Took my 2011 Hyundai Elantra in for consistent and loud engine pinging. After a day, they Pat and the mechanic were honest in that they didn't really know what the issue was but recommended a $2,400 timing belt--which I took because they said it might help. It did not. That same afternoon after picking up the car, I googled "2011 Hyundai Elantra engine pinging" and bingo! Found the problem, verified by Crossroads dealership later, and a lawsuit. At 92k miles, a new engine at $8,000 recommended. Why couldn't the mechanics at Performance Tune have googled? I felt ripped off and taken advantage.
As the owner of Performance Tune Auto Repair, I think about Debra’s Hyundai repair more than she will ever know – almost every day. While it is not one that I am proud of, the fact is that often times, diagnostics are difficult. They are not an exact science; not black-and-white obvious. In our diagnostic test approach, we consider many factors including the customer, their needs and desires for their vehicle, the vehicle’s history, and as much service and troubleshooting information as we can review. As a shop we employ ASE-certified technicians, and we belong to industry associations including All Data, Identfix, and iATN – where we have access to a LOT of service information and technical assistance. Occasionally we use google, though not everything posted on the internet has proven true. When a diagnosis and repair does not fix it right the first time, it is a bitter pill to swallow. It really doesn’t matter if it is $2 or $2,000, it is the principle of the matter. Customer satisfaction and our reputation are at stake. Where I think we failed with Debra is in our lack of follow up. We failed to show our empathy for her situation, and to discuss possible next steps in resolving the problem. We do stand behind our work, although we’re not perfect. Googling the problem as Debra suggested, fixes include changing the oil filter, changing spark plugs, EGR system, carbon in the combustion chamber, engine timing, all the way to engine replacement. The timing chain repair we performed on Debra’s car was legit, though it didn’t fix her problem. This is one of those situations where persistence would have paid off, had we diligently continued to pursue the problem. We didn’t. We’re striving to get better, every day.
- Performance Tune Auto Repair