Bottom line, the mechanic that diagnosed your problem as the
starter needs to fix his error and refund you the labor charges. I
would take my car somewhere else. I realize money is tight, but
this is exactly what getting squeezed by a shifty mechanic looks
like.
Auto repair is trial and error sometimes, a mechanic will replace
what he/she thinks is the problem and work their way to the actual
problem. When you don't have a ton of money or the car isn't
worth much as in your case (The PT is glorified Dodge Neon), I
would find a reputable shop who isn't going to give you the run
around.
You always ask them to diagnose the problem first, and to call you
before replacing the parts. Then ALWAYS get a second opinion
unless you trust the first mechanic implicitly. You might pay two
diagnostic fees but you find out what the problem really is and can
prepare for how much its going to cost. I know this is tough when
money is tight but look at the situation you are in now. You paid to
have the car fixed, the car is not fixed, the "fixer" is shifting
accountability to the parts store and not making things right, a
locksmith is involved, and I GUARANTEE you, you are in for
another couple hundred dollars worth of repairs. Next time, take it
to the dealer if you can't find a trusted mechanic. They will charge
you more, but they will do it right, and they warranty their work,
and the parts so if there is a problem, you drop the PT off at their
shop and pick up a loaner to drive while they correct their mistake.
This is an expensive lesson to learn. Essentially a locksmith isn't
going to know anything about a vehicles ignition, especially car
specific information. Has the mechanic told you what codes the
car is throwing? These OBDII codes tell him what is wrong and
what to fix. In this case, it might be an electrical issue like the
ignition switch or coil pack. ONE WAY TO TEST this theory is to
take a rubber mallet or a light small wrench, open the hood and
tap the starter (don't bag on it, but tap it really good), attempt to
start the car. If it starts, the problem is the starter, if it doesn't, the
problem is the electrical.. I wouldn't waste more money with the
mechanic, my insurance covers towing, I hope yours does, have it
towed to the dealer, tell them you were taken by this other
mechanic, that you are broke and you need transportation. It's
been my experience (and other people will tell you otherwise) but
its been my experience that they will 9 time out of 10 go the extra
mile to help you and complete the repairs right. Let me know how
this goes and if you have further questions please, feel free to
drop me a line by sending me a direct message. Best of luck.
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