Complaint Review: Start Mart

It all started on 4/12/03 when I made a call to Start Mart on 82nd around 10 am. I asked about getting a 1987 Honda Civic 1.5 ltr 4 cylinder altenator. In the past I have had to take out and put in my own altenator- so I asked how much a rebuilt altenator would cost. Quote $74.85 and then the person said it is a first come first serve basis.

I asked him what he was talking about, well you want us to take out the old one and put in the rebuilt correct? Yes and thats all for $74.85- his response yes. Okay I will bring it in later this afternoon. 4 pm Contract in front of me $94.85 for install and removal, 0-30 to even 60 for obstruction fee and $7.50 core recycle fee. Oh and by the way you will have to leave it over night-.

My response NO I have to go to work. We open at 9 am saturday. Saturday I come back, Well we can't get to it today. So I left. Now 4/18/03 and my mechanic says yes the altenator is blown- time to get it replaced. 5:30 pm I drop it off, Do I need to sign a new contract- no we have everything, your car will be done first thing Sat Am. Sat Am (11am to be exact) I call.

The service writer we had a car before yours to finish I would say in the next hour it will be in the bay. 3:30 pm Service writer disappears and rebuilder answers the phone. Ms. Jenkins your contract has the word Void written across it, huh i say it didn't have it there last night when I dropped off the car.

What can I do, but explain the whole situation to the rebuilder of what has transpired. His response okay 94.85 for install- 0-$30 for obstructions- and $7.50 recycle fee- I okay that and he says he will pull the car into the bay right away. 5:30 service writer returns and calls me, Ms. Jenkins the car is not ready but I promise by noon tommrrow it will be done, Noon you have had my car for this long and it is not done- Service writter I am sorry but it is in the bay right now and will be the first thing 10 am (finsh by noon).

Sunday noon- I call, new person. He has no idea who I am, which car is mine, can't find the key. oh found the contract, Ms. Jenkins the contract says void, and that is why no work has started. You cant find my key, no work has been done, and my weekend is gone. I will be there right away. 1 pm, I arrive.

I see the contract for myself and its now 60 for obstruct fee- and other charges remain the same and VOID across the contract. I tell the person in charge do you see my face, does this look like I am happy about what is going on, I have been lied to cheated and feeling ripped off. What are you going to do about it.

Well the service writter has has this problem of dissappearing and putting other people in charge who have no idea what they are doing, and yes customers have had problems with their cars being worked on supposedly but not worked on, but I wasn't here Saturday and 5:30 yes it wouldn't be done until today- No I corrected him not 5:30 Saturday 5:30pm on Friday.

Here is what I can do- I will knock of the obstruction fee, and we are okay with the rest. I have the car being worked on, give me 2 hours, okay. 3:30 4pm the car is done, I have my paperwork, and he reminds me about the warranty 30 labor, and lifetime on the altenator. I will hold onto this contract like gold. Yes in the end some things were made right. But to get there I had to waste my entire weekend- Happy Easter to me.

But from reading about this company- and this location in particular my mechanic is going to look at my car just to double check- and I'm watching my bank statements.

I have warned all my friends family and co-workers and they are never getting my business again (excluding warranty issues)

I did get names, I will be reporting to their corporate office, and the sticky issue about void on my contract- I have been reassured it has been crossed off- and initialed by the last person in charge.

Jenkins
Portland, Oregon
U.S.A.

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