Theodore Russo, Ted Russo of Tilden Car Care Scam Artist Royal Palm Beach Florida
Watch out for this scam artist running the Tilden car repair garage in Royal Palm Beach Florida.
I lost $500 for something that could have been resolved for free.
Here's someone else scammed the same way he got me.
The actual problem with my vehicle - The anti theft system prevents it from starting without the steering wheel in the locked position.
So basically this guy charged me $500 for labor, an alternator, and a serpentine belt I didn't even need.
I even told them 3 times when I brought it in - I already paid a Roy's Mobile Mechanic Service to check the issue and he said the battery seems to be drained by the anti theft system ($75 well spent). Yet I was told to go back inside and they would get back with me. Their $40 diagnostic took them approximately 5 minutes (to determine I was a sucker). I was quoted $450 if I paid in cash. I said all I have is my bank card. He said if it works as a credit card he could charge it, it took $316 out of my bank. The receipt I was handed quoted $188 due after the charge. When I returned the quoted price had then changed to $203. (I guess an added $25 sucker fee for waiting a day to get the remaining balance.)
My car wouldn't start 2 more times this week. The first time I removed the battery. Walked it down to AutoZone. They checked and said it is full charged and working fine. (Also strange, Tilden claimed it is a bad battery and tried selling me a superior one for way more than Walmart charged.) Went back, hooked it back up. Started just fine.
Last night wasn't so lucky. I unhooked and rehooked the battery multiple times. Gave up trying to start it. The lights all came on fine but it just couldn't start. So I called a tow home which cost another $120 (I hate having to keep borrow money from my mother but Tilden took all $316 I had plus another $203 already my mother was kind enough to loan me).
It wasn't until just now I was checking prices of starters on AutoZone website when I felt like just googling why it isn't starting. Perhaps it could be a loose wire. That's when I stumbled upon the fact with the anti theft light flashing I had to turn the steering wheel left/right until locked before my car would start.