I had a slight fender bender that did not break the grill; however, it... read more I had a slight fender bender that did not break the grill; however, it broke the radiator and the check engine light came on. The car overheated on the way to court. This location was less than 1/4 mile away, so I stopped and took a chance. Worse mistake of my week. That is compared to being attacked and having to get stitches, having a fender bender, having to get a hotel and extend my stay and surviving a low-grade tornado that damaged the rental car. This still was the WORST experience. I was treated rudely, up charged for labor after they had my car for 5 days with no callbacks or updates even though I called them daily and was promised repeatedly to advise on what was done or needed. When I got the car back the check engine light was still on. When I inquired about it I was insulted by the owner who told me that the light was off when they finished with it but I picked it up 30 minutes after they closed from their receptionist LaTonya who I texted back to advise that the check engine light was still on and called the two numbers I had for Lawrence with no answer or response back from LaTonya or Lawrence A. Giles. The next day March 14, 2019 when I came back into the shop and began asking questions about the work that was done and upset that my car was running rough and the check engine light was still on I was advised by Lawrence that he understood why I was attacked as I didn't know when to be quiet and that he was doing me a favor. That confused me as he charged me $40.00 diagnostic, then $350.00 parts and labor then an additional $125.00 for additional labor. When I asked for a credit for the diagnostic fees because he did the work four times he finally gave me a $20.00 credit. When I admitted that it was my fault for choosing an unprofessional business that I had not researched due to my car overheating and his proximity to the court where I had an appointment. When I went out to speak with his technician Curtis to inquire what exactly he had done to my car and why the check engine light was on the owner Lawrence told me not to be out there harassing his worker. I was amazed that he felt he could charge me nearly $500.00 on a repair but did not expect me to ask any questions. When they put my car back on the diagnostic machine it indicated CO2 Sensor problems. Curtis cleared it and suggested that I drive the car to see if it came on again. In less than 6 miles the light was back on. I had to go to the dealership to get this car repaired properly. My car overheated and stopped on the dealership technician in less than 2 weeks after the repairs from Action Transmission. The dealership asked if the coolant was added and topped off due to them having to add coolant after the car overheated and stopped on them and if there was a warranty on the work I told them I would try to find out. When I texted to inquire about the warranty on the work done on my car that was never mentioned verbally or in writing I got no response. When I inquired if they filled the coolant like they charged me for I got no response. I will push this forward legally if necessary. My final word is BEWARE of this predator who has little respect for single females who have the audacity to ask questions about what they are paying for. This has been MY experience with this "business" and Lawrence A.Giles.
The work performed was satisfactory, owner/mechanic is obviously knowl... read more The work performed was satisfactory, owner/mechanic is obviously knowledgeable and has been in business for many years. Like most auto repair shops, they so often fail to show their cost of parts plus the mark up, which can be significant depending on brand and who the wholesaler is. In most cases auto repair shops will buy after market products instead of OEM, which allows them to mark up the parts a 100 to 150 percent plus labor. This lack of transparency can cost the customer a good deal of money over an above what is considered reasonable. First consult a auto parts store for pricing on parts needed, you'll find that the retail pricing will be less than what your paying the auto repair shop. In most cases auto repair labor charges will exceed the cost of parts by 70 to 300 percent, a wide disparity indeed.
LoweTech was the first place I took my car in Arlington in January 201... read more LoweTech was the first place I took my car in Arlington in January 2015 and they completed the job. They are closed all weekend, which caused me to be without a car longer than expected, but that's understandable and I knew that going in. Just expect it. I've personally only met 2 of the brothers. One, a larger gentleman with a little longer hair, has his good days and bad days it seems. He certainly has some customer service skills. The thinner, somewhat older looking brother (who did the work on my car) acted as if I was a burden by being there. The price was fair, but when I asked questions about the work to be done the issue with the vehicle was not really explained, and any questions I had were responded to with one two word answers. I don't feel they did it intentionally, however I left without a full understanding of why the damage had occurred, what could be done to prevent it, or how to tell if any other issues were present. They seemed honest, and it was affordable. However, I don't think they have very good human relations skills, and I would have loved to have known what exactly was wrong with my car and how it occurred. Short of being rude myself, I did everything I could to pull it out of them. Recently, the owners posted a response to this review on another reviewing site. The response not only refuted what I said, but never addressed me directly to rectify the situation. This response illustrates what I experienced at the shop. I would have been receptive to a direct response and would have likely amended my review, as I believe in second chances. Where they are located is loaded with mechanics (just down the street is a much better shop - see my other reviews) so you would think they would try to do something to set themselves apart from the places around them by offering a more customer friendly experience.
