I first brought in my car to have the wheel bearings checked because one of them was humming loudly. I was told that there was a slight noise, but nothing that's too serious and to wait until it gets worse (That and they could only speculate where the noise was coming from). Ok. I then had my dealership look at it shortly after and they mentioned that the right rear wheel bearing was worn out and needed to be replaced. I called Steve's to get a second opinion and they were able to confirm that the back right bearing was in fact worn and should be replaced. I have no idea why they couldn't find this the first time I took it to them. There was also a rattle from the heat shield that I asked them to investigate. Typically, a self-tapping screw or a hose clamp can solve the problem (which is what I did and it is fine now), but they insisted that they lower the exhaust and replace the entire heat shield...for $450. My solution cost $15 total and 20 minutes of my time. This rattle was by no means an emergency, but there are several simple fixes one can do to remedy the issue. This is where the classic line, "Do you want it done? Or do you want it done right" line comes in. I'd wager that if the issue is not a safety issue or a major problem, most people will opt to save $400+ for a solution. They ultimately said that all they can do is what they suggested. Offering to fix a simple issue by charging 30x the price of a simple solution is dishonest and poor customer service. If customers have the funds to drop on issues like mine, good on ya. I do not. I can now use my remaining $435 I didn't spend to just have my brother-in-law give me a hand and treat him to dinner and a beer after (money much better spent). I have no doubt that their quality of work is fine when they actually fix something, and I also feel that most of the employees seem like nice people. Make no mistake, however, they will sell you the solution they deem "best" to net the most profit possible...Hard to trust companies like that.
Jason, I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience because we welcome our all of our client's feedback, both the good and the bad. However, I respectfully disagree with your conclusion that a business is dishonest because they recommend repairing something correctly verses incorrectly. On the contrary, it's much more difficult to tell somebody the truth, something they often don't want to hear, and this course of action requires a great deal of integrity. People who are dishonest will tell you exactly what you want to hear and it's the false sense of comfort that follows which allows them to take advantage of you. Addressing your comment that you don't have the money; whether or not you have the money and whether or not you want to spend it on your vehicle is irrelevant. A professional's responsibility is to clearly communicate the facts regarding the right (or the best) way to do something and then you are absolutely free to do whatever you wish with that information. If there is a professional and legitimate option that would save you money, then of course we'll discuss it with you, otherwise the facts are what they are. I would rather get a 1 star review because we told the truth and recommended a professional repair that to get one because we did sloppy or unprofessional work. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions! Richard (Owner) 801-694-7936
- Steve's Automotive Specialists - Sandy