Hawkes Discount Radiator
10042 N. Cave Creek Road
Phoenix, AZ
Main office 710 East Broadway Rd.
Mesa, AZ 85204
Your consumer complaints reporter almost got ripped off this week at the North Phoenix store of Hawkes Discount Radiator of Mesa, AZ. I took a 9 year old radiator in for repair. (It had a slight leak at the tank, where the solder typically weakens.) An hour later, I get a call. Terry (a gal) tells me my radiator has "weak tubes" and it looks like I'll need a new unit. $295! (My other option was a rebuilt for $245, but only a one year warranty on that, as opposed to a lifetime warranty on the new unit.
She really kept talking up the new unit.) Didn't sound right to me - there was nothing wrong with the radiator except for the leak. It's not that old (the radiator in my other Blazer is 23 years old, and doesn't have weak tubes) and I've been good about changing out the radiator fluid.
I decided to call another shop. They would sell me a new radiator for $225, also with a lifetime warranty. They said bring to old one in first to get a 2nd opinion.
So I went back and picked up the unit from Hawkes. As near as I could tell, they hadn't touched it. Maybe ran some water through it. It certainly hadn't been taken apart. I took it to the other place, who took it apart and said "it looked like new inside."
Is this a way to turn a fast buck? Tell a customer he has weak tubes, sell him a new radiator he doesn't need, and then fix up and sell his old one for even more profit? No thanks!
Mike
Glendale, Arizona
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