Upon my arrival at the mechanic, I had to wait several minutes before being acknowledged. After explaining the problems with my vehicle to four different employees, I was asked to pay for a diagnostic service, which contradicts their advertised policy of free diagnostics. I was told that my car posed a risk to my life due to unidentified issues and was coerced to leave it at the shop under the pretense that it might "explode" if I continued to drive it.
I was promised a call back within a few hours, but no one reached out to me. I had to initiate contact and was kept on hold for an hour. It required three phone calls before I could get an answer regarding the cost and service details.
I agreed to pay $1400, on the condition that my vehicle's gear shifting, acceleration, and air conditioning problems would be resolved within this price. They assured me that all these issues would be fixed by 10 am the next day.
The next day, upon calling before I was about to travel across the city, I was informed that the car was not yet ready. Eventually, at 3 pm, I was told my car was ready to be picked up. I verified again if all the agreed services had been performed, and they reassured me they had.
Upon my arrival, they quickly collected the payment and handed me the keys. To my dismay, the air conditioning was still not working, among other unresolved issues. When I complained about this, they responded with a dismissive analogy comparing the situation to a doctor's visit where the prescribed medication doesn't work immediately.
Their response was not only unprofessional but also misleading. I was told that I had to pay another thousand dollars to fix my car, which they derogatorily referred to as "old junk." I was also subjected to a humiliating exchange, with both the staff and the owner displaying alarming hostility and a dismissive attitude when I pointed out their misleading promises.
As a master's student, I had paid the $1400 from my tuition savings and was unable to afford more. Despite clearly stating my financial situation and expressing my discontent, they persistently insisted I pay more or leave with an unfixed car.
The owner and his staff also displayed a highly inappropriate and misogynistic attitude towards me, implying that they would only take me seriously if I brought a male figure to discuss the issues with my car. This not only reflects badly on their business but is also highly discriminatory and unprofessional.
The owner, Paul, offered me a meager refund of $200 out of the $1400 I had paid, despite his team failing to fix the issues that were agreed upon. I reluctantly accepted this refund and left the shop with my still malfunctioning car, now with added problems.
This experience has been deeply traumatic and disappointing. I had to resort to relying on a male family member to fix my car, after being taken advantage of and treated poorly by the staff at Quality Transmission.
The lack of professionalism, the misleading promises, and the subsequent hostile and discriminatory treatment have left me feeling exploited and dismissed. I feel this business has not only violated basic business ethics but has also disrespected and belittled me for standing up for myself.
