This is my statement about recent dealings with Auto Excel in Lexington Kentucky:…read more
On May 7th, I took my car in for repair, because;
The driver's side headlight would go out and then back on.
A chattering relay above the passenger side sliding door.
The driver's side sliding door will sometimes close and then pop back open.
Also on a few occasions the battery would be drained after sitting overnight.
I received a call later that day stating that the battery had a bad cell and should be replaced. For me the call was misleading as I thought this was a necessary step toward fixing the issues stated above. I was charged $507.17 for the new battery and installation.. Then on Friday, an e-mail came asking for authorization to pursue three items - internal dash noises - oil dye - and the sliding door issue. The three when added up totaled over $500, and only one was related to the reason I took the car in. I declined and went to get my car.
When I was there, I asked to see the old battery - it was already gone. I was told that they did a voltage test and that it read around 10 volts,
(12v - 2v = bad cell). When I parked the car in front of their shop the battery voltage read 14.6v (the new battery reads 14.3v). There was absolutely no information about the new battery. No manufacturer's name, no model number, no warranty card. After a second request, we did get a copy of their purchase receipt from Advance Auto. When I got home, I looked the battery up on the Advance Auto website - The battery was listed for less than $250 installed.
I parked the car for three weeks. The first time I drove it, the headlight went out, by the time I got home the headlight was back on.
I wrote a three page letter to the owner, Mike Barrett. I posted it on their website message board, I e-mailed it to Mike Barrett directly, and I sent a hard copy in the U.S. Mail. I received no response from Mike Barrett. (Did he ever see my letter?)
I did receive a response from Cole Barrett, (the Service / Marketing Leader at Auto Excel). This is the man I have been dealing with. I sent a second letter, this time to Cole Barrett, on Friday June 5th. Between the two letters, I received six e-mail requests, and additional text messages, requesting "Favorible" reviews". With both letters, I requested a refund. Even a partial refund would be better than what was offered.
First these statements from Cole Barrett:
"The issue that was solved is the vehicle starts and runs,"
"which was solved by replacing the battery and its bad cell"
Nothing was solved! - The issues had not changed - the headlight, the chattering relay, the door popping open, and the fact that something had drained the battery - those are the issues. The new battery does not solve anything. If something shorts out, the new battery will drain just like the old one did. Also, the car starts and runs just fine. I drove it to his shop.
Now, What was offered:
" The best I can offer is to further inspect and evaluate those other issues at no charge. "
"Alternatively, if you bring the battery back I can exchange it at no charge, allowing us to refund you back the amount of the battery."
The fact that Cole offered further services at no charge is an acknowledgement that "Something's not right," (which is what I stated in my first letter). The offer to refund the cost of the battery if it's returned is an insult. I would have to go somewhere, buy a battery, have it installed,and pay a $22 reclaim fee, (because I won't have an old battery to return), then take this battery back to Auto Excel for the refund. Cole Barrett wants me, the customer, to jump through a bunch of hoops to resolve an issue he created.
In the letter dated June 5th, Cole Barrett's last words are -
"Thank you and have a blessed day!" It felt like sarcasm.
In some of the e-mails I'm referred to as a "Valued Customer." Really?
The car still needed to be repaired. I had to save some money, and then took it to another repair shop. They resolved the headlight and battery drain issues. They also provided real information on the other two issues. The bill, $450. That's less than Cole Barrett charged me to replace a battery that was not defective!
I wish I could, but I cannot recommend Auto Excel. My experience with them was painful. I won't be going back!
Bert Huckelberry
