4 /5 Heath M: Edit* I the manager reached out and we came to a conclusion together. I got a balance with them to offset the increase in price. Unfortunate that in order to utilize it I need to return and ultimately pay 150% what I was expecting to pay but that is better than the 200% it would have been going back for the same rate.
The owner, Steve, was out of the loop for my interactions at the shop.
They did a great job aligning it and the car no longer vibrates at speed. So I will return to have my other car services.
I am leaning towards this being a fluke on their part and not regular treatment.
*End edit*
The following is an outdated original post.
I had a bad experience at an "experienced" shop.
Long story short: I, a customer, had to fork out cash for an (ex) employees potential mistake. A near $200 quote became closer to $500.
Long story long:
I have a relatively odd car, a 1988 Toyota MR2. I rebuilt the entire suspension and needed an alignment. I swung by The Auto Service about a month and a half ago and asked if they worked on these cars. Front desk guy was not sure so asked two other guys, one of which confirmed my year and if it was lowered. It is not lowered. And they said yes they can do that.
So the month and a half goes by as I get it all back together to make the trip to get it aligned. Drop it off and within an hour I get a call saying they did what they could but my camber is still positive. They insisted that I do not have camber adjustment, which I said I did. I sent them photos of the manual on how to adjust it, told them how to perform it over the phone, and also a photo of a spare part of it to adjust. They politely say oh okay and go back to work.
I get yet another call saying that there is no way to adjust it and they have the bolt out in hand to show me. I come over in person and see they have the non adjusting bolt so I point out the eccentric spacer used for adjusting which takes the tech a couple minutes to understand. I was showing them a way to tap it with a chisel/flathead to adjust it with the wheel on (1 minute adjustment).
I leave and get yet again another call saying that they checked their manual and showed this was a 3.5 hour operation instead of a 1 hour operation. And that they would only charge me 3.0 hrs of labor.
This is where I saw an issue:
1. tell me one price and then end up doubling it by the end of the operation.
2. This is after they insisted me, the customer was wrong about my car
3. had me come in person to show them how to do it
4. apparently had a manual the entire time that could show them how to do it and also give me an accurate quote and not waste my time coming over.
I was hoping to do car alignment and smog here for two of my vehicles; but this looks like my only visit to them.
I do not want to see business models like this succeed where an employees error comes out of the customers pocket. Where a companys accountability is the responsibility of the customer.
I do however appreciate their communication, and willingness to bring me into the shop for this instance.
