I took my 1997 Chevrolet Venture van to Mike Barnetts (Barnetts Garage) to find out why it was overheating and repair it. I told them I thought it was a blown head gasket but they said it WAS NOT a blown head gasket but that it had a blown intake gasket (upper and lower).
I allowed for repairs and picked it up. After driving it home I noticed it was still running hot. I took it back and they checked it found nothing to begin with. I told them to do a tune up while they had it. While doing the tune up they found water in the oil and said it was a blown head gasket (like I said before). Now they charged me to completely break down my engine again and do more repairs to the heads (had they checked it properly the first time I would not have had to pay for labor TWICE for tearing down engine).
After they supposedly repaired it again, I took it home it still ran hot. I took it back he tested it said it was the radiator cap and charged me $50.00 until I started getting upset then he dropped it to $30.00 (cap was 2.99 it the store). I took it home it still ran hot.By this time I had paid him over $1900.00. He said to take it to Ferrell Chevrolet and have them test it. My wife was put in the hospital in ICU November 28 and the van sat until the middle of December until she could drive again. I took the van to Ferrell twice but they couldnt see me. I had made an appointment again with them and 1 week prior to getting it there the engine cut off while I was driving down the road. I had it towed to Ferrell Chevrolet and they said it needed a new engine which was $4500.00. We then ordered a new engine through Advance and had to wait over 2 months to get it because they had to build it from scratch (no rebuilt ones in stock).
Then we had Ray Blackwells Garage put the engine in and check out the old one to find out what happened. He proceeded to tell us that the head gaskets on the old engine were blown (this is what Barnetts Garage was supposed to fix). I contacted Mike Barnett on April 30 to find out from him why or how this happened. He told me my rings were probably bad and it wasnt his fault this happened. Our mechanic at Ray Blackwells Garage told us that is not why we had to replace the engine, it was due to water in the oil from the blown head gasket. We also had to replace the plugs AGAIN because the blown head gasket fowled them out. ($11.00 per plug). A new water pump, plug wires and several other items had to be replaced due to engine installation specs and damage from the blown head gasket. I might add that ALL of this equipment was less than 6 months old.
The reason I took my van to Barnetts Garage in the first place was to fix the van from overheating which he did not ever accomplish. And he GUARANTEED all 3 times that NOTHING else was wrong with my van. I asked him was there anything else that could be wrong with my engine due to the problems it had in the past and he said No I promise, this should be the last major repair youll have to do for a long time I guarantee it. We checked that engine from top to bottom and its fine.
I feel that I should be reimbursed the full amount I paid for a new engine, installation, parts that were damaged (that were new per Barnett) and loss of usage to my car or at least paid back ALL the money I paid Barnett due to the fact that even after paying him over $1900.00, he never fixed the problem I took it in for. I was told by Ray Blackwells Garage if the repairs had been done right the first time I would not have had to put a new engine in and my repairs would not have exceeded $2000.00. All together I have put over $5000.00 into a van thats not worth but about $3000.00 Kelly blue book. And all I needed was it fixed right the first time.
I have three kids, one income and no way to get anywhere. An equal rental is $51.91 a day and I was out of my car from February 13 until April 26 (I called 3 places this is the lowest price). I was told by a lawyer Michael Kolb Im entitled to this for loss of usage. I did not ask for one penny during my first report to you about him I just wanted my car fixed, now due to his negligence I have had to borrow money, fall late on my car payment and house payment. I dont know what else to do. When I called him today I told him I just wanted my money back for the repairs and he said Its not gonna happen.
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