I booked my band into our annual Niagara Falls, NY shows again this year, just as I have done the past eight years! However, unfortunately, while on my way back from the event heading to our usual lodging hotel and spa resort in Lewiston, NY, my Dodge Caravan lost power with the headlights flickering and broke down. I knew right away it was either my alternator or my trusty Auto Craft Gold battery of the past five years! WOW! Never had I owned a battery that had ever lasted that long! Well, I called for help and got my jumper cables out and moved the van over to the town center visitor's parking lot. The next day I went to Advance Auto Parts and replaced the battery, but the battery light stayed on! So then, for sure, I knew it was the alternator!
Sooooo, I drove it on into Lewiston, and there seemed to be only just one auto shop in the main downtown area, Coppins Service Center, Inc. I stopped in and spoke with Nicole, whom assured me that they were wayyyy backed up, and I could see that they were! But I made my plea as a broken down "out of towner" and this was an emergency! She so ever nicely accepted the repair, but with no promises that they could get to it today, but more like in the morning- the next day, when I was to make my departure to leave! I said "Awesome! I so appreciate that!" I also stressed my concerns of breaking down on the long trip back home to the Washington, DC area and that "I need it to be be fixed right!" She said she understood perfectly and that they would "TEST" the electrical system and since I had just installed a brand new battery, that it was probably just an alternator, of which, we both agreed on that!
Within a few hours, she called me at the hotel and said "The battery light is off and everything checked out fine, it was just loose terminals!" I replied "No!" " I installed that battery myself and that it was "nice & tight!" But she insisted that the battery light was off and it was "good to go"! When I got there and saw the invoice repair ticket and it stated that they... had ran a systems' load test, ie... electrical system to starting & charging analyzer, run battery load test, check alternator, check start draw and battery connections, etc. The Tech was GD. I paid them the $75.33 with my Visa Card and left.
Once down the road heading back home, 140 miles away, approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes out of Lewiston, the battery light came on again. So I had to pull off at the small town of Campbell, NY, of which, lucky for me, right there was Home Town Automotive. Dave took it right in and as I stood in his shop, he placed the test connectors on the battery and the charging and IMMEDIATELY identified the dying ALTERNATOR just like that! He replaced the alternator within the hour and we all got back home safely with no further problems, and the electrical system is still going strong in my Dodge Van 14 days later, today, June 18, 2019.
Footnotes: Before leaving town in Lewiston, the next morning, I had stopped across the street from Coppins, over at the bakery, so I walked over and thanked them again! Gary, the big tech guy who had worked on my van the day before stated... " Ohhhhh, you won't have anyyyyy problems after what I did! She's all good to go- don't worry you'll get home safe!" Well, such was NOT THE CASE! He had NOT even barely looked at the vehicle! Obviously, I was an out of town nuisance on a very busy weekend of June 3, 2019. They just wanted to pat me on the head and send me on down the road - not their problem! - Once home, I called back to Coppins and spoke several times to Nicole and she suggested that Jay Coppins, the owner would call me. HE NEVER HAS YET and when I've called back to Coppins- they must have caller ID, because they didn't my calls until I blocked their ID reader and then they answered, not knowing it was me! STILL NO RESPONSE FROM COPPINS! I want my $75.33 back for NOTHING having been done!!!
DON'T TRUST THESE PEOPLE! THEY LIE TO YOUR FACE WITH A SMILE! My true rating here is ZERO, not one. But one is as low as Yelp allows! Pooh!
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RICK SIBBETT
Professional Drummer/Percussionist
Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Washington, DC
571-354-3352 read more