I will start off with MY PERSONAL dealings with Sal @ Apple Tire and Auto Care, Located in Rahway, NJ, saying I do not care that they are "great guys", THIS is MY experience, which WAS "ok", until the first of MANY times that my truck had to be brought back for already paid for issues, And after being threatened with being sued for "Slander" I am coming forth with the ABSOLUTE TRUTH about my horrible dealings with him. This is NOT reported with malice, as Sal may try to defend himself with. It's being said as an angry customer who was over charged, Ripped off, taken advantage of. Anyone in my position would feel the same. That being said, I will give MY REVIEW/NIGHTMARISH EXPERIENCE. I Brought my 2000 Expedition in for the following maintenance and small issues, that I needed done/ REPAIRED: (NOTE: NO issues with maintenance services performed). Oil Change, Tune up, Front brakes," Check Engine" light. ::OTHER ISSUES:: I asked, and paid for, to be repaired.......over an AGREED ESTIMATE OF $1900 ( he said, this would originally cost $2300, but they saved me a whopping $400, in which I paid MORE than $2500 to end this nightmare, in the end).
.Rear wiper motor not working correctly
.ALL door locks sticking (one," dead" actuator)
.No hot air.
I originally put out $255 for Parts and labor, for a Heater Core flush and refill , which he thought would fix the heat ($51 JUST for coolant.., $8 for a "Flush Kit"...I was told mechanics have this kit, on hand n labor....$196).The very night the truck was returned to me, the heat Stopped putting out hot air ( along with the rear wiper motor failing to work after two cycles of moving up and down. I called Sal the very next morning, informing him of this, and was told to bring it back, bc it "may be the Blend Door Motor" (round 2). So I bring it back during my week off, After a good part of the day waiting, he invites me into the garage to confirm that the heat was giving hot air again, and it was, but not for long after. He also "fixed" the rear wiper motor.....for a second time. I was then presented with a bill of $283.55 for 2nd try ($69 for a Blend Door Motor and $196 for labor). SO, I am now out of pocket $538.55, just to heat have my heat fixed, again, due to Sal's misdiagnosing/ Trial and Error, and me paying for his wasting of time and parts (The $283.55 was spent on a part that NEVER needed to be replaced. $283.55 + $1900= $2183.55). On the way home for the second time, the heat worked fine, but once AGAIN, the wiper motor stopped working. I texted him, saying "Ty for trying on the wiper, but I give up". I was NOT going back that day. The next few days were mild, and did not warrant the heat to be used. About a WEEK later, a door lock started sticking. ONCE AGAIN, I had to contact Sal, and the truck went to his shop for a 3RD TIME.He replaced the wiper motor, free of charge ( as would be expected to be by a professional business), and has worked fine ever since. After the truck is returned, again, I get billed, again, for an additional $178.69 ( parts- $69, Labor-$98)for a new actuator. (He changes his story, going between either replacing all the actuators and just "lubing/ loosening" them up) I didn't want things "lubed or loosened" and would have thought that a mechanic of 26 years would replace items that were continuously failing, after 13 years of countless usage, but he went the cheap way, which cost me more, in the long run. A few days go by and on a cold morning, go to turn on the heat, ONCE AGAIN... NO HOT AIR. Also....the VERY door lock that I paid twice to have repaired, STOPPED working, entirely. I called Sal, ONCE AGAIN ( notice a pattern here?), to tell him that NO HEAT, DOOR LOCK AGAIN. He has the nerve to tell me" to bring it up, It may be the thermostat "and that he'd throw one in at no charge. By this time, I lost ALL confidence in Apple Tire, and Sal. I then filed a claim to stop payment on the services that were NOT completed. Vinny's Auto Repair, in Monmouth County, repaired BOTH ISSUES, in one try. I happily paid a simple $80.25 for a new thermostat ,that has been working great, to this day( 6/3/2013).He had asked me why the other mechanic didn't change out the Thermostat in the first place, as it's the easiest, least time consuming, most common and cost affective way to properly diagnose a heating issue. Sal claims he "tried to save me money", but performed THE more expensive and time consuming (labor fee, anyone?) actions to start with. Vinny's shop also had to charge me $60 to take the door apart and RE-ASSEMBLE the locking mechanism that Sal had just put in (for an additional fee, and obviously incorrectly). SOOO ....A TOTAL of $2502 was spent @ Apple Tire ($1900 +$462.24 + an additional $140.28 paid to have Sal's mistakes corrected. There are Other negative reviews, and noticed someone (Sheila S.) had a VERY SIMILAR EXPERIENCE with Sal, 3 years ago. Want proof of this? Contact me, I will send proof. read more
