Wow ! Where do I start ? My wife and I are full time park hosts for the state park systems in Oregon and California. We left one assignment in California on June 29th and headed North on Interstate 5 to report for our next assignment in Oregon on July 1st. We needed to stop for fuel at our usual spot at the Vista Dr. exit in South Weed. Halfway down the offramp, our truck died. Kaput. No Go. Mind you that we're hauling our 40 foot, quad slide Montana 5th wheel behind our truck. We telephoned the roadside assistance provider which is included in our Good Sam membership. A tow truck showed up and towed our RV to an RV park, and towed our truck to Mike's Auto Complete, which is owned by Michael Joe Marasco.. That's when the trouble started. Keep in mind that this was Friday, June 30th, and that we were supposed to be at our next assignment the next day. The guy at the garage told us that Michael wasn't around, but that he might be back later ... or not. Next day - Saturday, Michael called us to ask that we come by and that I re-program the ECM chip in the truck to make it easier for him to access the ECM with his computer. Bear in mind that this was a supposed auto mechanic requesting that his customer provide him with computer services at NO COST. I thought this was a bit odd, as it seemed that the problem was a failed fuel pump, but we stopped by and did as Michael asked. While I was using MY computer to access the truck's ECM chip via MY OBD II computer adapter to re-program it, I also downloaded the error codes, and gave the codes to Michael.
Fast forward 3 days to July 3rd. My wife went by to see how things were going. Michael handed my wife a document to sign and a bill for anticipated cost of parts necessary to repair the truck. This bill included well over $100.00 for a computer diagnostic - which I had already done and handed to Michael 3 days previously, for new batteries - which were not needed, a new alternator - which was not needed, and for which Michael was unable to provide ANY diagnostic data of any sort or description, and a fuel pump. My wife had to sign the document and get out her credit card and to pay $656.37 on the spot, plus additional charges to be paid later after the work was done.
Fast forward another 4 days to July 7th. Our RV has been sitting in an RV park for over a week for which we are paying the going daily rate. We have all but run out of groceries, and are in large part eating at restaurants. The temperatures in Weed, California have been in the high 90s and low 100s since we've been here. Our 3 dachshunds who travel with us are about to run away from home because they've been cooped up in our RV for over a week.
UPDATE: July 7, 2017
We picked the truck up late this afternoon. The owner told us that he had replaced the fuel pump, but he was unable to tell us what he found wrong, or even if it was a mechanical or an electrical failure. All he had as evidence of anything was a burned out 15 amp fuse which sell anywhere for less than a dollar. BTW, our total bill by this time was well over $900.00. I asked for the fuel pump which he had removed so that I could have it inspected elsewhere, and he told me that he would SELL it to me for an additional $40.00.
Bottom line. RUN, Don't walk away from Mike's Auto Complete in Weed, California.
UPDATE: September, 12, 2017
Shortly after this incident occurred, I felt it was appropriate to file a grievance with the State of California Bureau of Automotive Repair. The B.A.R. stepped in and assigned a representative to investigate my grievance and to attempt a resolution. I'm not at liberty to disclose the details of the investigation, nor the details of the resolution which was reached. What I can say is that Calif B.A.R. did their job and that Michael Joe Marasco, the owner of Mike's Auto Complete and I have reached a settlement of the dispute. I am satisfied with the settlement, and I shall go on about my business. read more