your VIN off the registration or āpink slipā, go to a dealer with the registration or proof of ownership and have a new key made. That is one way to get your car back. If it is a FOB, that could cost quite a bit.
Call your local police precinct, or visit and ask about getting a police escort to pick up your vehicle, again have proof of ownership with you. There may be a small fee for this.
Or just show up at his shop and ask for the keys and drive your car off, then ask him for a refund. If he doesnāt give it to you immediately, sue him in small claims court for the money you paid
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If he has proof of payment he could go to small claims. From Peopleās Court the phrase to us is āTime is of the Essenceā on any contract .
Yes, but if the OP didnāt specifically put that stipulation in writing, he canāt use that legal argument.
Why do you only have 1 key?
I suspect as much, that was just a suggestion to think about . 
OK. Time up. Tell us what really happened. Car done, not done? Refused to release it? Or all hunky dory? Normally police donāt get involved in contract disputes though, only break up fist fights.
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