H C H Inc

I took my car to Anchorage Auto Electric and Class Muffler to find out if my car's air bags were loaded correctly because the air bag lights flash on and off occasionally. I had taken my car in a week before to a different mechanic about the problem and he said the car's computer was sending back errors about the airbags, but it didn't specifically say if the airbag compartment was empty or not. (A sidenote: I was told the airbags were re-loaded at Chaz LImited in Anchorage after the car was totalled.) I know that the lights can be glitchy but people can also lie so I simply wanted to know if the airbags were in there or not.
I called Anchorage Auto Electric and Classic Muffler and asked if this is a situation they could help me with. Also, I mentioned my car's heater was working sometimes, not always and I thought it might be the heater blower motor. I was hoping for a quote on how much a new heater blower motor would be. I mentioned on the phone that it was the heater blower motor because my heater clicks when it works. I did not need them to verify that's what it was. It was obvious. The secretary said they could look at my car the next morning.
After I dropped my car off I waited a few hours to call and see if anyone had looked at my car. I was expecting an estimate for a replacement blower motor and an answer to why 2 airbag lights flash. The secretary replied that the mechanic hadn't starting working on my car yet (I had made an appointment, this was half way through the day). She said, "He'll call you after he takes a look at it". Oh, I also asked them to change the dome light on the car.
I wait until 4 pm to call back and the secretary answered and said, "He's just looking at it right now. You need a new blower motor. It'll cost $500 to replace it. She said the blower motor itself costs $175 (this is for a 2006 Honda CR-V) and they cost much more in the winter when people need them. All I had needed to know about the heater was simply how much it would be to replace it. Not what needed to be replaced. I asked about the airbags, she said the computer was sending back errors about them but they weren't sure if there was an airbag in there on the driver's side or not, it only told them it had been deployed (which I knew). I asked if there was any way to actually know and she said, only by replacing them entirely which is very, very pricey, up to $1000 or something like that. She asked me if I wanted the mechanic to fix the blower motor. I told her I'd call her right back with an answer because I was sure I could find a cheaper price than that to fix those items. It seemed like the prices for those repairs were inflated pretty heavily. I surfed the web for a few minutes looking for suitable heater blower motors and immediately I found them for much less than they were quoting me. I called her back and said I didn't want them to fix the heater, that's too much. She said, "Oh, he already has gone to pick up the part for you."
I said, "Really? Because I hadn't decided yet. I don't want him to fix the heater. "
She said, "Well he already has the heater area open and everything is taken apart. But, I'll stop him and have him get your car ready for you to pick up".
I said, "Thanks, when can I come pick it up?"
She said something like a half hour to an hour and "it'll be be $178.50".
I was outraged. They didn't ever call before they opened up my car, They charged $105 an hour for labor (1.7 hours worth totalling $178.50 ), $6.50 for parts (understandably) with a grand total of $185.00. I went down to pick up my car with the intention of complaining about their exorbitant pricing and over estimation of time worked on the car. Especially when considering I only wanted an estimate on a blower motor replacement, to have an answer on whether or not I have airbags in my car (a situation the secretary told me they could help me find an answer to), and the dome light replaced (which should take 10 minutes max for a working auto mechanic).
I went in and told the secretary I couldn't believe how much they over changed me. The paperwork she showed shows the mechanic's notes that were left for him about this car and what need to be done. It was written as follows exactly (I have the invoice), "Heat--fan was clicking and then stopped working fan is not blowing hot air. Air bag light on. Call with estimate. Sympton: Check out." Their notes did not include my mentioning (a couple of times it was the heater blower motor that was broken. However they did note "Call with estimate".
He did not need to diagnose the heater. All he did was hook up his code reader to the car's computer (a service provided for free from most mechanics) and replace the dome light. I told her I should not have to pay such a high price for having virtually nothing done (except the replacement of tiny bulb) and still no conclusion about the airbags. I felt cheated and asked to speak with the manager or owner. She said, "Yeah, I'll get him but I already gave you a discount on parts because I felt bad for you".
I was amazed that before I even complained she made the price lower because she "Felt bad for me."
The owner of the business came out and introduced himself and I told him my complaints.
"It doesn't cost nearly $200 to hook up your code reader to my car, change a dome light, and give me an estimate on a heater blower motor repair".
He responded, "Do you have any idea how expensive my code reader is? It's thousands of dollars".
I said, "That's a business expense, sure, but I don't need to pay it single handedly".
He said, I had to read (something like) 2 codes for the driver's seat belt tensioner and drivers airbag.
I asked why I had to pay so much when I still didn't find out if the airbag is actually in there or not and they said there's no way to know, only to replace them, there might be dummy airbags in there.
I asked him if he could please lower his price. I said this was unacceptable and they overchange and I would warn friends that Anchorage Auto Electric and Classic Muffler overchanges. He said the lowest he would go was $150. I have never had to bargain with anyone or be in this situation before so I just handed over the $150 and got out of there. The secretary did most of the arguing and poking fun at my remarks in a very belittling way and I felt that she was very rude and confrontational. The owner mocked me as well and it was the absolute worst mechanic experience I have ever had. I feel cheated and robbed by Anchorage Auto Electric and Classic Muffler.