I still can't think about this garage without getting upset. While d... read more I still can't think about this garage without getting upset. While driving on the highway my timing belt broke and I have a "No tolerance" or "Interference Engine". I will say that now....and then I will explain what I knew at the time. I had everything I owned in my car and small trailer. I had just left my job and was on the first day of a 3 day drive. While driving my gas pedal stopped making the car accelerate. I pulled over on the side of the highway and turned off the car to look expecting pouring fluids or something...nothing, but the car would not turn over. Sunday before Memorial Day. I had to find a tow truck that would also take my camper. And also a car shop. The driver recommended Stones and me not knowing the area or how much they would try to scam me I said okay. I should have known when the guy who took my keys spend at least 3-5 minutes trying to convince me that I put Diesel in my gas tank. (I did NOT do this, just so you know. Because I am not a complete idiot) Through no fault of theirs it had to sit for 2 days. Sunday as they were closed and also Monday as it was Memorial Day. Tuesday morning comes and the man at the shop calls me and says Good news, Its the timing belt. The tensioners locked up can broke the belt. Unfortunately, I will also have to replace the water pump as they are a package deal. However, they could have it done by later that same day and I could be on the road. It would cost $875. So on day 3 in Oak Grove Kentucky I said! Yes if it means I can get going, it is what I have to do! And then stupid me THANKED them! Then I called my boss who was already holding my job for me that I would be on the road first thing in the morning! Somewhere around 3pm I got a call back. And the mechanic starts using technical terms for a few minutes. Then he says it "Needs a rebuild" and I said what does that mean and that is when he came out and said the broken belt caused my pistons and such to slam into my cylinders and it caused them to lose compression. They would have to rebuild my engine. And it would be at least another $2000. Then they proceeded to tell me my car is only worth $2,900-3,500 trade in value working and it is not worth it to fix it. When I asked why they couldn't tell the damage had been done the man literally told me there was "No way to know until after they had replaced the timing belt and everything else" I was a mess after I got off the phone with him. I was broke down in the middle of Kentucky with everything I own, my dog, in a hotel and I had no way to get out of there. I posted about what happened (Not knowing I was being screwed still!) on Facebook to my friends. Instantly 2 mechanic friends called me! They filled me in. If you are going over like 40 MPH and your timing belt breaks on an interference engine, any mechanic should know that the engine is pretty much hamburger. Chewed up and damaged. They fact that they didn't even check it from other mechanics is "INSANE" and "They are taking advantage of you!". By the way, at this point the mechanic still wanted full payment for the $875 in work that shouldn't have even been done because they should have looked at the engine FIRST! After multiple phone calls and the agreement of me GIVING them my car, I still had to pay them $200 so I could get my belongings out of my car. I was a woman who went to an unfamiliar shop in a HUGE time of need and all they saw were DOLLAR SIGNS! DO NOT GO HERE AS A SINGLE WOMAN!!! I was STRANDED, Unfamiliar with the area and STILL I wish I had paid more money for the tow truck driver to have taken me ANYWHERE ELSE! These guys are SCAM ARTISTS!
Took my 2002 Porsche 911 to Modified Imports in Clarksville Tn the Su... read more Took my 2002 Porsche 911 to Modified Imports in Clarksville Tn the Summer of 2013. Thomas told me this would be a three week job after he had me transfer $2000 to his bank account pull the engine. He said it needed rebuilt. He decided to send the engine to a "friend" in CA which is not that uncommon for a Porsche 911 motor. This was going to take 4-8 weeks and I had to transfer $8000 more to him. Months went by. After 8weeks I was begging Thomas to just reply to me ( I live three hours away). I would have to call from different number just to get him to answer. I ask from the beginning where he sent the motor. He mumbled "Mr Motor" in southern CA. I couldn't find it on a google search. Months went by with me waiting weeks after he would say he would get back the next day. I demanded he tell me where he sent the motor. He finally admitted Motor Meister ( goggle that place for fun). This was the only place on earth I knew better than to send a motor from reading reviews. It was there while they closed for good . He lost my motor. It took sever weeks and begging to get him to replace it. He replaced it with a used motor. He said he had a motor with 41k and would up grade the ims bearing for extra money. Because this motor is a lot to risk without the bearing I said to put it in. He said I would have a month warranty and a year option for $1000. I wanted the year warranty option of course. Then he asked if I could pick up the car and motor and take it somewhere. I laughed. I though he was joking!!! He wasn't. I said no I'd like to at least drive it off. A few days passed. On December 17th he told me it was ready and to bring the final payment of $2k. He also told me the year warranty was not an option now (that was nice for HIM to decide after keeping my car for half a year). I get there with my dad that was going to drive one car back. My car was running but missing and spitting. He said it was a vacuum line and if I could waste an hour in Clarksville. Two hours later it was ready. At that point I forget to get paper work for the information promised on the used motor having 41k miles and the ims I paid for. This was my big mistake. I text him on the way home and ask him to email it. He never replied. Check engine light came on the next week. It was in my local shop and out and back in. Two months go by like this and it started knocking. It was hauled to Jackson to a Import shop and he told me I had a bad engine. Every Porsche repair shop I called nation wide told me if it was knocking it would cost $9k-$20 to repair. I called Thomas he said he washed his hands of this and when I ask for documentation on the work he said It was in his filing cabinets I told him I would drive 3 hours right away and get them and he said they were actually at his accountants office and couldn't get them. I have no price of any of his claimed work. I have all of our text messages. I do have proof I've transferred $13k to Thomas.
If you have an older VW this is the shop to go to. Joe, the owner, has... read more If you have an older VW this is the shop to go to. Joe, the owner, has a VW bug himself and is very familiar with them. I had just bought a 67 bug myself and took it to first class auto to look it over. They did a phenominal job and charged a fair price. One of the best auto repair expeirences I have ever had. If you have any other style of vehicle, i'd try first class auto first.
