Unprofessional, Poor Communication, and Overpriced - Avoid This Shop!
Back in January, I brought my car to this shop due to a noise coming from the engine bay. I spoke with Nick, the owner, who initially seemed like a nice guy. I informed him that I had extended warranty coverage, which should prevent me from paying out of pocket. He assured me there would be no issue; they would diagnose the problem, gather evidence, and start a claim with the warranty company. At the time, Nick seemed extremely busy, constantly answering phone calls and multitasking while his mechanics pushed my car into a parking space. Our conversation was brief, and I left my car in their care.
Lack of Communication and Delays
A week went by with no updates, so I called the shop. Nick told me they were still building the case. Another week later, they requested my service records, stating that the warranty company would require them for any major engine-related claim. I promptly provided the records, but the warranty company rejected them because they were not in the required format and cannot be validated.
Over the next several weeks, I made repeated calls to the shop, only to receive vague responses and no real progress. Communication from the shop was poor, and I only received updates when I initiated contact. After one month, my calls started going unanswered. For three days, I tried contacting the shop with no response. When I finally reached someone, conversations were brief and often disconnected. Nick rarely updated me unless something serious occurred, leaving me completely in the dark about the status of my car. I had to call the warranty myself to get the status of my car.
Discovering Unauthorized Work
Frustrated by the lack of communication, I decided to visit the shop in person. I asked to speak with Nick but was told he was unavailable due to a family emergency which I understood. I spoke with Moe, the manager, who was kind and informative, the only person who seemed genuinely willing to help. He explained that they were still going back and forth with the warranty company and assured me I wouldn't be responsible for any costs.
When I asked to inspect my vehicle, I was shocked to find it sitting on the lift, collecting dust, with the intake manifold and valve covers removed, a major disassembly that I was never informed about. At no point did anyone tell me that they would be performing such an extensive tear-down. Nick did tell me they were looking further into the problem, but I did not know it would have been all of this.
Concerned about rising costs, I asked Moe what I would owe if the warranty denied the claim. He estimated $800 before taxes, again reassuring me that they would continue working with the warranty and I wouldn't need to worry. I left feeling uneasy but trusted that they would follow through on their word.
Sudden and Unexplained Charges
By the time two months had almost come, I was tired of waiting. I decided to pull my car from the shop and asked how much I needed to pay to retrieve it. To my surprise, Moe now told me the shop was charging for 5.6 hours of labor despite the fact that my car had been sitting untouched for a month.
The shop charges $250 per hour, a rate I was never informed of, bringing the total to over $1,200. When I questioned the amount, Moe explained that their mechanic spent 5.6 hours disassembling the engine to diagnose the issue. However, no one had mentioned these charges until now nearly a month and a half after I first brought the car in. Under Florida law, I should have received a written estimate before the work was done, but by the time I was told it was too late my car was already in pieces.
Despite Moe's earlier assurance that I wouldn't be responsible for costs if the warranty denied the claim, I was now being held responsible for the charges.
Missed Inspection and Threats of Additional Fees
To make matters worse, I learned that the shop had missed the first warranty inspection because no one was available when the inspector arrived. Although Moe admitted this was their fault, Nick later told me I would be responsible for paying for the second inspection.
When I expressed my frustration, Nick became aggressive and unreasonable. He told me I had the option to authorize the second inspection but warned that if any further tear-downs were required, I would be responsible for those costs including any additional engine disassembly.
By this point, the bill had increased to $1,500, and Nick added, they would start charging me $85 per day in storage fees. He also stated that he would ban my warranty from working with his shop moving forward and claimed my car was "costing him $3,000" by occupying a lift.
I reminded him that I was never informed upfront that I would be responsible if the warranty denied the claim, and that they should have provided a written estimate as required by law. Despite this, Nick refused to accept any responsibility. read more
