Publicity is Publicity ---right?
So as promised this is the entire story about our downed car. So that you can decide if my signs are warranted. Time and court will decide the rest my friends. In July our family vehicle, a 2006 Hyndi Tucson stopped running. My wife drove from ST David to Benson to pick me up from work, came inside for ten minutes and when we got back in the vehicle it would not start for anything. Because there were no warning signs, noises, or lights we were still under the impression it was going to be an easy fix. Because we still owed $2200 on the car, we went to a dealer a year in a half ago for a dependable car because we have three kiddos and are always on the road and at that time I worked in Tucson six days a week. We also had $400 a month car payments, so let friends look at our vehicle to save repair bills. No one could fix it after a month, so I went with the recommendation of a buddy and took the car to Oakley's Garage here in Benson. We towed the car to the garage. At that time I was told if they could not fix it, they would tow it to our house for free. At that time I was told a lot of things. We were new customers!
They had the car about a week before deciding it was a blown engine and not worth fixing. The shop did me a solid and sent back all the parts--so we only owed for labor. $350 on a non working car. What I like to call a shiny paperweight. Now here I have to say that we stalled our insurance company, financial, and the shop for quite some time because well everyone wanted money. But we kept in contact with the shop the entire time. Days later I realized there was a chance to make an insurance claim on our car--a last hail Mary to save us and pay everyone if you may. IF the claim would go through the shop would be paid and financial would get much of there money. The day I informed the shop that we were going to have a claims adjuster come out, our car was fully in the shops way and they moved it to another lot. Two days later the shop owner called and said the car had to be moved right away, it was already towed by them, or they would apply for an abandoned title on the car and that would cost us hundreds. I could not get to the shop at that time, and offered to pay half of the bill with my Visa card over the phone. The owner said he could not do it over the phone, and I needed to come in with in the hour. I called our claims adjuster who calmed me down, reminding us that the title was in our name, and it was not abandoned in any way, nor had they had the car 60 days to start the fees. The claims adjuster called the shop and informed them an agent would be out the next day to look at the car.
Insurance would not take the claim and realizing we just needed to give up the vehicle to have it repo and than auctioned I found the full amount the shop was requesting 16 days ago and took my credit card to the shop. The total was supposed to be for labor but there was a $60 towing fee. While I was there paying no other charges or fees were mentioned. And the shop owner said he would call financial to pick up our car that afternoon. I only received the small credit card receipt ---with no details just numbers. But did not contest it, because I thought we were done with them all.
Payment was on a Wednesday on Monday financial told us they were never contacted by the shop and they needed an itemized bill that showed it was released. The shop owner was having surgery and not coming to work and his workers could not tell us anything each time we came to visit. One did say that we had paid the towing fees in full ---and we have that on tape. As well as the ever changing stories from the workers. On each visit they would not give us a detailed receipt, the car keys, our plates off the car, tell us where the car was, or release our car. They did continue to ask us about the car title and hint that we needed proof it was in our name. At this point I was starting to doubt the engine really was the issue with our car, and just wanted a 2nd opinion on the car. But still no car. We called our insurance to file for a stolen car and than the Benson police department. But it became a he said we said thing with both----and they seem to have a different definition of stole than I do.
Finally 12 days after we paid in full we were told the owner would talk to us. And we requested a police stand by. The bill copy he presented was not the same bill I had signed for days before. And had labor listed that the shop had not done. The $60 towing fee was also not on this new bill. So of course the shop said we still owe towing and now storage ---but we owe storage from the Wednesday we paid the full bill on. For only $80 ---- a deal because he is supposed to charge 30$ a day for storage, we could have our car released. And now even after paying that money--they will not tow it anywhere for free. I'm sorry but I am not willing to hand any more money over to Oakley's. Tomorrow marks 16 days that the car has been paid in full. I just need our car back --FIRST to see if the engine really is blown. And than to hand over to the repo man. Two days ago while I was holding my sign on there sidewalk I asked the owner if going viral online was worth the bogus $80? And he replied that it was never about the cash it was about my mouth. Well my mouth did not kick in until the injustices. And so I wish him to get his wish----especially since he is attempting to sell his shop. And I am going to share this all over.
We are also looking for others that have been wronged by this business who might want to join in on lawsuits or at least tell us your story so we can combine efforts. Also send a version of this to local Arizona news---the more people that send this tale, the more they will take notice. Release our car!
Thank you for your time.
No comments:
Post a Comment