My Tech Tire & Automotive

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/10/28) */
To whom it may concern,
Jonathon had his car towed to our shop because he had attempted
to replace his exhaust system. Upon attempting to do so, he shorted
out something and now the vehicle would not turn on at all, as
reported by...

Jonathon.
We initially estimated him $95.00 to check out the reason the car
would not not start at all. He approved this. We checked it out and
found that he caused the 100A bolt-in main fuse to blow. The
replacement of this fuse requires the removal and disassembly of
the underhood main fuse panel. We did it and charged him the
$95.00 to include the diagnosis and the repair.
We called him to give him the update on this and our findings on
the other items on his list.
Other items on his list were:
*check out alternator bolt broken/missing
*replace power steering high pressure hose with
customer-supplied part.
*get stripped out, incorrect length egr pipe to bolt up to aftermarket
header
Other items that we noticed, that customer did not mention:
*upon trying to drive, transmission fluid spewes out from
underneath vehicle
For alternator bolt broken / missing, needed to special order a
dealer bolt.
For power steering hose, just needed to replace.
For Stripped out egr pipe in aftermarket header, advised
customer that we could try to get the pipe to fit, but later realized
that this was an illegal header pipe that would not have passed
smog inspection, that the customer had put in place of an
exhaust manifold/catalytic converter assembly. We advised him
that he needed to bring the original exhaust manifold back.
For the trans fluid leak, found a severed cooler hose. Customer
advised he knew about this.
Revised the estimate for the above work. Customer authorized.
Customer brought back the exhaust manifold/cat. We ordered the
alternator bolt.
By the end of the week, the alternator bolt arrived, and we were
ready to resume work
on the car, as soon as it could be worked back into the que. This
was Monday morning.
Monday morning, we resumed working on the vehicle. At that exact
time, customer showed up, visibly angry, and wanted an update on
cost and time. We gave him the update. He got more angry and asked
if we were able to do the work, and did we want to. We said yes and yes.
He wanted to know why so much time had gone by in which we did
not work on the car anymore. We explained that we were waiting
for the bolt and that we had planned to resume work on the car when
all the parts were here. He did not believe us and told us that the
alternator adjustment bolt that I was showing him, he could have gotten
anywhere. We asked him if he wanted us to proceed with the work and
he said yes, and we gave him the updated estimated cost, and he approved,
but also said explicits such as "we are really fisting him good, with no lube".
We asked him if he was sure that he wanted us to continue, he said yes.
So we did. Upon removing his exhaust header to install the original exhaust
manifold, we found that the downpipe that he installed as well, did not bolt
up to the original exhaust manifold/cat. So we called him to find out if he still
had the original downpipe. He said yes. He brought it, and we found that not
only was the flex portion of it worn out, but that he had cut the rear flange off
of it. So we asked him if he could bring that as well. He did.
We gave him an updated estimate for the additional work and repairs, and
he got very angry again, telling us that we are "really fisting him good, and
without any lube". But he approved the additional work and costs.
So we repaired the exhaust.
In the whirlwind of his anger, I could not honestly remember if he asked us
to do the ps hose or not. So, to try to help him, we paid our mechanic to
replace it and did not charge him anything.
We completed all repairs that he approved and called him when it was done.
He came to pick the vehicle up, and was angry again/still.
He said that our bill was ridiculous. I asked him if he wanted to talk about
this in front of our office full of customers or if he wanted to go outside.
He said that he wanted the world and the internet and everyone to know
about this. I said ok. I asked him what he wanted to pay for the services
that we did and he said $500.00. So I instructed our service writer to take
payment for the amount of $500.00. [redacted] gave our service writer a
credit/debit card, he swipped it and entered the amount of $500.00. Our
machine indicated that it could only approve the amount of $372.79.
Our service writer asked if he wanted us to charge that amount to that card.
He said no, I gave you the wrong card. So we canceled the transaction and
gave him the canceled reciept. He gave us another debit/credit card and it
went through without any problem.
The next day, [redacted] called and wanted us to pay him $372.79, saying
that we took his money. We explained to him that we did not. We did a
batch report to show that nowhere was that amount in our batch report.
We did it again that evening. Nothing. We did it again the next day. Nothing.
Jonathon called us and told us that we should have given him the money back.
In conclusion, it is my feeling, that Jonathon damaged his vehicle badly, installed
an illegal part on it, and now wants someone else (us) to pay for his mistake.
And now he has filed a complaint with the Revdex.com.
Thank You,
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Owners at My Tech Tire & Automotive
Temecula, CA
XXX XXX-XXXX