Scooters serviced our family's vehicles for more than 25 years, and for most of that time, it was a…read morebusiness built on integrity, honesty, and trust. Unfortunately, that reputation did not survive the change in ownership.
Denny and George were once business partners. That relationship ended after Denny discovered that George had allegedly embezzled more than $250,000 from the business. Denny gave George the choice of leaving the business or potentially facing criminal charges. Several years later, George resurfaced with an attorney. By that time, Denny's wife had recently passed away, his health was deteriorating, and he ultimately told George, "Take it."
What happened afterward was, in my experience, a dramatic decline in both the business and the level of integrity customers could expect.
I took my wife's Lexus SC430 to Scooters for service. When I returned home and inspected the vehicle, I discovered a chip on the driver's door handle that someone had attempted to touch up. I called George about it, and he admitted that his mechanic had chipped it and apologized. I asked him a very simple question: "And when were you going to tell me?" That incident alone said a great deal about the lack of transparency I had come to expect.
My experience with my 1972 Ford Ranchero was even worse.
While Denny was still involved with the business, I dropped off my Ranchero along with a number of new parts. They were having difficulty removing the distributor, so I asked Denny to pull the engine and transmission and have them rebuilt. Shortly afterward, Denny left the business.
My Ranchero then sat at Scooters for years with virtually no progress made on the vehicle. During that time, George tried to sell me on a "deal" to install a 428 engine. I declined.
Then, approximately 2 1/2 years ago, I received a call from the landlord of the facility Scooters was renting. I was informed that George was being evicted for allegedly failing to pay rent for nearly a year.
I immediately flew to Southern California to retrieve my vehicle. When I arrived, I was stunned to find approximately nine other customers there for the same reason--trying to recover their vehicles and property.
As my Ranchero was being pulled out of the facility, I asked George the obvious question:
"Where's the engine and transmission?"
His response was, "Oh, don't worry. They're being rebuilt. I'll get them to you."
That was the last I heard from him about my engine and transmission. Despite numerous texts and attempts to follow up, George never delivered them and never provided a satisfactory explanation.
For me, Scooters is a painful example of what happens when a business that was once built on trust, honesty, and integrity falls into the hands of someone who does not uphold those same standards.
The Scooters I knew for more than 25 years is gone. Whatever reputation Denny built over decades was, in my opinion and based on my personal experience, completely squandered.
Today, the business is closed--and that's probably for the best. Customers deserve to know exactly what they are dealing with when they entrust someone with their vehicles, their money, and their property.
I would never trust George with another vehicle or another dollar of my money.
My experience was not simply poor customer service. It involved years of delays, lack of communication, undisclosed damage, an abandoned vehicle, and an engine and transmission that were never returned to me despite repeated attempts to resolve the matter.
CAVEAT EMPTOR!
