I got my oil change done to my 1997 Mazda 626 with Precision Tune on 01/28/06, and had a brake inspection since my breaks were squeaky. He told me I needed new brake pads and that my car was making a clicking noise when i turned so i needed a new axel.
I returned a week later and got the service done. He called me inbetween to ask if they had permission to check my rotors. I said OK, and he ended up resurfacing both, leaving one to be OK but one not. So he ended up replacing both. Also, he said i needed new Front and Back axels, after only initially telling me i needed one.
So he replaced the front and back axels, front rotors, front brake pads and rear shoes. Total cost, 1130.69. I feel cheated. And the car kept making weird noises ever since, even after the inital 1000 miles break-in period.
(Later that day i ODDLY get a flat tire?!? Coincidence i dont know)
About 6 weeks later, i am driving on hwy 101 and my oil light flickers on. I pull over when the engine makes noises. I have it towed to the nearest shop. We notice oil is leaking all over the side of the road and on the tow truck.
The place i tow it to is Community Garage in Morgan Hill. They take a look at it in the morning and tell me the oil drain plug is missing and ask me if i want them to put in a new one. I tell them go ahead and see if my car even starts. It does, but makes a clicking noise and oil light comes on when in idle. They tell me i'll need a new engine for about $4,500.
I call Jim at Precision Tune, since they did my last oil change and he has it towed to his place so he can look at it. The mechanic at Community Gargage says an oil drain plug does NOT come off by itself. It comes off when not tightened enough by the person who last did the oil.
Upon recieval of the car, Jim from Precision assesses that Community Garage overfilled the oil and didn't place a gasket in. He warns that this particular shop doesn't have a good reputation right away. He says they replace batteries when it is still good, etc. And that they were just trying to sell me a new engine. He told me i shouldn't have taken it there because now there is no proof if the oil drain plug was actually missing! Now I don't know who to believe!
Jim says that the car is fine. He ran it for hours and took a test drive. There is a noise coming from the engine which "concerns him" but he tells me its okay. He tries to distract me by telling me two of the fuel injectors are leaking, and that is what is causing a hissing noise and the oil light to come on, since the idle is too low. The oil light does go off when the car starts going, but the engine continues to make a tapping noise. He says that i can keep driving it and "see what happens."
All the while, he is trying to tell me he does not TRUST Community Garage and believes someone has tampered with my oil drain plug because there is no possible way it would come off after 6 weeks and so much milege. But i think it can... Eventually, wear, rain, time... It just comes undone!
I am very wary of Jim just because he does not do what is best for the customer, and tries to fix everything or blame things on other people. He is not going to take liability for internal motor damage. I talked to the Mazda dealer mechanics and they said the engine is for sure damaged and i cannot keep this one. Jim is trying to get out of something he KNOWS is his fault.
Don't go to Precision Tune for anything.
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