Mechanic Refuses To Release Car After Disputing Final Bill (advice)car

Happy New Year Everyone!

I'm sharing this issue in hopes of finding the right direction to resolve a long-standing matter with the shop that worked on my car.

Be warned its a long read to give the details..

--Context I own a 2012 Jaguar XJ (82k miles) with the Range Rover Supercharged V8. My father and I are independent mechanics, but due to his health issues and my computer science studies, I handle most repairs. I bought this car at auction, unaware of its blown head gasket since it wasn’t listed as a mechanical car. Considering the car’s value and my XK8’s transmission needing a rebuild, I decided to overhaul the engine for reliability while finishing the XK8 project. With 4 years of Jaguar experience and tools like IDS and SDD, I calculated commuting costs for the semester and deemed the repair worthwhile in the long run.

--Car Meets Mechanic On September 30, 2024, I brought the car to the shop, explained the head gasket issue, and requested a full engine overhaul since the damage wasn’t severe—coolant hadn’t mixed much with the oil but leaked from the passenger-side gasket. I even provided a video of it running before towing it in, as coolant had prevented compression, making it unable to start. The engine could still turn by hand. They quoted $5,500 for the job and agreed to start dismantling the next day.

I had a long conversation with the shop owner, sharing laughs and respecting their expertise.

--The Issues Begin By October 14, I had over $8,000 ready and reached out for updates. I was told:

"I got you, Isaiah. You’re on deck for a teardown. Only two of my guys can handle your engine at this level, and they’re currently working on Audi and Infiniti engines. I’ll update you this week. Thanks for your patience."

This was after promising to start on October 1. I also reminded them about the water sitting on the cylinder, making the situation time-sensitive. (No response)

--Next Contact On November 5, they finally sent a picture of my engine being dismantled—over a month after the initial promise.

--Updated Quote (Verbal Conversations) The shop owner called Nov 12th,, giving two options:
1. Replace the engine for $10k (with an iffy warranty).
2. Rebuild it for $8.9k with warranty of course on parts..

I chose the rebuild and sent a $5k deposit via Zelle. I also ordered and shipped four tires to the shop, costing $500.

--Interlude By then, I’d budgeted $8.9k except the tires I paid separately and was excited to have the car ready for personal use and my sister’s prom. However, I remained cautious about unexpected costs.

--Additional Charges In mid-December, they called, claiming the supercharger needed replacement for $1k. Reluctantly, I agreed, bringing the total to $10k.

Later, around December 18, I was informed my rim had been stolen but was assured they’d replace it.

--Final Bill When the car was finally ready, I asked for the remaining balance. To my shock, the total bill was $12k, not the $10k I’d budgeted. They justified the additional cost by citing machine shop fees, claiming the initial quote was just a verbal estimate.

I politely requested a discount, offering $5k as the final payment to settle at $10k total. The owner refused, saying, “Money doesn’t grow on trees,” and offered the following options:

1. Payment plan: $100/week or whatever I could afford, but the car would stay with them.
   
2. Loaner car from the shop owner: $200/week until the balance is paid. Car would stay with them
3. Sell the car through the shop. Car stays with them
4. Legal action. They still have the car(during this)
5. I steal the car back with another key (I'm joking)

^Of course all of this they keep my 5k^

--January 1, 2025 I’ve already paid $10k for repairs, waited three months, and dealt with a stolen rim. I cannot pay another $2k, especially with nothing in writing—just an online bill the shop kept adjusting and some text messages.

This was my last message to the shop:
"As per our last call, I am only willing to settle at $5,000 for the final payment ($10k total). A payment plan for the remaining $2k would not work if I cannot use the vehicle I paid to have repaired. If you are willing to accept this payment (via Zelle or cash), let me know. Otherwise, I will leave the vehicle with you."

Advice Needed I am considering legal action since I have no other options. If anyone has thoughts or advice, please share. I’m withholding the shop’s name for now, depending on how this plays out. The shop owner could just give in and say take it for 10k, but considering is time, ego/pride could make this go either way. Me personally it's over financial aspects.