Mechanic Woes
 

So you all may remember a couple of weeks back I mentioned some issues
with a light on my dashboard. After looking into it a little bit I
found out the battery was not taking a charge. This is for a 2000
Sonata GLS

I brought it back to the mechanic that originally rebuilt the
alternator, a place called L&G Armature in Providence, RI for in-
warranty service (the alternator was only about a month old). Today
marks two weeks that he's had the car and the thing still isn't fixed.

He says that because it's a Valeyo alternator, it's 'very difficult'
to get parts for it. Originally he said it was the stata (I'm not
sure how it's spelled/pronounced, I've heard different things...the
big copper inductor), then he said it wasn't that, it was the heatsink
and the diodes attatched to it, then a couple of days later he said it
was both.

This guy only does alternators and starters. I would think he'd know
a supplier or two for Valeyo parts. He does have an amazing sob story
though.

My question is a pretty generic one. First off...is this guy serious?
Two weeks to rebuild an alternator, Valeyo or not, is a bit ridiculous
-- especially for a shop that only deals in alternators and starters.
Second off, do I have any rights as a consumer? The original rebuild
was paid for by Mastercard so I know they have backing for labor
warranties and whatnot, but that doesn't help the fact that I haven't
had my car for two weeks and the guy, as best as I know, still hasn't
ordered parts for it yet.

Re: Mechanic Woes
 

fpocai@gmail.com wrote:
> So you all may remember a couple of weeks back I mentioned some issues
> with a light on my dashboard. After looking into it a little bit I
> found out the battery was not taking a charge. This is for a 2000
> Sonata GLS
>
> I brought it back to the mechanic that originally rebuilt the
> alternator, a place called L&G Armature in Providence, RI for in-
> warranty service (the alternator was only about a month old). Today
> marks two weeks that he's had the car and the thing still isn't fixed.
>
> He says that because it's a Valeyo alternator, it's 'very difficult'
> to get parts for it. Originally he said it was the stata (I'm not
> sure how it's spelled/pronounced, I've heard different things...the
> big copper inductor), then he said it wasn't that, it was the heatsink
> and the diodes attatched to it, then a couple of days later he said it
> was both.
>
> This guy only does alternators and starters. I would think he'd know
> a supplier or two for Valeyo parts. He does have an amazing sob story
> though.
>
> My question is a pretty generic one. First off...is this guy serious?
> Two weeks to rebuild an alternator, Valeyo or not, is a bit ridiculous
> -- especially for a shop that only deals in alternators and starters.
> Second off, do I have any rights as a consumer? The original rebuild
> was paid for by Mastercard so I know they have backing for labor
> warranties and whatnot, but that doesn't help the fact that I haven't
> had my car for two weeks and the guy, as best as I know, still hasn't
> ordered parts for it yet.


If he a) doesn't know what is wrong then it will be a long time to order
parts for it and b)has taken two weeks with no action he really isn't
interested in satisfying you. Given these two assumptions I would tell
him that you expect him to refund you for the first work done and then
to avoid further unpleasantness from a dissatisfied customer that as a
gesture of good will you accept his offer to install the replacement
alternator that you have gotten from your local autozone/pepboys or
ordered online and will provide to him. Just be sure that you get the
old one back to return as a core.