Honest -1 Auto Care

I am responding to the complaint you notified me about on Thursday 1-21-2016 referencing #[redacted].
Mr [redacted] contacted my business back in December 1, 2015 regarding his vehicle which is a 1995 Buick Riviera having transmission issues. When speaking with Mr [redacted] on the phone he was informed...

that the shop rate was $110 per hour and that for diagnosis it would take a minimum of 2 hours and if anymore was needed we would contact him regarding so which he agreed to. He then was also informed that for us to have it towed in there would be an additional charge but unsure as to what that charge would be with the distance (coming from Federal Way to our shop in Parkland during rush hour traffic) he again confirmed wanting said service performed. During all this time the customer stated repeatably that he only had about 3-4k to do any repairs that were needed. When the vehicle arrived to our shop there was no key with it for us to perform any services. I immediately contacted the customer informing him of such and that the alarm was continually going off so we disconnected the battery. The customer then came in on Thursday morning (Dec 03, 2015) to deliver the keys so we could begin the diagnostics on it. The customer was again informed of what the charges would be and the customer signed a RO directing us to perform said work. During this time there is a sign obviously displayed on the wall in customers view directing that any vehicles left more then 48 hours after services were completed were subject to a $40 per day storage charge. Once we were able to determine that the transmission needed to be completely replaced we prepared a estimate of said needed repairs as well as other repairs that were needed. Customer was then contacted and informed of all findings and all repairs needed to rectify the transmission issue with costs and all. These charges for the transmission repair, diagnostics and tow in were approximately $5500. He then again stated that he only had $3-4k to do any repairs asking if we could finance the balance. The customer was then told of our financing company and how to go about applying of which he did but was denied any options. Customer then contacted the shop back informing us of said denial and stated that he would be in the following week to pay for the services and would be having the vehicle towed home until he could afford the repairs. However the customer never complied or came into the shop to take care of charges. The customer was contacted multiple times and each time was a different story on when he would be in and why he had not been. This vehicle is unable to be moved and has continually taken up one of our shops bays of which the customer was informed. When the customer did not show by December 14, 2015 he was again informed of the vehicle taking up space and that it had been there now for quite some time. On December 28, 2015 I contacted the customer and informed him again that the vehicle needed to be picked up and reminded him of the sign on the wall directing the charge of $40 per day storage for any vehicle being left more then 48 hours after services were completed. Customer stated he would then be in right away to get it handled. The customer then called in on January 7, 2016 requesting charges and that he would be in to take care of the charges and have the vehicle towed out. He was informed of the charges for the diagnostics, tow and for storage fees applied due to his non-compliance and continued lack of actions to have it all taken care of. He was very unhappy and displeased at which time I again reminded him of previous conversations, what he had signed and what was posted on the wall in front of all customers view. He stated he would not pay such and would do what he had too to not pay such. The services were all rendered, I have already had to pay the tow bill to have the vehicle towed in, paid the techs wages for services he performed and the complete loss of a repair bay while this vehicle has been sitting here and the continued actions of the customer. Therefore there is no give any longer and as of the day this response is being written his charges are as follows:
Tow                $210.00
Diagnostics     $220.00
Storage           $1720.00    (43 days @$40 per day starting as of Dec 14, 2015)
All these charges do not include tax or other fees
Total Bill as of January 25, 2016 is $2384.92  until 5:00pm at which time will increase by approx $45 per day with tax.If you have any comments, questions and/or concerns please feel free to contact me.

I am sending this response once again in regards to the above complaint. Mr [redacted] brought his vehicle (a 1995 Chevrolet S10 Blazer) in on March 07, 2015 requesting a diagnostics for run-ability issues and check engine light being on. Per a signed Repair Order we performed this service notifying...

the customer what issues we found present. Issues present were that the Crankshaft Position Sensor was malfunctioning and that the vehicle was in desperate need of a tune-up as a first step in the repair process. These items were needed to confirm if there was any other issues beyond present issues that caused these issues to arise. The customer then authorized said repairs to be done and to have the check engine light turned off at completion. Our shop then proceeded to perform the above referenced repairs. When all repairs were completed notified customer who then retrieved the vehicle paying the outstanding bill (ref Invoice 008817 in the amount of $576.23 pd by Visa) at this time customer was instructed again that this was only the first step of repairs that if the check engine light came back on that further diagnostics/repairs would be needed at that time. On March 09, 2015 the customer came in with a complaint that his vehicle had failed emissions and that the check engine light was on again once again. Customer was then instructed that as per our previous conversation and repair that further diagnostics were needed of which the customer signed the repair order authorizing said diagnostics. When diagnostics were completed customer was informed that the PCM needed to be replaced due to when it was tapped or bumped that the issue came and went. Tech also found that the with the key on the check/service engine light
 would continue to flash. Customer did not have the means at the time to pay for said repairs. Customer then stated however that the diagnostics was enough for him to get a emissions waiver to get the vehicle licensed which was what he needed. Customer then requested if he could put the cost of the diagnostics on account since he had recently had work done our business did give him the opportunity to charge said repair. The cost of this diagnostics that was applied to an account was $182.64 w/ tax and fees of which the customer signed the repair order to charge this amount. We have afforded this customer every opportunity to handle this debt of which nothing has been paid to the account therefore before sending it to legal and collections action we contacted the customer to inform him of such. In the customers own statement to Revdex.com he admitted to fraud to the Washington State Emissions laws as generating a false document. Our company has never and will never do such a thing as the prosecution of such would be extensive. Therefore the account will not be credited as the work was performed and if the amount owed is not paid within 30 days of this notice then further legal and collection actions will be taken. We will also check into notifying Washington State Department of Emissions and the DOL of this customers blatant statement of his committing fraud or willingness to commit said fraud enabling him to license the vehicle.
 
Cordially;
Shane A H[redacted]
General Manager/VP
Honest 1 Auto Care & Repair
[redacted]
Tacoma, WA 98444
253-539-2677     Shop
[redacted]     Cell

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: I was notified by [redacted] that the EGR valve replacement was not properly completed and that the work performed on the EGR valve was not completed correctly. Although you state that it is strange that the egr valve would go out again after six months, that is the code that was initially received when the car was brought for repairs again to your shop and you did not address that. Instead you started a guessing game as to what the issue may be at my expense rather than addressing the EGR valve again. even after changing the timing chain the EGR valve was not addressed. I was told by one of your technicians that he plans to see the vehicle again in the future, mean while the poorly installed EGR valve (this is what the [redacted] stated about the condition of the EGR valve) which was initially to blame. I was notified by your service center in a voice mail that the car drove like a dream, and when I got to the shop this was not the case. There had been no change in the operability condition of the vehicle after spending a couple thousand dollars. The shop had no idea what the problem was with the vehicle. At one point another maintenance technician stated that "I didn't know that we would be rebuilding a magnum" when only the EGR valve needed to be addressed. This shop took me for a ride and now does not want to be held accountable for poorly provided services and excess services provided that did not resolved the vehicle condition. I have the documentation to back up the information that I am claiming.Sincerely,[redacted]