Complaint Review: Helmut And Vito's Auto Service - Downers Grove Illinois

based on your rebuttals you seem like a real d*k!!!---it seems on your one sentance you were surprised that it would only cost 490 to fix this--i think you knew the engine was bad as you probably let it go for a long time--some problems you cannot discover until you take things apart--this is the nature of this business--but being a "show car" man-i guess you know this-it means you are a professional tech huh??-umm no--just cause your a show car man doesn't mean sh*t to me---doesn't mean you do day to day repairs---and by the way--yes i can make these comments from the comfort of my cozy home--some people do not take criticism very well!!!!--so the internet is a good thing to allow other people to point out how stupid others are!!!!--without fear of pointless reprisals(physically)--aww- this person insulted me for being a duschbag-wah goes the cry baby--i guess i should attack him right???-i'm never wrong right?!?!?!-unfortantly some people think like this--this truly is the nature of stupid people and that sounds like you otherwise you would not have made this comment---and some people take the criticism-think about it--and judge if they were wrong truly---now second off---your post did seem a little confusing as you were first talking about an oil pan--then a motor--now half a motor--which is it?-mr "show car" man--you also did not say as to why you brought the car in and for how long you have not had these problems for--now the view of ths shop---they found the problem after taking it apart--this happens--they offered you to fix it--you declined--they were not going to waste any more time with you--regardless-they in GOOD FAITH tried to fix your vehicle and could not after discovering additional problems--you must still pay for the services rendered--the 3 1/2 hours of labor to remove the oil pan---you say they are specialist and and should have known---apparently you knew cause you probably held back info that you been driving like this for months most likely--if you knew so much about it(as your a show car man/aka a self proclaimed master tech) why did you not tell them the engine may be bad-and they may have figured out additional means of verifing-if you couldn't do any better in diagnosing the car(other wise you would of taken it somewhere else if you knew the engine was bad) you drive everyday who the f*k are you to pass judgement as to who the expert is---it seems like everyone wants perfection but yet cannot deliever it themselves!

Someone in these threads asked the question about how can I diagnose a car sight unseen. It was also clearly stated I had no way of knowing what the customer was thinking, or saying without being an eyewitness. Uh huh. Am I good, or am I GREAT?!

Response to Joe's Rip-off Report on Helmut and Vito's Auto Services Joe is an Employee of a Downers Grove Used Car Dealer, Ultimate Motor Cars, at 2055 Ogden Avenue. The 98 S70 Turbo Volvo Joe brought into us at Helmut and Vito's had a severe Valve Lifter Noise, which is very common for some volvos. The typical problem, concerning this noise, is due to a lack of oil pressure to the lifters. This lack of pressure is usually caused by a defective O-Ring seal on the oil pump to the oil pick up tube. To replace this O-Ring it takes about 5 hours (according to Volvo), which is why the original estimate was for 5 hours of labor or $490, both labor and parts. When the oil pan was removed a larger problem was discovered, a lot of unrepairable damage to the engine, and Joe was notified. We told him the situation, and Joe asked us to put the oil pan back on so that he could drive the car out. To make the car driveable we would have had to put another 2 hours of labor into the job. Joe did not want to pay for this additional work or the labor up to this point, since the "problem" was not fixed. At this point we charged him for 2-hours of diagnosis labor ($168), as Joe requested us to do, placing the oil pan in the trunk. The only other option then was for Joe to have the car towed out on his own accord. We did not place the motor in the trunk, all that was placed in the trunk were those parts removed in taking off the oil pan. Helmut and Vito's Auto Services

Robert, I assumed that, but was trying to get it out of the OP. There is a big difference between O ring and O rings. The OP was vague and misleading. If he knew that, he should have posted that to begin with. Instead of saying "half the engine" was in the backseat, he could have stated the oil pan was in the back seat. Far from half the engine. I'm sure the shop told him exactly what the problem was, just as you knew what it was. However, as you stated, they did not give him the answer he was looking for, so in his opinion, a rip off. And, if it was a low oil pressure problem, there surely would have been a dummy light on or a gauge showing no pressure. For a guy who allegedly has show cars, he would have to know something about the mechanics of them. The whole thing just made no sense.

The lifter noise is the result of low oil pressure. There are many cases(common occurence) of the O-Ring breaking apart in Volvo engines. I'll assume the repair shop has access to the same programs I have, and seeing as how they specialize in Volvo's, already knew the issue was the pickup tube O-Ring.

Still confused as to the plural of o rings has to do with one o ring on an oil pump/pickup, and than that relationship to noisy lifters. The noisy lifters would not prompt me to remove an oil pan. I would start by removing the valve covers. An oil pressure problem was not mentioned. And, the other poster was correct, I was not being insulting, its just that I think a man in the car business as he claims should know a little more about the mechanics of cars. This would allow him to avoid being ripped off by understanding the problem and the terminology. How is an oil pan "half of the motor".? Still confused.

Volvos have issues with the O-Ring that seals the oil pump to the pickup tube. The labor for replacing it is about 3-4 hours, thus 3.5 hours was charged. The shop apparently found more damage when they removed the oil pan, which they had to in order to replace the O-Ring. The shop informed Joe of the damage(probably chunks of bearing in the pan) amd offered him two choices. 1)The shop will complete the initial work order at the agreed upon price of $490. 2)The customer can tow his car away and the shop will not charge him anything. Apparently, Joe wanted option 3, which was never offered...The shop will replace his engine and repair everything else that's wrong with Joe's car for FREE, or no more than the $490 price. I doubt any of Joe's claims of owning "show" cars, or selling the jalopy at a "profit". People who don't take care of one part of their car, don't take care of ANY part of their car. The interior always looks like the body, and both of them resemble the state of mechanical repair. The shop did nothing wrong. In fact, the shop IS eating the cost of disassembly, since they allowed Joe to use option 2. Joe wanted option 3. Go ahead Joe...try and flame me for pointing out the obvious.

I read both your original post and his rebuttle. When I read your responses to his questions it seems you think he was being a jerk, however, when I read his post I didn't think that at all. Infact I thought he was trying to be helpful. So I went back and read it again. He said it seems they were trying to take advantage of you since you didn't seem to know much about vehicles. That isn't an insult towards you, but it does seem they ripped you off. He suggested that you get everything in writing, probably because it just doesn't seem to make sense. Getting everything in writing, including a detailed description of the problem they found and what they did for the 3.5 hours of labor is something everybody should do. His statement that you drove the vehicle in and should have been able to drive it out probably meant that the shop shouldn't have given you the car back in that condition, not that you are lying. If they were going to charge the 490 for the o ring job, that included putting back together. If you paid the 490 (which I don't think you stated how much you ended up paying, just that it was 3.5 hours so I am not sure) they should have put the motor back together, not put it in your vehicle and making you have to tow it. You also said the 3.5 hours was to take of the oil pan, which they threw in the back of the car. Then you said the motor was also in the back of your car. So it makes sense that Steve was trying to get a better understanding of the situation! 490 dollars for 3.5 hours equals $140.00, and since that is very high, Steve was questioning why it was so high. Even for a specialty shop this is high. I'm not Steve obviously, but I have read many of his comments on here and this is how I took his rebuttle. I guess he would have to answer himself, but I think that you are taking it completely the wrong way and that he was only trying to help you since you filed a report on here that you have been ripped off.

This is for Steve in Florida... Here are your questions and the answers. Q. First, you never specified what exact problem you were having with the car when you took it in to them. What problem were you having? A. The problem with the car is that the lifters where loud. Q. Did they mean VALVE SEALS? This is the only thing I could imagine being called an O Ring that has anything to do with oil consumption. A. They said it was O'rings, and to get to them, they have to remove the oil pan. Q. And, how does 3.5 hours labor equal $490? Did they give you anything in writing as to exactly what they did or exactly what needed to be done and why? You should get this. A. They claimed that their was a lot of labor in taking the motor apart (i.e. the bottom of the motor). Q. And, did they remove just the oil pan, or the entire motor? Your post is confusing. "The motor is on the carpeting in the back" is what confused me. If you know nothing about cars, you should take someone with you who does. A. Just to be clear with you, half the motor is on the carpet. Is that ok with you, or do you need pictures? Q. These guys must be idiots because you don't need to remove the oil pan to change valve seals. They are in the head, on top of the engine. A. If you paid close attention to what I wrote, you would see that I said O'rings. Those are installed from the bottom of the motor. But you should know that, right? Q. You drove the car in, so there would be no reason you could not drive it out. A. It was a $35.00 dollar tow. The car is already sold, for a profit. Q. I think they are taking advantage of you since they found out you know nothing about cars. This is like what they do when they see a woman alone come in. A. Steve from FL, I own many show cars, do you? I don't have time to crawl under a car, I would rather send it out and have it fixed. I agree that I wasn't clear on my complete description, but this should sum it up. Its kind of funny how some people can make immature comments over the internet knowing that they are nice and safe in their cosey little homes.

Joe, First, you never specified what exact problem you were having with the car when you took it in to them. What problem were you having? Did they mean VALVE SEALS? This is the only thing I could imagine being called an O Ring that has anything to do with oil consumption. And, how does 3.5 hours labor equal $490? Did they give you anything in writing as to exactly what they did or exactly what needed to be done and why? You should get this. And, did they remove just the oil pan, or the entire motor? Your post is confusing. "The motor is on the carpeting in the back" is what confused me. If you know nothing about cars, you should take someone with you who does. These guys must be idiots because you don't need to remove the oil pan to change valve seals. They are in the head, on top of the engine. You drove the car in, so there would be no reason you could not drive it out. I think they are taking advantage of you since they found out you know nothing about cars. This is like what they do when they see a woman alone come in. Get everything in writing.