ComplaintsforJRods Automotive Service

• Initial Complaint

  02/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Gave my 1998 Corolla for estimate making rattling noise under the hood. Background: during my visit to ******** Auto Parts Store on January 11, 2024 at **************************************************** asked the salesman (****) if he knows any auto mechanic. **** gave me the name *** and his phone number. After calling *** on January 12 (Friday) and explaining the problem I dropped my car in his driveway. *** took a quick look ad said that he will call me back latest by Sunday (1/14) for an estimate. He did not give me any paperwork for me to sign authorizing him to work. *** did not call me back as promised. I called *** three times the next week including 1/20 (Sat) bud he did not pick up the phone. I became worried and visited ***'s house on 1/21 (Sun) but no one answered the doorbell. Then I visited ******** again on 1/21 and explained to **** the situation. I requested ***************** ***. **** did, then *** called me at 4pm and mentioned that he had been sick. I said you could have just made a brief call telling me the same. On 1/23 after 12 days *** called at 3pm saying that I can pick up the car for $150 **** cleaning the oil screen and adding some oil. *** preferred payment by Credit Card and sent receipt to my email. My wife started the car and it immediately was making the same noise so I knocked at his front door, but he did not answer. My wife and I left frustrated after paying $150 with no improvement. From home we called *** telling him the situation. *** mentioned that I will have to replace the Power steering Pump and the Reservoir at an additional cost and he will call me back with the estimate, but he never did. I am not driving that car now due to the noise it is still making after paying $150 to have it fixed.

  Business response

  02/23/2024

  A customer by the name, "***" ***********************, brought his 1998 ****** Corolla to my shop because of an already existing rattling noise coming from under the hood of the vehicle. While the customer, ***, was watching and listening to the vehicle with me, he informed me that anothe rindividual had looked at said prior to me looking at it and told him it was a powerstering issue. *** than proceded to tell me that the person that looked at it (prior to me looking at it) did infact perform the same service that i would later perform on the same vehicle. 
  ***, being very sure about his previous service would fix his issue, wanted me to clean out the screens in the powersteering resevoir and replace the old fluid that was in the resevoir with new fluid. Before doing the service, i informed *** that this may not fix his problem and that he would have to purchase a new powersteering pump due to the internals being very worn out if he wanted the noise to go away perminantly. He understood and told me to due the service. After i performed the service that he wanted me to do on the vehicle, I called *** and informed him that his vehicle was ready for pick up and the price for said service. *** and his wife pulled into the driveway in a ****** Prius to pick up the vehicle that i had serviced (1998 ****** Corolla) and to pay the bill. *** than started the car and could still hear the noise slighlty. Upon *** doing so we had a small conversation about driving the vehicle for a day or two to see if it would quiet down more. Before leaving the property, *** asked if I could look at the other vehicle that they pulled up in ( the ****** Prius) to see if I could find out where a coolant ***** was coming from. I told *** that would not be a problem at all. I then put the Prius on the lift and started my coolant ***** diagnoses on it. About 35 minutes went by, while in the midst of great converstion, i showed *** the potential spot where the ***** may be from on this Prius. I then let the vehicle down and backed it off the lift and did not charge *** for a Diagnostic fee for looking at his Prius. When i got out and before *** and his wife left with both vehicles I reiterated, If he had any problems with the ****** Corolla to please reach back out.
  
  
  *** called a day or two later to tell me that the noise is worse. We then started talking about replacing the Powersteering pump and resevoir with new ones and i was looking for said parts online at the same time. I gave *** some prices on the the parts i found and all the prices but *** informed me that all the prices were to high for him. I then told *** i would keep looking to see if i could find any cheaper and he said he would be looking himself.
  
  
  I havent heard anything about the vehicle since that time. Last call date was January 23 2024
  
  
  Respecfully,
  ***************************

  Customer response

  02/28/2024

   
  Complaint: 21299866
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Unfortunately, the whole deal was handled very unprofessionally by JRODS AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE (***) without any paperwork, warranty or normal shop practices. I have been driving and getting repairs done since 52 years and never had this kind of experience where the shop keeps the car for over 10 days and does not keep the promises: did not provide the estimate within two days as initially stated, did not notify me with a courtesy call about the status, ignored the phone calls and message left. Finally after approaching again through ******** auto parts store, *** called me back and provided a surprise bill of $150 over the phone just to return the car without any corrective results, rather with the noise even worse.

  The mention of replacing the steering pump plus the reservoir at an additional cost was made for the first time over the phone by *** after I called back from home and complained about the noise becoming worse. 

  As far as a quick check on Prius is concerned it is non issue, mutually agreed in advance that there won't be any charge to look at that. 

  I still feel very strongly that after the car started making worse noise *** should have never charged me the above amount and should refund it to my credit card account ASAP.

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  "***" ***********************

  Business response

  02/29/2024

  To whom it may concern,

  In order to resolve this matter, the company is more than willing to issue a full refund for the service that was done on said customers ****** corolla. Documentation of said rufund will be in by end of day tomorrow.

  Respectfully,

  Jrods Automotive Service

  Business response

  03/01/2024

  Refund has been issued to said customer.

  Customer response

  03/05/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

   

  3-5-2024, Mr.  ***** called BBB to say he has been refunded the money to his credit card.

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  "***" ***********************

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