Horrific service, ethics and competency
Gene Gorman, where…read moreto start.
* 9.28.24: My VW Beetle had an engine light come on so I made an appointment at Gene Gorman.
* They diagnosed the timing belt and I had it replaced for $2,500.
* After I . driven it about 15 miles..or less, my car's oil light came on and a message came up "Oil pressure low, turn off engine now"..so I did. I called them and they took the car. T
* They then diagnosed the cam shaft as part of the problem..they 'did me a favor' fixing it for only $1,500.....
* As I pay the $1,500 they inform me they have a 24,000 mile warranty on the work they do...I laughed softly.. I think I just found out how they stand behind that "warranty"
* Now pause, the car is only worth $5000 and if they had given me a total estimate, I wouldn't have had it fixed at all... but they didn't. ...by the time I spent the $2,500 for the 'fix', I was stuck having to get the next item fixed.
* I go to pick it up, I pay and they begin to glue my key back together in front of me(it had broken when they had it) . I go to start the car, they key falls apart in the lock.
* This wonderfully useless fellow named Jason, service manager, came to tell me my ignition broke my key. When the girl goes to try to get the key out, she turns it off, puts it temporarily together, the car turned right off and they key part came right out .... Just like it turns right on with the broken key..but after 2 years that ignition was what broke my key..just wow..
* This is where my now shaking self began to unravel. I did not scream and I did not curse, I was proud of just raising my voice honestly. They would not take the blame and despite the recent $4,000 they did not offer to replace the key...kept telling me my own car broke it. Yes I raised my voice, yes I became argumentative. What would you do, would you drive away with your broken key? I did..I finally drove home with my key stub...
* The saga doesn't end...no, not yet. I get home..2 miles ..driving with my broken key...and the engine light .comes on...the engine light for which I took it in initially... $4,000 and one broken key later...and weeks later btw.
* My husband uses my broken key and drives it right back to Gorman. By this point, I know I can't handle dealing with them again. He drops it off. Later that day they tell him the car is just throwing errors because it needs a new battery. They say that will be put in free and they will replace my key. They tell him it will be ready same day.My husband tells them to take their time we won't get it until the morning.
* Mid morning the next day, my husband calls, the car is not ready. It is still throwing errors with the engine light on (we didn't think the battery being low would throw and engine light to begin with so..not really surprised). They tell my husband 'the guy that reads codes' will be here today.... I am sure there is another 'fun event' coming....
* Oh boy...the 2nd day from returning the car they tell my husband they put the incorrect cam shaft solonoids inI am really really disgusted and angry...and I LOVED MY CAR! My VW Beetle..MY Convertible R Line Red little Beetle.
* One week later, my husband goes to pick up the car, they have 'soddered' my key (awesome, it is 'delicate' now...that $80 replacement key was just to much to expect after all this money and hassle). My husbandn idles it for 10 minutes before he is going to leave the lot...just to check things out... Low oil pressure, stop engine immediately warning goes on and he calls me to pick him up...by now they have had it over a month......11.14.24 - Here we go to get the Beetle! It seems to work but they STOLE MY MANUAL! My husband tried to get it back but of course...they have no idea what happened to it. I figure they used it in the VW they just sold. Total lack of ethics I have seen makes me comfortable with that assumption.
I cannot rank them lower, service, mechanical fix, customer service...they are less than zero's to me. Better Business Claim filed. DO NOT USE GENE GORMAN! YOU WILL REGRET IT DEARLY. Take it anywhere...but don't take it there!!!
Finally, I am not sure if I have ever left a negative review for any business .... In this case, I feel obligated .. this 'service' should never happen to anyone else.