Pexels/Reddit

Anyone who works on old cars knows repairs take time, and anyone who pays someone else expects them to keep their word.

One man owned a classic 1981 Firebird and did almost all the work on it himself, so he took a leap of faith when he entrusted it to a local mechanic to remove a few broken exhaust manifold bolts.

The mechanic confidently promised it would be done by the end of the week. But as the week drew on, the mechanic was radio silent.

The car owner soon found his car was sitting outside, untouched, with other cars around it and the keys still inside.

So when he decided to tow it home himself, he wondered if he made the right call.

Keep reading for the full story.

Getting my car back

When bringing my classic car (original 1981 Firebird) to get fixed by a local mechanic who I’ve never been with before, I do almost all the work on this car myself, so I know that these things take time.

So when the mechanic gave him a time estimate, he decided to take him at his word.

Well, I was told that it would be done by last week Sunday with confidence. I trusted the dude and was letting him do his thing.

Soon the man started experiencing some delays in service.

Well, it was Thursday morning, and I checked on it while driving to work because I haven’t seen or heard anything from the guy.

The car hasn’t moved at all or been touched, and there’s a bunch of other cars on the lot.

So he decided he just wanted to get his car back as soon as possible.

It’s getting below freezing, so I went with my friend and towed it back to my house.

It’s not like we were waiting on parts or anything like that.

By his account, the mechanic had barely even started working on it.

I asked him to extract a couple of broken exhaust manifold bolts, and the bolts had not even been touched, let alone headers removed. He didn’t even bother to take the keys inside either.

He tried to be as communicative as possible with him, but still he can’t help but feel a little guilty.

I left him a note saying I am putting the car away so it doesn’t keep sitting outside every night, and that I totally understand if he had other obligations, but I was under the impression this would be done by now like we agreed, and it hadn’t even been looked at or touched or moved.

AITA for this, or is this justified?

Sounds like this man simply took matters into his own hands.

Redditors chime in with their takes.

A call into the shop would have been better than simply leaving a note.

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This commenter flags the confusing arc of this story.

This car owner was right to protect what was rightfully his.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a person who changed their minds about donated items, only to return to the shop to find them all sold.

This user doesn’t think the car owner went far enough in trying to communicate properly with the mechanic.

The owner is a hands-on guy who knows a broken exhaust manifold bolt can take hours. What he couldn’t accept was a car sitting untouched with the keys still inside and a promise that long expired.

He knew the mechanic very well could have had a tough week, and that’s why he tried to be gracious in the note.

But at the end of the day, it’s his car, so it’s his call.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.