Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

Bought a Jog for $300. Wasn't working.

Mechanic I took it to had it for 3 months...3 MONTHS...and still couldn't fix it, so he says. And he STILL wants to bill me for $260. I'm just gonna leave the bike there.

So...I'm in the market for a scoot again.

Lesson learned.

A d*** snowmobile shop did that to my buddy. They leaned out his motor, it blew, they rebuilt it, and charged him for the rebuild. He wouldn't pay, they basically just stole his sled.

If at all possible, know where you're taking your stuff. There are thieve mechanics in this world, and they will burn in the next.

Sue the bastards, its the american way. Work on your own bike? Its not hard, I do it in my basement/backyard with $50 in tools.

thats some BS right there! and a jog at that.. I would get it back man

that suck, in vegas, he want more money to repair than looking for a job.

I'd file a lawsuit right away and get it back. You shouldn't have to pay if it's not repaired.

Like Kenny said in your other post - you can work on it yourself. All it takes is a set of basic hand tools (I just use a 110 piece Stanley kit I bought at walmart for $35) and two hands.

When I first got into mopeds a few years back I knew nothing, but once I got my first Spree apart, it was a piece of cake

You need to read up on your rights in your state. Mech has to provide a written estimate, and call you with any variance over 10% of what was estimated. Otherwise he doesn't get squat.

If he did the above, you're only liable for the estimated cost.

If you two can't work it out, small claims court is usually $40 to file; you may not even need this; if you get the police involved for theft, though, they will likely impound the bike until it's all sorted out.

noiseguy wrote:You need to read up on your rights in your state. Mech has to provide a written estimate, and call you with any variance over 10% of what was estimated. Otherwise he doesn't get squat.

If he did the above, you're only liable for the estimated cost.

If you two can't work it out, small claims court is usually $40 to file; you may not even need this; if you get the police involved for theft, though, they will likely impound the bike until it's all sorted out.

No idea about mechanic's laws in Wisconsin, but here its $80 to file the small claim, and if you lose, can be forced to pay up to I think $90 of their lawyer's fees (if they had one). (My dad owns many rental properties and dead beats end up getting taken to small claims a lot)

Well, the problem here is, I need a scooter soon...like NOW. I was counting on this one. I don't think he truly tried to fix it. I think he's just a tinkerer that takes s*** apart. Seriously.

Anyway, I may take him to small claims...but then again, I just sort of want it out of my life, at the same time.

Anyway, my immediate concern is getting a scoot.

vnice wrote:Bought a Jog for $300. Wasn't working.

Mechanic I took it to had it for 3 months...3 MONTHS...and still couldn't fix it, so he says. And he STILL wants to bill me for $260. I'm just gonna leave the bike there.

So...I'm in the market for a scoot again.

Lesson learned.

So what all did he do to it that he wants to charge you $260.00 for?

Greetings:

There are always two sides to a dispute. I don't know what you signed (if anything) when you walked out of that repair shop leaving your bike to be "fixed", and we on the forum haven't heard Mechano-boy's defense. However if I were taking his side, I'd claim that the work he did perform was not free, even if the end result - a running scooter -was not yet achieved. People should be paid for the work they do, even if that work sucks. Happens every day. If he can show the ladies and gentlemen of the Jury that he worked on your bike, bought parts, etc., then I think most courts would say you're on the hook for the parts AND labor. Oh, and don't forget the court costs, now.

If your main concern truly is having a scooter "like NOW", then I would submit that you have one. Now $560 for a non-running Jog isn't cheap, but they do sell for that (and more!) all the time. Time and a few bucks more in parts is likely all it requires.

With the help of your Forum friends that Yam will be running again! With the knowledge here and 3 months, we could have smelted the Bauxite, cast the aluminum and made all new parts by now. There is nothing that cannot be fixed.

Cool off and see if you can talk to the guy. Maybe he can at least define the Jog's problem(s). (Something i note you have failed to describe.) He probably feels ashamed he couldn't finish the job. Maybe work together? Save your time and energy for the repair. Lawsuits mostly help lawyers.

vnice wrote:And he STILL wants to bill me for $260. I'm just gonna leave the bike there.

If you have a title to it, go in and try to get $50 out of him in exchange for the title. It'll be worth more to him to try to sell if he has the title, plus you'll have $50 you don't have now.

This is like what the local Honda shop told me about why they won't work on older model bikes. If the repair bill gets too high, people may simply refuse to pay and they're stuck with freshly installed, now USED parts on an old bike that might be not worth what the repair bill is. They can't resell the parts because they are now used and since they don't have the title, they can't sell the complete bike.

I'm not sure why small vehicle shops don't do what honest auto mechanic shops do (and yes, they do exist.. at least around here) and call you before they do any work that you weren't previously told about and agreed to. Not as much money in being honest I guess.