I'm not a happy customer. I took my truck in last week because the charging system warning light was on. I suggested to the mechanic that either the battery wouldn't hold a charge, or the alternator was going out. He tested the battery which was OK but the battery terminals were corroded and one of the terminal connectors was cracked. He said that was the problem. He cleaned the terminals then replaced the terminal connecters. He was ready to have me settle up on the bill, when I (not the mechanic) checked the warning light again and found it still on. It was then that he fumbled around trying to check the alternator output from underneath my truck. Finally the manager came out and checked the alternator's output where the cables connect with the battery. I needed a new alternator and was given a quote of $655.51. This all took about 90 minutes. Thinking the estimate was high, I told them I'd think about it. I ended up being billed and paying $69 plus for the new terminals. When I told the manager I was not happy with the alternator not being checked in the first place, he told me if I decided to have the alternator repaired there he would deduct the $69 from the $655.51. SO, I thought that was a reasonable gesture, but still decided to sleep on it as I was not confident that the mechanic (not the manager) knew what the heck he was doing.
I went to Gold Country Auto Clinic in Jackson this morning. They checked the charging system again, and came the to same result as SpeeDee, that my alternator needed replacing. BIG DIFFERENCE though...........Gold Country ordered, had it delivered, and installed a new alternator in an hour and 15 minutes, and I was out the door with a final bill of $338.01!!!! That's over $300 less than SpeeDee wanted to charge me.
I've been a regular at SpeeDee for oil changes over the last 7-8 years and always fornd employees friendly. I tolerate the usual sales pitch to replace the air filter, other fluids etc, and even the stripping of my truck's drain plug about 2 years ago (they replaced it with a larger plug). BUT this particular experience leaves me lacking confidence in their ability to do quality work....AND the difference in the quote SpeeDee gave me, and what I actually paid at Gold Country is just not accepatable.....and I'm still out the $69 plus at SpeeDee. They no longer have my business. read more