I had been a loyal customer for 11 years. Until recently, they provided consistently…read moreabove-and-beyond excellent service and always gave fair and honest accessments for all my car repairs needed on a mini cooper and mini countryman.
When the countryman died of engine failure at over 110k miles, in June I purchased another older mini cooper. This is when our relationship changed. It was burning oil at an alarming rate, smoke was coming out of the exhaust, almost always after idling for a lengthy time and sometimes upon starting the car. I had it accessed by Murrysville Auto and a part replaced with the stipulation being that might and might not resolve the issue pointing to possible engine issues. Fair enough. I was glad to have honest information to make the decision. When it still exhibited smoke from the exhaust, I immediately made another appointment to have it reaccessed. This time, instead of Cody (owner) who always had relayed the information to me in the past, his mother, Jerrie (President) gave me info stating no further repairs were needed or recommended, that it was burning oil and the solution offered was for me to simply check the oil EVERY DAY.
At this point, I questioned outloud to Jerrie in person if they were trying to tell me they didn't want my business any longer. She assured me that was not the case. We then talked and, with Cody in the conversation, as well, a rebuilt engine was found with a cost of installation being 15k. I agreed, thinking a total engine replacement would fix the issues. Before I could pay, I needed to transfer funds for next business day. In the meantime, a new light came on -- the engine reduced power light. This was a new symptom and my research showed it might mean more than an engine alone. I could not, with this new info, afford to pay 15k and not have a total solution so canceled the order for the engine.
Now, Murrysville Auto lets me know the seller of the engine was charging a restock fee of 1600. This restock fee was not divulged to me on my paperwork which is unlawful and non-binding in PA. To just be done with the transaction and move on, I agreed to pay 1600. But then, Cody tells me it is actually more than 1600. I stand by the 1600 relayed to me and pay that.
Soooo, bottom line I stand by my intuition that Murrysville Auto wanted to sever business relations with me, though I had been a long-time loyal customer and always paid my repairs in full, on the spot, with no questions on pricing or suggested repairs until this car purchased in June, less than 3 months and less than 1500 miles ago. By having Jerrie and not Cody give me the latest non-repair advice of simply checking oil EVERY.SINGLE.DAY which is ludicrous to charging and not divulging a restock fee (first, I would never back out of a contract except I had new vital info), it seems obvious that I will not be continuing my service with them for this car or any other.
I have no idea what changed to come to their final ways of doing business, but it is what it is.
They are not the same trusted business that I came to trust and rely on all these years.
