Harold T Auto Repair

Review: On November 6, 2013 I sent my mother to pay $478 for a transmission repair I had done at Harold T Auto on [redacted] since I was working 60 hrs/wk (during normal business hrs). I had gotten my car towed to the shop a couple days before but [redacted] insisted that he was backed up and would get to it on various days but it was never ready. Once completed he informed me that more work needed to be done and a list was given to my mother on November 6, 2013 and he was paid for transmission replacement. The car remained at the shop while I worked to make money for the rest of the labor he needed to complete (anti freeze leak, motor mount replacement) finally I called & told him what I wanted him to do. For two weeks I was given different dates of when the elbows of the car would be replaced until finally I got tired of waiting & caught the bus to retreive my car and take it elsewhere. I noticed immediately the car was overheating though I was only taking a 2 minute ride down the street to get the elbows fixed. I also noticed the car was making the same exact noise it was making when I had first taken it to Harold and not accelerating though the rpm meter was jumping to its maximum. Im not a mechanic so I allowed a shop down the street fix the elbows thinking that may have been the issue but it wasnt. Also the mechanic there said my tires looked like they were turning either inward or away from each other. I had only brought enough money for the elbows to get fixed so I only allowed him to proceed to fix the leak. By the time the elbows were replaced it was 5pm shops were closing. The next day stopped by Harold T shop to let him know that the car was running the exact same way it was prior to he allegedly worked on it. He tells me the transmission was in limp mode and I need to contact the company I bought the transmission from [redacted]. I did & they said he needed to reset the computer since it doesnt recognize the new transmission. Anyway it is now December 23, 2013 and I have called him multiple times from various numbers. His voicemail box is full. I cant leave a message nor have I been called back. Both [redacted] from [redacted] and I have emailed his clearwire email address ([redacted]) last month to no avail. So to be sure of what is wrong with my car I towed to [redacted] on [redacted] for a transmission diagnosis and a representative let me see up under my car the rack and pinion is not connected on the right side. Bolts are missing. Motor mounts are broken. The damage is beyond the price of what the car is worth he insisted. The [redacted] also stated that the rack and pinion amongst other parts wouldve had to be removed in order for the transmission to be replaced and the lack of connection on the right side and missing bolts explained why the tires where going in opposite directions. The damage was so great that the [redacted] rep refused to do the diagnosis but allowed me to take pics of the damage underneath the car. My concern is with All this damage listed the day of payment. Why wasnt it shared prior to the installation of another transmission instead of afterwards? Why was I allowed to pull off driving a car when a transmission was in limp mode? If a mechanic works on a car and the part is defective why wasnt that shared immediately? Between the disconnection of the rack and pinion and the lack of acceleration I could've died or been hurt. Why did the mechanic place "TRANSMISSION GOOD" on the list of other labor to be done if the transmission was in limp mode? Almost $1,000 later I have NO transportation what so ever just a car that is not running sitting in the yard which I paid the insurance for thinking these 3 weeks- 1 month it was being repaired when in fact I was being robbed blind. Harold has been my main mechanic for 4 years. Im frustrated that after all this money invested in his work that it has come down to this. I had an issue with him once before I had gotten my rack and pinion replaced a $500+ task and the car was rejected from inspection for the rack and pinion. He got it correct and I excused it since he had a new associate working with him and claimed that he had done that job. After failed inspections I had returned an that associate had been fired (when I inquired whether he was doing horrible labor he claimed for something unrelated) its been 2 yrs since that incident and at this point Im not concerned with any mistakes of a potential newbie. The [redacted] of the shop should check behind their associates. I shouldnt have been able to leave the shop with documentation stating "TRANNY GOOD" when obviously it isnt.Desired Settlement: The price of the labor was $478 and the actual transmission was roughly $500. I am definitely seeking a refund on that. I was unable to obtain estimates on the broken mounts and the disconnected rack and pinion. Yet I do have the receipt for a reimbursement for the elbow replacement roughly $130 (which was done elsewhere but was an unnecessary expense which could have been avoided had adequate information been shared since the car has been and still is parked and not operable). I purchased the car for 2,300 in 2010 and unfortunately it appears it will have to be sent to the junk yard since as stated the cars damage is beyond the cars value.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

At this time, I have not been contacted by Harold T Auto Repair, LLC regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Regards,