Hey guys I was hoping yall could give me some advice this is more of a question about hard feelings between friends, and may not necessarily belong on here, but I'm still hoping someone can offer me some advice.

Here's what's up. I've been re-building my car for a while finally got it finished its my pride and joy I bought a whole new lighting system for it, but I was in a pinch it was complicated as hell I didn't have time to figure it out. So I call a local garage that my buddy works at he's like no problem bring it down I'll get it wired up and have you on your way. I get my car back my buddy was like it was more of a job than I thought, but I think I've got it hope it works for you. Well he didn't "have it" I called back we tried to figure it out, but couldn't buddy was like I gotta run I'll get back to you tomorrow I say ok. After that he totally stopped answering his phone txts and won't return my calls. This lighting system is not very common where I'm from I bought it in cali no shops around would help me with it. So after 2 months of looking I finally find an old high school buddy that can help me with it. It just so happens that the day I take my car in my lights quit all together. So we get into it he's like holy shit man!! Who the f*ck installed these I tell him it was a fkn nightmare everything was either wrong or backward so we got further into it and there is an excessive amount to my car basically everything to do with the lights on my car is fried. Between parts and labour my bill is nearly 2 grand. I can't swallow that I'm gonna have to go after my buddy for it and the garage he works at I know that's not gonna go well. And we're most likely not gonna be friends anymore, but he knew this was over his head when he took the job I didn't and now I have an excessive amount of damage done to my car that needs to be fixed. I wanna resolve this in the most civil way possible.

As always any advice is appreciated thanks!!

The positive thing about this story is that you have learned a lesson...

The most peaceful way to solve this is to pay the bill yourself and forget about your "friend" and never talk to him again. He probably knows what he has done, and he doesn't want to pay for the damage. You can try, but I don't think you will get any money from him (ask nicely and be polite, tell him that you want him to take responsibility for what he has done, being angry doesn't help, you can even suggest to split the bill).

These things happen all the time, and that is why a craftsman needs a very good reputation to get customers, since he gets new customers through recommendations. You as a customer should be more careful before you let anyone do a job for you, since he may as well be a bungler or a con artist. I wish you better luck in the future!

Take him to small claims court.

Thanks for the advice guys!
Its not really an issue of him not paying, but more so how far I wanted to take it. I thought it'll be 100$ and a couple hours labour to rewire everything. When we got into it there were a lot more problems then I banked on. My friend wired them at the garage he works at I paid shop rate and planned on having it done properly. He didn't know what he was doing, but took the job anyway now I'm out nearly 2grand and my whole lighting system is garbage. I can't swallow that he needs to be held accountable for his fck up. I tried to settle this just between us without getting any management involved, but he stopped returning my calls. So I thought well you've left me with 0 options so I went to the shop talked to the boss I was really nice/civil about it and came to a comprimise of sorts they're gonna replace what they wrecked and give me all my money back. However this is gonna get him in shit with his boss, but at the same time I gave him plenty of chances to settle this without getting his boss involved. What's done is done now he's pissed at me for going to his boss I'm pissed about how much money I'm out and the fact my whole lighting system is garbage. Given the fact I got licensed mechanic to install it at a reputable garage I didn't think I should have to pay for their fck up. Its too bad it ended like this, but like I said I gave him plenty of chances to settle this.