Local Atalnta Tech Shop Giving Me Grief

[jaseinatl]

I am posting this message in the hopes of getting some advice. I have a 92 SC300 that was previously owned by only two people: a little old lady who hardly ever drove the car and then a Lexus Master Technician who bought it from her and built it up as his toy project with only the best parts available from Lexus. It has perfect service records and has been the greatest car until about a year ago (we've owned it for 4 years, I believe).

We had a leak in the power steering that destroyed the Rack and Pinion over time so we had both replaced (the rack and the power steering hose). When we got the car back it bogged down and blew white smoke after driving it about 10 miles.

They assumed it was a blown head gasket so they did a compression test. By their own admission, they forgot about the car and let it run for 48 hours under pressure (though they indicated that it normally only runs for 24 hours). Still there was no leak and no drop in pressure, so the head gasket is not the problem. We called them after about two months and they said to come pick it up.

We drove the car across town and it started again. Only this time it was worse, much worse. So we had the car towed back to the shop.

After about a month, we called them and they said it was the distributor. We had them replace it and when we got the car back, it drove fine for about half a day. Then it started bogging down again and blowing white smoke.

Before we took it back in this last time, I noticed that some liquid (one or two drops) was coming from the part where the exhaust connects into the block. It was dripping onto the Y part of the exhaust pipe under the hood. Not near the head gasket, really. But this would only make it smoke under the hood, right?

Anyways, It has been seven months and I still do not have my car back. They promised it to me today, but never called. It has never had a problem like this before and I'm afraid that the car is ruined. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do about the tech shop and/or what I can do about my car?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jase

[SKperformance]

Did you talk to the master tech who owned it first.

[option00002]

Advice: Take the car to a competent shop. I am speechless at the notion of leaving a vehicle with a shop for 7 months. You arguably have no recourse after allowing it to sit with them for this long. You are in a major city so bring it to a dealer for gods sake if you can't find anyone else.

Geesh...

You might also post on ClubLexus.

[jaseinatl]

Did you talk to the master tech who owned it first.

Not yet. I tried to reach him just a while back but had an old number. I will try to reach him at the Lexus dealership and maybe he can give me some advice.

Thanks for your reply.

Best wishes,

jase

[jaseinatl]

You are in a major city so bring it to a dealer for gods sake if you can't find anyone else.

Geesh!

Gosh, that's a great idea. And perhaps they could look at my yacht or personal jet at the same time. I mean, heck, if I could take it to a dealer and have it repaired for less than I paid for the car, I would have done it months ago.

When shopping around for prices to have the rack and pinion replaced, the dealership was going to charge me more than I originally paid for the car. The Power Steering Hose cost almost $500 dollars to replace...Though my 1992 SC300 is a great car, the repairs are entirely cost prohibitive if you have to take it to a dealer.

Geesh! is right.

Thanks for taking the time to reply (sorry if I sound ungrateful, it's just not as simple as it seems)

jase

[option00002]

How much does it cost to have a car down for 7 months while paying insurance, excise and registration fees? Talk about p-issing money away...

Additionally, as I first noted you are in a major city and an old SC300 isn't rocket science. Bring it somewhere else.