Report: #206916

Complaint Review: Duncan Auto Tech - Scotts Valley California

7 Updates & Rebuttals

Reported By:

- Scotts Valley, California,

Submitted:

Updated:

Author Confirmed

Why?

Duncan Auto Tech

4253 Scotts Valley Dr Scotts Valley, 95066 California, U.S.A.

Phone:

831-4383850

Web:

N/A

Categories:

Auto Repair Service

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Duncan Automotive Repair, Duncan Auto Tech Ripoff of more than $200 Forgot to put car back together Scotts Valley California

*Consumer Comment: You don't have a carburetor

*Consumer Comment: If Robert is correct

*Consumer Suggestion: No such thing as a $200 battery for that car!

*Consumer Suggestion: Hopefully helpful now and later...

*Consumer Comment: I wasn't taking a shot at you Jennifer

I brought my 2000 chevy cavalier into Duncan Auto Tech because my car wouldn't start.

They replaced the battery because they said that this would fix the problem.

Then I get a call an hour later telling me that they replaced the battery and that wasn't the problem, that it was my fuel pump and that would cost me $100 for parts and $500 for labor.

At this point I didn't know what to think because a week earlier my car worked fine.

I told them no thank you and had my car towed back to my house because they said it wouldn't run. Now mind you the new battery that I paid $200 for is now in the car.

Two weeks after this I had to clean the car beccause neighbors were complaining that it was sitting for too long, so I thought let me try and get it started.

I got in the car and it started right up! So I went and had it cleaned and then went to get gas and check the oil. It was at this point that I realized that part of the car was missing. It seems they had taken off my carborator (this big black plastic thing) and left hoses and parts exposed.

I began searching through the car for the missing parts and sure enough they are in my back seat!

So not only did they lie to me about how my car wouldn't start until I get the fuel pump fixed, but they also took parts off my car and left them in the back seat!!!

I now have this big huge black plastic carborator "I think that's what it is" in my back seat and don't know how to put it back on.

I plan to take the car up to Duncan Auto Tech on Monday Aug 21st to show them what they have done and to also let them know that the car does run...I want an explanation for what has happend.

I don't want other women to have to endure the stress and heartache that I have had to go through the last few weeks.

Please don't ever take your car to Duncan Auto Tech in Scotts Valley and if you have ever had a bad experience here please respond to this.

Devin

Scotts Valley, California
U.S.A.

Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Duncan Auto Tech

7 Updates & Rebuttals

Robert

Jacksonville,
Florida,
U.S.A.

I wasn't taking a shot at you Jennifer

#2Consumer Comment

Fri, August 25, 2006

I was pointing out the way things work. Being in the trade, you know this. Steve questioned the validity of a $200 battery. He did mention the diagnostic cost being included. As for the Thermoquad, I know they don't use them anymore. They stopped many years ago. I was simply stating there are plastic carbs out there. Don't take offense to what I post. I save my best stuff for a select few.

Jennifer

Guadalupe,
California,
U.S.A.

hmmm

#3Consumer Comment

Fri, August 25, 2006

OK I personally have never seen a plastic carburetor and considering she said it was a 2000 vehicle it was very unlikely. Besides who would leave it in the backseat. My point however was not that 200 dollars was too much to pay, but what was it for? She didn't say. We sell batteries for 68 to 125 dollars plus installation, cleaning the connections. So I don't expect any shop to work for free, installing batteries or diagnostics. But if it wasn't her battery they should have put her old on back in if she had asked. I wasn't saying either was wrong because I don't know all the details, but was trying to suggest what she should do in the future and also what she might trying doing now if she felt she was cheated.

Robert

Jacksonville,
Florida,
U.S.A.

Hmmmm

#4Consumer Comment

Fri, August 25, 2006

"...I have never seen a plastic carburetor." Think Thermoquad. They were plastic. They worked very well too, before "Lean-Burn". As for the battery...The Legend from NAPA runs about $95. Add installation(.5 hours), and diagnostic time(.7 hours), and you are looking at $200 easily. Not everyone installs batteries for FREE. Very few do. Even fewer do the diagnostic work for FREE. If the shop had fixed the car, the customer would have no complaint. Instead, they either screwed the pooch on this one, or an issue occured between the shop and the customer. In either case, if the work the shop performed did not do anything, the customer should not have paid for it.

Jennifer

Guadalupe,
California,
U.S.A.

Hopefully helpful now and later...

#5Consumer Suggestion

Fri, August 25, 2006

They are right that you do not have a carb.on that vehicle, besides I have never seen a plastic carburetor. It would be helpful if you read your owners manual so when you do take it to the shop you could avoid paying for things that you do not have (I guess it does happen at bad shops) But you can also see how much the mechanic knows about your vehicle and if they are qualified to work on your car. I don't think they were qualified because if you have a no start situation, a fuel pump and battery have two completely different symptoms relating to the no-start. A battery can be ruled out in about 5 minutes. A fuel pump is very common, especially if you haven't changed your fuel filter. It can cause a no-start and then later start. So they might not have been lying. It usually causes your car to hesitate when you accelerate. It is really important to note all this stuff down when it happens and describe very carefully to the shop what has happened. Usually when people think they are ripped off it is due to a miscommunication with the repair shop. Mechanics sometimes assume that people know all the technical details when most don't. I'm not sure exactly what you were charged 200 dollars for, a battery? Diagnostics? If they did charge you for replacing the battery, and it wasn't the problem, they should have put your old battery back in. If it is diagnostic fees, they should have a very detailed explaination of the testing they did and the results that led them to the fuel pump as the problem. In the future you should always ask for your replaced parts back and always ask for detailed explainations about what they are going to do before work is started, and review your bill carefully after. Call the first shop and explain how you feel and the problems you had with what they did. They might ask you to come back and they will put everything back and explain in detail why they think you need a fuel pump. If they don't- find another shop. One that asks detailed questions about what problems you are having with the car. They should take time to explain everything you want to know. Then pay them for a second opinion. It should only be about an hour of labor. Ask them to review your invoice from the first shop. If you trust them, have them make the repair. Then take your invoice (the one that describes what test they did and how they found the problem) and if it wasn't the fuel pump, show it to the other shop. If they charged you diagnostic fees, you should be able to get some, if not all of that back. Hope this helps some. I don't know where you live but Calif. has strict rules regarding auto shops and good advice about how to avoid getting ripped off on www.smogcheck.ca.gov can help you find a shop that offers car care clinics for women.

Steve

Bradenton,
Florida,
U.S.A.

No such thing as a $200 battery for that car!

#6Consumer Suggestion

Sun, August 20, 2006

Devin, A $200 battery? For a 2000 Chevy Cavalier? The batter for that car sells at may paces for about $40, $60 on the outside. It takes 5 minutes to install. I think the $200 bill probably included diagnostic fees. I'm real interested in that $200 battery.

Thomas

Anderson,
South Carolina,
U.S.A.

If Robert is correct

#7Consumer Comment

Sun, August 20, 2006

and he probably is, you can look closer at that "big black plastic thing" and try to find a round ring-like thingy or a rectangular pancake item, either version having rubber edges. If what you find has what looks like white or off-white pleated paper it is OK, but if it is black and fuzzy and looks like you should keep it in a cage or on a leash, it needs to be replaced ASAP. I suspect you have the latter and even a fuel injected engine will have problems running when the air filter gets bad enough. A new Airfilter is about $10. How do you decide when to change the engine oil?

Robert

Jacksonville,
Florida,
U.S.A.