Giannini's Auto Service

The customer brought her sons', [redacted] 2004 Lincoln LS in for a safety and emissions inspection on Jan. 22, 2018. She had already called us prior to bring it in because the check engine light was on and she was informed how much it would cost for both the inspections and the check engine...

light diagnosis. On Jan. 23rd, I called [redacted]s' mom and told her that the codes in the computer were for both catalytic converters and an evaporative system fault. I gave her a price to perform a, n air induction service, which would raise the compression, and then we would drive the vehicle to see if the same codes come back or we could set 4 0f the 5 monitors which would allow the vehicle to pass. The estimate of 429.80 I quoted was for the inspections, the air induction, drive vehicle to set monitors and 25.00 in fuel because the vehicle was brought in on empty. After we drove for about 50 miles, the computer set a pending code for an oxygen sensor. I called [redacted]s mom back and told exactly what was going on and that it would cost an addition 240. She authorized repair and we installed sensor and drove another 25 miles and the computer set pending codes for both oxygen sensors. At this point I called [redacted]s mom and explained that the price to replace the oxygen sensors was hundreds of dollars less than replacing the catalytic converters and at the worst case we could issue her a waiver which is a pass without having to spend money to fix everything wrong. I told her I was trying to get the vehicle to pass without a waiver but I could not forecast the outcome without driving the vehicle to see what the computer was going to do. At this point she authorized the second oxygen sensor as well as to fill her gas tank so the computer would not run the evaporative test, to avoid setting an evaporative code, which would eliminate our chance of passing emissions without doing a waiver, which she was aware that this would enable her to get her plates for the vehicle which expired in November 2017. She called the facility on Mon the 29th and asked what he total was. I told her 878.60 but I, at that time did not realize that the fuel we filled her tank on Friday was not put on her invoice. She called again the next day and asked the total again, we gave her the total with the added fuel. She showed up to facility with the police and we went over everything at that point which included a letter I got from the Dept. of Natural Resources to enable her or her son to drive vehicle legally for thirty days until either a code set or the monitors set. It included the receipts for the fuel we put in her car which there was still 3/4 of a tank at this time. We drove her vehicle 108 miles and monitors would not set. We communicated with this customer about everything we were doing and how much it costs from the very beginning. I can't help the fact that the vehicle would not set the monitors but we could not afford to continue driving the vehicle which is why I got a letter so the customer could drive vehicle legally until monitors or code would set, which either one would get her plates for her sons car for the least amount of money. Her son came to the shop two days later and told me the car ran great and he and his mom found out when the went to the license office that the vehicle did not even need the inspections. We had no way of knowing that because the vehicle came into us with plates that expired in NOV 2017. Her son did apologize for his mother bringing the police and making as if we didn't inform her of everything going on including how much it was costing.

She brought the car in on 9/7 sat in the waiting room and waited for an hour while we drove it around and looked for the issue.  We raised the car up and measured suspension from side to side and diagnosed the problem.  We found the wheel bearing was bad and recommended an alignment...

because it was off.  She said she didn’t want the repairs done and then I gave her an invoice for the amount of time it took to check the car over.  We told her the charge was for the time mechanic took to check it over.  She said she thought estimates were free, which they are, but not for this.  If she would’ve asked what something would cost, without us having to look at it, it would have been a free estimate.  We had to actually look at it.  We told her if she brought it back within 10 days for the needed repairs, we would credit the amount back to her, and she understood.  We did what we were asked to do and did nothing wrong.  Any auto repair shop would charge the same.  I believe our satisfaction call back refueled the fire and was what triggered her to file this complaint.  We call every customer after the work is done to make sure they are happy, which is good customer service.  I will still honor what I said and credit the money back if she has the repair done here.  The estimate for the work/labor/parts would have been under $600, minus the $111.89 credit.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
I did not give permission, nor was I informed, that a diagnostic test would be performed on the suspension system. Once it was performed, and the bill presented, I really had no choice but to reluctantly pay it. I should not have to pay for test that were performed without my consent or knowledge. I should be reimbursed for the cost of the diagnostic test.
Sincerely,
[redacted]