ComplaintsforStrange's Garage

• Initial Complaint

  07/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my vehicle to have a new steering fluid pump put in. I requested this with shop shop agreed to fix. When I picked my car up shop was closed and employees were gone and left my key under the mat of my car and left car unlocked. My car still ran the same making same noise as before and on top of that there was a bunji cord holding something up from bottom of my car the other end was attached to the front grill of my car. I called back told them and they made an appointment for Tuesday the 18th and said they would fix it. I went in to talk to The store owner about this issue today the 17th, he was not apologetic one bit but says if you leave car itll be fixed today. So I left my car. **** the mechanic called me a couple hours later and said he flushed it 3 times and it was still the same. I went to pick up my vehicle. He said the car was doing the same thing and that he didnt know what it was that the new pump was producing metal shavings which he showed us, He didnt offer to diagnose or help fix it in any type of way. He also could not show me proof of putting in a new steering fluid pump, charged $500.69 for this and nothing was fixed what so ever except for the part they broke. I asked if they were just keeping my money and he said yes we fixed the front, well as you should because you broke it. They sent me on my way and kept my money like it wasnt their problem! This is by far unacceptable and they should not be allowed to treat any customer this way! I have photos videos of all of this and proof that I showed the owner he didnt really care either. This is not okay to do people like this! They should refund my money so I can get it fixed elsewhere since they could not fix it. I just want my money back at this point because I do not have any trust in that shop at this point. I also have videos that it wont let me upload only pictures it would allow. Thank you .

  Business response

  07/24/2023

  Customer called around a week before repair stating she needed power steering pump. We gave the customer a estimate on the repair and scheduled the vehicle in for July 12 2023. Remove old power steering pump that is when we noticed the metal shavings in the system. We went ahead and flushed the system out at no extra charge. Installed remanufactured power steering pump and vehicle still made the same noise. Drained fluid and re filled 2 more times and it did not help it at this time. Called customer and told her what was going on with the vehicle with the noise and the metal shavings. We did tell her to drive it for a couple days to see if vehicle would quiet down and if not we would try and flush the system again. Customer made payment over the phone and said she wouldn't be here before we closed and we told her we could leave it outside with the key under the floor mat which she was ok with. Customer called to bring it back for another flush for July 18 2023. Customer did state on the phone it had got a little bit quitter. Customer showed up July ******* expressing how she wasn't pleased with our services and saying we left a bunji cord on her front bumper which she never stated when she called to make the appointment the second time. She also stated she had someone to look to see if we even change the pump and they said it was never changed. Then preceded to be prejudice and call my employee a crack head and saying he did drugs. Then asked me if I was drunk. We told customer to leave the vehicle and we would go ahead and flush it. Gave customer a ride home. Drain fluid and flushed system and vehicle still made noise. Look to see why the bunji cord was on there and seen it was a access panel on the front of the vehicle for the oil filter. Like we tried to explain to her we had no reason to be in the front of the vehicle because the power steering pump is by the passenger tire on the back of the engine. We did go ahead and take the bunji cord off and install a push pin to hold it back into place. Did not charge her anything to flush the system again or install that panel back where it goes. Called customer to pick up the vehicle. Customer called back saying she was going to be there during our lunch hour and asked if ***** would wait on her before he left for lunch. ***** waited for her to show up and she proceeded to ask how does she know we didn't just change the pump on that day. ***** stated to the customer it was making the same noise as when she brought it back. Customer then proceeded to state she's going to contact the BBB, Attorney and Fox59 because we didn't fix the problem. ***** then stated that she asked us to change the pump so that is what we did and we were not told to diagnose the problem. She stated that she had another shop diagnose the problem before the repairs and that is what they said was wrong with it. She then asked what ***** what he thought was wrong with it and he told her that there was still metal in the system that could be causing it or possibly the rack and pinion it was hard to say without looking at it. Customer then took vehicle. We have attached pictures of when the pump was purchased, the old pump an the remanufactured pump on the vehicle.

  Customer response

  07/28/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. 
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.] Strange Garage is a place you are suppose to be able to take your car for fix. They broke the plate on my car that they did fix. On diagnosis power steering pump is bad. They could have tried to help me but they didnt which is why I made my report. It could be a bad faulty pump of anything they didnt bother to help a bit or try and find out. They said they didnt know. So my car is still doing the same thing and Im out $500.62 and still have to get it fixed elsewhere. I feel like they took my money and ran with it and I still have to go and have car fixed again. I never asked if he was drunk, if that was the case I never would have allowed him to take me home. O did ask the worker if he had been smoking because while I was discussing this with the owner he was back there making remarks because he was mad I brought it back and talked directly to the owner about them breaking a part and attached it with a bunji cord. I dont believe they put a new pump in on the 12th, I feel they flushed it to make it a little better. I also feel they didnt have any intentions on helping at all. He could not provide any pictures or evidence to show me he had put a new pump in at this time. They could of offered to diagnose and find out what the issue was or helped in any type of way but they didnt. A shop should know what they are doing and try and find out to help customers but that was not the case here. I trusted them with my car. I told them Id be there by 12:35 and I was actually there before your lunch even started so dont act like you did me any favors because you didnt care about this paying customer at all. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  

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