ComplaintsforCastle Service Center

• Initial Complaint

  06/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  First I went to them 3 times to get an estimate first it was 350 then it was 500 and the last time was 500 then he said it needed a valve cover gasket I said okay because I know that needed to be changed when he took it off it destroyed itself then he said I needed a timing belt I said no if he cleaned it there shouldn’t be a problem putting it back on and then he says that he’s gonna seal the oil pan with silicone when I got it back the first time I told him it was leaking worse than when I brought it in and he tells his wife and she says your gonna have to charge for that so they pull my car back in then few days later I see my car parked in the back of their lot so I go down there and check my car and it’s unlocked with my home and mail key in the passenger seat the next day I call and ask what’s going on with my car I only needed and oil pan gasket because it was leaking and they tell me then that I need a water pump and timing kit and oil pan gasket and that it was gonna be 1500$ I was on the phone with them and my girlfriend heard that price and said I needed to get a lawyer and the wife of the machanic said yeah you need a lawyer so I tell them I’ll pay for the work I wanted you to do and I got in to pay and they charge me 620$ and then they didn’t tell me they charge you if you use your card and it charged me 21$ so I drive it home and found a snap on tool in my engine bay my ground to my valve cover was off the belt to my water pump and alternator was loose to where you could take it off by hand my alternator was unplugged and they snapped a bolt in the bottom of my block where the oil pan bolts up very unhappy with Castle Service Center Norton va. Note it’s still leaking to the point I can’t drive it and I drove the car 6 months before going to castle now I can’t run it and my car dies on me now when trying to come to a stop that has never happened in this vehicle till he touched it.

  Business response

  06/23/2023

  Hello, *******.Thank you for calling the shop this morning and sending this complaint email from Mr. ****** while we were on the phone.I had already forwarded all of the encounters with Mr. ******** spraypainted 2000 Honda Prelude to the shop’s attorney on May 25, 2023, as I anticipated issues with this customer with additional information sent to the attorney on June 13, 2023. Please find some of this information below:*Customer ******* ****** brought in customer-supplied crankshaft cover on Monday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. Received by *****.April 18, ** notes he made mistake having only quoted 5.5 hours labor. ********** software system was updating on computer when customer originally came in. Calls for 12.0 hours, but ** says he will honor the 5.5 hour time.*Customer stopped back in and ** informed him of time mix-up, but told Mr. ****** he would honor payable hours. Informed customer he would need a valve cover gasket and oil change. Also informed customer that the oil pan gasket had deteriorated as had a belt. Customer said he had no more money to put into vehicle and requested silicone be used in lieu of oil pan gasket.*Saturday, May 6, customer stopped by while we were closed, but in shop working on other vehicles. Significant oil leak as the silicone had not held. Customer called his step-father, whom ***** spoke with on the phone, and pulled vehicle back in to reapply silicone on Monday.*Customer’s stepfather found **** cell number from lodge and called noting to go ahead and order parts needed to repair vehicle properly and stepson would come up with funds.Timing kit, oil pan gasket, and water pump ordered from ********* May 8, 2023.*May 19, parts received from *********; vehicle scheduled for Tuesday, May 23.*Monday, May 22 at 7:32 p.m., received notification on security system that someone was in shop parking lot. Mr. ****** was in his vehicle. Another customer was also in the lot picking up his daughter’s vehicle. The two spoke. The other customer called ***** to note that Mr. ****** had said his vehicle didn’t need any more parts and was displeased with Castle Service Center.*As we are not in the business of installing parts the customer does not believe are needed, ***** took Mr. ******** Prelude off the schedule for Tuesday, May 23. That evening, she spoke with him and informed him of this. He asked for the price of the other part installation. A female in the distance began cursing and said Mr. ****** needed to get a lawyer. Confident in there being no negligence on the part of Castle Service Center, ***** agreed that that is what should be done if they saw fit. ***** also told the customer that she was sending back the parts to ********* and the customer could come and pick up his vehicle after paying what was currently owed.*May 24, 2023: Customer picked up vehicle. With a sales manager from *********, **** ******, in the office as a witness, ***** requested a mechanic, ****, accompany the customer to his vehicle to check the oil levels given the customer’s refusal to replace the oil pan gasket, to ensure he had enough oil in the vehicle to make it to his home, reportedly less than half a mile away. ***** also informed customer that the vehicle would need the repairs in order to be road-worthy, again in the presence of witnesses.*On the evening of May 24, the customer’s stepfather sent ** a venting text, concluding with “Something will be done about this, and you will be hearing from my attorney.” Of course, ** did not respond.*May 25, 2023, ***** contacted the shop’s attorney and forwarded all of Mr. ******** vehicle information and encounters with the vehicle to include pictures and video surveillance footage.*June 13, 2023, ***** sent a picture of Mr. ****** driving his Prelude out of the *** parking lot in Norton taken on the evening of June 12, 2023 to the shop’s attorney. She filmed this after recognizing Mr. ****** and his vehicle.Though we regret the customer was not in a position to repair his vehicle as needed, when the customer initially came to us, he requested installation of the customer-supplied part. That is all that was originally quoted. Despite absorbing the additional time and only charging the customer the quoted time for the job, it is not our responsibility to pay for needed vehicle parts when the customer cannot nor install additional parts free of charge. To this end, I am confident in our supporting documentation regarding our work on this vehicle. Regarding the customer’s complaint that card users are charged an additional fee, this is clearly posted in our customer waiting room. The sign reads: “Paying with a Credit Card? Please be advised that 3.75% will be added to the total bill when processing a credit or debit card payment.”Please let me know if you require further information regarding this complaint.Best,***** *****, co-owner of Castle Service Center

  Customer response

  07/02/2023

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action 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.] Regards, ******* ****** I had to get rid of the vehicle because he had taken everything apart and noticed a bad oil leak in witch nothing was wrong with the vehicle I had traded it to someone who had it at *** that lives in ** and I have the msgs in trading it in as well so no no one seen me in that vehicle and the people I traded in with had not made it home with that vehicle so I’m ordere to not make things worse with the vehicle they had to pull over and had family come get them .  So her lawyer who was stalking needs to look into things thoroughly because I never drove the vehicle after taking it home. All I want is my refund and for them to stop destroying peoples vehicles absolutely nothing was wrong with that vehicle until it was in that shop after I drove it for six months nothing was wrong with it. it’s not the point that he kept his word with the price it’s the fact they destroyed my vehicle and now trying to get away with it

• Initial Complaint

  04/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my 2000 Beetle in for repair but got my car back with many more issues. I have attempted to contact ** the mechanic 6 times by phone with no luck of a return call. I paid over $440 and now have a repair bill that’s gonna cost me $1000s to fix and repair. I got my car back with the driver door panel destroyed, it was only 8 months old, check engine light is on, ABS issue light is now on, alarm and electric key no longer work at all. I had a new panel for the passenger side replaced but I didn’t get the old door back with over $400 in mechanical parts not returned. I would like for the mechanic shop to be responsible for all repairs to fix the damage as well as paying to replace my driver door panel, all hardware that was not returned to me after replacing the passenger panel and costs to repair my alarm and key entry that was working when it was dropped off.

  Business response

  04/13/2022

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, as we have not heard from this customer since returning her car to her, nor do we show a record of her attempting to reach us via voicemail or email.This vehicle was not in running order when it was towed to Castle Service Center after having set dormant for some time. The vehicle was towed in and was driven to the customer’s house per her request via phone with the key left under the floormat once her father paid the bill over the phone for the repairs and services requested.The picture that is provided by the customer is the driver’s side door, which is in the condition it was in when the vehicle arrived. The passenger’s side door panel is what Castle Service Center was asked to replace with the parts provided. Our records indicate that the customer’s father provided the taillights and right interior door panel for repair as well. Aside from our records, the customer and/or the BBB may also wish to contact the tow truck company’s driver to confirm the condition of the vehicle when it arrived to our shop. Our records note that ******* ****** *** **** ******* towed the vehicle to our shop.We show no record of the customer requesting to retain the old door panel, which would be the only part supplied, as our policy is to return old parts if the customer wishes to keep them. I anticipate the old door panel is in our scrap pile in the back if the customer would like for us to retrieve the door panel and stop by the shop and retrieve this.  We take pride in the warranty we provide for the work we complete on all of our customer’s vehicles.  We only complete work that is requested and approved by the customer. As to this customer’s request that Castle Service Center pay another shop to repair issues not requested by our shop to address, we respectfully decline. If the customer wishes to bring her vehicle back, we will happily make up an estimate to address the issues she has described in the complaint you have provided.Please let me know if there is any additional information you require regarding this matter. I have enclosed the customer’s invoice as well.Best, ***** *****

  Customer response

  04/14/2022

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.  First I must say, I cant believe you changed your phone number on the web site.You can still call **** ********.  I called and left them a message addressing my issues on Feb 23 twice, Feb 24 twice, Feb 25, March 9 twice, March 16 twice.  I know Ive called more then this but these dates I have in hand on my cell phone bill.  There is NO way my door was like that when it was dropped off.  My alarm and key entry worked, there was no check engine light, all I needed was my battery changed, fix trunk latch, I asked them to double check the starter, put on a new door panel on passenger side, (I have paperwork from **** **** in ************ showing new door panel installation on driver side, in Nov 2021.).  I am willing to take a full refund for what was paid, they caused so much damage it’s unbelievable.  I have witnesses that are willing to testify regarding the condition to my car when it was taken in.  I do not trust taking my car back to them at all, they do not care about the type of service they provided.  Next I will be filing a civil suit if they refuse to resolve.  I am willing to take a full refund of what was paid, and I will drop everything.  If you agree to the refund you can call me at *** *** **** and I will come and pick it up. Regards, ****** *******

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩