Business ProfileforDon's Garage

*Feb 17th, 2023, Bloomington, Ca., My 1999 Toyota 4 Runner stalled out, would not start, plus I had a flat tire. I had AAA tow it to ***s Garage, ***** ******** *** in Running Springs. As I’m waiting for AAA to arrive (in Bloomington) I call the 24 hour dispatch for this mechanic shop because the shop does not open until 9 am and it was 7 am at the time. The lady dispatch for ***s Garage, I explained to her that my car will be towed there shortly and I gave her all my info and mentioned to her that my phone can only receive incoming calls. I can’t make any calls out and I need someone to touch base with me as soon as the shop opens. She took note and repeated everything correctly including my name and phone number. I even mentioned the fact that one of the tow truck drivers ('*****') who work for ***s is my next door neighbor. Told her the shop knows my car they know who I am. She "replied, "oh I love *****." This dispatch lady was very polite and professional. She made me feel assured and confident that this message would be delivered. This was all before the big storm hit here in the mountains in late February. AAA then arrived in Bloomington and I drove with the driver to ***s Garage. Arrival to ***s was between 8am-8:30am. I watched this AAA driver safely take my vehicle off the tow bed and onto ***s Garage's property. This AAA driver dropped me off to my home.* Feb. 19, 2023 2 days had passed and no one contacted me. It was a Sunday and I decide to walk into town which is a 40 minute walk. The shop was closed but I could see my car was behind the gates. *Feb. 22 - Early March The storm hits the San Bernardino mountains and a lot of businesses are closed. My house was buried in snow and my father and I were trapped in my home for 2 weeks. This is the only time I would understand why I haven't heard from this shop. *March 7 My friend had witnessed the owner *** removing snow driving a small snow plow machine in and out of his garage's yard, through the gates to the big parking lot located behind Jensens Market. * March 18, 2023 ***s garage has now had my car for 1 month 1 day before I finally am able to go down there in person. They never told me about any damage they did to my car. However, I was asked MULTIPLE TIMES what I wanted to do with my car and they said the car needed a new engine but wouldn’t go in to detail about it. They charged me 80 bucks and I asked for a break down. He said one charge was for a new bar for the windshield wiper in which I said "Why would you charge me that? My car doesn't need that." They deducted that 10 dollars off. I asked them how come they never called me and they told me they did call but I have proof they never called. They told me someone called inquiring to buy the car which sounds made up to me. They showed me a 626 area code phone number they had written on the invoice in which I told them no thats not my number and the guy asked for my correct number to write on the invoice in which I asked him to write above it, todays date. I told them about my conversation with the lady dispatch and they told me " Oh her? she is horrible at retrieving messages for us, sometimes we ***'t even get those messages for months." I replied, "She represents this company, she dispatches tows for emergency services on this mountain...sounds like you need to fire and replace her." He then said, "no she is actually good at what she does"Another man came out from the garage & kept asking me over and over again what I was gonna do? and I asked why do you guys keep asking me when I already said numerous times that I’m going to junk the car? the first guy I spoke to said "well if you give us the pink slip you ***’t have to pay this invoice bill." I laughed and said "that doesn’t make no sense. If you junk it you would be coming up off of me 500 - 600 bucks and my invoice is at 68 bucks?I explained to them that my driveway is still full of snow and it would take me a day or 2 to remove the snow so my car could fit there. I noticed that the date on the invoice read 2-23-2023. That means my car sat there for 6 days in the yard before anyone bothered to look at it. I lost days of work because of this. *March 21, 2023 I dispatch AAA to have my car towed back to my house. ***s Garage receives the dispatch call and thats when the owner '***' finally called me for the FIRST TIME since my car was towed to their business on 2- 17-2023. "This is ***, well what do you wanna do?” He wanted my car really bad and was getting irritated that I wouldn't let them have my car. He told me I needed a new engine because the timing belts are bad. He said, “Well we can junk your car for you.” I told him "No I need the money and I’m not gonna just give you my car. Didn't your guys inform you of this ? Did they not tell you I was there on Saturday?" He said he was aware. *March 21, 2023 Tow truck arrives and I’m shocked to find the front end of the car smashed in. I asked the driver '*****' "What happened to my car? Its all smashed in front." ***** says nervously, "I ***'t know, uh you should call ***." Now I already had some front end damage to my car from a previous incident and I can provide proof of what it looked like before hand, but this was horrific. I called the shop and the owner '***' said he hit my car while driving his mini snow plower in the shops yard and he said it in a way like it wasn’t a big deal. He said, “Well you are gonna junk it anyway. It won't decrease the value of money they will give you. Well if you plan on having the car fixed, then I’ll buy you a new bumper.” This was the last I heard from ***.I now have no car, I take care of my 79 year old father. I haven't had a means of transportation to work and back because they slow played me. My next door neighbor works for ***s and him and his wife have my phone number. My number could have been given to *** if my number was lost. Why was there no communication? I believe my car was fixable when I brought it in and that this repair shop damaged my car to the point where it now needs an engine. I feel as though they didn't want me to see what they did to my car because *** damaged the car and was trying to prevent me from any further action like I am doing now. As a customer, so many reasons to what the motive here was because I know they flip and sell cars as well and Toyota 4Runners are a great vehicle. Regardless of any situation it does not make it ok for a shop to blow off the damage they did to any customers property that the mechanics have in their posession. They tried charging me for things I never needed. In the past, they had fixed my brakes only to have to go back a month later for the same issue. *** told me that since I work off the mountain that when I commute down the 330 I should drive my car in 2nd gear so I don't use my brakes so much. I thought this sounded strange, but what do I know? He is the mechanic, you would think this guy knows more and or have thier customers best interest. This business needs to be held responsible for all of the problems they have caused me. This business needs to be investigated. Look at the reviews online. I fear that I will not be able to pay rent and bills because this caused me loss of work days.(Not including the storm days)