SJC Automotive.
I noticed that I had a clunk noise when I made a right-hand turn, Took the car to Brian (SJC Automotive) and he said I had broken a stabilizer arm and it needed to be replaced. He also said I needed a Rear Differential Assembly as there was play in it. I agreed to the work, He ordered the part but said it was being shipped from BC and would take 2 weeks to get there. After 3.5 weeks and several phone calls, he finally got the part. He did the work. I also requested a spring tune-up as it seemed appropriate at the time. ($1638.65)
The next day when I drove it, I heard a grinding sound coming from the rear and arranged to bring it back to Brian. Brian drove it and said it was a wheel bearing and it would be best to change both rear bearings, I took it in a week later and he changed both bearings, but needed to get a friend to come in and help him. Brian did next to none of the work. I spent my Saturday at the shop. ($1240.35)
When it was completed and he test-drove it several warning lights showed up on the dash, He said it was a sensor and determined that it was the rear driver side sensor that had failed, He said it was an easy fix and to bring it back the following Thursday.
I brought the car back at the appointment time he had agreed to, but when I arrived on time, his shop was all closed up and he was not answering his phone. I waited 20 minutes and then gave up.
I noticed that despite the bearings being replaced I still had the grinding noise.
I did reach him the following day and he apologized and said he had forgotten I was coming, I took the car in Saturday morning and he replaced the sensor but all the lights continued, He checked several times and determined he had been given a faulty sensor. He put the car up on the hoist and rechecked for the grinding noise and told me that the U joint at the rear of the driveshaft was not good anymore and to fix it I would need to replace the whole shaft as Honda makes it as a single unit. He ordered one, It did not arrive so he shopped around again and said it was coming from the USA and would be about 2 weeks to get the part.
During this wait, SJC moved to a new location closer to downtown Toronto
After another 2 weeks of waiting and more phone calls, he was ready to install the new shaft and promised to change the faulty sensor as well. I took time off work and drove to his new shop (which is downtown and significantly more difficult to get to for me) and he changed the shaft ($1,020.04) but said because of the move to his new location he couldn't find the sensor he had ordered to replace the faulty one. But said he would reorder one and install it the next day.
When I drove home I discovered that the grinding noise was still there.
The next day I again returned to this shop (with great difficulty due to the road construction, I had to backtrack several times and search for alternate routes) almost an hour's drive.
I was 10 minutes early for the appointment, and Brian showed up 40 minutes late, He had his apprentice change out the sensor and then took it for a test drive and stopped for lemonade and a cookie at a roadside stand that he saw on the way. When he returned, he explained that everything was fine until he hit a small bump in the road and then all the dash lights came on again. He said he's sure that it's a wiring problem that can be figured out and that the noise I hear is the differential but not to worry as it's still under warranty. I should call him on Monday and remind him to order the parts.
Total spent at SJC = $ 3,899.04
Total spent for acceptable work = $ 2,081.79 Total spent for improper work = $1,817.25
On the following Monday, I took the car to N&R Automotive and they checked the bearing in the left (Drivers side) rear and found it was missing the magnetic ring that sends the messages to the sensor. They replaced the bearing and the sensors worked fine. ($536.53)
I returned to N&R regarding the continuing noise in the back end and they determined that it was the differential. When they removed the differential that SJC had replaced they found it was missing the Suppression ring. They replaced the differential and everything is sounding fine again. ( $1,409.57)
Total spent on fixing SJC's mistakes = $1,946.10
Total spent for SJC's bad work = $1,817.25
Amount refunded by SJC 155.94
Wasted money = $ 1,661.31
Beware of SJC Automotive! Unprofessional, bad diagnoses, shoddy work and they DON'T back up their mistakes. Dishonourable company!
SJC Automotive. read more
