Legal Question in Business Law in Pennsylvania

State inspection fraud

My 17 yr old had his car fixed & inspected in July for $500 or so, now 4 mths later, another mechanic tells me that $625 worth of front end work never was done, the car has no brakes, rotors, bearings, calipers, not even any brake fluid? how could this inspection station pass this car without proper working breaks? how i have to shell out $625 to get this fixed when the 1st mechanic & the inspection station didnt even mention that anything was wrong? The first mechanic was paid to fix all damage to the right front end after a small accident... What can do? i feel as if i was robbed, & my 17 yr olds life was in jeporday if he would have crashed w/ no brakes in his car.. The mechanic that has the car now wont let us take it w/out the repairs, he says the car is ''a death trap''.. the bearrings are so shot that the akle will fall off or something!!! Help...


Asked on 11/30/08, 6:48 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Doug Harhai The Law Office of Douglas Harhai, LLC

Re: State inspection fraud

Don't panic yet. I am glad to see that you are concerned about your son, the same way that my father was concerned about me at that age, but I am not so sure that your car is as bad as it sounds.

I am not a mechanic but it is hard to believe that the brakes would work if there were no brake fluid in them. You should get a second opinion from a good shop.

Concern for your safety is one thing; refusal to let you take your car is illegal. You are entitled to take your car, whether for driving it to get a second estimate or driving to work; it is none of his business. If he has a problem with giving your car back, your remedy would be the police, unless you want to consult a lawyer. Depending on the jurisdiction and their activity level, they may be willing to assist with this.

If you find out that mechanic #1 never did the work, you should consult a lawyer.

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Answered on 11/30/08, 9:02 pm


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