We have a car can not start in store parking lot in front of me. It is 2006 BMW. We had a repair looked at the parking lot, and he had the owner of close car repair shop called me and I authorized to tow the car to them. all very close to my house.

The guy called me

Towing $65,

Diagnose : $248

Start: $849

Oil change $102

Spark plug $387

Engine filter $62

Air filter 112

Front break $656

Clean engine $124

Total $2729 A little discount to $2605.82.

Then the guy called me that a plug broke and and they may need 3 to 5 hour to get it out, about $300. I said OK.

Then they called me this morning that they can not get the broke part out and they need to take the engine apart. The total cost is $6300 now.

I said I do not want the car now and he still want me to pay him about $3000, then we can tow the car away.

The car just passed inspection two week ago.

They charged $248 for diagonosis. I believe the only thing keep it from running is the start..

Did the shop owner do any thing cheat me?

Please let me know what option we can have. Thanks.

One of my tenants recently bought a BMW. He calls it a "rich man's car." He says that because the costs for repair are outrageous. He is now planning to sell it and get something more affordable to maintain.

For your situation, you can always tell the shop owner to "stop working on it and tow the car to my house". Pay him for whatever work was already completed and authorized.

You are in a panic situation and you are making bad decisions.

Get the car to your house, let it sit for a while, and then decide what to do. This is NOT an emergency.

Go buy a cheap used car if needed in the meantime. Or even RENT a car.

Many of those repairs are not necessary and I would not have authorized them.

As far as removing the broken spark plug, there may be other ways to do this without tearing down the engine.

Worst cast scenario, have it towed to your house, and sell it cheap to on CraigsList as a "mechanic's special". You will lose money but still is better than throwing thousands into repairs.

The problem is they want me to pay them over $3000 for the job done.

What have they done to this point that they want to charge you $3000 for?

You agreed to pay "$2605 I agreed for prior job plus extra 5 hours at 104 hour "

So pay him the $3000 and then get the car back.

Why would you give him a $10k car when you only owe him $3k?

FYI : The car is probably still drivable with 1 bad spark plug.

I predict this thread is going to go in circles. Do you ever listen to the advice given to you?

He said he will call state to give the car to state. I do not know how it works with state.

It just happen this morning and I am confused too.

For the spark plug issue you may need to disassemble the engine and replace the headgasket when reassembling it. Without disassembling it there is no way to make sure all the porcelain from the broken spark plug is out. If you are lucky a magnetic tool and an inspection camera can get it out.

The repair shop damaged your car and needs to fix it. Most states have a garage keepers liability act. The repair show is liable for any damages done to your car while in their care, including for dropped spark plugs in the cylinder. You need to get a written breakdown of the work that is done. Parts and labor separate. Do not pay for work that was not completed. You will have to negotiate on the total price. Then when you will tow the car home. Get two quotes for repair from other shops, repair it, and sue the first shop for the damage.

TA, Thanks. I called them back and left msg for the owner to call me back. Very hard for me to know what they did or did wrong. I am going to ask their break down what they did for what price.

You need an attorney who understands MO's mechanics' laws. Both the mechanic's responsibility when he (arguably) breaks the spark plug trying to remove it, and your responsibility for the work that was not effective.

The mechanic probably has a "mechanic's lien" against the car, and probably has the right to keep possession of the car until the issue is resolved.

Maybe you need to relax and let the mechanic keep possession FOR NOW. Of course, then he will demand storage fees!!

I just want to pay him whatever the reasonable amount and get it over.

I asked if the car drivable ( to the dealer less than 1/4 mile) . They said "The car is not drivable at this point, we can make an attempt on getting the rest out but again, there is a chance of damaging the cylinder head with to much force. The best way is to pull the cylinder head and have a machine shop do the repair off the car."

second what Homer says---HE broke the spark plug trying to get it out, guaranteed--now he is trying to jack you for getting it out by saying he needs to open up the engine?

STOP calling and talking to this guy--go get an attorney to straighten this guy out. What he is doing is fraudulent. Did you actually agree to the work/charges for "clean engine-$112"???

People here are trying to help you and you are not listening.

Why did this poster not mark this post as OT? Why are people responding to a polluter of this fine forum?

Clean engine is from out side clean outside. He suggested brake, oil change, filters change etc. I agreed because he is good sale man and I trusted him even the car just had inspection 2 weeks ago.

The problem is he wanted me to pay $2653 now and I can not move the car to the dealer next block.

Sorry you are having an expensive experience. We got our bmw over 3 years ago it needed work, and I can count the number of times we have driven it.

You really need to take it to someone who specializes in bmws. they are a completely different machine than most cars. OUr car had a piece of chewing gum stuck to a hose when we bought it, attempts by many to rig it because it is expensive to fix....

I am trying to get my husband to let ours go, but he loves the way it drives(and I admit I do too on a good day)...

sorry, I reread your post. over 800 for a starter? nuts Ask him to negotiate the costs or you will get a lawyer involved. if that fails and you do not want to lawyer up, Tell him you will only pay him for the first repairs done,(not what he broke),tow it to oreillys (on the way to your house)and have a diagnostic done for free. or have the mechanic give you the codes from the diagnostic since you paid for them already. make him sign a sheet that says you have paid in full.

THen let it become your hobby to fix it, or get rid of it. We use google and bought a "chiltons" style manual. bmws are'nt worth the headache. IMHO

I looked up some parts, the starter remanufactured is 180 plus a 70bux core, a new bosch oem is 108bux. The other stuff is fluff and he was doing his sales stuff better than his repair stuff, you gotta say no to extra fluff -->get my car running<-- period, later we will decide on brakes - glamour the engine or bodywork...

I'm confused as to why you sent a car in that couldn't start but you authorized things like brakes and an oil change before the original repair was completed.

I authorized it because he said break will last about 500 miles or not safe. oil needs to be changed or not good. They told me either needs to be changed or very soon to be changed.

Just to note it, I just quick searched some BMW forums for prices paid to replace a starter in a 2006 BMW and found a range from $650-$900. And several where it was $1000-$1300 depending on the engine.

Checking repairpal.com -- which tends to be fairly accurate in my experience -- it lists it from $562-$745 for my area. Therefore, $800 might not be that crazy or out of line.

In other words, everyone here seems to be assuming that the costs are inflated when, in fact, BMW repair costs are often much higher than one might assume for other vehicles.

I'm just not convinced, at this point, that she is being ripped off or that the mechanics are doing anything wrong.

Also, just because a plug broke while being removed does not NECESSARILY mean it was the mechanics negligence or that it is up to them to repair for free. Sometimes, that is just part of the process of fixing the car. It doesn't mean that they screwed up just because it happened and led to additional costs.

- John...

I searched in my area is $641 to $845 so they charged $849. and He told me his price is about $600 cheaper, that is liar.

He sold me all of those thing I really do not need at the moment, especially the car do not run now.

Someone called the BMW dealer, they said it is really rare for spark plug broke for this type of car.

I want to be fair and reasonable to him, but it is not fair to me I have to pay that much while the car not run and it is in worse situation than before.

1. This should be OT

ntj, Why do you think I did not listen? What do you want me to listen to you?

a BMW for the kids?

fix the starter...german starters are spendy.

the car will run with one bad plug

call the bureau of auto repair for the state and stop diddling around

a BMW for the kids?

a BMW for the kids?

get them a toyota or something that doesn't need a trust fund to maintain it.

i bought my daughter a pick-up with NO BACKSEAT...can't get preggers as easy with a five speed in the way

just sayin'...

They said the car cannot run now.

You need a translator who speaks perfect English.. all these broken sentences aren't helping you either.

Imagine 2 foreigners try to work out a complicated issue in a 3rd language, neither party is proficient in it.

Like previous poster said, you don't listen because you haven't hired a lawyer to deal with the situation on your behalf.

If you post on this issue again, you need to list

1) What you plan to do?

2) Exit strategy..

Elliot, I did not know "Not listen" is not hire attorney.

I want to be reasonable. So I am here to get suggestions. I know some people said "hire attorney", Some also made other suggestions.

Thank you ntj! 'Stop getting sucked into her threads where she never listens to any advice.'

Crazy!!! Lawyer up, is right. Here's how to handle the problem CHEAP. Go to LegalShield.com. I think for about $19 or $29 a month you can purchase their service. It's good even for pre-existing situations, like yours.

You can sign up one day and have one of their attorneys write a letter to the bums the next. Then, if you want, you may even cancel your service the next month. Legal Shield truly has a great service.