Just got back... the ****er took my car hostage and wasn't gonna give it back till I paid the $200. So I paid him to get my car back my cylinder heads and head gasket is gone to **** and quoted me $1200 and he said he was the cheapest option out there. At this point my camaro is gone to ****, after 5 minutes of driving around I could smell it burning from inside of the car. And the leaking got worse. I'm depressed

 

What is most likely to have happened is the car has overheated real bad at some point. This caused all the leaks. as you seal some leaks any other ones will get worse. Any real mechanic should have given you a heads up on this once he found multiple leaks as this not uncommon.

The other down side is you can't be 100% sure how great the rest of the motor is. I have seen cars in this situation get fixed only to have a main bearing spin 2 months later. For $30-40 you can send a sample of your oil out to be tested and depending on the amount of babbit in the oil decide if it worth it to move forward on this engine.

 

Yeah there is no point anymore... I can't put another $1000+ in this after I put $500 to get the leak fixed which he didn't do...

 

Honestly some people that call themselves mechanics are not, I have never returned a car after and coolant leak repair without a quick pressure test. Whether I was replacing a radiator or fixing a thermostat gasket.

The biggest issue is wen you find a second leak after you fix the first one. People think you are ripping them off. It can be almost impossible to find a tiny leak in a radiator when coolant is running down the front of the motor like a water fall. I think it is the incompetent guys that make it tuff. In my 7 years turning wrenches I never once did work that did not need done. There was always plenty of work that needed done to pull that crap.

 

You sound like an honest mechanic, why couldn't you be the one to fix my car instead 😔 Yeah I paid him for a diagnostic check as well and he did not pressure test until he replaced the intake gasket...? He also asked to borrow my pressure tester after the "repairs". If he would've told me it was the head gasket I wouldn't have made the intake gasket repair in the first place

 

sorry to hear about that yes the guys hear are great ,to be honest its what should keep people comeing back ,but some just ,i dont know mabey they should not be allowed to work on cars i think ,like said someone should have a said something before this an the test should have been free ,what this guy ever did for $200.00 then said for $1200,00 he could fix it sounds like you ran into more then one there in LA, fly bye night mechanics ,the old saying is lets see if the engine is worth saveing before they do other work to the car ,its hard to find a good mechanic sometimes ,an the tell tail signs are there ,you will get another one ,one day an learn from this to be very careful ask question a simple test could have saved alot ot money ? dod you live high populated area couse they can still get alot of work but not get many repeat customers then see someone comeing that knows not muich,but seems they will take it anyway,some places have got caught brakeing thing on peoples cars ,or replaceing parts that did not need to be with no camaras they can lie say the job was done ,when i go i ask to see the old parts ,no one should ever charge you to tell you whats wrong,even if it takes them 2 hours to figure it out

 

i paid him $500 to replace intake gasket and thermostat and yes it's sad to see this I really hoped he would've done a better job.. hopefully if in due time I will find a solution because I really hate to let this car go after all the money and time I spent into it... Aghhh only if I could go back in time 😔

 

this is a guy that just takes peoples money when he can there should not have been no $200.00 bill he ripped you off,got to find good mechanic like finding a good Doctor
he knows the car is shot an needs $1200,00 then charges you anyway what a dik , like said who knows what else is shot ,they sure dont do it like that out hear in the NE area though i am sure we have them kind hear there everywhere,me an my friend had to lift the engine up to get the front valve cover out ,an a tune up brakes all the way around was $300.00 wich is cheap but i helped him do the work ,an we work well together well,for now that works for me,but i have had long times where i was looking for a good mechanic,i have another one he gets $60.00 per hour though ,so the work i just did to my 99 caddy would have costed $2k at the wrong place like the dealer ship ,but probley would have been done right you may want to think about that ,my work was done right i know couse i was right there an my buddie is picky too like me

 

something is not makeing sence hear you paid him $500.00 for intake fix ,then $200.00 for what now $1200.00 for an engine thats toast bye now, the guy dont warranty his work ,sounds like a desent used engine may be the way if you want to keep the car ,but if another car can be had by waiting an saveing for a good one ,you may have to wait ,you should be able to get used engine for $500 for a good one, an have a good mech install it for 1k,but i sounds like you could have had another car if you wait an save for a good solid one,when cars nickle an dime you ,then you got to think am i trowing money away ,we all go through it at one time or another ,if you got friends find out what they do ,real friends,i would save my money then buy a car from another area ,one thats in good shape ,there out there,one thing for sure to these cars are not ment to be beat on either there ment to drive an check the fluids regularly air in tires so on,you will learn alot hear though

 

Yes I paid him $500 total, i told him i would pay him 300 now and 200 in the end
Yeah ima have to sell it for a grand in craigslist considering I put all my investment into this damn car