CV Pros

Review: On December 13, 2013, I telephoned three auto repair establishments to compare prices for correcting a CV axle problem on my 1992 Mazda Protégé. The car is used by my teenage son and daughter. I called several establishments, in part, to demonstrate to my son the importance of trying to save money. One of the establishments I telephoned was CV Pros. During that conversation, I was quoted a price that was higher than the other two auto repair businesses. I informed the woman that I was speaking with that I had a coupon for $20 off each CV axle installed. I was told that that coupon would be honored. By using that coupon, the cost of the repair at CV Pros was about $15 less than the other two establishments. I made an appointment to bring in the car the following Monday morning.

On December 16, 2013, my son and I brought the Protégé to CV Pros. I asked them to do their advertised free estimate on the potential CV axle repairs. I was told the estimate would take approximately 15 minutes. At that time I was given a form to initial and sign indicating that the estimate would be free. That is the only form I ever initialed or signed other than the credit card receipt when I made final payment in this transaction.

I was never given any copy of any written estimate for any of the work to be done, including the form I initialed for the free estimate. Because the estimate would only take 15 minutes, I was told I could wait. After approximately 15 minutes, the gentlemen that I was dealing with returned from the repair garage and told me that one of the CV axles would have to be replaced and it made sense to replace the other side as well. He discussed the difference between the “life time warranty” axle and the “economy” axle. I told him we wanted the economy axles. He made a notation of $199.95 on the form that I had initialed and signed for the free estimate. I told him I had a coupon for $20 off the installation of each CV axle. He told me that was fine as long as the coupon had not expired.

We left and returned approximately two hours later. The work had been completed and I was told the price, given a credit card receipt, and the enclosed invoice which was folded up in an envelope. I signed the credit card receipt and gave it back to the woman waiting on me at the register.

Later that evening when I returned home, I realized that I had not been given the price quoted in the coupon for one of the axles. Additionally there was a $7.95 “SHOP FEE” that had not been mentioned at any time during this transaction.

I traded phone calls with someone from CV Pros the next day. A couple of days later, I stopped into the shop to discuss the situation, but was told that one of the employees had been in a car accident minutes before, and that the “boss” was not there. On December 23, 2013, I stopped at the shop again to discuss the bill. The individual who had spoken with me at the time of the repair was there. He literally scoffed at the notion that there had been any mistake. When I showed him a coupon that was the same as the one I had used for my repairs, he just laughed and said “I’m only the guy behind the counter.”Desired Settlement: Refund of the $20 (plus tax of $1.50) and $7.95 charges.

Business

Response:

Check #[redacted] in the amount of $29.49 has been issued and mailed 15 January 2014 to satisfy this complaint.