Expect to wait a long time and get overcharged. My alternator died on the highway a few miles from this repair shop. I'm not from the area, so I took the tow truck driver's advice and told him to tow it to L and M. I dropped my car off on a Saturday afternoon when they were closed. With the key, I left a detailed note explaining what happened to the car and the exact service I wanted them to perform. I clearly told them to replace my alternator. I spoke to someone from the shop Monday morning when they opened for business. They said they would start looking at the car sometime that same day. A short while before close of business Monday I called about my car because no one had called about it. They tell me they didn't get a chance to look at it at all.
Tuesday morning rolls around and I get a call before noon telling me that they ran a $180 diagnosis to figure out I needed an alternator. Really? Yes, I know that. I told you specifically when I dropped the car off Saturday my alternator died. They then started going over prices to do the job. The best they could do was $500 for a rebuilt alternator that sells online for less than $300. Also, supposedly my 2 year old battery wasn't holding a charge, so they would have to replace that. By the end of the phone call, with parts, labor, and the extra fee they hit me with to find out what I asked them to do was in fact true, I was looking at a $1364.09 bill.
At this point, I should have had my car towed to my house to do the work myself, but that would have cost a lot because I don't live close to the shop. I told them to start working on the car and they said they would order the parts that day and maybe start working on the car Wednesday. No sense of urgency whatsoever. Wednesday goes by and I didn't hear from them. Thursday I called around noon or so. They said they got the parts Wednesday and someone was working on it. Got the parts Wednesday? I could have gone to a local auto parts store, got the battery and alternator, and dropped them off Monday. Multiple locations had the parts in stock. I politely asked they call me back when the car was done.
Before close of business Thursday I received a call saying the car was done and my total was $1,364.09 and asked if I wanted to pay over the phone. I said I would pay when I picked it up. I was unable to get the car until Monday morning. When I arrived to pick the car up, I explained my displeasure with the extra charges and how long it took to fix my car. I offered to pay $1000 cash, which I felt was a reasonable amount for the work performed. The owner didn't care about my displeasure, and felt confident with the overpriced bill.
The one star I gave goes to the mechanic that I presume did a good job with fixing my car? We'll find out I guess. read more