Perhaps the worst, most expensive and frustrating mechanic/shop experience ever. Seven weeks and $3,500 labor bill later, my cheap, tiny, simple car is still not fixed.
I just needed it tuned up, as it was running rough at higher speeds. They provided no heads up about the cost or prognosis, no warning that 'it would get expensive', they just went down worm holes that made little sense. I had to call them a couple times a week for seven weeks to make sure they actually would look at it and not get distracted. After almost two summer months of calling and waiting, they indicated they were still not able to make it run well, though they have no idea what's actually wrong with it. I thought it would be maybe a few hundred bucks for their time to 'try' to troubleshoot this simple 4 cylinder they weren't able to. Imagine my surprise when he said "That will be $3,500 please" -- and of course without even fixing it!!!
When I freaked out at the insane bill, I was able to 'talk them down' to about $1200, but the bottom line is this: Seven wasted weeks, $1,200 poorer, still with the exact same running rough at high speed problem originally that they freely admit they did not fix. As a bonus, they didn't reattach my air filter housing which I now have to do for them so I can even drive it at all now.
These tiny, old cars are stone simple to work on. No computers, no emissions, no AC, no power anything... if it were any simpler it would cut grass.
Everything about this experience was soul sucking, but at least it was crazy expensive and accomplished nothing I needed. read more
