Life is good
So, the situation:
Car overheated a lot.
Alana is stuck in the middle of nowhere at midnight after working a 12 hour shift because her car is not safe. Jacob, step brother, comes and tries to get the car home. Car ends up steaming and has to be parked in an Old Navy. VIP is the closest car place.
Car was brought to VIP. VIP was asked to fix the car so it can be driven safely.
VIP is told that I have no key to the outside of the car so do not lock it.
VIP said the problem was the water pump and charged $425 to replace it.
VIP locked all doors (scratched my window getting it to open again).
5 days later
Car is overheating again.
Coolant is low (shouldn't be since VIP just fixed the system).
The oil light is permanently on (since VIP 1st looked at it) - The oil is fine.
Oh, and it's still leaking a little.
Car is brought back to VIP.
VIP acts like it's Alana's fault that the coolant is still low (telling me I should have brought it back the next day because water bubbles could have made it lower--they never mentioned this when I picked up the car)
Alana tells VIP all the windows open so if they lock me out again, at least we can get in.
VIP calls me and tells me the problem is now the Intake Manifold Gasket is leaking.
They can not fix it.
It will cost me $600-$700 to fix it (when I find someone who can fix it)
I almost quit my job because I think I have no transportation to it (it's 30 minutes away)
They lock all the doors and close all windows again.
Alana is very stressed.
Alana calls her dad and hangs up on him b/c she's so pissy.
Dad calls his reliable, trustworthy, honest mechanic friend.
Alana takes car to this mechanic.
This mechanic looks at the car and tests it for less then 20 minutes.
Mechanic tells Alana that VIP really fucked up.
The water pump is still leaking.
There are bolts missing and broken all over the water pump.
VIP unplugged the oil level sensor and left it unplugged (even though I asked them to fix it since the light is stuck on all the time meaning there's a problem with the oil)
Now, I might need a new timing cover.
The problem is definitely not the Intake Manifold Gasket.
Mechanic says I should go back to VIP and get my money back (for labor).
Mechanic says I should sue if they don't give it back and that I have a good case.
Mechanic says I should not drive car to work this week (I should borrow someone's car if I can)
Mechanic says he can fix the car this weekend and will charge less then VIP did.
Alana calls dad and asks him to go to VIP the next day (since they obviously have no respect for me)
Dad agrees but is hesitant.
Alana calls Jacob and offers to pay him $50 to get money back from assholes at VIP.
Next morning, Alana and Jacob go to VIP.
Alana sits in the car.
Jacob is inside for 10 minutes before he comes out and asks for my credit card.
10 minutes later he comes out with a receipt saying they've refunded all the labor ($327)
Jacob said the manager told him he wasn't there when this occurred but he was aware of the situation (like they knew they fucked up and they knew we'd be back).
Jacob refuses to take any money for helping Alana.
Trustworthy mechanic says he'll fix the car this weekend.
Alana is happy.
Car overheated a lot.
Alana is stuck in the middle of nowhere at midnight after working a 12 hour shift because her car is not safe. Jacob, step brother, comes and tries to get the car home. Car ends up steaming and has to be parked in an Old Navy. VIP is the closest car place.
Car was brought to VIP. VIP was asked to fix the car so it can be driven safely.
VIP is told that I have no key to the outside of the car so do not lock it.
VIP said the problem was the water pump and charged $425 to replace it.
VIP locked all doors (scratched my window getting it to open again).
5 days later
Car is overheating again.
Coolant is low (shouldn't be since VIP just fixed the system).
The oil light is permanently on (since VIP 1st looked at it) - The oil is fine.
Oh, and it's still leaking a little.
Car is brought back to VIP.
VIP acts like it's Alana's fault that the coolant is still low (telling me I should have brought it back the next day because water bubbles could have made it lower--they never mentioned this when I picked up the car)
Alana tells VIP all the windows open so if they lock me out again, at least we can get in.
VIP calls me and tells me the problem is now the Intake Manifold Gasket is leaking.
They can not fix it.
It will cost me $600-$700 to fix it (when I find someone who can fix it)
I almost quit my job because I think I have no transportation to it (it's 30 minutes away)
They lock all the doors and close all windows again.
Alana is very stressed.
Alana calls her dad and hangs up on him b/c she's so pissy.
Dad calls his reliable, trustworthy, honest mechanic friend.
Alana takes car to this mechanic.
This mechanic looks at the car and tests it for less then 20 minutes.
Mechanic tells Alana that VIP really fucked up.
The water pump is still leaking.
There are bolts missing and broken all over the water pump.
VIP unplugged the oil level sensor and left it unplugged (even though I asked them to fix it since the light is stuck on all the time meaning there's a problem with the oil)
Now, I might need a new timing cover.
The problem is definitely not the Intake Manifold Gasket.
Mechanic says I should go back to VIP and get my money back (for labor).
Mechanic says I should sue if they don't give it back and that I have a good case.
Mechanic says I should not drive car to work this week (I should borrow someone's car if I can)
Mechanic says he can fix the car this weekend and will charge less then VIP did.
Alana calls dad and asks him to go to VIP the next day (since they obviously have no respect for me)
Dad agrees but is hesitant.
Alana calls Jacob and offers to pay him $50 to get money back from assholes at VIP.
Next morning, Alana and Jacob go to VIP.
Alana sits in the car.
Jacob is inside for 10 minutes before he comes out and asks for my credit card.
10 minutes later he comes out with a receipt saying they've refunded all the labor ($327)
Jacob said the manager told him he wasn't there when this occurred but he was aware of the situation (like they knew they fucked up and they knew we'd be back).
Jacob refuses to take any money for helping Alana.
Trustworthy mechanic says he'll fix the car this weekend.
Alana is happy.