ComplaintsforAffordable Towing & Automotive

• Initial Complaint

  06/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My daughter purchased a used Buick 2012 Enclave from Mighty Motors in Adrian in August of 2022. In March of 2023, she began to notice some strange noises and took it to Affordable who said it needed to have the timing gears and chain replaced. They had the car for almost 2 month and quoted a $4,893 repair which my wife and I paid. We were told that they covered their work (parts and labor) for a year. When they completed the job, we picked up the car. My daughter drove the car for 2 days, and it quit running in the middle of the street and she had to push it to a parking lot and call a tow truck. It was taken to Affordable since the work was supposedly warranted. They had the car for several days, and when they called us to explain what the issue was, they said that the BELIEVED that someone else worked on the car before they did the initial work so they couldn't guarantee the parts/labor. We have no way of knowing if anyone worked on the car prior to her buying it, since the car was used when it was purchased, but Mighty Motors says that they do a complete factory inspection on all of their vehicles and they knew that everything was in great shape before it was sold to her. Since my daughter has owned this car, one else has worked on the car before or after the work that Affordable did. Affordable says that the best way to fix the car at this point is to drop a new (Used) motor in it which is going to cost an additional $5,000 plus $1,400 for the inspection that they did on it. The insurance will pay the $5,000 but they want us to pay the $1,400 in addition to the money we already paid them from the first supposed warranted repair. We want the initial $4,000 back that we already paid before we would be willing to pay anymore for this car. Our daughter is a single mom with 3 kids, owes over $14,000 to the bank for this car, and cannot afford to pay for a car she can't drive, hence the reason my wife and I are paying for it.

  Business response

  07/13/2023

  This vehicle was brought in for multiple symptoms'. The current complaint is about the engine. When vehicle was inspected it was hard starting and making a rattling noise from the timing cover area. We got approval from customer to remove the valve covers to inspect timing chain and guides. Upon inspection we found timing chain guides had excessive wear and there was slack in the timing chain. These conditions will cause a hard start as well as a noise from timing chain having slack and rattling on the guides. Customer was called and given estimate to replace timing chain guides and sprockets. After completion of repair vehicle started just fine and rattling noise was gone. Test drove vehicle several times and started every time with no problems and noises never returned. Called customer and told them vehicle was completed. 

  After the customer picked the vehicle up it had been driven a couple of days and customer called and said the engine made a noise and stalled out. Vehicle was towed into shop and inspected. Upon inspection vehicle will not start. Tested multiple things and found compression in cylinders was low. Pulled valve covers and found that the engine had a broken cam shaft hold down bracket. Was looking at failed part and it shows crack on the under side of hold down which is not visible without tearing cam shafts down. With 1 being broken we removed other hold downs and found 3 other pieces cracked the same way. These cracks are on the underside of the hold down which rides on the cam lobe. There is no way to know these were cracked when the 1st repairs were done. Due to these components do not have to be removed to do a timing chain and guides job. 

  Customer stated they paid a dealership for a warranty so we reached out to the warranty company and after talking to them and sending them pictures of the failed parts they said to replace the motor. The warranty company was going to pay for the engine replacement but the customer would have a 1400.00 deductible.

  Customer did not want to pay deductible and refused to have repairs done. Vehicle was towed off the lot. 

   

  Customer response

  07/16/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I paid this business $5,000.00 to resolve the engine issue. They stated the issue was resolved but obviously it was not. The deductible for the warranty is $200.00 not $1400.00. They said they warranted their parts and labor for one year and it lasted two days. If the vehicle needed other parts I understand that but the labor should be on them. I want reimbursed for the cost of the labor for the failure to properly diagnose the issue. I had the vehicle towed because they refused to complete the job unless I paid them $1400.00 more on top of the $5000.00 the warranty company said they would allow.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

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