This man Bob Raphael of Raphael and Sons, supposedly owner of this repair company, through a mutual acquaintance, agreed to fix my mother, Miss Vincent's, car, a 1992 Pontiac Grand Am. It needed a head gasket and was not in running order.
He quoted my mother verbally that he would do the job, including parts and labor, for $400. He would not give this to her in writing, nor did he look at the vehicle first. The vehicle was towed to his home/business on June 12th. After receiving a $200 check from Miss Vincent, owner of the vehicle to be fixed, which he verbally confirmed would be more than enough to cover the necessary parts to get started.
He then called my mother's (Miss Vincent's) home to tell her via voice mail, that he'd "run into more expenses" and that he needed more money and that the cost of labor was going to be $300, which jacked the current cost to her up to $500. Miss Vincent then told him she told him via phone conversations that she needed written accounts of all parts bought and labor done, which he refused to give, except verbally he said "the gaskets alone cost $198.00... And also the oil pan was$130.00.
He kept repeating that he could get the parts from the Cut-rites I deal with", but was buying from Schucks instead. Miss Vincent then paid him $250 more, which was all she had. He'd already stripped the car apart by this time. He then said "it's going to be more trouble then it's worth" and tried to "sell" her his 1994 Pontiac Grand Am, with her's for trade in because it was worthless, for $1000.
He refused, again, to give her a rundown on the price and specific costs involved on anything, or labor spent. At one point he had it up on the lift, with oil draining and wheel off. He was pushing Miss Vincent towards buying his car instead of fixing this one.
Meanwhile, Miss Vincent spoke with her son, Skott, regarding this exasperation, and he thought it sounded like a scam.
Mr. Raphael then called around the 16th of June to say that he'd "talked it over with my wife and we decided we'd let our car go for $800", and he'd apply the $200 left Miss Vincent "owed" towards their car, which would knock the price down to $600.00. They would hang onto the car until it was paid for. Miss Vincent did NOT want to buy a different car. She wanted hers repaired.
Miss Vincent still had not received the repair job she had paid for. Miss Vincent and her son, Skott Heisey, told Mr. Raphael they would come and get the car. The car was taken apart and not put back together. Mr. Raphael told Miss Vincent that the only money she would get back was $200. She insisted he had not done the job and told him he could keep $150 for his labor and the head replaning and he refused.
When Skott called, Mr. Raphael's attitude was different. He agreed to keep only $175 and return the rest. On Friday, June 17, Miss Vincent went over to obtain the refund, but he would only give her $217. At that point, when she came at the agreed upon time, his own red pontiac Grand Am was sitting in front of the garage, blocking access to her vehicle, which was still on the hydraulic block but at ground level.
Mr. Raphael approached Miss Vincent and asked when they'd pick up the car and she said it would be picked up in the next day or so. He was still saying it was a piece of junk but agreed to "take it off her hands". That is when he gave her the $217.00 and she said his agreement with Mr. Heisey was that he was to only keep $175. He argued no way, it cost me all the day before's work and gas money and he wasn't going to do it for nothing on his own time. He said if Mr. Heisey didn't like it he could come and see him.
Meanwhile, the hauling vehicle that was still parked at Mr. Raphael's and blocking Miss Vincent's exit, (the driver) came and asked if he could haul off her car. Miss Vincent stated that she'd been cheated enough, no way. This truck was from Aberdeen, WA.
This man, Mr. Raphael, made trips to Shelton, WA every day anyway to take his son to school and should not have charged her gas for those excursions. This man, since nothing was fixed or quoted on paper when she asked, is due no more and ripped Miss Vincent off and tried to swindle her into buying another car while keeping hers for his own use. He needs to be put out of business and to refund the rest of her money. He did not do what honest mechanics do by quoting her what she asked and asking what she wanted done to her vehicle and did not follow correct business protocol. He needs to be investigated.
Total Miss Vincent paid to him was $450, which was all she had. She has a med. Check of $555/month which she lives off of and this man took grave advantage of her.
Thanks for your help.
Anne
ANTIOCH, Tennessee
U.S.A.
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