Ladies beware! My…read moredaughter's car stalled out at a stoplight recently, which created a serious looking light show on the dash board, she called me and I had her begin calling around for a tow. A friend of a friend suggested that she call Traybion Dickerson of International Towing and Transport for a tow. He quoted a decent (?) tow price $150.00. Told her he also had his own shop he would take it to. I love my daughter, but she is a trusting soul (me not so much) and doesn't know the first thing about cars other than gas and oil. Although I recommended a trustworthy mechanic, she decided to let this guy take her car to his shop. She says can you figure out what the problem is and give me a guesstimate on how much it will be to fix it? This young man took that to mean removing the rear bumper, testing the alternator, battery, and running a cylinder compression test. This is a 1997 Toyota Camry. It is not the most sophisticated of engines. I may not be a mechanic, but I was married to one for several years. I learned a thing or two by asking questions. So, in my head I did my own diagnostic: Car stalled out - Why? Oil light and check engine light all came on - The car stalled. When the ignition is in the on position and the engine is not running (stalled remember) all the lights on the dashboard come on Did you check the oil - yes not the oil then Did it overheat? - no temp is good and coolant in the reservoir Won't restart but the engine attempts to turn over - not the battery and not the alternator or the battery would be dead No funny sound when trying to start - not the starter If I were there the first thing, I would have done is open the hood of the car and look for any leaks, detached hose's, corrosion of the battery, checked all the fluids, etc. But I wasn't there. Again, I am not a mechanic, but these are the things that are running through my mind. The next day she gets a text from Traybion Dickerson reading 'your timing belt is broken, and my diagnostic will be $378.76!' Did I mention that my daughter is a single parent with a disability and on a fixed income? Isn't it Christmas in only a couple of weeks? What the heck? And wait a minute all that testing when the timing belt can be seen just opening the hood? Wait, yes you can images curtesy of Google So, I decided to call Mr. Dickerson myself. He began by attempting to tell me of all the different test that he had run. OK great. Were you given permission to run all of these tests? Did you give an estimate of what your diagnostic services would cost? Did she agree to them? What does she owe you now? He continued to try to list out all the tests he had done. What does she owe you now? I already sent her that information. OK. What does she owe you now? Ask her. Nah. I am asking you. What does she owe you now? I spent three hours on her car. Look I have asked you five times now and you have yet to answer. I am going to ask one more time: What does she owe you now?! $378.76 WTH! You ran all these tests when you should have just opened the hood and looked? She does not have that kind of money and neither do I. Well, you can come get the car for $150.00 WTF? I am now in no way, shape or form able to negotiate with this young man. Conversation over. I know this is long but wait, it gets better. Mr. Traybion Dickerson tells her to come get her car for $100.00, but she doesn't have it. She is sharing all of this with her friend, who says she will contact the guy's dad, Tamboura Simmons and see if he can help. My daughter then receives another text from Mr. Dickerson informing her that since she tried to go behind his back and talk to his dad, the price is back to $378.76 and he will be charging her a $65.00 a day storage fee until she comes to get her car. I am so disappointed with this entire situation, and how easily my daughter has lost her car. How easy it is to legally steal a car. A 1997 Toyota Camry with leather interior. What has the world come to... I repeat ladies beware...