I've been a loyal customer, spending several thousand dollars over the past 5 years, but on Dec 12, 2016, I had an unpleasant experience and no longer recommend this business.
1. I arrived at my scheduled appointment time,1pm, to resolve why my '94 Camry was still running rough after having the plugs cleaned and adjusted by them for $84 about 10 days earlier.
2. When I made the appointment, I was very clear I had another appointment at 3 pm in Ocean Shores.
3. After being told the mechanics were still at lunch and would be back in a few minutes, I waited in my car in Bay #2.
4. After going back into the office at 1:40, and repeating my time concerns a third time, I was able to get a mechanic to listen to the engine at 1:55pm.
5. He immediately questioned why the plugs were not replaced on the previous visit and stated they should be replaced every year.
6. He called the parts supplier and determined the plugs would likely arrive by 2:30.
7. He said he could install them quickly, so I walked to the nearby Bunnings to shop.
8. Returning from Bunnings at 2:20pm, I passed my mechanic on foot, going the opposite direction. He said he'd replaced the plugs (they looked bad) and had left my car idling in the bay to see if it ran smoothly when warmed up.
9. I paid for the plugs. He didn't charge me for the labor since he believed they should have been replaced the first time.
10. I then went to the car, which was still idling in Bay 2, with the bonnet up and no one in attendance. It was 2:50 and I was going to be late for my appointment in Ocean Shores, so I drove it out.
11. Believing that I had made an unnecessary visit to install plugs that should have been replaced the first time, plus being forced to wait nearly 2 hours for a 10 minute procedure, I wrote an email to the owner complaining that I had been overcharged and made to wait an excessive time for an unnecessary appointment
12. After a week with no reply (he had previously been very responsive to emails when I needed an inspection done while I was still overseas), I called the office. He said he had passed the matter off to an employee and had not read my email.
13. I attempted to verbally explain what had happened, since the owner not been present during my appointment on Dec 12 and apparently was unaware of the events. He refused to address my concerns, raising his voice unpleasantly instead.
14. After allowing a day for us both to cool off, I attempted once again to present my case by email, asking the owner to show my email to his wife, who co-owns the business with him--hoping she would be more understanding. I received no reply.
15. Three weeks later, after the shop reopened from the Christmas break, I went into the office to see if he would listen to my concerns. He again refused to consider them and became unpleasant, so I left.
16. The following day he sent an email saying. "We care greatly about our customers, which is why we have such a successful business. We stand behind our work and are the first to admit when we have done something wrong."
17. You be the judge. read more
