I called Christian on Monday to see how much to change the upper coolant hoses on my vehicle and he told me it would be 160.00. So we agreed to meet on Saturday. He specifically says to me "I can do around 9am on Saturday and I will let you know if anything changes with me" That was the first red flag that I ignored. He says that as if it is feasible for me to wait around for him all day.
Moving forward I text him and asked him a question and received no response. Needless to say he did not text until after 9am on Saturday and apologized and claimed he left his phone in the mountains. Fine! I am a patient woman. Well he claims he can meet me Friday evening. We agree on 5pm I did inform him I was in Lafayette and in the middle of an errand but because I really needed this hose changed I cancelled my other plans last minute to meet him. When I arrive he introduces himself as Christian and he has guy with him named Daniel and I am happy to see they are both really nice and cordial, EXCEPT NICE AND CORDIAL DOES NOT FIX MY CAR. It takes him forever to look at the car, which I do not need a diagnosis I just need him to change the upper coolant hose as agreed upon via text. While looking at my car he blatantly says "I didn't realize it was going to be this much work". Apparently part of the hose is in a tough area where you would have to remove quit a bit to replace it. Regardless he still quoted me that part. He should have done his research.
Please note that while waiting I gave them a full UNOPENED container of coolant to fill the radiator with after they finished. So finally he finishes and he tells me he changed everything except that difficult part which would take a while to do and he gives me the remainder of the hose. Fine! Like I said I am a patient woman and I don't believe that was the part that was leaking anyhow. We say goodbye and part ways. There is two different leaks but the one that is not fixed is a much smaller leak, at least my car is drivable until I can fix it. I try to ask him if he knows which hose it is and I can not seem to get a straight answer. I ask him if we can set up a time for a diagnostic??? He just keeps blowing it off and saying "I can't tomorrow." (BIG RED FLAG #2, RIGHT!! Even after all this I still have confidence in him, even now I think he is smart and competent but maybe just lazy and careless.)
After driving it to Lafayette the car is making a hissing noise. I text him and he ask me a few questions and declares we are going in the right direction. The next morning the car was not driving almost skipping I don't know how to explain it. I text him and told him what was going on and also that I noticed that the UNOPENED BOTTLE OF COOLANT is not in my car nor is my old part. I always take my old parts back. He did respond and said he would come see it and so he did and claimed the is "air bubbles" in the hose. He just flushed it out with water. He also attempted to find the 2nd leak using a Radiator Pump Pressure Leak Tester Kit that he had to rent out from Advanced Auto Parts because he does not have one of his own and than he realized that he would have to take a bunch of stuff apart to do the test. He backed out of that which I was good with I know he came last minute and he was telling me he had plans with his Mother and his brother as it was her birthday. But the real issue came when once again I asked him if we could set up a time for him to do a diagnosis and he told me the same exact thing "Um I can not do tomorrow". SMH. Also before he left, do you think he gave me my coolant or my old hoses......I will give you one guess! No of course not. Anyhow he did get the car to stop hissing and it was driving fine. He assured me everything was good. That next morning my check engine light was on. Here are the codes:
1. P2440 Secondary airflow injection system switching valve bank 1 stuck open.
2. P0491 Air injection system bank 1: Insufficient airflow.
I know he is the reason the check engine light is on. He is the only one to touch my car. But to be gentle with his ego I did not accuse him I just simply told him what codes came up and once again asked him to set up a time to diagnose the car to find out what other hose is leaking. I also asked if my oil leak would be something he would want to do. I'm a grown up I can take being told No. I set him up and put him in a position to do the right thing, and he didn't and I am so disgusted. Let me say I KNOW THAT HE KNOWS HE IS THE REASON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. He is a mechanic he knows by the codes that it was his fault.
To sum all this up I am the one who added his business to yelp and I have also put a request in to add his business to BBB. I want everyone to know my experience with him. I do not want anyone to be taken advantage of like I was. I am not sure how far I am going to go with this. But I do know that Christian will never touch my car again, he is not trustworthy. read more