Paul's Car Care, Inc.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
It is abundantly clear from the first line of [redacted]’s response that we are being unjustly penalized for our relationship with [redacted] is a mechanic whom we met when our children played on Little League together. Over the years he has done occasional work on our vehicles as he has done for many acquaintances from the team in our neighborhood. As non-mechanics, we appreciate the advice he shares because we know it can be easy for disreputable mechanics to take advantage of those who aren’t mechanically inclined – there are plenty of national news shows that have proven this fact. Sometimes [redacted] would do the work in our driveway. Other times he would do the work in his driveway. And sometimes, when he worked at a particular auto shop, he would have us bring the car there. The work was never done “under the table” as we always paid the shop owner, not [redacted], for the work that was performed at the shop. We have and continue to take our vehicles to some of those shops, including [redacted] in Gilbert, which has always done a decent job at a fair price. We sure wish we had taken our vehicle there again this time because we’re certain the outcome would have been different.
 
When our son’s 98 Chevy Truck started acting up a couple of months ago, [redacted] offered to stop by our home one evening to see if he had an idea of what might be causing the problem. He said although he had some ideas, and that a coolant leak might be coming from a plug at the rear of the cylinder head, he wouldn’t be able to tell for sure without getting the truck up on a lift. A few weeks went by before we were able to get the truck to Paul's Car Care and apparently in that timeframe [redacted] had been let go.  [redacted] tried to get a hold of [redacted] to see if he thought Paul’s Car Care was a reputable shop but was unable to reach him. If we had been successful in reaching [redacted], who we later found out was out of town, we probably wouldn’t have kept the car there. But [redacted] seemed honest and willing to assist, so [redacted] explained what [redacted] had suggested might be the problem. Contrary to [redacted]’s response, we did NOT come in knowing what was wrong with the car and we didn’t insist on any particular work being performed or diagnosis being done – we just wanted someone who knows how to fix cars to tell us what we needed to do. 
The ONLY reason we authorized the transmission to be removed was because the $42.50 diagnostic and subsequent view of the area once the truck was put up on the lift showed evidence of a leak -- [redacted] said that because he didn’t have x-ray eyes he would have to remove the transmission to get at the actual leak. However, [redacted] ALSO subsequently agreed that the leak that he eventually found, which was coming from the lower intake manifold, could have been found and fixed WITHOUT removing the transmission. When [redacted] asked, “did you need x-ray vision to see that the leak was coming from the lower intake manifold” [redacted] said “no.” That’s why [redacted] had no interest in looking at photos which proved that the problem was the intake manifold – it would have been even more infuriating to see proof that the 5.5 hours of work they did to remove the transmission shouldn’t have been done in the first place – you don’t need to move a transmission to detect a lower intake manifold leak or fix a lower intake manifold leak, for that matter. 
The bottom line is [redacted] and [redacted] did not carefully inspect the vehicle or they could have determined the leak did not require a 5.5 hour transmission removal. [redacted] is trying to infer that [redacted] insisted the leaks were coming from a plug at the rear of the cylinder head. That is simply not true – all [redacted] did was tell [redacted] what [redacted] had suggested. But even [redacted] said he couldn’t be sure without putting the truck up on a lift to get a better view. He does not have a lift which is why he told us to take it to the shop where he was working at – and like we had done any other time we took it to a shop where he was working we expected we would be paying the shop owner, not [redacted], for any services that needed to be performed. We trusted [redacted]’s Care Care to determine the ACTUAL problem – regardless of what [redacted] had suggested -- and had they found the problem without performing what turned out to be an unnecessary transmission removal we would have happily agreed to pay to have the intake manifold repaired. A mechanic who had repaired the intake manifold about a year ago (who was not [redacted], by the way) had apparently done a lousy job (hence our suspicion of mechanics we don’t know) and [redacted] said that whoever had done that work was “an a-hole.” 
[redacted] misdirected anger at [redacted] and his shop’s misdiagnosis of the problem has left us with a nearly $600 [redacted] for work that didn’t need to be performed in the first place, and a truck that still requires an expensive fix. This is the kind of unethical and fraudulent behavior that unfortunately makes so many distrustful of auto repair shops. [redacted] called the police when the angry gang-up on the part of [redacted] and [redacted] made it clear things were getting out of hand. We have never, ever expected anyone to perform work for free and have plenty of repair [redacted]s to prove it. But we do not think it is justifiable to pay for a careless diagnosis and unnecessary work that benefits absolutely nobody but the shop owner. It’s too bad [redacted] isn’t working there anymore – we have no idea what went on between him and the shop owner, but based on our past experiences he’s a capable mechanic who, with the benefit of a lift, would very likely have found the problem that truly needed fixing.Regards,
[redacted]

In response to your request for us to reconsider our position regarding this complaint, I would like to start by saying that first of all, I called [redacted] and spoke with [redacted] the service advisor on 11/24/2014. I asked him if [redacted] had spoken with the technician regarding his car. He told me no, he has not spoken with the tech. With respect to his claim that the water pump was not installed properly, this is impossible. There is only one way for it to be installed. The bolt patterns and two dowell pins are the only way it is installed. If it were not on properly, the car would not go back together, let alone run! I would like to repeat that originally the car was towed in, overheated and leaking coolant. We replaced the water pump as authorized by the customer. We also recommended the thermostat which he decided NOT to do. Everything started and ran,no leaks, no overheating, no noise. After three weeks which the customer drove 950 miles he came back to the shop with a concern of noise in the engine area which was intermittent. [redacted] told [redacted] this was most likely the timing chain tensioner and that he should have it replaced. Once again he decided NOT to have the recommended repair done. Instead he picked up the car and after driving for a day and a distance of 45 miles the car quit running. At the time of the water pump installation the tensioner was working normally and quiet. If there was a problem the car would have only gone the 45 miles and quit, or maybe not even have started, NOT 950 miles and three weeks! We maintain this is a failure which occured after the initial repair and is unrelated. Mr. Bogan decided on two ocassions NOT to do the recommended repairs and consequently the car quit running. If for a moment we thought it was related to our work, we would have taken care of it. We believe this is NOT due to our work and we should not be held responsible. The customer stated he did not have the money to do the necessary work. Therefore, our hands were tied.

On 9/23/2014 the customer had his 2007 charger towed to our shop. He stated that the car quit and was smoking. It had overheated and when it arrived we had to let the car cool down. The customer drove the car to the point that the engine stopped running. On freeze frame the engine reached a...

temperature of 258F, which is far above normal limits. It also registered a code PO117. He should have paid attention to the service engine light coming on and the temp gauge. After cool down the engine started. We filled the radiator with water to check for coolant leaks. The water was coming out of the water pump as fast as we could fill the radiator. To start we recommended replace the water pump and thermostat because of overheating. The customer stated he didn't have enough money to do both. He decided to only have the water pump replaced. We advised him if the thermostat failed afterwards he would be faced with finding the funds to have it replaced. He accepted that and we proceded to replace the water pump. We checked to see if there were other leaks, while using a Matco tool to pull a vaccum on the cooling system. I was concerned because of how hot the engine temp had reached (258F). No other leaks were detected. The test passed. After installing the water pump and timing chain which we put on the exact same way it came off, all the timing belts lined up. The engine was turned over 4 revolutions and all the belts lined up. Cranked the engine over 45 seconds and timing chains and tensioner worked normal. The vehicle will not run if the chain is on wrong.  On completion the car started, ran and did not leak or overheat.Three weeks later on 10/15/2014 (not 1week) the customer drove the car into the shop and stated there was a noise in the engine area. When asked when did it start he stated the day before. He had put on 950 miles in three weeks. Then he said it started to make noise a day or so after picking up the car the first time in September. If this were so, he should have returned much sooner. The facts actually show he drove three weeks and 950 miles. If the chain was not installed correctly the car would not run. We told the customer it appears the timing chain tensioner is letting go. The noise was intermittent, coming and going. I agreed to change the oil and oil filter as the oil was dirty and the oil filter was heavy when removed. In consultation with the dealer they said these 2.7 engines sludge up if oil changes are not done regularly which can cause the engine to fail. The parts department also said they are known for tensioners and chains going bad. Two local dealers stock these parts regularly and sell 36 tensioners on average per year. We also performed an oil pressure test. We provided an estimate for the tensioner replacement and he said he didn't have the money to do the repair. He decided to pick up the car and not do the recommended repair.Two days later he called and said the car quit and he had it towed to our shop. It appeared the tensioner had let go, causing the no start. The customer asked if the water pump repacement caused this and we explained to him it was unrelated and reminded him that he chose not to repair the tensioner because of no money. He didn't authorize us to inspect but instead had the car towed to the dealer. When [redacted] spoke with [redacted] from [redacted], and explained the repair we performed, [redacted] stated that it appeared we did the work properly and we knew what we were doing. We suggest that the customer do a [redacted] search also to see the known problems with this noise and the tensioners. [redacted] also has stopped making the 2.7 engine in 2010. They currently have a problem with the 5.7 hemi snapping the timing chains. We have done many repairs over the years on these engines and had no problems. In summary, we repaired his coolant leak and resolved the overheating issue it originally came in for. The repair was done correctly or it would not have run for 950 miles and three weeks. The vehicle had another part failure which is a new repair. We explained to him that he decided not to do the recommended repair work and unfortunate for him it was a bad choice.

[redacted]In response to your email, we maintain our position is we are not responsible for this failure. As stated before, the customer picked up the car and it was quiet and ran fine. He only allowed minimal repair of the water pump to repair the coolant leak. He drove it for three weeks and 950 miles!! Then he came back with a noise in the engine area. [redacted] told him he probably needed to replace the timing tensioner because it was failing and causing the noise. He stated he did not have the money and picked up the car. He drove it about 45 miles and the next day he called stating the car quit running. He did not have money and did not allow us to do any inspection. Instead he towed the car to the dealer. On his first complaint he stated the necessary estimate was $1200.00. Now it has accelerated to over $4270.00!!! We question the dealer's statement. It is [redacted]'s belief the work we performed was done properly and we are not responsible. The customer decided not to do the recommended work due to lack of money. This is not our responsibility. The work was done right, the car ran and was quiet and not leaking or overheating.Sincerely,[redacted]Paul's Car Care Inc[redacted]

In response to your request for us to reconsider our position regarding this complaint, I would like to start by saying that first of all, I called [redacted] and spoke with [redacted] the service advisor on 11/24/2014. I asked him if [redacted] had spoken with the technician regarding his car. He told me no, he has not spoken with the tech. With respect to his claim that the water pump was not installed properly, this is impossible. There is only one way for it to be installed. The bolt patterns and two dowell pins are the only way it is installed. If it were not on properly, the car would not go back together, let alone run! I would like to repeat that originally the car was towed in, overheated and leaking coolant. We replaced the water pump as authorized by the customer. We also recommended the thermostat which he decided NOT to do. Everything started and ran,no leaks, no overheating, no noise. After three weeks which the customer drove 950 miles he came back to the shop with a concern of noise in the engine area which was intermittent. [redacted] told [redacted] this was most likely the timing chain tensioner and that he should have it replaced. Once again he decided NOT to have the recommended repair done. Instead he picked up the car and after driving for a day and a distance of 45 miles the car quit running. At the time of the water pump installation the tensioner was working normally and quiet. If there was a problem the car would have only gone the 45 miles and quit, or maybe not even have started, NOT 950 miles and three weeks! We maintain this is a failure which occured after the initial repair and is unrelated. Mr. Bogan decided on two ocassions NOT to do the recommended repairs and consequently the car quit running. If for a moment we thought it was related to our work, we would have taken care of it. We believe this is NOT due to our work and we should not be held responsible. The customer stated he did not have the money to do the necessary work. Therefore, our hands were tied.

Around 10am on Friday morning, June 20,2014, Mr. [redacted] arrived in our office looking for [redacted] who had done work under the table for him in the  past. [redacted] told him he was no longer here and asked if he could help. [redacted] stated that he had a coolant leak on his Chev pick up and [redacted]...

told him the leak was coming from a plug at the rear of the cylinger head and needed to get the truck up on a hoist to see better. Mr. [redacted] attempted to contack [redacted] by phone while sitting in our waiting area for half an hour. When he was unable to do so he asked [redacted] if he could check the leak. [redacted] said yes, he would pressure test the cooling system for $42.50 and show him what we find. The truck was brought in after paper work was completed. Our tech, [redacted], who is ASE certified, checked the radiator and added 3/4 gallon of water to perform the pressure test. Two areas were showing signs of leaking. First the upper radiator hose, which [redacted] tightened.The tech then used a mirror and flashlight in an attempt to get a visual on the source of the water leak coming from behind the right cylinder head. There was no room to see so the truck was then raised up to inspect. At the back of the engine above the transmission there was evidence of a leak. The owner was there along with his son ans was asked if he could see where the leak was coming from. He answered no. [redacted] explained we don't have xray eyes and suggested we remove the transmission to identify the leak. Mr. [redacted] said yes, go ahead. [redacted] told him it is a 5.5 hour job and he said go ahead and pull it out. The customer was told the job would not be completed until Monday and at that time (around 11am) he left with his son.Later that afternoon approx 3-4pm after the transmission was out we had a view of the leak. The lower intake manifold at the rear corner is leaking. [redacted] took a photo so we could send it to Mr. [redacted] in the event he could not come in to see. He declined on both offers. [redacted] asked him if someone had removed the lower intake manifold in the past. He said yes, but wasn't sure who because a couple of mechanics had worked on the truck in the past. [redacted] suggested he may want to return to whoever did this work and see if they would rectify the problem. He also warned the customer of the possibility that the intake manifold may be pitted and also need repair. Because the truck arrived with only water and no antifreeze this is a possibility for causing rust and corrosion. Because [redacted] was convinced there was a plug at the back of the cylinder head leaking, there could have been a head leaking or the engine block. There was no way to see without pulling out the transmission. In this phone call [redacted] stated first, he was not paying to pull the transmission because he felt we misdiagnosed. Actually because the transmission was out we were able to source and diagnose the leak. Also there are no plugs on the rear of these heads. The $42.50 was for pressure test only. Then we had to find the leak. Second, he asked for an estimate to repair the lower intake manifold leak. By then it was almost 5pm and [redacted] said we would have to call Monday. On Monday June 23, [redacted] called with an estimate and he said he wasn't going to repair the leak and wasn't paying to r & r the transmission. She explained that he had authorized the work and [redacted] expected to be paid for work performed as authorized. He stated he wanted to speak with [redacted] again and he returned his call. [redacted] told him the tech was putting the transmission back in and we needed exhaust gaskets to complete the install. [redacted] said we would call when it was ready. Once again [redacted] suggested Mr. [redacted] return to the previous mechanic. Also [redacted] asked if he was told the intake maniflold was pitted when it was previously removed. Mr. [redacted] said yes and [redacted] told him if we had done the original job the pitted manifold would not have been reinstalled without repair and also told him this is why he is having to re-do the same repair. Also water without antifreeze makes for more trouble/leaks. Around 3pm, Mr. [redacted] showed up to get his truck. [redacted] presented him his [redacted] which he promptly refused to pay and said once again to get [redacted] in to speak with him. [redacted] spoke with [redacted] and explained yet again the $42.50 was for pressure test only. He reminded [redacted] he had authorized the removal of the transmission and was told it was a 5.5 hour job. Our tech, [redacted] was also called to the office and stated he also heard Mr. [redacted] authorize pulling the transmission. He had predetermined based on [redacted]'s words there was a plug leaking at the rear of the cylinder head. When we tried to explain to him the diagnosis was wrong he just didn't want to hear it. We also offered to show him the photo again which he refused. At this point he stated he would calll 3 on you side and complain to the Revdex.com. Also he said he was calling the police. Chandler police arrived and spoke with both parties. They explained to the customer he had verbally authorized and signed to remove the transmission to locate the leak. They also reminded him no shop would perform this procedure for free. Chandler police told [redacted] and [redacted] they see many people trying to get repairs for free. One has to wonder if [redacted] had still been here and [redacted] had authorized us to r & r the transmission, would his reaction still be the same?!

[redacted]'s Car Care is not a fraudulent business. We communicated every step of the way and showed the customer what was happening and presented suggestions for him to consider. We did what Mr. [redacted] authorized and believe we are entitled  payment for work  performed. It is unfortunate Mr. [redacted] didn't like the news we presented him, that a previous repair has to be redone.

On 9/23/2014 the customer had his 2007 charger towed to our shop. He stated that the car quit and was smoking. It had overheated and when it arrived we had to let the car cool down. The customer drove the car to the point that the engine stopped running. On freeze frame the engine reached a...

temperature of 258F, which is far above normal limits. It also registered a code PO117. He should have paid attention to the service engine light coming on and the temp gauge. After cool down the engine started. We filled the radiator with water to check for coolant leaks. The water was coming out of the water pump as fast as we could fill the radiator. To start we recommended replace the water pump and thermostat because of overheating. The customer stated he didn't have enough money to do both. He decided to only have the water pump replaced. We advised him if the thermostat failed afterwards he would be faced with finding the funds to have it replaced. He accepted that and we proceded to replace the water pump. We checked to see if there were other leaks, while using a Matco tool to pull a vaccum on the cooling system. I was concerned because of how hot the engine temp had reached (258F). No other leaks were detected. The test passed. After installing the water pump and timing chain which we put on the exact same way it came off, all the timing belts lined up. The engine was turned over 4 revolutions and all the belts lined up. Cranked the engine over 45 seconds and timing chains and tensioner worked normal. The vehicle will not run if the chain is on wrong.  On completion the car started, ran and did not leak or overheat.Three weeks later on 10/15/2014 (not 1week) the customer drove the car into the shop and stated there was a noise in the engine area. When asked when did it start he stated the day before. He had put on 950 miles in three weeks. Then he said it started to make noise a day or so after picking up the car the first time in September. If this were so, he should have returned much sooner. The facts actually show he drove three weeks and 950 miles. If the chain was not installed correctly the car would not run. We told the customer it appears the timing chain tensioner is letting go. The noise was intermittent, coming and going. I agreed to change the oil and oil filter as the oil was dirty and the oil filter was heavy when removed. In consultation with the dealer they said these 2.7 engines sludge up if oil changes are not done regularly which can cause the engine to fail. The parts department also said they are known for tensioners and chains going bad. Two local dealers stock these parts regularly and sell 36 tensioners on average per year. We also performed an oil pressure test. We provided an estimate for the tensioner replacement and he said he didn't have the money to do the repair. He decided to pick up the car and not do the recommended repair.Two days later he called and said the car quit and he had it towed to our shop. It appeared the tensioner had let go, causing the no start. The customer asked if the water pump repacement caused this and we explained to him it was unrelated and reminded him that he chose not to repair the tensioner because of no money. He didn't authorize us to inspect but instead had the car towed to the dealer. When [redacted] spoke with [redacted] from [redacted], and explained the repair we performed, [redacted] stated that it appeared we did the work properly and we knew what we were doing. We suggest that the customer do a [redacted] search also to see the known problems with this noise and the tensioners. [redacted] also has stopped making the 2.7 engine in 2010. They currently have a problem with the 5.7 hemi snapping the timing chains. We have done many repairs over the years on these engines and had no problems. In summary, we repaired his coolant leak and resolved the overheating issue it originally came in for. The repair was done correctly or it would not have run for 950 miles and three weeks. The vehicle had another part failure which is a new repair. We explained to him that he decided not to do the recommended repair work and unfortunate for him it was a bad choice.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

It is abundantly clear from the first line of [redacted]’s response that we are being unjustly penalized for our relationship with [redacted] is a mechanic whom we met when our children played on Little League together. Over the years he has done occasional work on our vehicles as he has done for many acquaintances from the team in our neighborhood. As non-mechanics, we appreciate the advice he shares because we know it can be easy for disreputable mechanics to take advantage of those who aren’t mechanically inclined – there are plenty of national news shows that have proven this fact. Sometimes [redacted] would do the work in our driveway. Other times he would do the work in his driveway. And sometimes, when he worked at a particular auto shop, he would have us bring the car there. The work was never done “under the table” as we always paid the shop owner, not [redacted], for the work that was performed at the shop. We have and continue to take our vehicles to some of those shops, including [redacted] in Gilbert, which has always done a decent job at a fair price. We sure wish we had taken our vehicle there again this time because we’re certain the outcome would have been different.

 

When our son’s 98 Chevy Truck started acting up a couple of months ago, [redacted] offered to stop by our home one evening to see if he had an idea of what might be causing the problem. He said although he had some ideas, and that a coolant leak might be coming from a plug at the rear of the cylinder head, he wouldn’t be able to tell for sure without getting the truck up on a lift. A few weeks went by before we were able to get the truck to Paul's Car Care and apparently in that timeframe [redacted] had been let go.  [redacted] tried to get a hold of [redacted] to see if he thought Paul’s Car Care was a reputable shop but was unable to reach him. If we had been successful in reaching [redacted], who we later found out was out of town, we probably wouldn’t have kept the car there. But [redacted] seemed honest and willing to assist, so [redacted] explained what [redacted] had suggested might be the problem. Contrary to [redacted]’s response, we did NOT come in knowing what was wrong with the car and we didn’t insist on any particular work being performed or diagnosis being done – we just wanted someone who knows how to fix cars to tell us what we needed to do. 

The ONLY reason we authorized the transmission to be removed was because the $42.50 diagnostic and subsequent view of the area once the truck was put up on the lift showed evidence of a leak -- [redacted] said that because he didn’t have x-ray eyes he would have to remove the transmission to get at the actual leak. However, [redacted] ALSO subsequently agreed that the leak that he eventually found, which was coming from the lower intake manifold, could have been found and fixed WITHOUT removing the transmission. When [redacted] asked, “did you need x-ray vision to see that the leak was coming from the lower intake manifold” [redacted] said “no.” That’s why [redacted] had no interest in looking at photos which proved that the problem was the intake manifold – it would have been even more infuriating to see proof that the 5.5 hours of work they did to remove the transmission shouldn’t have been done in the first place – you don’t need to move a transmission to detect a lower intake manifold leak or fix a lower intake manifold leak, for that matter. 

The bottom line is [redacted] and [redacted] did not carefully inspect the vehicle or they could have determined the leak did not require a 5.5 hour transmission removal. [redacted] is trying to infer that [redacted] insisted the leaks were coming from a plug at the rear of the cylinder head. That is simply not true – all [redacted] did was tell [redacted] what [redacted] had suggested. But even [redacted] said he couldn’t be sure without putting the truck up on a lift to get a better view. He does not have a lift which is why he told us to take it to the shop where he was working at – and like we had done any other time we took it to a shop where he was working we expected we would be paying the shop owner, not [redacted], for any services that needed to be performed. We trusted [redacted]’s Care Care to determine the ACTUAL problem – regardless of what [redacted] had suggested -- and had they found the problem without performing what turned out to be an unnecessary transmission removal we would have happily agreed to pay to have the intake manifold repaired. A mechanic who had repaired the intake manifold about a year ago (who was not [redacted], by the way) had apparently done a lousy job (hence our suspicion of mechanics we don’t know) and [redacted] said that whoever had done that work was “an a-hole.” 

[redacted] misdirected anger at [redacted] and his shop’s misdiagnosis of the problem has left us with a nearly $600 [redacted] for work that didn’t need to be performed in the first place, and a truck that still requires an expensive fix. This is the kind of unethical and fraudulent behavior that unfortunately makes so many distrustful of auto repair shops. [redacted] called the police when the angry gang-up on the part of [redacted] and [redacted] made it clear things were getting out of hand. We have never, ever expected anyone to perform work for free and have plenty of repair [redacted]s to prove it. But we do not think it is justifiable to pay for a careless diagnosis and unnecessary work that benefits absolutely nobody but the shop owner. It’s too bad [redacted] isn’t working there anymore – we have no idea what went on between him and the shop owner, but based on our past experiences he’s a capable mechanic who, with the benefit of a lift, would very likely have found the problem that truly needed fixing.Regards,

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.I am not pleased with the workPaul's Car care provided for my 2007 [redacted]. I went to [redacted] (the dealership) the technician stated this yesterday when I talked to him "if your waterpump was put on correctly you wouldn't be having this problem right now. Paul's Car Care is fully responsible. 

Regards,[redacted]

[redacted]In response to your email, we maintain our position is we are not responsible for this failure. As stated before, the customer picked up the car and it was quiet and ran fine. He only allowed minimal repair of the water pump to repair the coolant leak. He drove it for three weeks and 950 miles!! Then he came back with a noise in the engine area. [redacted] told him he probably needed to replace the timing tensioner because it was failing and causing the noise. He stated he did not have the money and picked up the car. He drove it about 45 miles and the next day he called stating the car quit running. He did not have money and did not allow us to do any inspection. Instead he towed the car to the dealer. On his first complaint he stated the necessary estimate was $1200.00. Now it has accelerated to over $4270.00!!! We question the dealer's statement. It is [redacted]'s belief the work we performed was done properly and we are not responsible. The customer decided not to do the recommended work due to lack of money. This is not our responsibility. The work was done right, the car ran and was quiet and not leaking or overheating.Sincerely,[redacted]Paul's Car Care Inc[redacted]