On 11/02/2005, I took my car to Price’s Auto Service to have the water pump replaced. When the car was brought in, Price’s showed us some bent intake valves from another engine. I was warned that the same thing could happen to my car, unless I had the timing chain serviced at the same time. I agreed to have the additional work done. When Price’s did the work, the timing chain was not tensioned properly. The engine lost timing when they tried to start it, bending the valves. This was the very damage that the service was supposed to prevent. The engine was likely destroyed beyond repair at this point, but Price’s was given the opportunity to make things right. Instead of sending the damaged cylinder heads out to a machine shop to be rebuilt, Price’s saved themselves money by simply putting 12 new valves back into the holes they came out of, without rebuilding the heads. This did get the car out of Price’s shop and, of course, they got paid. After less than 1 hour (56 Miles), the engine was destroyed beyond repair, when a valve dropped down into a cylinder and punched a hole through a piston.

It was then that I learned that “Customer Service” is just a marketing term at Price’s Auto Service. When standing behind their work was going to cost them some money, they convinced themselves that they were in no way responsible for anything. The salvage value of my car is now about $300.00. In hindsight, I could have saved myself Price’s $1,300 repair charge, if I had simply destroyed the engine myself with a sledge hammer.

Every attempt to resolve the problem, through mediation, the Better Business Bureau, etc., was stonewalled. We ended up in small claims court, where I found that Price’s was willing to do anything, including creating and destroying evidence, and character assassination, to avoid their responsibility. The small claims process never results in perjury charges. Unless you are willing to stoop to the same level, you are at a tremendous disadvantage. It is sad that Price’s has never learned the importance of a good reputation, and places such a low value on their integrity.

There are many other auto repair shops in town, that are honest, and will treat you fairly.

Service details:

Price’s Auto Service
1409 Marquette Ave.
Bay City, Michigan 48706