Though this happened to me a couple of years ago, I see a new rip off report for this company and I want to give my story.
5 years ago, my wife and I bought a 1985 Cadilac and took it to this Purrfect Auto for the Smog Check because they had the best prices. What we got in exchange was a huge bill and a bad taste in our mouths.
After they took our car and we started to wait in the Lobby (which was in horible shape and the molding was rotting) we overheard their head mechanic talking to another person in the lobby trying to get an oil change that they would have to change the "oil gasket" on the car and it would cost $80. Gaskets go for about $3 each and take no time to install so I was thinking to myself, what bs are they trying to pull.
She fell for it and paid the amount.
After about 3 hours I was wondering why our SMOG check wasn't done. I went and complained and they said that they were doing it right then. Less than a minute later they tell me that the check engine light came on and that they would not be able to SMOG my car because now it is a Mass Poluntant and it would have to go to a SMOG only station. Oddly enough they had a stack of fliers for one right down the street ready to hand out at the counter as if this happens all the time.
I had them run tests to see what the problem was and it was the O2 sensor. Sure enough they did not have any in stock and since it was now 6:00 and they were closing, I asked to get my car and I would take care of the problem. "We can't do that, " they told me, "your car wount run right now bacuse we had to take apart some of your engine to do the tests. Come back tomorrow, we will keep your car here overnight."
8:00 the next morning I go back there and sat there until 6:00 again. They were giving me this story that the new O2 sensor that they put in did not fix the problem, so they had to try another O2 sensor... And that one did not work either. I forcefully demanded my car back, paid the $400 bill, and took my car to a dealership the next morning. Also while there I heard them give the same Oil Gasket sotry to another woman.
The dealership identified that an O2 sensor was in the car but it was borken not my natural wear and tear, but by a crack on the side of it. He said that it looked like it was taken out, stepped on, then placed back in. $80 I was out the door with my car and a working sensor.
I went back to Purrfect Auto and demaned that they gave me my money back. They refused (shocker huh) so I really got more forcefull than I have ever got with someone. After I put a good amount of fear into them, they gave me all the money they owed me for the 2 parts they charged me for, the smog check, but did not refund the labor. They said by law they do not have too.
I took my loss with a new outlook on them, and I have given bad word of mouth since then. I would have reported it sooner, but I just found out about the rip off report a few weeks ago. Do yourself a favor, and never use them for your services.
Matt
Sacramento, California
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