Imported Automotive, Ltd.

Review: I brought my [redacted] to Imported Automotives for $2500 worth of engine work to my head gaskets, etc in early April 2014. After bringing the car home, we noticed spots on the driveway from leaking fluid. We were told that some residual fluid could be normal, so we waited. When the fluid didn’t stop, we brought the car back to Imported Automotive to be looked at (Monday April 21). The mechanics put it up on a lift and told us that it was leaking power steering fluid. They added some heavy duty sealant that they assured us in most cases would fix the problem. The car continued to leak fluid. It leaked fluid to the point that by Wednesday, our power steering went completely, making for an unsafe ride home from where we work in [redacted] Phila. My husband and I both work full time and have two small children, and Imported Automotives is not the most convenient location to our home. My husband had already left work early on Monday the 21st and they failed to fix the problem and he could not afford to miss any more worktime, nor could we afford to be without a vehicle. Furthermore, without power steering it was not safe to drive our car the 5 miles back to [redacted], so we took the car to a mechanic around the corner from our home, [redacted] Automotives at [redacted]’s [redacted] on [redacted] in [redacted]. My husband dropped it off on Thursday the 24th and then took public transportation to work while they looked at it.

After taking a look at our car, the mechanic at [redacted] asked if we recently had work done on our car, because he found that the power steering lines and bolts were very loose. It looked to him that they had recently been removed and were not reattached properly. He reattached the lines and refilled with fluid and we haven’t had a problem since. He charged us $75.24.

We called back Imported Automotives and explained what happened and what the mechanic at [redacted] said and asked to be reimbursed for the $75.24 paid to [redacted]. [redacted] said he would reimburse us, it shouldn’t be a problem, he just wanted to have his mechanics take a look at it. We forwarded the bill and a request for reimbursement via email . My husband yet again, left work and brought the car to Imported Automotives on Monday May 5th so the mechanics could look at it. [redacted] began to be ambiguous about reimbursing us the $$ and offered to give us an oil change which he claims is worth $75.00 instead of giving us the cash or check for the 75.00. We clearly communicated that we would prefer the cash/check reimbursement to a $75.00 oil change at his shop, where we now question their abilities and integrity.Desired Settlement: We want Imported Automotives to reimburse us for the $75.24 that we had to pay to [redacted] Automotive to properly re attach the power steering fluid lines

Business

Response:

In April 2014 [redacted] brought his 2004 [redacted] in to Imported Automotive Ltd. to be checked over for engine repairs. The [redacted] did need major engine repairs, which consisted of replacing Head gaskets, the timing belt, water pump and other service work to the engine. After discussing it with his wifefor a day or so, the [redacted]'s decided to go ahead with the work, which we performed at a 10% discount because the [redacted]'s complained to us of being "Broke." The enclosed invoice will confirm all of this.The following week after the repairs were complete, we at Imported Auto called **. [redacted] to check on the car and how it was running, at that time he told us everything was "great." A few weeks after that **. [redacted] stopped by complaining of a leak. We assessed the situation, and found what appeared to be a leak at the Steering Rack Pinion Sea!. At that point we added Power Steering fluid, and a sealer. We did not charge him for our time, but just for the cost of the sealer itself. We told him to keep an eye on it, and call if he needed anything. At that point he mentioned that the car had been running "great", again. Approximately a week later [redacted] called saying he felt like he had no power steering and asking if he could bring his car in. Since it was 6pm, and all the Technicians had left for the day, the Office Manager asked him to come in in the morning, and we would assess the problem right away. When she did not hear from him the following day, the Office Manager then called **. [redacted] and he explained that he just took it to the guy around the corner from him because it was more convienent for him. He told her that they had said there was a leak in his Power Steering and asked him he had recently had it serviced somewhere else. He said yes, they repaired it, and that was it. **. [redacted] asked if we would reimburse his money for the repair which we said of course we would, if it was a mistake on our part, or it pertained to the work he had done here.Maybe a week or so later, **. [redacted] came in, and we assessed what we saw, again a leak at his Power Steering Rack, asked him if he knew what they said was leaking, and he did not. At that point we told him, that his Power Steering leak did not have anything to do with his engine repairs, again. He was not happy, and wanted us to reimburse him cash for the money he spent with the other repair facility, $75.00, which he originally quoted as $35 over the phone. In good faith, and because of his trouble, we offered him a free oil change with Synthetic Oil, a $75.00 value, which needed to be performed on his vehicle after 1500 -2000 miles of driving after the engine repairs. This was not what **. [redacted] wanted to hear, and he got very angry, and again complained of being "broke." The following day [redacted]. [redacted] called, whom we have never spoken to up until this point, and began to bully us, threatening to get a lawyer, call the Revdex.com and the Consumer Affairs Dept. At that point the negotiation broke down. We offered her the same solution as her husband, this is not what she wanted and demanded that we give her $75.00 cash. We explained to her why we would not be, because her leak had nothing to do with the repairs we performed to her vehicle. The offer of a Free Oil change still stands.Sincerely,