ComplaintsforDonnie's Foreign Car Service

• Initial Complaint

  08/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  At the beginning of July 2023, I took my 2014 Audi Q5 to be serviced at Donnie's Foreign Car Service. We received a call explaining that the issue with my vehicle was the oil separator, and that it needed to be replaced/serviced. We trusted them and agreed, with the understanding it would fix the symptoms of rough idling and stalling my car had been displaying. It was a big job, and my total bill was $3900 dollars, also adding a new water pump and servicing the radiator as well. A few days later, we received a call that my car was complete and ready to pick up. I was excited to get it back, hoping that everything would run like new. I get less than a mile down the road from the shop, and the check engine light comes back on. I returned my car the very next day, and the tech made some additional "adjustments." I pick up my car for the second time, and drive it for two or three days, and the problem with stalling and rough idling returns. We take it back a third time, and they quote me a new problem for $1100 dollars- the high pressure fuel pump was the diagnosis. (?!?!) At this point, we asked to speak to the owner, Donnie, who was out for the week. When he returned, my husband called and spoke to him, he apologized and seemed willing to resolve the problem. We brought the car back in for the fourth time, and they replaced the high pressure fuel pump. They STILL charged me, after all the going back and forth for a month, including missing some work during all this pick up/drop off. I spent a ton of money on labor and parts with them, for something that didn't even fix my car. I'm just not sure of the quality of "specialty knowledge" Donnie's Foreign Car advertises. The oil separator was a misdiagnosis, and I am requesting a portion of my funds for that be returned to me. I would not have agreed to do that job if I knew it wouldn't fix the initial problem like we were told.

  Business response

  08/18/2023

  Donnie *** ******

  Business response

  08/18/2023

  Clayton ******; Audi Vehicle came in with complaints of hard to start and stalling at startup, when started will not idle correctly, and losing coolant. Vehicle was setting dtcs for a lean running condition upon diagnosis Found excessive vacuum in the crankcase causing the idling and stalling upon start up issue. Found oil separator/pcv to be faulty and coolant leaks coming from water pump and a coolant pipe. Vehicle did return shortly after leaving with a check engine light on due to the intake runners being mis-aligned from the repair, we repositioned the runners and test drove vehicle again making sure no other dtcs would be set at no charge to customer. Vehicle returned a few days later with an intermittent long cranking issue in which the vehicle would crank for a while Before it would start. Technician found once vehicle sat for a while the high pressure fuel pump would take longer than usual to build enough pressure for engine to start. This issue was a separate concern from the original customer complaint, however we diagnosed and replaced the fuel pump at no labor costs to the customer only asking the customer to pay for the part.

  We did not put any unnecessary parts on this car.

  These cars are known for these problems if you read on forums you will see multiple coolant leaks issues, oil separators issues, fuel pump issues. Audi and VW have all of these problems. Some are difficult to diagnose some are slam dunks. Mr ******s car was diagnosed correctly from the start and fixed his coolant leaks and his idle problem. Yes it did return with another issue and we only charged customer with my cost on the part and “No Labor “ which was over $300 . 

  There is nothing he did not need , I’m sorry he feels that way and this car will continue to have coolant failures due to plastic pipes and age of car. We see these every day same problems over and over. I see no reason for us to give back money on what his car needed. It had multiple problems and yes they are expensive and that is what people get when they buy an Audi! 

  Thanks Donnie

  Business response

  08/18/2023

  ******* ******; Audi Vehicle came in with complaints of hard to start and stalling at startup, when started will not idle correctly, and losing coolant. Vehicle was setting dtcs for a lean running condition upon diagnosis Found excessive vacuum in the crankcase causing the idling and stalling upon start up issue. Found oil separator/pcv to be faulty and coolant leaks coming from water pump and a coolant pipe. Vehicle did return shortly after leaving with a check engine light on due to the intake runners being mis-aligned from the repair, we repositioned the runners and test drove vehicle again making sure no other dtcs would be set at no charge to customer. Vehicle returned a few days later with an intermittent long cranking issue in which the vehicle would crank for a while Before it would start. Technician found once vehicle sat for a while the high pressure fuel pump would take longer than usual to build enough pressure for engine to start. This issue was a separate concern from the original customer complaint, however we diagnosed and replaced the fuel pump at no labor costs to the customer only asking the customer to pay for the part.

  We did not put any unnecessary parts on this car.

  These cars are known for these problems if you read on forums you will see multiple coolant leaks issues, oil separators issues, fuel pump issues. Audi and VW have all of these problems. Some are difficult to diagnose some are slam dunks. Mr ******s car was diagnosed correctly from the start and fixed his coolant leaks and his idle problem. Yes it did return with another issue and we only charged customer with my cost on the part and “No Labor “ which was over $300 . 

  There is nothing he did not need , I’m sorry he feels that way and this car will continue to have coolant failures due to plastic pipes and age of car. We see these every day same problems over and over. I see no reason for us to give back money on what his car needed. It had multiple problems and yes they are expensive and that is what people get when they buy an Audi! 

  Thanks Donnie

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