Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/03/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Auto repair facility. Took in our vehicle and said they would give us estimate for repair. The estimate was too high so we told them we would go elsewhere to have the vehicle fixed. They then slapped us with an $855.00 just to provide the estimate.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/18/2024

  
       On September, 16, 2024 Mr. *** ****** came to our shop with a lift gate problem on his truck.  The complaint was lift gate tilts to one side and there seems to be a bolt missing.  We wrote up a repair order (RO-35004) in his company name, New York Minute along with his telephone number.  At that time we told him that our minimum shop diagnostic charge was $137.00 for up to one hour of troubleshooting and/or repairs.  After that we charge $137.00 per hour plus parts.  He signed our repair order with the diagnostic charge showing on the repair order.
       The truck was moved into our shop soon after.  It was clear upon inspection that the lift gate  damage was far more than a bolt or tilt.  The lift gate was damaged, possibly from being hit in the rear by a vehicle or backing into an object such as a concrete post.  I contacted Mr. ****** and told him that we could not give an estimate due to the damage and we would need to take the lift gate apart to some extent to determine damages.  He approved this.  As a note, it can be extremely difficult  to determine damages to a tuck-away lift gate because when it is folded up and under the truck body  one cannot see much of the main frame, frame arms, and many other components that could be damaged..
      The liftgate had been heavily strapped up to the truck by the customer so that it would not fall to the ground during transport.  We unstrapped it and lowered it to the ground.  After some disassembly it became apparent that the damage was far more than a missing bolt or simple tilt. The lift gates parallel frame arm that supports the platform was twisted and unattached from the main frame along with other problems.  I contacted Mr. ****** and told him that the damage was more severe than we could see from an initial inspection.  At this point, he asked for a written estimate for the repair. 
       On September, 18, 2024 I sent a written estimate for the repair Mr. ****** at his email address:  *****************************************.  The estimate was $3336.88 for parts, labor, and sales tax.  This is an above normal repair estimate for repairing lift gates.  When repair costs get this high on smaller lift gates it is common for the customer to ask about a replacement lift gate.  There was no mention of this by Mr. *********************************** Several days later Mr. ****** contacted me and declined the repair.  I asked if he wanted us to take the disassembled components and put them in the back of his truck body or put it back together and strap it up for transport.  He chose to have it reassembled which required much more labor in the shop.  I told him that if reassembled it would be unsafe and we would note that.  He told us to go ahead. 
       I emailed him on October 3, 2024 at 1:18 PM and told him that the lift gate was back together and the truck was ready for pick-up.  I also reminded him in this email that the lift gate was unsafe to operate. I sent him an invoice for the diagnostics, the approved disassembly, and the approved reassembly.  This totaled $822.00 (not $854).  The breakdown was:  $137.00 initial diagnostics, $342.50 for 2.5 hours for disassembly and inspection, and $342.50 for 2.5 hours for reassembly and strapping the liftgate up and closed for transport.
      Later the same day at 3:43 PM I received an email from a ***** ********* identifying himself as owner and general counsel of New York Minute.  This is the first time I had heard any mention of this name.  He stated that we requested a written estimate from you to repair the lift gate.  He further stated that pursuant to Georgia Vehicle Repair Rule 120-2-52-.04 that a written estimate is required.  He left out one minor clause in this rule that states if requested. 
      I emailed at 4:08 PM that Mr. *** ****** was informed all along of our work and that when he asked for a written estimate it was provided.  I also sent a copy of my email with the estimate sent to Mr. ******************************************* 4:10 PM Mr. ********* emailed again stating that I had ignored the legal requirement and that the charge was improper. Also, that I could not disguise repair work as an estimate and charge over $800.00.
      At 4:29 PM I emailed back his employee had approved both sides of our R.O.  If he preferred I would be happy to give him 2 invoices.  One for initial diagnostics and disassembly and one for the reassembly.
      At 5:06 PM Mr. ********* emailed back that the written estimate had to have my employees signature of approval.  That is what is required by law.  Mr. ****** did sign the original repair order.  The remainder was done through emails.  
      At 5:08 PM I emailed that the initial and disassembly and the reassembly were approved verbally by Mr. ****** and when asked for a written estimate I provide one.
      At 5:09 PM I received another email from Mr. ********* stating:  You can release my truck or not.  I am not paying the invoice.  I have contacted the State and will be filing my Complaint tomorrow morning.
      At 5:11 PM I made a short reply of do what you must.  We would hold the truck until payment was made by cash, wire transfer, or ACH only.  Then I left the office.
      We received payment by *** on October 7, 2024.  The truck was picked up shortly thereafter.
      On October 4, 2024 negative information was placed both Yelp and ******, as well as your letter.  Very negative complaints including use of words such as fraud and crooks.  The man has no shame.  I do believe that this is our first negative feedback from anyone from the BBB, Yelp, ******, or **** in the 34 years that we have been in business.  We cannot do work regardless of whether it is diagnostics, disassembles, reassemblies, or repairs free as he would like, especially when the person signing our repair order is made aware of our work at all steps of it.
      I hope that the BBB can see through this attempt to get something for nothing. 
  
  Thank you,
  
  ***** ******, Owner
  Superior Truck & Equipment Products******
  **************
  ***********. 30047
  ************
  Cell:  ************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 22377547
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  The owner's response is nice and long and it purports to provide responsive information.  However, it ignores the only relevant issue.  The shop was required by law to provide a written estimate before performing work on a motor vehicle and to get approval for that work.  This was not done.  My manager approved the shop to provide the estimate.  Nothing more.  To allegedly do over $800.00 worth of supposed work and try to charge me without complying with the law is egregious.  I never would have approved $800.00 to just find out what was wrong with my truck.  If you allow repair shops to charge large amounts of money and call the work an "estimate" you will be allowing them to circumvent the law and destroy the very protections in place for vehicle owners against corrupt repair shops.  The owner is upset because I took my truck elsewhere to get it repaired for a fraction of the amount that he quoted.  This criminal behavior should be noted on the BBB record and penalized appropriately.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2024

       We did everything correctly and his rejection is immaterial.  The only dealings I had with this company were with *** ******.  The attachments show this to be true.  I never heard of this person until I received his classless emails.

       First, this person again tries to slide by the fact that the law states written estimate if requested.

       Attached is our original work order showing the general nature of the problem, the customers signature on the repair order, and the contact information at the top so that we could communicate with him regarding this repair order.  The only contact is Mr. ************************************** We pulled the truck in our shop shortly after its arrival.  The liftgate was completely strapped up to the truck frame and van body to keep it from falling down to the ground.  That tells a lot about the condition of the liftgate.  We unstrapped it and used our forklift to get it down without falling.  Due to the damage and the fact that it was completely folded up the frame and arms were not visible.  I contacted Mr. ****** and told him that we would have to partially disassemble the liftgate to determine its problems.  He approved verbally.  Otherwise we would have stopped all work at that point until further orders were given.

       After the disassembly work we determined that the damage was more severe than the customer mentioned.  The frame arm was damaged and structural part were broken loose.  It was clear that this liftgate had been hit hard or involved in a traffic accident.  I called Mr. ****** and told him of the more extensive damage. He stated he would call me back.  He did, and asked for a written estimate.  Per the attachment, I sent a written estimate to him by email on September 18, 2024.  It is to the attention of Mr. ****** only.  The problem is stated and the estimate is stated. 

       Sometime later Mr. ****** called me and declined the repair.  I asked if wanted the liftgate components put in the back of the truck for transport, which would have ended our work and the time involved would have been less than 4 hours or about $500.00.  However, Mr. ****** asked about reassembly of the gate.  This illogical.  The liftgate was broken and sooner or later it would have to be disassembled again or completely removed from the truck.  This is where the $800.00 limit may have come into play IF Mr. ****** had asked for a written estimate for diagnostics, disassembly, and reassembly. He did not. 

        Per the attached invoice dated October 3, 2024 we clearly state No repairs performed, along with no warranty expressed due to the damage of the liftgate, and the fact that no repairs were performed, along with a statement that the liftgate is unsafe.  The invoice has Mr. ******* name only.

        Our work was as ordered and proper.  We did nothing incorrectly.
  
  Thank you,
  
  ***** ******
  Superior Truck & Equipment Products, Inc.
  *****************
  **********************
  O-************
  C-************