A1 Service Centre Muizenberg charged 6 times as much as their estimate - in cash! - but never thought to call and check with me first. Muizenberg
My car battery was stolen in Muizenberg and the cables were cut so I needed a new battery rewired. The proprietor of A1 Service Centre said that this would cost about R200-R300 when I asked him over the phone.
Note that we supplied him with a new battery, so this was only to rewire the battery.
He took the car in, never revised his estimate, but when the job was done he charged us R1780. We were told that the relay box had to be replaced. He had the car in his workshop for a whole day, but he did not think is appropriate to pick up the phone and check with us first before doing work that cost 6 times as much as his original estimate.
When we complained about it, the only remedy he offered was to take everything out so that we could take the car elsewhere.
To make matters worse, he demanded payment in cash.
This is a classic case of holding the customer to ransom. We were desperate to get the car back, so we had to relent.
Be very careful of these guys. I'm sorry to say: don't support this local business. Stay away!