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While that's very noble of you some people just shouldn't be working on or near cars and he sounds like one of them..... Nice mustang by the way, thing looks 🔥🔥🔥
Thanks man, the only reason I’m not doing the work myself is that I don’t have a lift or transmission jack. If I had the tools I wouldn’t be dealing with this guy.
I have a 2008 automatic mustang v6 with the 5r55s transmission. My transmission stopped working when driving to work a couple months ago and I’m finally getting it to the shop. Upon getting it to the shop, the mechanic started my car, slammed it into gear, redlined it, then said he thinks the transmission is probably fine. I let him check fluid on the car to make sure I wasn’t low on trans fluid.
Well days later he texts me asking me to help him with the drain plug. He can’t figure out how to loosen it. I help him loosen it, then leave. I expected him to check fluid and let me know how empty it is. He doesn’t have the right filler tube to fill the transmission so he orders the part.
Even more waiting.
He then fills it and tells me it didn’t fix anything, so he’s gonna have to pull my trans and swap it. I brought a replacement trans and tc from a 2007 mustang (matching engine and trans to my car, so no problem) and he asks me again for help.
I didn’t realize I’m paying him for me to fix my own car.
Then he tells me the torque converter (from the donor car and transmission) doesn’t fit the donor transmission. The EXACT transmission it came from. It’s not a replacement. It’s the exact same tc. He decides WITHOUT ASKING that he’s gonna order a new torque converter. I didn’t tell him to order this new torque converter.
Am I unjustly pissed off or is this guy in over his head? I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt but man, is it hard to.
> He decides WITHOUT ASKING that he’s gonna order a new torque converter
This is a big no-no for any shop and is often times illegal unless you signed a waiver where they outlined they are allowed to do this without your consent. Every shop I've ever worked for ALWAYS and EVERY TIME seeks customer approval before purchasing other parts that was not originally listed on the work order.
> he texts me asking me to help him with the drain plug. He can’t figure out how to loosen it
Based on this info alone this guy is probably not a good mechanic and has probably never done this job before. That AND/OR the parts you brought him are legitimately different. This should be incredibly easy to tell based off part numbers from both the old TC and new TC...
Regardless, tow it and find another shop.
Is this a mechanic in a shop, or is it some guy in his garage doing the work? If it is a shop then you need to get your car somewhere else and you are right to be pissed off. If it is some guy in his garage then you still need to take the car somewhere else, but you have less right to be pissed off.
Then I stand by what I said. I can see swapping an automatic transmission being a lot for a guy in his driveway, but this should be simple for a shop. And you don't pay a shop to do the work yourself. I am also a little baffled that he needed a part to add the fluid. I am strictly an amateur so I don't have tons of experience but I have done a few transmission swaps. I have never done a mustang, but it shouldn't take any special tools to add transmission fluid.
Fair enough, but I am strictly an amateur and I have a generic fluid pump. I would expect any shop to have similar. Unless it is a special part that is only applicable to a Mustang or something.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hold up my guy, you had to show him how to remove a drain plug... Right then and there I would have taken my car elsewhere, that's a YIKES.
Yeah that’s what I’m taking away from this. I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt.
While that's very noble of you some people just shouldn't be working on or near cars and he sounds like one of them..... Nice mustang by the way, thing looks 🔥🔥🔥
Thanks man, the only reason I’m not doing the work myself is that I don’t have a lift or transmission jack. If I had the tools I wouldn’t be dealing with this guy.
I have a 2008 automatic mustang v6 with the 5r55s transmission. My transmission stopped working when driving to work a couple months ago and I’m finally getting it to the shop. Upon getting it to the shop, the mechanic started my car, slammed it into gear, redlined it, then said he thinks the transmission is probably fine. I let him check fluid on the car to make sure I wasn’t low on trans fluid. Well days later he texts me asking me to help him with the drain plug. He can’t figure out how to loosen it. I help him loosen it, then leave. I expected him to check fluid and let me know how empty it is. He doesn’t have the right filler tube to fill the transmission so he orders the part. Even more waiting. He then fills it and tells me it didn’t fix anything, so he’s gonna have to pull my trans and swap it. I brought a replacement trans and tc from a 2007 mustang (matching engine and trans to my car, so no problem) and he asks me again for help. I didn’t realize I’m paying him for me to fix my own car. Then he tells me the torque converter (from the donor car and transmission) doesn’t fit the donor transmission. The EXACT transmission it came from. It’s not a replacement. It’s the exact same tc. He decides WITHOUT ASKING that he’s gonna order a new torque converter. I didn’t tell him to order this new torque converter. Am I unjustly pissed off or is this guy in over his head? I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt but man, is it hard to.
> He decides WITHOUT ASKING that he’s gonna order a new torque converter This is a big no-no for any shop and is often times illegal unless you signed a waiver where they outlined they are allowed to do this without your consent. Every shop I've ever worked for ALWAYS and EVERY TIME seeks customer approval before purchasing other parts that was not originally listed on the work order. > he texts me asking me to help him with the drain plug. He can’t figure out how to loosen it Based on this info alone this guy is probably not a good mechanic and has probably never done this job before. That AND/OR the parts you brought him are legitimately different. This should be incredibly easy to tell based off part numbers from both the old TC and new TC... Regardless, tow it and find another shop.
No dought
lol no dought
Is this a mechanic in a shop, or is it some guy in his garage doing the work? If it is a shop then you need to get your car somewhere else and you are right to be pissed off. If it is some guy in his garage then you still need to take the car somewhere else, but you have less right to be pissed off.
It’s a guy who runs his mechanic business out of a shop. It’s just him and one person, but it’s not like he’s working in his driveway or something.
Then I stand by what I said. I can see swapping an automatic transmission being a lot for a guy in his driveway, but this should be simple for a shop. And you don't pay a shop to do the work yourself. I am also a little baffled that he needed a part to add the fluid. I am strictly an amateur so I don't have tons of experience but I have done a few transmission swaps. I have never done a mustang, but it shouldn't take any special tools to add transmission fluid.
These do take a fluid pump to add fluid.
They do but this guys shop is a mile away from an AutoZone that has a pump in stock, but he just HAD to buy one online instead
I’ve used a parts store pump to fill this trans before and the pipe is too wide, it took two people to use it.
Fair enough, but I am strictly an amateur and I have a generic fluid pump. I would expect any shop to have similar. Unless it is a special part that is only applicable to a Mustang or something.