Need Help, Mechanic Troubles Part 2 (Long)

["Alexander van Gerbig" <Audi_80@email.msn.com>]

    I need to ask for all of your opinions in this matter.

As some of you may remember I had an independent driveway mechanic install
my new suspension.  This mechanic was highly recommeneded and has a fair
amount of time under his belt working at an Audi/VW dealership that went
bust a couple of years ago.  He charged $475 to do the CV boots, install
suspension, and perform an alignment at his place of work, rate was $40 an
hour.  That's a good deal.
    First problem came a few days after I picked up the car.  I noticed the
rear driver's shock and spring didn't move freely.  I lifted the car up and
found that the spring had been bolted to the axle improperly and
dangerously.  I informed the mechanic and he agreed that if indeed it wasn't
right he would fix it.  I dropped the car off and he fixed it.  Problem
solved at no charge to me.
    Second problem came yesterday when I took my car to the local shop.  I
had been noticing a drift towards the right on highways so I figured the
alignment was off.  The shop didn't get around to checking until this
morning, they first checked on a lift to see if any of the bolts had
loosened.  Nothing was loose and the tie rod ends looked suspiciously
corroded and rusty.  They tossed the car on the alignment rack and the car
had not been aligned at all.  The tie rod ends were both frozen solid and
needed to be replaced after the mechanic spent two hours trying to loosen
and remove them.  After this alignment I got slapped with a $439 bill
because of the extra time to free and remove frozen tie rods, align
properly, and test drive.
    This means I got ripped off by the independent mechanic, plus he flat
out lied to me.  We talked for at least an hour about cars and such, he
commented on how hard it was to free one of the tie rod ends, which he never
even touched.  That makes me angry.
    Now after that sad story what should I do?  Should I ask the independent
mechanic for the cost of the alignment he said he did, $75.  OR should I be
asking for more, I just got hit with a 400 dollar bill.
If he had tried to align I surely would have supplied him with tie rod ends
and then it would have only cost me an extra $65 for the parts, instead of
$400 for labor and parts at the other shop.  What should I ask for money
wise, and how should I do it?  I can't let this slide, my sister is out of a
job in Boston, I just loaned her $300 and I am really short on cash.  I'm a
college student, I needed that $400 that went to the shop today!  Why can't
people just be honest about this stuff, I mean the best of us make mistakes,
but lying to make money is pretty damn bad.

Thanks for listening,

Alexander van Gerbig
'88 Audi 80 -- Koni Yellows, G&M Springs
HÖR Technologies Sport Hydro Cam, K&N Filter
Borbet Type T, Dunlop SP9000 Sport

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