My daughters car broke down just before I had to fly out. She's a student in Phoenix. We experienced an issue with her car and knew it was a charging issue because the light on the dash and it clicked when we attempted to start it. It was the end of the business day and I had less than an hour to attempt to fix it before my flight. I Ubered over to the local auto parts store, purchased a battery and put it in. It was good, for 5 minutes when my daughter called to tell me the light was back on. Since it was after 5p, and I didn't think we could handle it in time, I had her park it and told her I would help find a reputable shop close in the area the next day so she could attempt to drive to with the new battery. Sun Devil was within a mile, so we decided to chance it as it's an 2003 Mazda Tribute. After assessing Sun Devil Auto and contacting them, they said they could take it in, so I sent my daughter over. They said they'd have to assess the issue and tell me what the cost would be. They called me to tell me that they suspected the alternator. Makes sense based on what I know of cars. They quoted me $425. That is DOUBLE the going rate for an alternator for a 2003 Mazda Tribute. Search online to see that for yourself. I called them out on it and they said they would get in more in line on the final bill. I approved the work to replace the alternator even though their labor and assessment were quite a bit higher than I've ever paid for any automotive service. They called later that day and said it would be ready. There was no discount for the alternator or any services when my daughter showed up. That's okay, I'll overpay, but do yourself a favor and don't do what I did. As a shade tree mechanic, I am fully aware of what things cost. While I understand some markup on parts, these shops usually get discounted rates and they chose to charge me double the standard going rate even after I made them aware of it. The fact that they charged me double the going rate of the alternator in the end and didn't take good care of us when they could've is a testament to how they operate. They were and are unfair in their practices. I would have loved to have provided them with a more positive rating, but it was far from deserved. Also, they do not take credit cards over the phone, so if you are out of town and your student needs their car, they'll need to have a physical card of some sort in order to finalize their transaction and pickup their car. read more