John W Scott Motors, Asquith, NSW

I feel very strongly indeed that I have a duty to warn people about this repairer. I took my vintage car to John Scott Motors for engine repairs to be carried out. The first things he told me were that he had been a mechanic (at that time) for 45 years, and that "I won't rip you off". Little did I know what I was in for. It took 3 DAYS!!! to take out the engine on a very simple old car - 24 WORKING HOURS, AT $68 AN HOUR!!! That individual then put up his hourly rate in 2 increments, to $75 an hour, after telling me he wouldn’t!! When I finally got my car back, the carburetor was leaking and I had to have the engine head repaired; it was warped!! The crankshaft was bent and it was evident that quite an amount of silicon had been used in the engine. In addition to all of that, one of the rear wheel bearing nuts had been very much over-tightened, resulting in a collapsed wheel bearing en route to Motorfest, my favourite day of the year. Needless to say, I didn't make it to Motorfest. It is such a basic and elementary rule to NEVER over-tighten wheel bearings!! After dismantling the engine, he didn't even replace the valves with hardened valves when he had the golden opportunity to do so, meaning that I had to keep using a fuel additive every time I filled the car with petrol!! To add insult to injury, he promised me a FREE bottle of fuel additive with a plastic measuring device. After he had finished with my car, I rang him to ask would he mind delivering those "gifts" to my home, a diversion for him of LESS THAN ONE KILOMETRE. After me paying him $18,400!!!, he aggressively refused my request, shouting "I’m off to Chatswood to go shopping, I’m not going out of my way for you. Come up and get it!" Being of mild disposition I let that aggressive outburst go, but I felt very angry after what Scott had put my wife and me through. Those "gifts" ended up on my bill; yes, they formed part of the $18,400!!! The Motor Traders Association ordered Scott to refund me some of what I had paid, though it was nothing compared to what I had spent, including another $5,000 plus to rectify the damage caused by Scott!! What I have outlined above caused me to become sick. I did hear later that a man who had trusted that business with his Hillman car, nearly cried after work had been performed on it! I have been told recently by a senior member of the highest-profile motoring organisation of well-known incompetence by an individual who had been in the trade for over 50 years, and who, by the rather accurate description given, was most likely John Scott! In my eyes Scott is a coward who took my kindness as a sign of weakness, doing these things to one who was unable to take his car anywhere else to be repaired. I think that the favourable comments seen on this website are questionable to say the least! "Honest and quality mechanics"??, "Quality mechanics"?? "You get what you pay for"?? I think not!!!