Shaffer's Muffler & Automotive South Bay Muffler & Automotive Fixed first vehicles A/C for $1530.74 Wanted a lot of money to fix the second one as they said it was like the first vehicle and they needed to basically replace the whole system for $1200.00 before taxes. Second vehicle for A/C repair, second shop and the only thing wrong was expansion valve, no where near a system replacement for $1200. So how bad did they screw me on the first job? Corpus Christi Texas
I am a disabled Veteran living on a fixed income and went without the A/C in the truck for some time and in South Texas that is not a good thing. Finally had saved up a little money and with my Doctors advice went to have the A/C fixed. I picked a shop that I have been familiar with since 1977 or 1978 When a wrecker service I worked for did the towing for this shop. Towed vehicles into their shop on and off for more than 15 years. I even carried their business cards and always recommended them when someone asked if I knew a reputable shop.
I took my 2004 Dodge Dakota SLT 4 door with the V8 engine to them to get the A/C repaired. Talked with the people I know and explained the whole thing. Very little money, fixed income etc. They said they would take good care of me. When the estimate was done it was going to be around $1600.00. I did get 10% taken of as a Disabled Veteran that was a good thing. So I told them to go ahead and fix it. I was a little leery of the diagnoses and the price but the system had been down for some time and I know a little about A/C repair as I have done some in the past. But hey I know these guys they are friends I am going to trust that they know what they are doing and they are being fair with me. They fixed the A/C and all I had to do was bring it back once so they could do something to an air door that was not working right. They did it and I told them it would be a little bit but I would bring the Chevy Aveo in as it's A/C was out as well. Things were good or so I thought. Read on!
When I took the Aveo in I told them that it had been working as my son had ought one of those cans of Freon and adapters to fill the system at Wal-Mart and the A/C would work for a while before it would quit again, so I figured it had a little leak. They said they would look at it and let me know. I told them I cannot afford another $1600 dollar JOB as I really did not have much savings let at all after paying them to fix the Dodge.
When they called to let me know how much it was going to be the first thing that I was asked is if I was sitting down? That right there told me that I was not going to be able to get the cars A/C fixed. Good thing I was actually laying down as he told me that it was the same thing basically the whole system needed to be replaced and it was going to be $1200 dollars. I told him that there was NO way that I could do that kind of price. He told me I could come and pick up the car no charge for the estimate as I was a good customer Really I thought!!! don't worry it gets better read on
I took the Aveo to a different mechanic that I know and asked him to look at it and tell me what was wrong and how much to fix it. I told him what Shaffer's had said and how much they wanted to do the job and he said he would check it out and get back with me. He called me the next day and told me that the only thing bad was the expansion valve. That's it nothing else whatsoever. And that he had already fixed it so I asked him to repair the rear door handle which I already had the replacement in the car. He agreed to and did so. With parts and all total was less than $200.00 Total before taxes!!!
My concern is that if Shaffer's wanted to replace my system for $1200 and the only thing that needed fixed was the expansion valve. How bad did they screw me on the $1600 dollar job on the Dakota? The problem is that I will never know because it has already been done and there is no way to find out. I am glad that they only screwed me on the one vehicle and were not allowed to take advantage of me on the second. If they treat someone they have known for so long and someone who over the years has sent them a lot of business how do they treat others?
I am going to share my personal experience with Shaffer's Muffler and Automotive with everyone I know and every way that I can. And that is going to include any and all available internet resource so I can do my part to make sure that no one else gets taken advantage of like I did by Shaffer's Muffler and Automotive repair!!!
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Todd
Corpus Christi,Texas,
United States
Update: after talking to Shaffer's about my concerns about water dripping everywhere
#2Author of original report
Fri, August 31, 2018
Update 8/31/18 work by Shaffer's to fix Dakota A/C on 5/5/18 should have lasted more than a couple of months before trouble hit.
Well I have been driving around now for a while since they fixed the A/C in the Dodge Dakota. It has started dripping under the glove box and on the drivers foot as well. Started looking when I noticed a new water spot under the front of the truck. After searching the cooling system for a leak and not finding one I looked up and it was one of the metal lines attached to the compressor. While my brother was driving it a lot of water on the passenger floorboard soaking things he had set down there.
I called Shaffer's this morning and they told me that it could be a plugged drain and that the box was full especially if I had not been running the system on high. The core was most likely froze up because I was not running it on high. It also could be the heater core. Bring it in and well take a look at it but it is not on them I would have to pay to get whatever is wrong fixed. I do not understand, if a a/c system is not going to work properly unless it is running on high why do the auto manufactures put lower speeds in for the blower if it is just going to freeze up the system. After they charged me almost $1600 I cannot afford to take it to them for anything that would cost me and they know it as I told them them when they said $1200 for the Aveo to be fixed that there was not that kind of money left.
I explained that I took the Aveo somewhere else and only the expansion valve needed replaced. They told me that when the other Shaffer's guy looked at it as this guy was not even there. I am trying to be nice and not use names. If the gauges were not just right it would need a kit (Almost total system replacement) "If the gauges were just right the system would be working and I would not be there" I know that a/c mechanics use their gauges to diagnose what is wrong with the a/c system I am not stupid. Because that would be the only way that the warranty would be honored on the compressor. They also did not want to just try to piece fix it because then there would be something else wrong. I finally said so it is a kit (replace it all) all the time to repair an a/c and he agreed. If that is so why do they even need to do a estimate that includes looking at the vehicle or even hooking up the gauges. They could just look in the book and see how long it would take and how much the kit costs and they would have a price for the customer. Sounds like it would be a much more efficient way to get a price for the customer and they would not even have to get their hands dirty, that using less shop supplies so more profit for them.
I am just literally disgusted and will not have any more contact with Shaffer's as it is a total waste of time as far as I am concerned. I just hope that the truck stays cold or at least cool until I save up enough money to take it to another shop, one with a better reputation. They cost more and that is one of the reasons I did not take it to them in the first place but they do have one of if not the best reputations in the city for the work that they do. So as a disabled Vet living on a disability only fixed income it is going to take a long time to save up an adequate sum to go to the better shop, and I am figuring I will need more than $1600 that I paid Shaffer's available in case it needs some major work done to fix what Shaffer's already fixed.