Craig's Car Care outrageous prices lucas, Texas
I must first begin by saying the staff is very courteous. However, the estimates they provide are crazy high. For instance a $2000 estimate (2 full days and $95 diagnostic charge to receive estimate) to fix a blown head gasket on a KIA Spectra, and that does not ensure the car is fixed. Woops, that is not entirely true...the $2000 estimate included a new radiator at $630...the radiator retails for $150. The courteous staff could not tell me what they charge an hour. I said , ok, let's think outside the box and quote me for a new engine - fixed cost right? Wrong....the staff quoted me 15 hours labor - no engine.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
craigs car care
Allen,Texas,
USA
A higher estimate does not constitute a Rip Off
#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, April 13, 2011
In response to Allens posting: for Craigs Car Care
The $95.00 for parts labor and sales tax was to find out why the car that he had towed in had died while driving and had been overheating and the car would no longer start but would turnover. We found the radiator had burst and leak
testing and block testing found the engines head was damaged. It was not known if the radiator had leaked first and driving the car without coolant damaged the motor or the engines head failed first and the resulting sudden increases
of the engines cylinder pressure caused the radiator to fail. To have just put in a radiator without checking for a damaged head would have just caused the radiator to fail again from the cylinder pressures being many times higher than
the factory cooling systems allowed maximum pressure. We used tools and equipment along with people that know what they are doing to diagnose what was wrong and what was needed to fix it.
There is not a charge to get an estimate for a repair. We give free estimate for repairs every day and put them in writing from customers calling to check the prices they got from another shop or just need to get an idea what something may cost. Many times we are less than the others and just as many times when the customer brings it to us to do the repair ,we find that it needed much less work than what they were told from another shop or even the dealer. I truly wish we could be the least expensive shop out there and still pay for our own bills, but until this happens we will have to charge what is fair, just like everyone that works for a pay check to support their families must do.
The main sticking point here was the Radiator. Our aftermarket sources that we do business with did not have a radiator available to sell, when that happens we use the next approved vendor. The only one made available to us, was brand new factory approved and was unfortunately very expensive. We know that they will stand behind their product and cover it nationwide parts and labor for the 12,000 miles or 12 month warranty that we have as a Napa Auto Care center. Unfortunately we did not have a source that offered such a cheap product that Mr. Als engine shop found. We would have loved to have the job and been able to have been covenant to him. So yes our Estimate was higher, But
certainly not a rip off. The radiator we were going to get cost us four times as much. I wish we could get good quality parts for free or very inexpensive and sell them less than anyone else so we could preformed all the auto repair out there and have every one love us for being the least expensive.
15 years ago when we started Craigs I tried using the cheapest parts out there to help the customers save all the money they could but I learned a very valuable lesson that I got what I paid for and the rapid cheap parts failures and the warranties of these parts and the labor for 12 months or 12,000 miles that I stood behind and made right, almost put me out of business and made our customers very upset because of the hassle. I finally had several customers tell me they would rather pay more for a part that will last rather than just the cheapest. That is the truth and what we have strived for ever since.
Now the only radiator we could get I agree was way more than I thought it should be but I did not build it or price it, but we did offer the estimate to him and let him decide. So Again we would love to have been able to have a good
quality radiator that we could put in even our mothers car and send her across the country and know that the part will last and not start leaking again and leave her stuck in a year. Then instead of $2000.00 and done the job for something
closer to $1500.00 but again we did not have that $150.00 radiator to buy.
Higher price here is not a rip off, just a higher cost for a part price, But I guaranty you the parts would be top notch and the warranty will be stood behind and not just local but nationwide. I am sorry we could not meet his expectations and
that he was unsatisfied. If Allen would like a refund for the $95.00 Diagnostics that he preapproved and with correct results. I would be willing to speak with him in person regarding this matter for customer satisfaction. Cheaper does not
always mean better and a higher estimate does not constitute a Rip Off. E mail me with any questions
The rules of this page says not to leave my e mail but look for craigs car care in lucas for the contact us page or stop by and speak to me in person.
http://craigscarcare.mechanicnet.com/apps/shops/reviews
Thank you
Craig Owner Craigs Car Care