Auto Safety Center

Our first experience with Auto Safety was very positive. We received a very thorough diagnosis in a very short amount of time and were billed fairly.

Review: I took my car to Auto Safety to have the ball joint replaced-and I specifically asked for a Moog part so that I had a lifetime warranty on the part. Several hours later, Joe [redacted] called me. He called to tell me that when they were hoisting my vehicle by the control arms-something happened. He told me the following: the hole is too big for the control arm. He then explained to me that they can 'weld' the part. He also said to me: So Chris(customer service person who also works there) told you how much a 'set' would be? Meaning the ball joint & a new control arm. I said yes but I didn't understand why he asked me that. And he just sounded so angry. He said my car would not be done that evening. I was upset as I had a 12+ work day the next day-I needed my vehicle. He said to me: we have loaners but I don't think there are any cars coming back any time soon. He didn't even check for me & you could hear the anger in his voice. So he said they would weld the part. I said ok. But then I called him back as I still didn't understand what happened from what he told me. He was angry & repeated the same thing he'd previously told me. The hole was too big &...he never came right out & told me exactly what was going on? When I picked up my car the next morning I paid for it (had to pay an addl $40 for the welding). There was a 24 month/24,000 miles warranty. I didn't understand that. I even called Chris back after I left. The Moog part I paid for should have a lifetime warranty. So I looked at the receipt & this is what it says:Control arm is worn & ball joint does not press in tight. Customer opted not to replace the control arm but weld the balljoint in. That is a blatant lie. That question was never even posed to me. So now I paid extra money for a Moog part & the warranty for it is useless. If the 'welding' lasts me 2 years I will end up buying another ball joint WITH the control arm & spending $500.00 and I just paid them $344.71 for this. I'm very disgusted with Auto Safety Center.Desired Settlement: I would like a complete refund of the $344.71 so that I can take my vehicle elsewhere & have the part replaced correctly-AND get what I actually paid for. I requested a Moog part be used & I knew I was paying extra for that part but that's what I wanted. I feel I didnt' get what I paid for.

Business

Response:

ID# [redacted]

I usually do a lot of my own repair work, but without a heated garage, there are some things I just don't feel like doing! We have had our van, a 2003 Chevy Venture, in to ASC several times, and I appreciate the honest and straightforward suggestions they give. These guys don't put pressure on you for unnecessary repairs, but they do make the case for why you should have something done. I appreciate that they rate the suggested repairs on a 1 to 5 scale so you have an idea how bad the issue is before deciding to do it. For example, they gave my wheel bearings a 3 out of 5. Quoted me a very reasonable rate, over $300 less than another place in town for the exact same service. I trust these guys and my wife feels comfortable there as well. They understand that a lot of times it is the wife or mother who ends up bringing the vehicle in during the day, and I have never felt that they would or have tried to take advantage of her. They are very friendly as well - not just to sell you something, but because that is how they operate. They are even nice when you say "not right now" to a recommended repair.