Jim,
I've been dissatisfied with work on my car many times. I have never complained until now. I am interested in your opinion, so if you don't mind I will give you these facts of what happened. I don't know how interested you are, but I would also post the letters I sent to the general manager if you want.
Ford Mustang GT with 116,000 miles
Two years ago a plug to my cooling fan started burning. I had it towed to Pep Boys and they told me they needed a new cooling fan and plug. They replaced it and a couple months later Ford recall 01S30 - Cooling Fan Circuit Breaker was sent to me. I brought the paperwork to the dealership, they reviewed it and a refund check was sent to me from the Ford company.
A couple weeks ago I brought my Mustang to the dealership for new tie rod ends and an oil change. It was completed the same day, but then I get an invoice in the mail stating "CUST STATES DO RECALL
01S30....CIR BRKR ASY...PAID BY MANUFACTURER........................PART # FMC F5ZZ 14526 AA"Four days later my car overheats as soon as I stop to park when I get get home from work, 41 miles, and anti-freeze shot mostly out of a hose that connects to the reservoir. I have it towed to the dealership and they tell me that I need a new radiator, water pump, thermostat and hoses = $1,200 + . It overheats again and they tell me it was just an air bubble. It overheats again and I told them to drive it for 15 minutes and let it idle. They insisted there is nothing wrong. I asked them to check out the recall work they did because the fan is not coming on, but they insist there is nothing wrong.
I can't get there until a week later because I work all day and because of the holiday they are closed. I drive it for 15 minutes and show them how the fan stopped coming on we all observe the temp appoach H. They call the tech. and he immediatly pulls the plug from the fan and says look it's burning. I ask him where the circuit breaker is and he says right here, apparently plugged into the burning plug. They charge me for a ECT sensor and new motor fan FMC F5ZZ 8C607 A and FMC NPN977695 decription ****************************** ? whatever that the "****" mean. That makes me suspicious because when I questioned them before leaving this time they denied that they ever changed the circuit breaker and after I showed them that they did, then they denied that they changed it this last time and it is working fine. Could FMC NPN977695 be a new circuit breaker? They charged me $12.00 for it.
In conclusion, I bring my Mustang in for an oil change and tie rods. The cooling fan is working fine. They mess with it without my permissiion and a few days later it's not working. The obviously misdiagnose the problem and charge me $1,200+. They fix the cooling fan and I am back where I started before I even brought in the car, except I'm out $1,500 + dollars and have new tie rods and oil change - which is not included on the $1,500.
Not to mention my floor and seat are soaking wet because they left the window open.
They want to argue that I needed a new radiator, water pump and thermostat anyway and that I have 116,000 miles. But the fact is they were working prior and it didn't fix the problem I brought it in for - overheating - and the problem is finally fixed as I predicted it would be once they investigated the circuit breaker. And I just wanted to trade it in anyway. So for them to say I needed those parts anyway just doesn't apply to me.
BTW, I can't locate that circuit breaker that was in front of the cooling fan before they replaced the fan. I'm think the circuit breaker is an add on that goes with the stock fan once they discovered the plug catches fire. Perhaps the new fan Pep boys put in two years ago can't use this circuit breaker.
Believe me. I have been working since I was 12 years old and earned every penny I made. I never complain about anything. But this time I feel like I really got screwed and I am paying for their mistakes. I feel they just shouldn't have touched that circuit breaker without my permission. If they asked I would have told them not to touch it because it had already been checked out by Ford.
I understand what you are saying and I've heard people complain for free work. Believe me this is not the case. I had no problem paying the $1,200+ at first when I believed it was my responsibility and the problem was fixed. But just wasn't the case.