I had a check engine light come on for my 2014 Mazda3 70,000 miles and for the first time decided to not go to the dealership and try a local shop and that's where the trouble began. $158.69 for Engine code diagnostics; crazy but everyone does it and someone has to pay for the equipment. Fine. NP. This is important later. One code for a bad thermostat: $34.88. $363 for labor! These guys are clueless mechanics or are making $150+/hour. So right there I'm not coming back. Mazda dealers charge less and they know what they are doing. Then an additional $138.40 for just a refill of coolant. Standard but it's piling up. Whatever, at this point I just want to get out with my car fixed. Day one: $720.83.
I pick the car up and the next morning there's a 12" spot of coolant in the driveway. I give them the benefit of the doubt assuming they're just messy and it was in the under-body pan. Drive to work, next morning there's an 18" spot, call them up and drop the car off. They cracked the thermostat housing and fixed it free of charge. Day 2 wasted and I just wanted to get out of there. I already know what to expect from them.
Drive to work the next day and the engine light comes back on again in the first 10 miles. Call them up and bring it back in: Day 3 wasted. THEY CHARGE ME FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC! $158.69. So a car that's never had an engine light on has two unrelated problems in two days. Or maybe they have the only computer diagnostic system in existence that only shows one code at a time per run. Now they're telling me it's a unrelated Vapor canister solenoid, Completely unrelated. You can make your own call if that solenoid completely failed in the 10 miles to work after 12 years of driving unrelated to the previous day's work. $220.77 + 158.69 = 396.53 for day 3.
At this point it's 100% on me and my choice. As the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice...". I just want out. That's $396.53 + 720.83 = $1,117.36 for just $34.88 for the original Coolant Thermostat code.
I get it. That's their business model, it's how they conduct business and it must work to some extent. At least the Dealer uses EOM parts, no one there is making $150/hour and they have never done this to me. Outrageous prices, unreliable work and a big waste of your time. Based on my experience, your time and wallet are better spent going directly to the dealer or at least another reliable local mechanic.. You deserve better... and more importantly, so does your car.
And of course, I took the car out the next morning for 10 minutes and yes, you guessed it, the engine light came on again for the 3rd time and another trip to Annie's Auto. I don't think so, I learned my lesson. I'll be starting over with my dealer NO MATTER THE COST. I don't mind paying for competent work at a reasonable price. read more
