I took my Mazda to Vipa Automotors recently and had a very bad experience. Prior to bringing my car in, over the phone I explained to the owner Vidal, that my car was making a noise as I pressed on the gas & also explained after driving the car for an hour that it cranks and then dies. I also told the owner I have to wait at least 30 mins. too an hour for it start, all of which I also wrote on the invoice when I actually brought the car in.
Vidal quoted me no more than $65 over the phone to look at my car and I took it in on 6/12/12. I waited all day to see what he found, and finally I had to call to myself to check the status of the diagnostic. Vidal claimed he'd adjusted the electrical part of the ignition and cleaned the battery terminal, repairs he made without contacting me prior. He also stated the car needed belts and then charged me $95 for the "so called" diagnostics. When I went to pick up my car on the same day and I was then told that the car had a leak that needed to be fixed along, with needing new belts, engine seals, campshift, water pump & I was quoted $450, maximum $650 for the total repairs including labor.
The follwowing Monday 6/18/12, I took the car in for repair. Vipa Auto Motors never contacted me again and so Tuesday 6/20/12 I called to check the status of the repairs and was told the car was ready to be picked up. When I went to retrieve my vehicle, I was told the total was now $751. I demanded to know why I the price had changed and why was I never contacted prior to additional repairs being made. From a consumer perspective, to be quoted $450 -$650 and then to be charged $751 AND no one called to get my approval before making these "additional repairs" was very very upsetting. Being the person I am, still I picked up my car and paid $700 and agreed to pay the other $50 on Friday 6/30/12.
On Wednesday 6/21/12, the very next day after paying for and picking up my car, the car stopped in the middle of traffic. I called Vidal and they came right away & then told me the problem is now the sensors and I need 2 of them, which may run me $60 for the top and $100 for the the bottom. As of today, 6/25/12 I can only drive the car for an hour and then it dies. I have to let the car sit for 25 mins before it cranks up again. The same thing that was wrong with the car before bringing it in to Vipa. Vidal continues to give me the run around about why the car was not fixed initially and will not honor the additional repairs needed to actually "fix" the car this time. The parts he claims I need come to a total of $256 and there is no telling how much the cost of labor will be. I have spent $845 and my car is still broken and I refuse to take it back. read more