Responsibility for the broken part during the service

[wooramse]

Hi Nico,
Please advise me based on your knowledge and experience.
The mechanic broke off the bolt where the rear lower control arm connects to the body frame while they're working on the wheel alignment. Actually I was inspecting the under body while he was smashing his tool with the hammer to take out the bolt. It turned out that the reason was the bolt was sticking to the lower arm bushing due to the rust. The shop manager told me he would have to check junk yards to find the lower arm along with bolts and will have to cut the remaining bolt with may or may not be leaving a potential damage to the frame. He is asking $90 for parts(which just costs $40 for the brand new on ebay) plus $50 for the labor.
Is it totally my responsibility? Or is it something he has to be responsible for as he didn't let me know the potential risk earlier when they noticed it so that I can decide whether they go ahead and continue by putting that potential risk on my side or I just give it up and rush to the dealer ship for a serious job?
I will have to bring my car back from him tonight so please guys advise me how I can deal with this issue.
Many thanks!

[AZhitman]

That's on them.

If they regularly work on cars, it's very easy to see if a bolt/nut is rusted. Any real shop will have the appropriate tools to break loose a control arm bolt, and if they don't, they need to inform the customer before tearing something up.

Feel free to share this with the manager, and if they have an issue with it, we can make 'em famous.

[telcoman]

Hi Nico,
Please advise me based on your knowledge and experience.
The mechanic broke off the bolt where the rear lower control arm connects to the body frame while they're working on the wheel alignment. Actually I was inspecting the under body while he was smashing his tool with the hammer to take out the bolt. It turned out that the reason was the bolt was sticking to the lower arm bushing due to the rust. The shop manager told me he would have to check junk yards to find the lower arm along with bolts and will have to cut the remaining bolt with may or may not be leaving a potential damage to the frame. He is asking $90 for parts(which just costs $40 for the brand new on ebay) plus $50 for the labor.
Is it totally my responsibility? Or is it something he has to be responsible for as he didn't let me know the potential risk earlier when they noticed it so that I can decide whether they go ahead and continue by putting that potential risk on my side or I just give it up and rush to the dealer ship for a serious job?
I will have to bring my car back from him tonight so please guys advise me how I can deal with this issue.
Many thanks!

Don't bring the car back

Take it to the dealer and get a detailed itemized list of what needs to be repaired.
Only pay by credit card
Then charge your so called mechanic for the damage for poor quality workmanship

Telcoman

[the converted]

I've had it play out both ways being the one who was turning the wrench. Sometimes there's just nothing that you can do if it's rusted solid in the bushing. You should bring up that you saw the mechanic beating on it not trying to be careful, and that you think that was probably a big part of the problem.