Freakin nightmare getting my car fixed *UPDATE*

[57s98Camaro]

I've been having so much crap while trying to get the Camaro running after it wouldn't start 2 weeks ago. We took it to Procare and they said the starter was fried due to the bad wiring from my last mechanic (who really sucked, it's no surprise).

So they replaced the starter, the clutch switch, and redid the wiring. The total: $714 bucks. 6 days later the car won't start, and the security light just flashes on and off. We tow it back there and they tell us it's the anti-theft system, and they can't do anything about it. The say tow it to the dealership, let them deal with it, we can't do anything.

At this point, me and my dad go over there to try and get them to help us. The manager of the store immediately gets confrontational as we try and tell him maybe they need to check the wiring they did to see if it's interfering with the anti-theft. He says there's nothing wrong with it, he fixed the car and it's not their fault that it doesn't start now.

Am I dumb to think that maybe they caused the problem with the anti-theft system? I've been driving it for the past 2 and a half years without ever having issues with the security system, but days after they rewire stuff it goes nuts?

Right now it's at the dealer getting the problem fixed, they have to replace the cylinder that locked the ignition or something, they talked to my dad about it. Another 470 bucks. Someone shoot me.

*Update* 5/26/05

Well I got the car back from the dealer. Works fine I guess. They replaced the ignition lock cylinder and cut me a new key for it. 536 dollars :(

My parents went to the bank yesterday to try and block the payment. Since we used the check card and not the credit card it's already been posted, and there's not much we can do.

However, our bank alone has recieved 6 complaints about that specific Procare doing bad service/cheating people on repairs. The dealer also told us they have to fix a lot of cars that come in from Procare cause they messed things up. Even the towing service guy said Procare sucks. My dad is going to talk to the BBB and see what can be done. He's also going to contact the local news Troubleshooter team and tell them about this, and perhaps they'll investigate. My mom and I are going to file a complaint to the higher-ups at Procare and see what can be done.

[ July 26, 2005, 01:31 PM: Message edited by: 57s98Camaro ]

[CAMAROWIDBASS]

$714 to replace a started and redo some wiring, you got hulled man, real bad.


$417 to do the ignition lock is high as hell too.

No i dont think that when they redid the wiring for the started the second time has anything to do with the security light.

[Dojo2000]

Originally posted by CAMAROWIDBASS:
$714 to replace a started and redo some wiring, you got hulled man, real bad.


$417 to do the ignition lock is high as hell too.

He's right, you got reamed real bad.

Never take your car to the dealership for anything other than warranty-covered work.

[95Batmobile]

So do your farts still make noise, or do they wush right out without a sound?

I agree with these guys, those prices are rediculous..

[57s98Camaro]

Also, I forgot to mention a different mechanic had dicked around with the security wiring before I took it 2 weeks ago. Never did anything with the starter. Procare said they had to rewire it correctly. That's why I think they had something to do with it.

So if I can't take it to the dealership to be fixed without being raped, where do I go?

[CAMAROWIDBASS]

ask around, your friends and family im sure they know a trust worthy mechanic.

[57s98Camaro]

My other family members have imports and take it to this local guy who is honest, but he doesn't even touch domestic cars. They use him exclusively, so I'm SOL on asking family. Friends drive their cars until they break, then go to dealerships.

My damn car has such bad luck with mechanics. My dad's friend screwed it real bad when I needed a new clutch, it was out for over a month. Then Procare screwed it last week and now the dealer is milking me for all I'm worth.

I'm seriously thinking that when this car is fixed, I'm driving it for another month until I go back to college, then once I'm done I'll trade it and get an import so I can go the honest guy who does my family's cars. My car was modified from the day we bought it used, so there's no telling what else is going to go.

[57s98Camaro]

P.S. Can someone give me a rough estimate on what it should be to replace a starter motor, clutch switch, and rewire the security harness? I may need it when if I go back there for some reason.

[vanbibber]

given the amount you paid for what you have done...you luck it will cost 1000000000dollars.

ive dam near had the entire engine rebuilt on my trans am and its gonna cost about 3-400 bucks for everything.

[KBeezy]

heh. Wired it wrong? ha.


*** a little sore? Walking a little funny? I'll be surprised if you arent. I work at a dealership as a tech for Honda and even I feel thats expensive.

[57s98Camaro]

OK, YES HA HA I GOT RAPED.

I'm glad you all think it's funny. I'm going to the bank Monday and telling them to cancel the payment from the credit card.

I would appreciate it if solutions were presented instead of just pointing and laughing. I'm a college student studying mechanical engineering, not a car mechanic.

[shenanigans]

Originally posted by Dojo2000:
He's right, you got reamed real bad.

Never take your car to the dealership for anything other than warranty-covered work.

I disagree with that BIG time...

In my opinion, if its anything other then like a routine maintenance thing(alternator, AC, fluids, etc...) I say go to the dealership. Is it more expensive? Yeah but they do the job right, and you always get better service in my opinion.

Little franchise shops suck ***, I am only 23, and I have seen them ream me, and others not so much in the initial price but by doing total crap work.


If you took it to the dealer the first time for the starter bet you woudl have paid ~$500, and your problem woudl have been fixed. You would have had AC delco parts, not some remanufactered 30day warranty crap.

Maybe you had to pay so much because the guy messed it up, really made a ****ed up mess to fix from this mechanic.


price wasn't to bad for the ignition lock cylinder. I think I paid $370, like 4 years ago to get it done on my 94.

Where the hell else are you going to get it done, no mechanic will touch it and shops are not equiped.


You pay more for a dealer, but they fix the problem.

[Mogobs30th]

Originally posted by shenanigans:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Dojo2000:
He's right, you got reamed real bad.

Never take your car to the dealership for anything other than warranty-covered work.

I disagree with that BIG time...

Is it more expensive? Yeah but they do the job right, and you always get better service in my opinion.

If you took it to the dealer the first time for the starter bet you woudl have paid ~$500, and your problem woudl have been fixed. You would have had AC delco parts, not some remanufactered 30day warranty crap.

Maybe you had to pay so much because the guy messed it up, really made a ****ed up mess to fix from this mechanic.

Where the hell else are you going to get it done, no mechanic will touch it and shops are not equiped.

You pay more for a dealer, but they fix the problem. </font>[/QUOTE]BS. I have been screwed by more dealerships in the area than I have small shops. Dealerships are no different. All the parts that are availiable to the dealership are availiable to the common person on the street, either from the parts department at a dealership, or from high end parts store.

And from a service point of view, dealerships are the reason that I would rather do the work myself, than take it to ANY shop. Take for example plug wires. When I owned my Camaro, I had taken it to the local Chevrolet dealership (Pedigo Chevrolet). I wanted new wires, so I went there, and they charged me $210 for new wires. $210!!!! for wires. What really pissed me off about it was the fact that not only did I pay FAR TOO MUCH for replacement wires and installation, they managed to mess it up badly. They had the 1,2,4, and 6 wires all mixed up. Now for that great customer service you speak of. When I got my car back, the damn thing was misfiring badly, and when I found out the problem (although I NEVER touched anything or moved anything under the hood), Pedigo Chevrolet wanted to charge me another $210 to fix the problem they made. They told me that they would not fix the problem, because they thought that I DID mess with the wires. Complete BS, I ended up getting the wires on the right posts, misfire gone.

Whoever thinks that taking a car to a dealership is the best answer doesn't really give the small local shops a chance. Dealerships are a rip off, I suggest never taking a car to one unless it is FREE warranty work, and even then you are taking a chance. I've seen cars come back from oil changes under warranty and the mechanic forget to put the plug back in the pan. Dealer mechanics are no different than a good small shop.

57s98, I would definitely stop payment on that bill. Something is messed up on that car, I suggest taking it to a GOOD small shop, have them run a diagnostic on it, let them locate the problem, and if it has any relation to the starter at all, have the shop that replaced the starter fix that problem. Make sure that you take it to a shop that has a Master Cert. mechanic on premisis.

[Dojo2000]

I'm apologize for making light of your situation, but if you wanted technical help you probably should have posted in the tech section,

[vanbibber]

Originally posted by Mogobs30th:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by shenanigans:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Dojo2000:
He's right, you got reamed real bad.

Never take your car to the dealership for anything other than warranty-covered work.

I disagree with that BIG time...

Is it more expensive? Yeah but they do the job right, and you always get better service in my opinion.

If you took it to the dealer the first time for the starter bet you woudl have paid ~$500, and your problem woudl have been fixed. You would have had AC delco parts, not some remanufactered 30day warranty crap.

Maybe you had to pay so much because the guy messed it up, really made a ****ed up mess to fix from this mechanic.

Where the hell else are you going to get it done, no mechanic will touch it and shops are not equiped.

You pay more for a dealer, but they fix the problem. </font>[/QUOTE]BS. I have been screwed by more dealerships in the area than I have small shops. Dealerships are no different. All the parts that are availiable to the dealership are availiable to the common person on the street, either from the parts department at a dealership, or from high end parts store.

And from a service point of view, dealerships are the reason that I would rather do the work myself, than take it to ANY shop. Take for example plug wires. When I owned my Camaro, I had taken it to the local Chevrolet dealership (Pedigo Chevrolet). I wanted new wires, so I went there, and they charged me $210 for new wires. $210!!!! for wires. What really pissed me off about it was the fact that not only did I pay FAR TOO MUCH for replacement wires and installation, they managed to mess it up badly. They had the 1,2,4, and 6 wires all mixed up. Now for that great customer service you speak of. When I got my car back, the damn thing was misfiring badly, and when I found out the problem (although I NEVER touched anything or moved anything under the hood), Pedigo Chevrolet wanted to charge me another $210 to fix the problem they made. They told me that they would not fix the problem, because they thought that I DID mess with the wires. Complete BS, I ended up getting the wires on the right posts, misfire gone.

Whoever thinks that taking a car to a dealership is the best answer doesn't really give the small local shops a chance. Dealerships are a rip off, I suggest never taking a car to one unless it is FREE warranty work, and even then you are taking a chance. I've seen cars come back from oil changes under warranty and the mechanic forget to put the plug back in the pan. Dealer mechanics are no different than a good small shop.

57s98, I would definitely stop payment on that bill. Something is messed up on that car, I suggest taking it to a GOOD small shop, have them run a diagnostic on it, let them locate the problem, and if it has any relation to the starter at all, have the shop that replaced the starter fix that problem. Make sure that you take it to a shop that has a Master Cert. mechanic on premisis. </font>[/QUOTE]wes is right take it to a small shop. most of them will take care of you. my guy takes his time and triple checks everything. hes a good honest guy that ive taken a couple of cars to with absolutely no complaints. i would rather do business with him than a dealership.