2 /5 G R (RG Honest): Genesis Automotive.
After getting an inspection at the Honda Dealer across the street so I knew what needed to be repaired, how much parts were going to cost, and how many labor hours were going to be required. I took my vehicle across the street to Genesis Automotive which specializes in Honda and Acura vehicles.
I met with Valerie, to whom I handed a line item list of what needed performed, minus the prices so there would be no influence other than the repair list and one-on-one intake interview.
Valerie looked up the prices for the parts and estimated the labor while I waited. She asked where the items on my list came from.
I let her know that some of the things on the list were mentioned by other mechanics who had performed other work done on the car.
She asked me if Honda had inspected it, I told her yes.
After looking up the prices and calculating the labor, Valerie gave me an initial in person verbal quote of $2,600 but did say, "If my mechanics find anything else the needs done as part of the job, it could be higher."
I made an appointment for the following day and dropped off the car.
Valerie was not present at the time of drop off and the person receiving the vehicle didnt have the paperwork she had prepared with the details of the work being needed. The person receiving the vehicle asked me what it needed. I referred him to the paperwork and list I had given to Valerie the previous evening, but he asked me again, so I gave him a verbal short list, since I didnt have it in front of me.
He proceeded to take my key and said they would take a look and get on it. I asked him if he had any kind of intake paperwork for me to sign or to give me since I was leaving the car. He said no. That made me feel uncomfortable, but I left the car.
About forty-five minutes later I received a phone call back from an employee who identified himself as Jesse. He told me the same things Honda had told me were needed, which were also the items on the list I had given to Valerie, and that she had used to quote me the initial $2,600 price.
Jesse quoted me a new price of $4,300. An increase of $1,700.
I told Jesse that the value of the car is currently approximately $5,500 and I can replace the car with a newer model for $2,200 more than his quote and I would need a few minutes to think about it and would call him back. He said o.k.
After hanging up, I pulled out the detailed Honda inspection quote from Honda Pasadena which provided the labor costs and oem parts estimates, and I also looked up third party replacement parts for additional insight. Generally, non-dealer mechanics will mark up parts around 45% above their cost. Labor is usually $100 or higher at a dealership in California than from an independent shop.
A few minutes later I called Jesse back, and discussed a few different options.
At the end of that conversation I told Jesse, "I want you to know that the new quote you just gave me for $4,300 is $300.00 higher than the out the door price that the Honda Dealer across the street quoted me for all the work on my list. He replied, "Really, wow that is interesting. Yeah, I guess I could of played around with the numbers a little to try and get to a better price"
He only suggested he might have been able to have given a better price after up quoting me $1,700 above Valeries intake quote of $2,600 for the exact same work once they had the vehicle, and after I told him Hondas price of $4,000 out the door.
Quality of their work appears to be fine, and at least verbally they guarantee their work for up to a year. But given that they up quoted their verbal intake price, and over quoted the dealer price after they had the vehicle, its difficult to know if Genesis would actual honor such a veral guarantee.
