Automotive Odyssey

[wordinista]

Dear Independent Auto Repair Shops,

Please DIAF.

Love and Kisses,
Bunneh

***

Dear Dealership Service Center,

Do not think for a moment that I actually trust you, or believe you're "on my side."  And so help me, if you find ONE MORE THING that NEEDS TO BE FIXED OMG, I will buy a baseball bat for the sole purpose of introducing it to your collective kneecaps.

Love and Kisses,
Bunneh

***

SO, THE LONG STORY ABOUT MY CAR IS THIS:

About four months ago, the car was running really rough.  It seemed to shudder a lot, and struggled to get up to speed.  The check engine light was coming on and off intermittently.  I was getting a less-than-fuzzy feeling about my normal repair shop, so I went with a AAA-certified place that was also nearby.  Four days and $400 later, I had a new Ignition Control Module and a new battery, and on the way home the check engine light came on again.  I wasn't in a rush to take it back to that place, so I considered it an expensive lesson and tolerated the crappy perfomance until we could afford to get the car back into the shop.

On Wednesday, I took the car to our old repair shop.  I told them it was running rough, misfiring, and it felt like it was on the verge of stalling out at stop lights.  I also mentioned that there was a squeal coming from either the brakes or power steering, and if they could see which was the problem, that'd be swell.

$105 dollars later, they told me that they heard no such squeal, and that the diagnostic report showed the problem to be my PCM (power control module -- basically the car's main computer, as I understand it).  Luckily, the PCM was covered under dealership warranty for 8 years or 80,000 miles, and they recommended I take it to the dealership, otherwise to replace such a part could run about $800.  So, I took the car to the dealership (I hate dealership service departments and avoid them like the plague).  They asked me if the mechanic was CERTAIN the problem was in the PCM, and I said, yes, the mechanic was certain (because I asked him if he was sure).  So let's make this clear right now:  I never would have set foot in the dealership service bay, if not for the recommendation of the other mechanic.

The dealership ran another diagnostic.

It wasn't the PCM.  EVIDENTLY the problem was an issue of "low flow" in the fuel injection, which meant I either had a clog, or a bad fuel injector.  They could run a test to determine which it was ($150).  I got a phone call from the dealership saying, YAY, it was just a clog!  They could run a fuel injection flush for another $100. 

Oh, and by the way?  The squeal that the previous shop said wasn't there?  The dealership found that there was about an eight of an inch left on my front brake pads.  SO, HEY, TIME FOR NEW BRAKES.

So, at this point, after labor and everything, I was looking at a $700 repair bill.  High, but still workable.  BUT THEN the dealership called back.  Evidently, the clog was so bad that the flush didn't work, and they needed to put a new fuel injector in there anyway.  BUT GOOD NEWS: the manager was going to pay for the part, and all I had to pay was the labor.  Which bumped my repair bill up to $969.22.  This is not workable. 

I called the auto shop that "fixed" the car for $400 in May, and spoke to the owner -- very good customer service skills there.  In his words, "We're very sorry that we were unable to solve your problem, and would like any chance to make this right by you."  So I'll be talking with them more today.  The shop that performed the $105 "diagnostic" that sent me to the dealership in the first place?  Not so willing to do right by me, and I am THIS CLOSE to putting a stop payment order on the check, because I do not see why I should pay money for bad advice that essentially sends me somewhere to get bent over a barrel.  I will be talking with them more about this issue (translation:  I will make a goddamn pest of myself until they give me a refund just to make me go away).

Hopefully the first place will be able to give me even a partial refund that can help offset the cost of this current repair bill (because if they'd diagnosed the problem correctly four months ago, I could've had a fuel injector flush and be done with it).

I just want the car to run right.  Is that too much to ask? 

YES, I GUESS SO.