Automotive Forums

I'm new to the forum but I would greatly appreciate your opinion. Either my mechanic made a huge mistake or I'm one unlucky S.O.B. The car is a '99 Mazda Protege 1.6L with about 125,000km(approx. 77,000miles). Here's a time-line of events;
Early Sept: The oil lights been going off and on now for a day or two so i take it in to a drive-thru oil change place. One oil change later and I'm good to go...or so I thought...
Sept 22: that morning I notice the oil light is going off and on, "I better get that looked at...tomorrow". later that day I'm driving along and I suddenly notice that as I press the gas pedal nothing happens. I pull over, shut her off and tried to start her up again, and it sounded like she wanted to but she just wouldn't "catch". Luckily, I happened to be driving with a somewhat mechanically inclined friend of mine. Upon popping the hood we're both hit with a wall of heat. The engine was ridiculously hot(I didn't notice if the engines Temperature gauge was on or not >_< ). I have it towed to a nearby garage(I chose that garage upon the advice of the tow-truck driver).
the next day: The mechanic tells me it's my timing belt.
Two days later: He calls and says that dirty oil had gotten up into the cylinder heads, they'd overheated and fused in place. He said I'd either need a new cylinder head, or it may be easier/ cheaper to get a new engine, but that he'd look into it and get back to me the next day.
the next day: no call
the day after: I call him. He says that a new engine would be too much trouble so he ordered the cylinder head from a parts distributer. I'm leaning towards a new engine at this point so I ask "If dirty oil was there, isn't there a significant risk that it's elsewhere in my engine too?". He dismissed my concerns.
Oct 5: I get my car back...$1,800.00. Ouch " but atleast it's done"
Oct 18: the oil light is going on/off again, I take it straight to him, he says "It must be the oil indicator light, I'll order one and you can come by tomorrow to have it installed"
Oct 19: the engine stops dead...no trying to catch, no "whirring", no "rrrRRRRrrrrrrrRRRRR"....nothing. I get it towed to him, he says "one of the bearings in the crankshaft turned over, you'll need a new engine" O.O He orders the engine.
Oct 20: I call him to ask about when I can expect to get my car back, he says he won't be able to get to it for several days...I have it towed to a DIFFERENT mechanic and the engine sent there. Sure enough one of the bearings had overturned, I will need a new engine.
three days later: I get my car back: $1,200.00 O.O then the new mechanic says "when was the last time you changed your oil?" "Oh, a little over a month ago. Why?" "Because your whole engine was full of dirty oil and your oil pump filter completely blocked". He proceeds to show me my top pan: it looks like its covered in asphalt.

Is there something up here? with the mechanic or the drive-thru oil change place or what? Should a competant mechanic realized the likelyhood of an underlying problem in the oil system and how difficult would finding out have been?

thanks!  

Seems to me that they should have done an engine flush before they installed the new head. Chances are, you probably would have been better off with a new engine. Somebody along the way definitely didn't do their due diligence. Did you buy the car new or used? If the oil had been changed regularly, engine sludge usually isn't a problem. If it was the same mechanic both times, I'd consider taking him to small claims court. I would carefully document everything, and have as much details as possible.

Frankly, if you can afford it, I'd get a new car, and be done with the whole headache.  

Thanks for the feedback!