Aston Martin Star Motor Cars

11/22/09

You can't afford this place

by Anonymous54321 at Citysearch

I have been a customer of Star Motor for eighteen years.

A couple of weeks ago I brought my car to Star Motor cars and I asked for an estimate to repair a noise emanating from the windshield wiper motor and to investigate slippage in the automatic transmission.

I was provided an estimate of $1,120 parts and $275 in labor to repair the windshield wiper ($1,395 total) and $3,000-4,000 to replace the transmission. I was charged $124.49 for this estimate.

Insofar as the combined estimate exceeded the value of the vehicle, I declined the repairs.

I subsequently replaced the windshield wiper motor myself at a cost of $217 in brand-new OEM parts and in less than an hour of labor. Presumably an experienced mechanic would have completed the repairs more quickly. I believe that both the parts and the labor estimates for the windshield wiper motor provided by Star were excessively padded.

In the matter of the automatic transmission; the owner's manual states that the owner should not check the transmission fluid and does not provide directions in how to do so. When I brought the car to Star Motors I specifically stated that the problem might be something simple like low transmission fluid level.

After picking the car up from Star, I subsequently took the vehicle to another repair facility who effected repairs to the transmission by simply adding transmission fluid; although I did also get the filter changed at the same time.

I was charged $124.49 by Star for these checks yet the check of the transmission did not even reveal that the transmission fluid level was low. Likewise, when I repaired the windshield wiper motor it was apparent that the normal engine grime had not been disturbed in the vicinity of the windshield wiper motor.

I was charged $124.49 to produce an estimate of approximately $5,000 in repairs for faults that were repaired for less than $250. I feel that this matter transcends anything that can be reasonably explained.

I believe that Star did themselves a disservice by grossly exaggerating the work to be done.

Star did not respond to two written complaints.

If they treat me like this after being a customer for eighteen years, then how will they treat you?