Beware! I would not recommend this business. My biggest issue was not simply the cost it was the…read moreconstant price increases, delays, lack of preparation, and the way the entire situation was handled.
Before coming out, the owner knew the year, make, and model of my vehicle. He did not ask the necessary follow-up questions to determine whether he had the proper equipment or ability to complete the job. I initially agreed to use his service because I was told the key replacement and programming would take approximately 30 minutes.
Once he arrived, the situation changed. I was told it would cost another $100. He also did not have the cable needed to connect to and read my vehicle's module. What was supposed to be a quick service ended up taking four days. I gave some leeway because it was Labor Day weekend, but there were still repeated delays. I would arrange my schedule around times he gave me, only for him to arrive hours later. On one occasion, I had to cancel a meeting and start work late because I was expecting him at a certain time, and he arrived approximately three hours later.
He also removed a module from my vehicle and took it with him while trying to complete the work. This left my vehicle disassembled and made it extremely difficult for me to seek help elsewhere or simply have the vehicle taken to the dealership.
On the final day, he brought another technician from a completely different company because he was unable to complete the programming himself. Instead of communicating the change in price with me privately beforehand, he discussed money in front of the other technician. I felt put on the spot and extremely uncomfortable. At that point, I was being asked to pay roughly $500 more than what I had originally expected for the replacement and programming of one key.
The other technician also told me, "We will try to get you the best price possible." I had never entered into a business relationship with that person, and he worked for a completely different company. I did not ask him to provide me with a quote or negotiate a price, so I felt it was inappropriate for him to involve himself in the financial discussion.
The owner repeatedly talked about me "meeting him in the middle," the time and gas he had spent, how he needed to make money, and how he had tried to make me a happy customer. I understand that businesses need to make money, but a customer should not be responsible for additional costs caused by a service provider arriving without the necessary equipment or discovering after accepting the job that he does not have the knowledge or tools to complete it.
If he had simply told me from the beginning, "I can't do this vehicle," or "This requires another technician and will cost significantly more," I could have made an informed decision about whether to continue. Instead, the price kept increasing after I was already committed to the process and without a working vehicle.
I ultimately paid the second amount quoted, but I did not want to pay the additional amount he was demanding, not because I did not have the money, but because of the principle. He had not completed the job in a timely manner and was repeatedly asking for more money before moving forward. Thank goodness I called my male friend when he increased the price again, he then came to intervene because he felt that the owner was taking advantage of the situation and simply wanted me to get my car back and be done with it. He ended up paying the additional amount the owner was requesting the second time he raised the price so the work could finally be completed. I felt pressured into the situation because I needed my vehicle operational again.
The way the situation unfolded also made me feel that the owner saw a woman in a vulnerable position and believed he could get away with repeatedly changing the price and pressuring me to pay more or else he wouldn't have given me the key or finished the job. I cannot speak to his intentions, but that is how his conduct made me feel.
Between the final cost, Lyft rides, missed work, canceled obligations, lost business opportunities, and being without transportation for several days, this ended up costing me far more than I anticipated.
What made this even more frustrating is that I contacted the dealership the day before he arrived and went through the costs with them in detail. Based on the pricing I was given, even without using my warranty, I could have paid less by going through the dealership at full c.
This experience left me feeling trapped in a service that started with one price and timeframe and repeatedly changed after the work had already begun. For a job I was initially told would take around 30 minutes, four days of delays, multiple price increases, another company's technician being needed, and ultimately paying substantially more was unacceptable.
I would not use this business again or refer anyone to him.
