EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED -- GET A SECOND OPINION BEFORE TRUSTING THIS SERVICE DEPARTMENT…read moreWe purchased our 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD diesel from McGrath on August 22, 2022. It was a certified vehicle, and we had a trade-in. Like many people who make a major vehicle purchase, we later questioned whether we had paid more than we should have. But we accepted our decision and continued doing business with McGrath, including having them perform routine maintenance and oil changes.
Unfortunately, our recent experience has completely changed our opinion of this dealership.
We recently developed a problem with our truck. My husband is a mechanic himself, but because today's diesel systems are considerably more complicated than they once were, he felt it was best to have a qualified diesel technician diagnose the problem. We took the truck to McGrath and were told they would put it on their computer and determine what was wrong.
After keeping the truck for a couple of days, McGrath told us the problem was an injector and connector and estimated the repair at approximately $4,000.
We were shocked. Rather than authorize a $4,000 repair, we decided to investigate further and get a second opinion.
We picked up our truck from McGrath and were charged nearly $400 for the diagnostic work.
Here's where this experience became particularly disturbing.
We took the truck to another certified diesel mechanic and explained McGrath's diagnosis. After examining the truck, he told us he did not believe the injector or connector was the problem and suspected the wiring harness.
We left the truck with him this week.
He was right.
The problem was the wiring harness, not the injector and connector. The truck was repaired for approximately $500, and it is now running perfectly.
So let's look at the numbers:
McGrath's diagnosis: Injector + connector
McGrath's estimate: Approximately $4,000
McGrath's diagnostic charge: Nearly $400
Actual problem: Wiring harness
Actual repair cost: Approximately $500
Result: Truck running perfectly
That's not a small difference. That's a $3,500+ difference in the proposed repair, based on a diagnosis that turned out to be wrong.
We understand that diagnosing mechanical problems isn't always an exact science and that technicians can occasionally be wrong. What we cannot accept is being presented with a nearly $4,000 repair based on an incorrect diagnosis, and then being charged nearly $400 for that diagnosis.
After years of doing business with McGrath, this experience has completely destroyed our confidence in their service department.
We went there expecting professional, honest, competent service. Instead, we left feeling like we needed to protect ourselves by getting a second opinion and, thankfully, we did.
Had we simply trusted the diagnosis and authorized the repair, we could have spent thousands of dollars repairing something that wasn't even the problem.
That is unacceptable to us.
We will not be taking our truck back to McGrath for service. And based on what happened to us, we strongly encourage anyone facing an expensive repair estimate to get a second opinion before authorizing the work.
We aren't writing this because we are unhappy about spending money on our truck. We understand vehicles require maintenance and repairs. We're writing this because we paid nearly $400 for a diagnosis that was wrong, were given an approximately $4,000 repair estimate based on that diagnosis, and another qualified diesel mechanic found and repaired the actual problem for about $500.
After this experience, McGrath has lost our business and our trust.