Mechanic is holding my car hostage!!
 

Since this isn't a mechanical issue, I figured this belonged in the Lounge.

Back in September, I had my Bonneville towed to a shop that a friend recommended, and it's conveniently right up the street from my house. Why I had it towed....a constant ignition module problem. I'm on the 5th one now. Prior to the ignition module failing on me once again, my car ran like a top. Anyhow -
I began calling this mechanic two weeks after it was towed. I received no return phone calls.
So, I called every other day for a month, tried to go to the shop...and still received no return phone calls and when I went there no one was home.
I then had my boss call pretending to be stranded on the side of the road. The mechanic returned her call within 15 minutes. So, I got on the phone. I told him that he's had my car for over a month and I want it back. He starts stuttering and says that my car has a "bad bad engine noise, and that it's really going to give me troubles down the road." He couldn't describe what kind of noise, other than it was "bad". So, I asked him what time he'd be there until that afternoon. He said 4. I got there at 3...he was gone and my car was parked in a garage in the back of the property. WTF?
It is now December, and I am on the verge of calling the police. The only reason I haven't yet, is because I want to talk to him face to face and find out what he did to my car, and why he's hiding it from me.
I went there again yesterday at 3, saw a light on in the garage and banged on the door. A guy was there!! I told him that my Bonneville is there and I want to know what's going on with it. He starts stuttering...."Oh, you'll have to talk to my partner. He's the one who's been working on it." I said yeah?? Why can't he return any of my thousands of phone calls? He didn't answer me...he sent me on my way and said he'd "talk to his partner in the morning."
And today, I heard nothing....once again.

I apologize for the novel....I am at my witts end here. I just want my car back.
Should I call the cops?

Get together anything you have on paper (estimates, invoices, receipts, whatever), write out a timeline of what's transpired, and then call the police.

whats your friend say about all this?

maybe have your boss call again posing as a lawyer :)

You may have to call a sheriff and have them meet you at the shop and demand the return of your car.

Also, contact the better business burrow and file a complaint.

yeah, get it back ASAP. and, be prepared to possibly press charges because it sounds like he's covering something up. check the mileage and make sure he hasn't been driving it around. we had a problem similiar to this with my dad's '90 chevrolet astro van. the mechanic was recommended and we took it there. 3 weeks passed and the limg wasn't changed yet so we asked what was up. he said that he'd just been busy and hadn't gotten to it. so, another 2 weeks passed and then the police called us saying that our van was impounded because the mechanic had been driving it home drunker than a skunk and the van had expired plates. two weeks later and 1 limg gasket change later from another mechanic, we were driving and the engine seized up because the first mechanic had driven it over 2000 miles with antifreeze in the oil. long story short, we pressed charges but haven't seen any money. at least he's in jail for 5 years.

Thanks for the tips. The few people at work that I've talked to about it also think that this guy is either using my car as his personal joy toy, or not willing to own up to whatever damages he's caused.
I'm going to gather up every document I have, and prepare to go the legal route. It just sucks that...if he did do something to the engine, I'll be forking out more $$ to fix someone elses neglegence. That engine is only 2 years old.

Do this what Danthurs said above, NOW!!!....you have a time limit on legality's. Make sure any debt is or was paid off. After you call the sheriff, call a lawyer to find out your rights.

Do you remember what the odometer read? Good point.

I totally agree. There is only so long that you have to act. I would get on this IMMEDIATELY!!!

I'm new here, but I just have to say this eerily reminds me of a certain movie:

Cameron: What'd I do?
Ferris: You killed the car.

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Sloane: What are we going to do?
Ferris: The question isn't "what are we going to do," the question is "what aren't we going to do?"
Cameron: Please don't say were not going to take the car home. Please don't say were not going to take the car home. Please don't say were not going to take the car home.
Ferris: [to the camera] If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away?
[beat]
Ferris: Neither would I.

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[Cameron doesn't want to go out, but Ferris keeps calling]
Cameron: He'll keep calling me, he'll keep calling me until I come over. He'll make me feel guilty. This is uh... This is ridiculous, ok I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go. What - I'LL GO. Shit.

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Ferris: I'm so disappointed in Cameron! Twenty bucks says he's in his car right now debating on whether or not to go out.
Cameron: [Cameron's in his car] He'll keep calling me. He'll keep calling me until I come over. He'll make me feel guilty. This is - Alright I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, alright I'll go. Shit!
[Turns the engine on then turns it off and hits the passenger seat]
Cameron: God Damn it!
[Turns the car on and revs it up]
Cameron: Ahhhhhh! Shit!
[Gets out of the car]
Cameron: That's it!
[Paces behind the car and jumps up and down in frustration]