North Coast Auto Mall TRUSTED BUSINESS REVIEW: Customer Satisfaction Commitment: North Coast Auto Mall dedicated to customer satisfaction. North Coast Auto Mall implemented strategic changes ensuring client satisfaction, focusing on finding ways to assist client's needs effectively, and promptly.
Location Involved: (Same as above)
Consumer's Original Complaint :
They are telling me that things are fixed every time I go in when in fact they are not. I have proof of this.
When I asked North coast to fix my car overheating, bad suspension and a noisy pulley, they claimed to have done so and I left the shop. The problems slowly came back. All they did was clean the parts and spray them to eliminate noise.
I was charged 430 dollars and paid it in full.
The next time that I went back to have them fix the same three issues they made me wait 6 hours just for an estimate. When I went back to the shop to ask about the estimate it was ironically finished. They said, good news we were able to fix it. Everything is all fixed.
I asked what was wrong and they said the sway bar bushings were loose and that they had put new ones on. I asked how they did that and they said, with tools. I was amazed considering I had welded the sway bar brackets on previously myself. There was no way they dewelded the brackets themselves in their shop and put new bushings on themselves. The mechanics were stunned when I insisted that I had welded the brackets on and I caught them in a bold faced lie. All they did that day was spray the parts I claimed were noisy. Spraying things does not fix the issue. In fact, they are purposefully allowing me to drive off with an unsafe vehicle as a result.
upon leaving I noticed that they pulley still made noise, and that the control arms and undercarriage was oily and greased up. No parts appeared changed, no bolts appeared turned. I removed the tire with a different certified mechanic and he told me that nothing appeared to have been touched.
North Coast Auto has been delaying a timely and efficient service on this repair. It's not about the money, I don't mind paying what is reasonable, I just want the car to 1)drive straight, not eat tires, to not overheat, and to not make belt noises.
The car also now leaks oil and I never noticed this until the mechanic notified me of the issue. I can't be sure when it started or if he caused it. I do not wish to go into that but it IS ironic.
The repairs have been inferior, improper and incomplete. Every time I visit the mechanic tells me that things are fixed and they are in fact not. He even told me that he degreased the pulley and suspension, and popped in new sway bar bushings. A simple investigation with a different mechanic revealed that that was not so. The undercarriage was caked with grease and the bushings were welded in just as I had before. No signs of recent welding or welding tools were available. When I asked how the mechanic did the bushing job he acted surprised and befuddled when I told him that he didn't use tools to remove the brackets because they were welded on. He lied to me.
This shop is clearly delaying the completeion of the repair. This delay has caused additional damage because I have to drive to work no matter what, in order to make payment on this very car.
Another note- The shop seems to shy away from providing documentation. I had to pull his arm to get a written statement of previous work and current work. He said he had no way of doing so and I asked if he had a copy machine. Finally he went and made the copy.
The shop never returns my calls and rarely answers the phone. I have to call on different numbers or personally go in to get financial paperwork and auto repair paperwork.
I understand that I bought the car as is but that is beside the point. I just want the car fully repaired.
He told me verbally the last time I was there, and after I had caught him lying about the sway bar that he would give me the repairs for 100 dollars (some sort of deductible) and that I would get a loaner car. He mentioned that he couldn't do the repairs until the loaner was available. And still I wait as he delays the repairs. I hope he honors this repair estimate and in a timely manner.
I also want every part after the repair so that I can compare and contrast pictures.
The auto dealer also calls me asking for insurance information constantly, telling me that it's no good even after they said it was fine.
Consumer's Desired Resolution:
I would like the car to not overheat, I would like the pulley to not make noise, I would like the oil to not leak, and I would like the suspension to be repaired. This is what I originally asked them to do and this what they have been delaying and lying about.
BBB Processing
03/25/2014 web BBB Case Received by BBB
03/25/2014 BBB MORE INFO RECEIVED FROM THE CONSUMER : I have just finished checking my credit report as well and It shows no inclining of an auto loan. I'm not sure why my loan is not on my credit report if I have been paying on it. I do not know if this is an issue to address or if there is some reason for this. I feel that if I am paying on the car loan that my credit report should reflect that I am paying on it.
I've received several credit report denial letters in the mail on their behalf and thought to check my credit report as a result.
I have been paying on the loan for a little over a year now.
This business is very shady the way it operates.
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03/27/2014 BBB MORE INFO RECEIVED FROM THE CONSUMER : 3/27
I stopped into the shop and they were very twisty with their words. They are making it seem as if I am going to pay them to fix some things but not actually the whole problem. I asked them to fix the overheating, suspensions noise and the noisy belt, and oil leak.. and they are saying that they have to do it one step at a time and go from there. It sounds like they are planning to fix one thing and then charge me for round 2 of repairs. I want to avoid this and I AM NOT accusing them of doing this because we haven't reached that round 2 yet. I just feel that if I go in for an oil leak, overheating, pulley noise, and suspension noise, they should be able to fully test the vehicle and fix the entire problem without going through a step by step basis in which I have to pay and keep coming back and wait 6 hours in their waiting room.
NOW, that being said, I did finally get a call from them and they told me that a loaner car was available. They made me sign a paper stating that I was responsible if anything happened to this loaner car and they ensured me that the only problem was the check engine light. This is NOT the case. There is a transmission jump when changing gears, the blinker doesn't work and the oil light is shorting on and off. The hood will not open for me to ensure that there is oil in the vehicle as every good driver should check this.
I called them to tell them about the loaner cars issues and they told me to come up and they would fix it. I do not want to wait in their waiting room for several hours again and I do not want to deal with this any more. This issue is starting to cause me psychological harm, pain and suffering and it is starting to affect my work schedule and my personal schedule is already affected fully.
I hope that I can open the hood and get oil in the vehicle and if I have to go up there I hope they don't take forever to get the car to be safe and running reasonable to where it won't break down.
I DO NOT want to be responsible for this loaner car in any way shape or form for existing mechanical problems or problems that may arise due to their lack of letting me know before hand. They told me that NOTHING was wrong with the loaner car when in fact there were things wrong with it. This is a shady operation and they lack the ability to diagnose vehicles OR they just didn't care to look at it before giving me the loaner car.
03/27/2014 BBB MORE INFO RECEIVED FROM THE CONSUMER : It has now occurred to me that I have negative equity. I owe a little over 7 grand on this car and current PT cruisers in better condition, same year, are selling for 3 grand. I used cars.com and searched for cars in the area. Why am I paying double market value for this car? Blue Book value for my car is 2,967. I am paying three times what the car is worth and they can't even fix it up for me. I feel that I am being cheated, lied to and stole from.