Long Radio of Enfield, CT

Returned to my house to find that the piece of equipment they had just installed was brokenHad to return to be told to come back tomorrow because it was too late to fixWhen I returned the next day I was told all of the techs were done and had to come back the next dayFinally had the part "replaced" only to find out a month later when I had satellite radio installed that they did not replace the broken itemThey just glued the damaged part together instead of replacing itSo I paid $for a damaged itemWill never do business with them again

Returned to my house to find that the piece of equipment they had just installed was broken. Had to return to be told to come back tomorrow because it was too late to fix. When I returned the next day I was told all of the techs were done and had to come back the next day. Finally had the part "replaced" only to find out a month later when I had satellite radio installed that they did not replace the broken item. They just glued the damaged part together instead of replacing it. So I paid $300 for a damaged item. Will never do business with them again.

Review: While servicing the remote starter unit and door opening (warranty work); Long Radio accidentally cleared computer. Needed $452 of repairs.

Timeline and Events

7/18/13 - Drove my 2006 PT Cruiser to have warranty service performed on the remote starter that was purchased 12/1/12 from Long Radio. Automobile started fine and ran without problem.

7/19/13 - Received a phone call on Friday from Long Radio asking if they could keep the car for the weekend. They were having problems.

7/22/13 - Got a call from the manager at Long Radio (Sean Donald) and was told that I could pick up the car "but bring a flat bed because we can't get it to start again."

We [redacted] and myself) agreed that I would have it towed to a dealership and if was something unrelated to any work performed by Long Radio that I would pay for it. Something related to the work that was being done by them would be paid for by them.

7/23/13 - I had the car towed from Long Radio to [redacted] Dodge.

7/24/13 - Received a call from [redacted] that the several of the computers had been reset and the car would never start or run without reprogramming. A 4 hour process. I was told by their Service Dept that this type of problem is sometimes caused by accidental contact between wires and that their own technicians have a similar issue when servicing cars. I called Long Radio to inform [redacted] of the problem. He called me back and said that the problem was not caused by his people. I asked how that I could have driven to his parking lot and how he was able to drive into his service bay without difficulty? He said he would talk to the owner.

7/25/13 - I called [redacted] at Long Radio late in the day since I had not heard from him. He said the owner had not gotten back to him.

7/26/13 - I called [redacted] again. He said he talked to the owner, and the owner talked to the dealership, and Long Radio's position was that they had no responsibility. I asked for a phone call from either Sean or the owner on Saturday to discuss.

7/27/13- I received no phone call from either [redacted] or the owner.

7/28/13 - I left a letter at Long Radio addressed to [redacted] stating I held them responsible because the car ran and started fine before they start to work on it.

7/29/13 - I asked again to speak to the owner and was told that I could not do so. I asked for his name and was told that I couldn't have it either.

7/30/13 - Sent a registered letter to Long Radio formalizing my complaint and my need to go to Small Claims Court to seek judgment against them.

7/31/13 - Felt that the dealership should not have to wait any longer from their money from Long Radio. I paid for the vehicle repairs in good faith and asked them to sign a statement indicating that the typical cause for this type of computer malfunction is accidental component wiring and that it even happens to the dealer's mechanics occasionally. The car dealer expressed surprise that Long Radio was not recognizing their responsibility in causing the problem. He also told me that when Long Radio first called them, the manager of Long Radio tried to get the dealership to say that Long Radio was not responsibility by telling the service manager that the remote starter was installed in December and since I was having a problem in July, how could it their fault. Long Radio left out the part about them working on the car when it happened.

Desired Settlement:

Seeking

$452.40 paid for the computer reprogramming by [redacted] Dodge

$ 6.11 registered letter to Dealer

$372.18 paid for the Remote Starter

Total $830.69

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/08/09) */

I response to the Revdex.com complaint;

The remote start system was installed in Mr. [redacted]'s 9 y/o Chrysler this past winter and to the best of our knowledge has been working 100%. We base this on lack of communication until this recent mid summer.

A phone call was made and Mr. [redacted] informed us that he had been having a problem with his car starting with the key. He also in formed us that it would ALLWAYS start with the remote starter we installed. He asked us to check the car out to eliminate the remote start as the issue.

The auto was dropped off at the shop over the Sunday to Monday morning time period while we were not opened and keys were dropped in our drop box.

Upon opening on Monday we went out to the car and as he stated..the 2005 PT would NOT start with the key. We used the remote start button and it started right up. We then removed the starter's IdataLink interphase we installed along with the starter and put it back in to see if that would help. Now car would not start with either the key or our starter.

WE called the customer and let him know the status and after 3 hrs. of work checking what the problem could be we resolved to the fact that it was a pre existing issue that was dumped on us.

We have NO evidence that the car was driven to us as it was left over the weekend/night while we were not here. We believe it may have been towed.

After Mr. [redacted] picked the car up, he had it towed to the nearest Chrysler dealer to be service. We were called by [redacted] in service to let us in on the fact that 3 of the car's ECU's were blanks but reprogrammable. We asked if it could have been the starter and he replied that he could NOT say that it was caused by the Remote starter legally and it could have been cause by many other outside sources. He informed us that Mr.[redacted] told them to fix it as we(Long Radio) would pay the bill. We never discussed this with Mr.[redacted] in any way shape or form.

The repair bill on no parts but just a re program of the 9 Y/o cars ECU's was $452. Mr. [redacted] than began backtracking and telling us over the phone that he only had one situation where the car would not start with the key back in March even though we have a copy of his note dropped with the car and video/audio from our cameras distinctly contradicting that statement.

Mr. [redacted] has been a solid customer over the past few years spending $2800 in purchases. Because of this we extended the olive branch and offered to pay for half the repair bill, ignore the 3 hrs. we spent trying to solve his issue, and reinstall the starter for no charge. He Declined and stated that he would call channel 3 and report us (yes over the top) and rain [redacted] on us. He stated that he was a top customer spending over $6000 over that the few years and wanted the entire bill paid along with a refund on the starter.

He also stated that he would rent a car that we would have to pay for per his Lawyer's advise and would not pick the car up till we made a decision. That changed as well as the car was paid for and picked up days later.

Bottom line is that the car was dropped off at our shop (towed or driven..no way to prove other) with an existing problem. We (Long Radio) offered to pay 1/2 his repair bill when we could not fix his issue with his 9 y/o car. We could not come to terms.

Bottom line is that all this is over a meager $226 that he does not want to pay. Instead he wants to take the high road and take this to another level.

We believe we have tried to find common ground with Mr. [redacted] and over a meager $226, he is willing to give up our offer of the reinstall of the good working remote starter, give up all goodwill between us, drop the 3 hrs. of fees, and make it all go away.

The offer still stands and he is more than welcome to reconnect with us and collect a check along with keeping the goodwill that was previously between us as 3 of his vehicles are equipped with equipment installed by us that we are still honoring under warrant as applied.

Waiting to hear back from Mr. [redacted] regarding this minor dispute that have got out of hand.

[redacted] T [redacted]

Mgr. Long Radio of Enfield, INC.

Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2013/08/14) */

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT ACCEPT the response from the business.)

There are many factual errors with the sequence of events and what was communicated in this statement by Long Radio that unfortunately I feel that it will require court action. There I can provide witnesses to attest to the conditon of the car prior to servicing. I have never had to take anyone to court previously, but these statements by them are grossly inaccurate.