Can I call the police if the mechanic goes for a joy ride?

[sen10l]

Some people have stated that they tell mechanics "no test drives". I am on a friendly basis with some mechanics and I think it's a little too much to treat them so distrustfully. Furthermore, the people out front may not be the ones taking it for a joy ride, it could be the people out back whom you've never spoken to.

Therefore my solution is to put a sticky near the odometer stating the odometer reading and maybe a message "no test drives. Call XXX if required".

So if I get my car back with the odometer reading X km or more over the stated odometer reading, we can surely say it's been on a joy ride.

Can I call the police? After all, if you have not given permission - surely then they are "stealing" the car?

I want some sort of recourse for this behaviour rather than just telling them "I'm not coming back to you again".

(In Australia, they have harsh "anti-hoon" laws and some idiot mechanic drove a customers Lambo and the car got impounded! The owner could not get the car back under the harsh laws! [check wikipedia under anti-hoon legislation] I don't want idiot mechanics to drive my car!)

[ron10]

i think i would try and get him fired.that is a very upsetting thought.i don't think the police would do anything.the mechanic would just tell the police he had to drive it to check out his work.i guess the only logical thing to do is as you said.write down the milage and let everyone involved know you don't want your car driven without permission.:flag1:.

[coolman]

I never leave my car alone that I don't want them to drive. I stay and wait for the service to be done. That way I can keep and eye on it. IF I do have to leave it overnite(which I'm going threw right now) I write down the OD and tell the service manager that know one drives the car but me, and It's your ass if any one does.

[sen10l]

but the point of the message on the sticky, is that it clearly says "ask permission before taking it for a test drive" - therefore the mechanic has NO permission. That's grounds for calling the police is it not?

[sen10l]

Originally Posted by coolman

I never leave my car alone that I don't want them to drive. I stay and wait for the service to be done. That way I can keep and eye on it. IF I do have to leave it overnite(which I'm going threw right now) I write down the OD and tell the service manager that know one drives the car but me, and It's your ass if any one does.

but that's my point: what does "it's your ass if any one does" mean? What recourse do we have except "I'm not taking my car to you ever again"? There's got to be something more serious we can do - that's what my question is: what can we do about it?

The point of the letter/sticky, is that it gives the driver's clear and written instructions on the matter and therefore test drives can no longer be implicitly assumed as reasonable. The mechanic cannot tell the police anything because it's clearly written on the note that no test drives are allowed.

[coolman]

Originally Posted by sen10l

but that's my point: what does "it's your ass if any one does" mean? What recourse do we have except "I'm not taking my car to you ever again"? There's got to be something more serious we can do - that's what my question is: what can we do about it?

The point of the letter/sticky, is that it gives the driver's clear and written instructions on the matter and therefore test drives are no longer implicitly assumed as reasonable. The mechanic cannot tell the police anything because it's clearly written on the note that no test drives are allowed.

I understand what your saying. For me "it's your ass " means I won't buy cars and trucks there any more and at my dealership they know they would be loosing a lot of business.

[coolman]

I kind of had something like this happen one time and the mechanic got fired.

I was getting my truck serviced and the mechanic didn't know I was watching, when he hit the back of my truck with a tire iron to scare the other mechanic that was backing my truck out of the bay. I went out of my mind and went right over to the owners office.
That guy got the boot. So I think if you just let the service manager know your wishes and write the OD # down you would get some recourse if something were to happen. I got free oil changes on truck for a year also. I think the cops would just laugh at you.

[firengnred]

I had a Dodge truck that I left at the dealers for service a few years back. I borrowed my moms car to run a few errands when I see my truck going the other way down the highway so, I turned around and followed thinking this would be a unique opportunity to observe the mechanic test driving the vehicle without his knowledge. Well, I followed him straight to Dunkin Donuts where he went inside and came out with a box of donuts and drove back to the dealership. I approached the service manager and went off! Needless to say he was very apologetic and agreed that should not have happened. Never saw that mechanic around there again and trust me, I was there ALOT with that truck. Never buying another Dodge.

[The_Blur]

I would print out a piece of paper that reads, "No one drives my car except me. Signing below indicates that no one working here will drive my car without my written permission." Without documentation, you have no case.

[riderguy999]

and you are all losers if you think that your cars can be fixed without verifying the problems or the repairs. maybe you should try be a tech if only for one day. i know that you would not get through that day with people like you out there. you think that we are all scammers. try seeing a lawyer. or a bank.

I AM A PROUD CERTIFIED TECH AND WELL RESPECTED

or find another shop to go to

[camaro99]

Originally Posted by sen10l

Some people have stated that they tell mechanics "no test drives". I am on a friendly basis with some mechanics and I think it's a little too much to treat them so distrustfully. Furthermore, the people out front may not be the ones taking it for a joy ride, it could be the people out back whom you've never spoken to.

Therefore my solution is to put a sticky near the odometer stating the odometer reading and maybe a message "no test drives. Call XXX if required".

So if I get my car back with the odometer reading X km or more over the stated odometer reading, we can surely say it's been on a joy ride.

Can I call the police? After all, if you have not given permission - surely then they are "stealing" the car?

I want some sort of recourse for this behaviour rather than just telling them "I'm not coming back to you again".

(In Australia, they have harsh "anti-hoon" laws and some idiot mechanic drove a customers Lambo and the car got impounded! The owner could not get the car back under the harsh laws! [check wikipedia under anti-hoon legislation] I don't want idiot mechanics to drive my car!)

If my mechanic takes my camaro for a ride .....the repairs are free
If you call the kops they will take it for a joy ride then who do you call

(Check out my thread bout kid kop foundation)

[sen10l]

Originally Posted by riderguy999

and you are all losers if you think that your cars can be fixed without verifying the problems or the repairs. maybe you should try be a tech if only for one day. i know that you would not get through that day with people like you out there. you think that we are all scammers. try seeing a lawyer. or a bank.

I AM A PROUD CERTIFIED TECH AND WELL RESPECTED

or find another shop to go to

I'm actually more concerned with people doing cosmetic mods such as a clear bra (which I intend to put on the entire hood, all 4 fenders in full and the doors which may mean leaving the car there over night) - which do not require a test drive.

Obviously we're NOT talking about a problem that requires a test drive to resolve.

No need for calling people losers. You can state your point without being rude.

[homer2004]

Well I take mine to the GM dealer for service also my other mechanic is a trusted one whom i have had my car taken to for over 12 years now. so i know the places i am taking my baby to and I advice you to do the same.

[CloudXTC]

calling the police i dont think will work... best to let the service manager know no joyrides and you have taken down the odometer reading when u dropped it off.

[ESqezMe]

its not a criminal matter, so calling the police will get you no where but a report. A report of the events that allegedly took place at a repair shop that you hired to perform wk on the car. Which I am sure the shop will say that its standard that they test drive the vehicles to check the work they did. Then YOU would have the burden of proving they did not need to "test" drive the car in order to check their work, IE list of shops that its not the "normal" mod of operation to test drive the vehicles they have performed work on. Or that they dont usually test drive the vehicles when they do the repairs you had done

NOW if you find damage to the vehicle, IE scratches, dents or what ever, then you can make a report of criminal damage, but still it would be a civil matter and you would have to sue the store.

Look at your service agreement they give you when you dropped the vehicle off, I bet it says something about them "having to test drive" the vehicle.

[DiverRich]

In Oregon it IS a criminal matter. Not sure about other states.

[ESqezMe]

Originally Posted by DiverRich

In Oregon it IS a criminal matter. Not sure about other states.

I dont know why I am even replying but I am bored

In order to be a criminal matter
you HAVE TO PROVE intent.

What was the dudes, who works for the shop, criminal intention when he "test drove" the vehicle after he finished performing work on it??

ummmm

[iBK3000]

lol at this thread. You think your SS is the nicest car that your mechanic has driven? You probably do need a new mechanic.

[DiverRich]

Originally Posted by ESqezMe

I dont know why I am even replying but I am bored

In order to be a criminal matter
you HAVE TO PROVE intent.

What was the dudes, who works for the shop, criminal intention when he "test drove" the vehicle after he finished performing work on it??

ummmm

Well that's true but... Oregon law specifically addresses this issue in the statute. Anyway here is a real world example of a case I was involved in. Buyer takes car to dealer to have A/C installed. Dealer asked buyer if it's okay to take the car 60 miles away to have it installed. Buyer says no. Dealer does it anyway. Clear cut case of Unautorize Use of a Motor Vehicle. Incidently, in this case the dealership was subject to crimnal charges and not the poor worker who was told by his boss to drive the car.

[yotaman96]

You could always put a hidden camera in it.

[mmongi7]

Report him. If he wants to test drive one tell him to go to a dealer and test theirs, not your baby.

[htp autoworks]

Whats the big issue here? I personally would want to make sure the car is fixed and running properly before I get in it to drive. I would hate to get on the freeway and have an issue then, loose control of the car, and possibly get killed as opposed to having the mechanic verify the car is running optimuly. Now if he takes it out street racing thats different, but most of the time they do drive it to make sure its working properly... or you are going to come back and sue them because you had a wreck. Its common sense guys... dont get so bent out of shape because someone drives your car. Its a car...not your girlfriend. I had an 04 Viper and I made sure that the Viper Tech drove it every time before I got it out of the shop. I would rather have it perfect than take any chances with my life.

By the way I am a clear bra installer, have been in business for 7 years, and have never had to drive someones car other than backing it out of the shop. So the original poster should not have to worry about that.

[Ghost of Vincent Price]

Does a plumber need your permission before he can flush your toilet too?

You remind me of the girl who called 911 on burger king because they were out of whoppers or something like that.

Its a mass produced car.....nothing more. Dont want a mechanic to work on it and make sure it works, do the work yourself.

[Ravirn]

I take a digital picture of the odometer and show the Service Manager. It gets me a smile every time! I state that I understand they have to drive my car in and out of the shop, but if they need to take it on the road, please call me first. Several times they've called to say they need to test it on the road, and I thanked them for the heads up and said "go for it". Only once have I ever had an issue.

Took my car in two years ago to have the A/C fixed, and fixed it was. Awesome! However, I noticed that 49 kms (30 miles) had been put on my car that day. ????? I asked the Service Manager about it (he remembered me showing him the pic that morning on the camera)... showed it to him again, which got me a "please follow me". He had me stop just inside the door to the shop and called "Jeremy" over, borrowed my camera and showed him the odometer reading. Needless to say, Jeremy went very, very red in the face. It turns out he took my car home to his place to grab lunch that day (his girlfriend drove him to work each day). At the end of it all, my service that day was free, and removed from "Jeremy's" pay. I was AOK with that, thanked the Manager and left. I remember the Service Manager asked me, quite directly, if I wanted any further action taken. No. With the "kid" standing there I commented that I thought the lesson had been learned. No harm, no foul. It's not everyday that you get free service, and all it had cost me was 49 kms on the dial, and a little diesel.

One week later I got a Free Oil Change card in the mail with the Manager's signature on it. Very cool. I went in two months later for my free oil change and found that "Jeremy" was no longer there, but had "moved on to another shop." All in all, I was taken seriously, it was professionally handled, and no one got excited or dramatic. They still get my business. Well done!