Bad to worse: Not so great repair experience with local shop.
Well, I've read the horror stories, but didn't think it'd happen to me.
As some of you may know, I had my car towed to a local shop last Wednesday (05 Saleen) because I thought I had a bad headgasket.
It turned out, once the shop got a chance to look at it, the problem was actually a broken idler pulley on the blower bracket. Before they even called to tell me what the problem was they ordered the part directly from Vortech.
That was great, since it was a part I literally HAD to buy. What other choice did I have, right?
The guy handling the car said it was about 60-80 bucks for the pulley, and they'd have it early in the week.
Again, I'm thinking, "that's not too bad," so while they have the car I apologize for missing a dyno appointment earlier in the week and ask him to both dyno the car while they have it (to check the tune since I thought the car was making 360ish to the wheels, vs. the 420 claimed by the original owner), AND I want them to weld in an Oxygen sensor bung so I can install a Wide Band in the car.
So, let's recap: So far I've asked for the following things to be done to the car:
Fix the broken Idler Pulley on the blower bracket: Shop quote = $60 - $80
Labor to fix the pulley = "Around 3 hours ($85 an hour) = $255
Dyno the car to see if it's lean/rich = Shop quote = Less than $100
Weld in an O2 bung = "Around" $50 bucks, give or take
So, I'm into the car what I THINK is about $500, right? (More than I like on a car that I've had for three weeks, but it is what it is, so I'm all in.)
Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon, and I get a call from them saying they car has "more issues than TV guide." Now I'm thinking, "great, this thing needs a bunch of work I'm REALLY not prepared to chase right now."
The guy handling the car then proceeds to tell me how the car had (HAD is the operative word here) a Nitrous Tune in it and my Diablo Predator wasn't communicating with the car properly.
Then he drops the bomb.
"We installed a new SCT tuner and retuned the car.."
Now, at this point I'm thinking, "oh ****." Now I'm in the car more like 1000 bucks and my wife is NOT going to be happy.
So, I prepare myself to go have a "this isn't what I authorized, but I'll pay it if you work with me on the price of the unauthorized repairs" conversation.
When I get to the shop, the car is great. I got to meet the guy who tuned the car (Name withheld as to not out the shop, yet), etc. He's a cool guy, as is the guy handling my car, but I'm still reeling inside from what I think is a 1000 bill for a bunch of stuff I didn't really want.
We chat and they show me around the shop, which is pretty cool, and the guy handling the car casually drops that he also replaced the spark plugs with Autolite HT-O's (15 bucks per plug), we get to the front of the building and it's time for me to settle up with the man.
When he handed me the total bill I almost crapped my pants.
The receipt had the following list of things they did to the car:
Vortech idler, spacer, adn serp belt w/o-nite shipping: $275
Labor remove and install sc to replace idler and belt: 3 hours @ $85 per hour = $255
Wideband bung with plug: $15
LABOR weld in bung: .5 hours @ 85 per hour = $42.50
This is AFTER he puts the name of another shop on the ticket and suddenly the tax disappears, as well as came down 50-100 bucks on the tune/SCT Tuner.
The original invoice total was 1850 and change.
At this point I'm so shocked, for the first time in my life I don't know what to say or do.
So, I paid for the car and left. (I left my old car there, and I'll pick it up later today.)
So, here I am. I'm more than 1000 bucks OVER what I authorized and I'm getting pretty heated.
I even called Vortech to see what the pulley and belt should cost and the guy told me the idler is around 35 bucks, the spacer was 5 and the belt was 99.
So, to add insult to injury, they sold me 139 dollars worth of parts (plus shipping of 40) for 275 bucks.
Anyway, before I drop the name of the shop across the internet, go to the Better Business Bureau, Florida Division of Consumer Affairs, and charge back my card (which I used my CHECK CARD), I'm going to call and speak with the owner of the shop to talk about this.
I'm the epitome of fair, but this is just horseshit. I'd never do this to someone else, so I can't imagine anyone doing it to me.
humm.. sounds like you should have refused payment for all the unauthorized work that they did. They quote you around 500 bucks and charge you more than tripple that? insane. Although its pretty much a civil issue, Im sure there is no Judge in the world that will agree with the shop in this case.
I think to start, I would visit the owner in person. Review the bill and see what you signed for and what work was done you did not sign for. If I am not mistaken there is a Florida law about mechanics going over an amount and doing work not signed for and specifically approved. Handle it friendly, interested in negotiating and calm. Good luck.
I spoke with the owner directly, who basically turned around and had the guy who handled the car call me to work it out.
The worst part is the work they did on the car was not only awesome, it was all probably necessary. (I'm getting somewhere in the neighborhood of 5-8 MPG better on the car, plus nearly 40 more HP.)
That having been said, I probably would have held off on the tune/programmer, but would have changed the spark plugs.
Long story short, they basically offered me something in the neighborhood of $550-$600 bucks back in the way of $250 off my next tune (for my 98 Cobra) and they're going to get my Predator fixed and sold for me.
It still leaves me $1650 out of pocket, but at least it's something.
Honestly, I could have simply charged back the money to my check card (I called my bank to confirm) and just let the courts figure it out. I'm 100% sure I could have walked away and not had to pay a dime.
I pay everyone, especially people who've done good work for me, so I'd have felt like a real tool if I'd done that to them.
I'm glad they were able to work something out for me.
Also, now that it's over and resolved, the shop was Mustang Specialties, on Dixie Highway in Pompano Beach, Florida.
They do GREAT work, but make sure you establish a good line of communication with them and be up front about what you're looking to spend/what things are going to cost.
I love it when someone is disturbed and handles the situation like an adult and then turns around and even recommends the shop.
So many people a start a battle tying someone to a tree, only to end up with the short end of the stick,
They can't just do whatever they want on the car and not discuss it with you then charge you. I think it was a mistake for you to pay them without questioning any of it first. I hate shops that take advantage of you, especially when you KNOW you've been had. Something needs to be done...Thats a LOT of money on a LOT of work that you never gave the ok for. It just simply doesn't work like that. ANY good dealership, shop etc calls you before anything that you have not asked to be done or discussed before hand. It just sucks that you payed already because its harder for them now to give your money back then you not paying them in the first place. Good luck and please keep us updated.
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-A7X- ~Stang Syndicate Boston~*2006 Torch Red GT*10/10/07 Performance:Borla FRPP Stingers w/ True Dual Midpipes, Magnaflow High Flow Cats, JLT CAI, Bama 93 Race Tune, Ford Racing 4.10 Gears, Nitto 555 Extremes. Visual: Black AVS Tail Light Trim, Honeycomb Tail Light Vinyl, Black Racing stripes, 35% Window Tint, Trunk Blackout Panel, Billet Antenna Delete, Mirror Covers, 17" Konig "Further" Rims, Quarter Window Louvers, 20% Tinted Head Light/Turn Signal, Boss C-Stripes, CS/GT C-Scoops.
Ah I didn't read the updated part of your post before i posted the previous comment. I'm glad things worked out for you. I'm just glad you said something instead of paying that full amount and being sore about it.
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-A7X- ~Stang Syndicate Boston~*2006 Torch Red GT*10/10/07 Performance:Borla FRPP Stingers w/ True Dual Midpipes, Magnaflow High Flow Cats, JLT CAI, Bama 93 Race Tune, Ford Racing 4.10 Gears, Nitto 555 Extremes. Visual: Black AVS Tail Light Trim, Honeycomb Tail Light Vinyl, Black Racing stripes, 35% Window Tint, Trunk Blackout Panel, Billet Antenna Delete, Mirror Covers, 17" Konig "Further" Rims, Quarter Window Louvers, 20% Tinted Head Light/Turn Signal, Boss C-Stripes, CS/GT C-Scoops.
I spoke with the owner directly, who basically turned around and had the guy who handled the car call me to work it out.
The worst part is the work they did on the car was not only awesome, it was all probably necessary. (I'm getting somewhere in the neighborhood of 5-8 MPG better on the car, plus nearly 40 more HP.)
That having been said, I probably would have held off on the tune/programmer, but would have changed the spark plugs.
Long story short, they basically offered me something in the neighborhood of $550-$600 bucks back in the way of $250 off my next tune (for my 98 Cobra) and they're going to get my Predator fixed and sold for me.
It still leaves me $1650 out of pocket, but at least it's something.
Honestly, I could have simply charged back the money to my check card (I called my bank to confirm) and just let the courts figure it out. I'm 100% sure I could have walked away and not had to pay a dime.
I pay everyone, especially people who've done good work for me, so I'd have felt like a real tool if I'd done that to them.
I'm glad they were able to work something out for me.
Also, now that it's over and resolved, the shop was Mustang Specialties, on Dixie Highway in Pompano Beach, Florida.
They do GREAT work, but make sure you establish a good line of communication with them and be up front about what you're looking to spend/what things are going to cost.
Sorry you still got hosed, and you have nothing writing that they will sell your tuner and you still have to spend money with them(98 Cobra) to get some return.
Even though you "got something worked out" and are feeling good about it (well, maybe just not so bad), It could have been worse. You may have done as good as you could have, but if it comes down to "what did you authorize and when", if Florida is anything like California, evidence of a phone call between you and the shop is likely sufficient to support "But he said 'Go ahead' on the phone!"
He said - he said is a risky contest for the complainer, not so much for the perpetrator.
The rule here is, if the shop needs authorization, they may telephone you for it. If they do call and you say "No", and they've already done the work, they have to gamble on your buying it, eventually. So they can claim you did authorize it, no evidence to the contrary.
In such a case, your best defense is to make extensive notes about every phone call: who you talked to, what time, pretty much exactly what s/he said, how much they said it would increase your bill, at least.
Too bad that's the way it is, but there are always the bad apples. It pays to be cautious.
I love it when someone is disturbed and handles the situation like an adult and then turns around and even recommends the shop.
So many people a start a battle tying someone to a tree, only to end up with the short end of the stick,
Thanks, man.
I have to tell you, I've never had a time when getting too worked up over something got me the result I was after. They're a decent group of guys and I really think it was an honest mistake in their appraisal of my situation with the car.
Also, I called my bank prior to calling them and made CERTAIN I was in a position to charge the work back in full.
I had that conversation with the shop and said, "Listen, I know if I want to be a dick I can charge the whole thing back. I think we can both agree if we go to court over this I'm probably not going to have to pay you a dime. That having been said, I pay everyone for work they do for me, so what can you do to make me feel like you realize this is your mistake?"
If he would have told me to F Off I would have thanked him for the conversation, hung up at the conclusion of the call, and immediately charged the whole thing back.
It's a good position to be in when you know you can't lose should they decide they don't want to do the right thing.
When i take my car into the dealer, i have to circle or write down how much money i authorize the dealer to spend working on my car and any amount where they exceed that amount, they are forced to call me and authorize it.
Bad to worse: Not so great repair experience with local shop. 
