I’m looking for some advice on how to handle an issue with a shop regarding a sub par repair on my 2021 Toyota Tundra.
I brought my truck in to have the cam tab gussets repaired due to an alignment shop bending g a couple of them. I was originally quoted ~$1300 for a full replacement, but after I dropped the truck off, the shop called to say they had the wrong parts. They suggested bending the existing bent tabs back (not all of them were bent) and back welding all of them for reinforcement instead. I authorized this modified work.
I paid ~$1,029 total: ~$800 for the welding/labor and ~$200 for an attempted alignment which they couldn't get the camber aligned stating that the driver side spindle was bent due to a prior accident.
A week later I took my truck to a different shop I have used before but is over an hour away for a second opinion. Their inspection revealed that the alignment tabs are still bent and not within spec, several tabs were melted or structurally damaged by the welding process, and the welding preparation/ lack of coating was poor, leaving significant exposed metal underneath.
The second shop confirmed that the original "repair" was ineffective and that the tabs still need to be replaced to restore function and structural integrity before they could rule out any other issue like the claimed bent spindle.
Sorry for the long back story but here are my questions, I feel that I paid for a service that was not performed correctly and, in some ways, left the truck in worse condition. I want to approach the first shop to request a refund, but I need guidance on how to go about this.
Yes I authorized the "bend and weld" method because the wrong parts were sent, do I have a case for a refund, or am I stuck because the work was "performed"?
How should I frame this conversation to be taken seriously without coming across as unreasonable?
Any advice on how to handle this would be appreciated. I have attached photos of the current state of the tabs so you can see.