Allen Auto Repair

Hi Jason, It looks like in the phone estimate system we have on file for you that you had just called in for a labor price and we never had the truck here for a technician to look at. The service advisor that helps with that does have a knowledge of automotive but is also not a technician, those guys are in the shop servicing and repairing the cars. Martin really did just what you asked him to do in that he looked up the time in the guide and quoted that price witch is what he should do. When a customer calls for an estimate we try very hard to cover the bases but we do want to error on the side of caution "Mr. customer it could cost this much if more things are found to be broken one the technician gets to look a it " by doing this we reduce the chances of giving that "cheep get you in the door price" that some other shops do . It is always better received if the cost for the repair is less than quoted and not more. This can be one of the biggest challenges we face since at first we do not know what is wrong until the technician can fully investigate what is broken, Had you brought it by to be looked at and then estimated we could have been in the area of about 1.5 hours. I know at face valve this also seems high but add in charging both batteries back up (this helps to protect the new alternator and get it off to good start) run the test to verify the truck needed the alternator in the first place( you would not want us to change a good part and I have lost count of how many times a customer told us to replace one part just to find a blown fuse was the real issue) than run a final test to verify the repair and it easily will take over an hour. Just like when you go to work and work an hour you expect to be paid for an hour. Our technicians also except to be paid for their time, just like anyone does. Please do not hesitate to call me with any further questions. We are humans just like anyone else, when we make a mistake please call me so I can work to resolve the issue and make things right for everyone. Thank you for bringing up this subject. Craig Zale Craig's Car Care

Hi Stephanie, We really do work hard to give a complete estimate for a repair when there are some unknowns such as the coolant leak in the van. In this case the coolant was all over the engine under the intake manifold and was very hard to see just what was going to need to be replaced, until it could be dismantled and inspected closer. Worst case scenario was going to be gaskets, temperature switch and the water outlet assy. Also the estimate included the oil and filter service and to replace leaking valve cover gaskets plus the antifreeze, sales tax and that would have been $1567.87. When we spoke with Brad the other day to call to ask for how we can repair our relationship and make this right, he was able to update me that after it was repaired it turned out it only needed the water temp switch and the other items were still ok. That is the repair you are upset about that another shop charged $600.00 for. When we quoted the estimate we wanted you to know up front what it could be once it is apart, as most customers (my self-included) are ok with a lower than expected bill rather than having to call back and let someone know that to continue a repair it will need more parts and cost more. In this case for the labor, switch that was leaking, antifreeze, tax system conditioner would have been $720.00 so still higher than the $600.00 you spoke about and without knowing more about the shop you went to it is hard to say what the differences were (apples to apples). Brad did let me know that the valve covers were also later done by the same shop or a different one but that the van ended up having to be replaced due to other issues that were occurring after one of the other shops were done with it. I did also leave you a voice mail asking you to call me so we could all sit down and discuss what took place and how we can make it right. It is no secret car repairs are not any fun to pay for. Many times they are unexpected and expensive I wish there was a way to make all repairs cost less but it seems everything cost more these days. We do regularly compare our prices to other shops. Dealerships, and chain stores. With our team we generally come in the middle as far as price goes. Over all I believe we do a very good job at repairing cars and trucks and providing good service to the good people who own them. When the expectation of our customer is not met it becomes very important for us to understand why and work as a team to improve the process. We are now starting our 19th year as a family owned and operated business, we raise our children to care and treat the people around them with respect and honesty because that is who we are. Our offer is still open to speak about this issue or any other. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Sincerely Craig Zale Craig’s Car Care