by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 01/23/2017 at 20:41
by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 01/23/2017 at 20:41
No Tags
STARS: 2
I am a member of our neighborhood email group, and this story popped up today as part of a chain about recommendations for a local auto repair place.
Because I had read about good experiences people had at [redacted] on our google group and since our present auto repair had new owners, I convinced my husband to give them a try. Our experience was not so good.
We took the car in for a tuneup and an oil leak repair. They replaced a valve cover gasket. Cost was 533.08. Next my husband got a call from them regarding replacing the crank shaft seal that was leaking as well. That repair lead to a replacement of the timing belt (we had the timing belt replaced at the time it was due initially, but we did not remember and told them to go ahead). Cost for those was 919.76. They then reported a hole in the radiator and said they would need to replace the radiator (the car is garage kept and we had never seen any sign of a water leak) but allowed them to replace that. Cost was 441.19. Total bill including the tuneup was 2666.46.
The oil leak continued and we took it in multiple times for that repair. After the second time, the car stalled and had to be towed They agreed that the problem was one that they caused during the repair attempts. We were not charged for the repair, but did have to pay for the towing. At a cost of 85.00.
Leak continued. We had it in for a total of four times. On the final (we hope) repair they determined that the leak was actually due to a defective oil pump. That repair was quoted as an additional 1300.00 plus. My husband was able to get them to agree to discount 50 percent of the labor, but the charge was an additional 969.93.
We are hoping we will not be taking it in again and certainly will be going elsewhere in the future.
Near as I can figure, the grand total came to $3721.39 for what started as a tune up and an oil leak. I suppose it’s entirely possible that their car was simply a piece of crap (they don’t say what kind of car it is), but the mission creep on this repair is insane. And, if the oil pump was bad after all that, how the hell didn’t they see that in the first place?
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
01/23/2017 at 20:46, STARS: 1
Doggo! Something something . . .
"blacktruck18" (blacktruck14)
01/23/2017 at 20:51, STARS: 3
I am starring this because you used “mission creep”
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
01/23/2017 at 20:53, STARS: 0
I’m an armchair military historian, and it seemed to fit.
"TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts." (thebloody)
01/23/2017 at 20:59, STARS: 1
Sounds like a lawsuit is in order. If they were willing to “make a deal on labor” they’re hiding something
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
01/23/2017 at 21:00, STARS: 4
I could buy a car for $3700 that doesn’t leak oil.
"blacktruck18" (blacktruck14)
01/23/2017 at 21:00, STARS: 1
It does and it’s one of my favorite military terms. Because, if a mission sucks, mission creep will make it suck more.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
01/23/2017 at 21:12, STARS: 0
radiator sounds fishy.
As a german car owner it is very possible they had more than one leak, though i would think it should be easy to distinquish the leak from the pump to the head valve.
any idea what the car is?
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
01/23/2017 at 21:16, STARS: 0
No, somebody in the group asked, but they haven’t replied. It sounds to me like the shop just said “head gasket” without really scoping out the extent of the problem. It’s very possible that all of those places were leaking, but shouldn’t they have found all those leaks in the first inspection?
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
01/23/2017 at 21:18, STARS: 0
I’m trying to figure out what they could have done that made it “stall.” If it had to be towed, I’d say it died.
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
01/23/2017 at 21:21, STARS: 1
I’m not one to take action against a company but that is definitely a fishy one. The worst mechanic I’ve ever had did a good job and just charged way more than originally estimated without giving me the warning I was promised.
"InFierority Complex" (lanciere)
01/23/2017 at 21:40, STARS: 1
That’s not the Oppo way.
"TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts." (thebloody)
01/24/2017 at 08:03, STARS: 0
Loose connection to the coil pack? Bad fuse somewhere?
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
01/24/2017 at 11:17, STARS: 0
It’d be interesting to see the receipts they got. Theoretically there should have been almost no extra labor involved in the timing belt, since you’d be taking all the timing covers off to get the the crankshaft seal anyways. I think generally speaking valve covers have to come off to remove timing covers as well. Definitely fishy.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
01/24/2017 at 11:31, STARS: 0
I’m all in favor of doing jobs that are along the way to something more involved, like timing belts. The owner of the shop has said publicly on the mail list that he wants to talk to these people. Perhaps he has no idea what is going on in his shop. Or it’s just PR.
"thebigbossyboss" (thebigbossyboss)
01/24/2017 at 18:45, STARS: 0
90% of the time disconnecting the fuel pump stops the car 100% of the time.