Talonewo
Senior Member
The coupler between the engine and transmission blew, I found a reputable marine mechanic shop to do the repairs(side note; now that I have seen what it takes I will do it myself next time). The shop gave me an estimate and made it clear it is just an estimate and they are a time and material shop and the time starts when they leave the shop($100/hr). They separated the trans from the engine got most the old coupler out and ordered a new one, it was an 8 week delivery time for the new coupler, I told the shop I would rather pay as I go then get a huge bill at the end, they gave me an invoice for the work done to date and for half the cost of the coupler, it was fair and reasonable and I paid it in full, the work site was clean and the bits and pieces were organized, they removed all their tools, no issues. Five or six weeks later the new coupler came in and we set up a time for them to install it, I was on the boat that day(I live 600+ miles away) I talked with them around 0830 that morning the owner said "the the mechanic was putting his tools in the truck and heading that way". Then there was a massive thunderstorm that came over and it rained hard for an hour and a half, maybe two hours. The mechanic showed up after the rain stopped and worked for an hour or so removing part of the old coupler and the old seal, then he realized the new seal was wrong so he left. I had to get back home that afternoon so I left New Orleans and headed back to Texas. When I talked to him the next day he said the replacement seal was also wrong, a few days later he called and said everything was fixed and the boat was good to go. Today I received the invoice, the total was about what I was expecting so there was no sticker shock. Then I started looking at the individual lines charged, first was the day in the rain, the invoice said "drive to marina(rain) remove old seal 4.5 hours $450" the next line was "1.5 hours to the boat and back wrong seal $150"
For the first one, $450 in the rain, I was there, he was on the boat no more than an hour and a half, I have to assume he left the shop drove to the marina(15 min drive) and sat in his car for two hours until the rain stopped.
And for the next line, should I have to pay $150 bucks for him to drive to from the shop to the boat because he ordered the wrong part?
Would you contest these two charges?
For the first one, $450 in the rain, I was there, he was on the boat no more than an hour and a half, I have to assume he left the shop drove to the marina(15 min drive) and sat in his car for two hours until the rain stopped.
And for the next line, should I have to pay $150 bucks for him to drive to from the shop to the boat because he ordered the wrong part?
Would you contest these two charges?