Foreign Car Center

Review: I was billed mechanic services by Foreign Car Center ([redacted]) totaling $15,021.98 for my 1988 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce, legally registered within the State of New York, over a twenty-five month period. Unfortunately, I trusted Foreign Car Center with my business and numerous repair jobs, which included misrepresentations of service performed and ineffective mechanic service that caused me damages as set forth below. Upon recent inspection of the automobile and Foreign Car Service bills by two certified Alfa Romeo mechanics, it is clear that mechanic services provided on my automobile by Foreign Car Service were not only exorbitant with regular over billing, but blatant misrepresentations and faulty service, including, but not limited to: 1) incorrect brand parts (non-Alfa Romeo) manipulated to fit on the car which affected basic car functions/performance (this was not disclosed to me); 2) reoccurring billings for car problems on specific parts that were never properly addressed and continue to malfunction; and 3) inaccurate and inflated labor hours for services performed. On the most basic level, [redacted] handed over a whopping $15,021.98 to Foreign Car Center and essentially every work item that was apparently “fixed” (clutch, exhaust system, windows/door panels, convertible top, trunk, starter motor) either continues to malfunction or repeatedly malfunctioned as evidenced by both Foreign Car Center bills and new mechanic bills. Clearly, [redacted] trusted [redacted] in good faith as evidenced by [redacted]’s repeat business and the enormous amount of money handed over to Foreign Car Center. But [redacted] feels Foreign Car Center neglected [redacted]’s trust and loyalty by not only misrepresenting service that was ineffective and excessive in nature, leading to repeated mechanic service and subsequent billing on the same issues. [redacted] only became aware of this recently when he retained a new Alfa Romeo mechanic who analyzed the bills and the work performed by [redacted], as [redacted] continued to have problems related to the $15,021.98 of mechanic service billed to [redacted] by Foreign Car Center. [redacted]’s current mechanic, a former employee of Alfa Romeo, S.p.A. is prepared to provide a statement regarding both the poor service performed and excessive billing. Please see below for specific problems related to billed mechanic services: 1) As stated below, clutch issues occurred three separate times over only an eighteen-month period, and continues to malfunction, after [redacted] paid $3,026, including nearly $2,000 of labor charges. $3,026 of charges related to work done on the clutch with inflated part pricing and extremely exorbitant hourly maintenance charges. Clutch problems persisted and continue to persist as supported by repeated clutch issues and billing on 12/*/10, 4/**/11 and 5/**/12. Recent inspection indicates the proper, new parts were not installed and continue to impact performance of the car (specifically the fly wheel for which [redacted] was billed 10 hours or $800 for maintenance, which is absolutely absurd according to mechanic inspection, common practice). The clutch/transmission continues to not function and is currently being fixed. 2) Mechanic services on the exhaust system/real muffler were brought to [redacted]’s attention by his current mechanic, after [redacted] continued to complain of gas/exhaust smell inside the car. Beyond [redacted]’s current mechanic noting that previous work done on the exhaust system was done in a very poor manner and will eventually need additional work, it was also discovered that previous work could have been completely unnecessary, since it was discovered that an inappropriately sized gas/exhaust hose had been installed and had been causing the problem as opposed to the exhaust system/real-muffler. $1,079.69 of charges related to exhaust work that was a misrepresentation of services provided and faulty, possibly completely unnecessary. Services were presented and billed as "replacing entire exhaust system" when a used center muffler (after market) was merely welded together with existing tail pipe as opposed to just properly installing the correct new Alfa Romeo Part, as the bill indicated. In addition, water hoses were installed in two instances where gas hoses should have been which leaked gas and fumes. 3) [redacted] paid $680.00 for a new convertible top to be installed on 3/**/11. Less than ten months later, [redacted] was charged another $150.00 for a leak in the roof and as indicated on the bill “for more pressure so water doesn’t enter as easily.” It is also worth noting, that this car was driven very little and stored within an interior garage, so it is very likely the convertible top had always been leaking but was only discovered months later. Again, on a stand-alone basis, this could be overlooked by [redacted], but when taking into account, the repeated issues with the starter motor, clutch, trunk and exhaust, it is clear that repeated problems related to mechanic service provided by Foreign Car Center were commonplace, in [redacted]’s experience. $775.60 of charges related to the windows and doors, which were never properly fixed and continue to malfunction on a recurring pass. Additionally, [redacted] was charged for a leaky top/door which occurred almost immediately after [redacted] had paid Foreign Car to install a new convertible top. The driver’s door panel came loose on 11/2013 and the automatic windows continue to malfunction as of today and are currently being fixed with another mechanic. 4) Lastly, as shown below, after $120.00 was spent to repair the trunk on 11/**/2010, twenty-six months later, additional trunk problems lead to another $373.00 to be spent on a related trunk issue. Again, on a stand-alone basis, this could be overlooked by [redacted] but when taking into account the repeated issues on essentially every other major piece of mechanic service, there was a pattern. $120 of charges related to work done on the trunk and the trunk does not currently function. On 2/2013, I paid my new mechanic $373 for work done on the trunk. As with the clutch/transmission, power windows/door panels, mechanic service provided on the trunk was ineffective. 5) As indicated below, within less than a sixteen-month period, [redacted]’s first starter motor installed by Foreign Car Center had already failed. Worth adding, that this car was driven very, very minimally, less than 15 miles a week on average. On its own, if this were the only repeated problem, it could be excused or overlooked by [redacted], but as evidenced by the clutch, windows, door panels, convertible top, exhaust and trunk issues, repeated problems related to service done by Foreign Car Center were very common. Separately, the $220 charged for the price of the starter motor was heftily inflated from the price Foreign Car Center paid to its supplier. There were no discounts given, neither on parts nor service. $1315 of charges related to work done on the starter motor, with prices for parts that were inflated and even unnecessary. In fact, [redacted] was charged for one replacement starter motor on 11/**/10 and again for another starter motor on 5/**/12. Interestingly, [redacted] was charged different prices for the exact same service on different dates. In total, with all of the issues, it is clear that Foreign Car Center's repairs were improper and inferior.Desired Settlement: [redacted] would prefer to settle this matter outside of the courts, and would be prepared to do so for a sum of $3,900, representing ~25% of the total amount paid to Foreign Car Center, to cover some of the additional costs which [redacted] has expended on the recurring issues billed by both Foreign Car Center and his new mechanic.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Foreign Car Center regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,