After an awful experience with Craftsman Collisions / Distinctive Auto Works, I cannot in good faith recommend this company. In my opinion, they were inconsiderate and unprofessional, and I will not be going back. One of their employees broke my key fob and the company refuses to pay for a new one. To repair what they broke is going to cost an estimated $400 -$600, which is more than the cost of the wheel they repaired. If I hadn't gone here, I would have saved money. To top it off, they let my lights stay on and let my battery die, sent my estimate and information to the wrong person, and they did not wear masks when speaking to me in the business.
On November 3, I brought my car in for a wheel replacement to Craftsman Collisions/Distinctive Auto Works. I gave my keys to a tow truck and they delivered the keys on the same day with the car to Craftsman Collision. The tow truck company and its driver attest the keys were intact when they handed them over. I have it in writing from the tow company owner that the keys were intact. I watched him use my non-fob key to move the car. He claims he did not use the fob key at all.
On November 10, after paying for the work done at Craftsman and heading back out to my car, I found not only a dead battery (my car refused to start), but the broken half of my key fob on the side of my dashboard. They had given me my keys when I paid but neglected to tell me that the key fob was now broken, and that they left the other half on my dashboard for me. Whoever had last driven my car had left the lights on, killing the battery. They did not apologize for the delay and brought someone out to jump my car. They had said my car was "drivable" when I paid. However, I was not able to drive it out of the parking lot until they jumped it. I had to wait for 30 minutes for the car to recharge, which inconvenienced me as I was late for an appointment.
Regarding the broken key fob, I brought it back to the shop and inquired why it was broken. The Manager for Distinctive Auto Works did not answer my question of if someone at Craftsman/DAW broke my fob. He did, however, say several times "you don't have proof we broke it". He asked if I had a photo of the keys before I brought them in. I said no. He said "then you have no proof." I didn't think to take a picture of my keys before I handed them over as "proof" they were intact. But who would think to do that? Is it my fault I didn't take a picture before handing them over? Is this the norm for service at Craftsman Collision and Distinctive Auto Works? Should I endeavour to bring my camera with me before dropping off my vehicle to ensure it's no worse than when it came in?
In the end, the Manager admitted he would be willing to cover half of the cost of the labour and the cost of the part. I refused to pay for any of the key fob replacement, as I did not break the key. I do not have money to shell out for more repairs let alone hundreds of dollars of damage that I should not have to pay for. Also, if none of their technicians broke my key, why would they offer to pay at all? In my opinion, I cannot recommend this location for its concerning lack of professionalism. If you have no other choice, please take pictures of your vehicle and keys beforehand, as their Manager, will not assist you unless you have "absolute proof", as shown from my experience.
Moreover, the Assistant Manager of Craftsman Collisions also initially sent my estimate - which had my personal information - to the wrong email. He did not apologize. Someone out there now has my information. Businesses should endeavour to keep their customers' information private and should take care in making sure they have the correct address. Careless behaviour of employees is not the mark of a professional, well-run business, in my opinion.
Both the Assistant Manager and Manager did not wear masks while speaking to me, violating CMOH Order 44-2021. read more
