Bill's Complete Auto Repair Service

My 18 yr old daughter drove to California with her friends and her F150 broke down. AAA recommended her to be towed to Bill's shop. What a disaster. First he replaced a blown sparkplug and quoted $300 then he charged her around $800. It blew out the spark plug again and he wanted to replace the head for $3000, I had my shop in Phoenix call him and tell him to find a used one for around $300. Long story short, he took over a month and told me it would be ready. I came from Phoenix to pick it up and he said it was not ready. I went back to Phoenix and could not get off work for another couple weeks to get back over. I finally got back to pick it up and he charged us $2000 PLUS $400 STORAGE FEES!!!!! After he was not ready when we went to pick it up the first time. Then my daughter drove off and was in a accident when the truck died on the freeway!!!! Their was a check engine light on and I came and drove the vehicle off and the car continued to just die while I was driving it.

It could have been much worse for my daughter in the accident, Bill took advantage of our not living close by and charged $1000 more than my Phoenix shop would have charged. His initial repair did not work, (my Phoenix shop has never had one of the identical repairs fail) AND HE CHARGED US $400 FOR STORAGE THAT WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO US PRIOR TO PICKING THE CAR UP AFTER THEY WERE NOT READY WHEN I FIRST WENT TO PICK IT UP WHEN THEY SAID THEY WOULD!!!

DO NOT TRUST THIS SHOP IF YOU ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN!

GREG E, Scottsdale AZ

Review: On April 13, 2013 my BMW 325i experienced car failure on Hwy 5. I called AAA to be towed to a local authorized car repair location. They recommended Bill's Complete Auto Repair at 1707 S. Coast Highway in Oceanside, Ca. When my car arrived, it was quickly looked at and it was determined a broken idler belt needed to be replaced. I was given the estimate of $327.00 and was told it could be completed quickly. I agreed to the repair. Approx. an hour later, I was told the car was repaired, drove it off he premises and within 15 minutes the car made a loud pinging noise and stalled on the freeway. I called Bill's Complete Auto and spoke to Bill [redacted], the owner and operator, and relayed what had happened to the car. He sent out a tow truck to pick the car up once again for further assessment. I received a call from Bill three days later telling me there was a crack in the radiator fill tank, which flooded cylinders in the engine, the engine block test had failed and told me the car engine needed to be replaced. I asked him explicitly if the issue that occurred after the idler belt was replaced impacted the cracked radiator which led to the need for a new engine and was told no. I approved the engine replacement, which was quoted at $3555, and notified Bill I was moving out of state at the end of the month so I needed a quick resolution on the car repair so I could arrange for car shipment to my new residence. I was told it would be no problem. At the end of April, having not heard form Bill for a few weeks, and preparing to move out of state, I called Bill for a status update on my car. I was told he was still searching for a rebuilt engine to install in my car. On April 28th, I moved out of the state and followed up with Bill every week to two weeks for an update on the repairs on my car. Despite asking him several times to please do so, at no time did I receive a pro-active call from Bill with the status on my car. In May I called Bill for an update and I was told he had located a rebuilt engine with 99,000 miles on it. I agreed to the installation and was told me car would be completed within a week. A week later, I called Bill for another update and was told the engine he had sourced for me was no longer available and he was attempting to locate another engine. He promised to call with an update within a week. Once again, a week went by with no word from Bill, I called for an update and was told he was still looking for and engine and that he would be in touch. After not hearing from Bill for a MONTH after that conversation, I called once again and was told he had managed to obtain the original rebuilt engine and would be receiving it within the week for installation. I pleaded with Bill to please call me as soon as the car was finished, and once again, he promised he would. Yet again, the time frame for Bill to call me came and went and I called him for an update. I was told the rebuilt engine he had obtained was 'bad', and he would have to source yet another rebuilt engine for me. Within the next month, another engine was located for installation. Within days, I received a call from Bill telling me my car needed a new catalytic converter for $4000. I agreed to the repair. TWO MORE MONTHS passed with no call from Bill! Frustrated and fed-up, I finally called Bill for an update. I was told the car was almost ready, final smog tests were being conducted and the car would be ready shortly. Again, I was promised by Bill he would call me, Finally on November 7th, NINE MONTHS AFTER MY CAR WAS TOWED INTO HIS REPAIR SHOP, Bill called to let me know my car was ready to be picked up. A family friend came to get the car and immediately noticed the engine light was on and mentioned so to Bill. My friend was told the engine light was on because the battery was low, I was told I would have to replace the battery because the car had sat so long without being run regularly. When my friend asked how many miles were on the rebuilt engine Bill had installed in my car, Bill couldn't tell him. My friend also noticed several exterior scratches to the front right and side areas of the car. It is unconscionable, unprofessional and unethical for any car repair to take 9 months to occur, and while Bill [redacted] was always polite when we spoke, I feel I was misled on the nature of the car repairs needed and the impact the original idler belt replacement may have had on the final repair outcome. In addition, my complaint sounds very much like another complaint on this site lodged against Bill's Complete Auto and so I am concerned for other consumers who may fall victim to this behavior.Desired Settlement: I would like Bill's Complete Auto Repair to reimburse me for the cost of the car battery I had to purchase after pick-up and to repair the exterior scratches on the car that were not there when I dropped off the car in April.