i used to trust the precision tune auto care. it's hard for me to find an auto shop that i really trust, and i _used_ to trust precision. howeer, now i don't!
on my last visit (which really was, is, and always will be my _last_), they totally ripped me off! first off, i brought in a coupon for a discounted timing belt change. when the manager or owner saw that i had a subaru, he said it might cost a bit more. as i was leaving, he came out and said it _definitely_ would cost more. anyway, besides that... i also needed an oil change with all the extras, which included a brake inspection and tire rotation. i mentioned that i have wheel locks on my wheels but that i hadn't seen the wheel lock key since the last time i brought my car into precision for a tire rotation... i pointed out that either they _might_ (only _might_, no accusation) have my wheel lock key there or else they must have some way of overriding the locks, since they did it in the past. first, the manager/owner got really defensive, saying that they definitely did _not_ steal my wheel lock key (which i really didn't accuse them of), and he pointed out that the last time i came in, i didn't get a tire rotation. however, i didn't say that it was the _last_ time i came in when i got a tire rotation, simply that the last time that i _did_ bring my car in for a tire rotation, that was the last time i saw the wheel lock key. anyway... the dude agreed to break off my locks and replace them with normal lugnuts.... for 30 frickin' dollars. well, i was ok with that... in fact, i was also okay with the 30 extra bucks he was charging me for having a subaru that needed new timing belts. i put up with a lot.
well, listen, i had a horrible experience: when i came to pick up my car because they told me it was done. it totally was _not_ done, so i had to wait for them to finish it. then, i discovered that they didn't change out my wheel locks with lugnuts. rather, they found my wheel lock key somehow... i dunno if they actually _did_ have it or if they managed to find it in my car... however, they _still_ charged me $30 extra. that's so wrong! you know, i'm not even certain they rotated my tires (since they aren't _that_ old and i can't tell). also, i'm pretty sure they didn't inspect my brakes because they _are_ making that squeeking, warning sound; but they didn't tell me anything about it. geez, don't they even want to sell me new brakes? i think they're just too lazy or the profit margins too low or something!
now, _here_'s the kicker!!!! during the week after this awful experience, my car started having bad problems, with the check engine light turning on. well, i took it in to a different auto shop, which i'll now use all the time (ace auto on el camino real at calabazas). it turned out that there was motor oil all over my spark plugs and spark plug wire connections! man! these guys had totally screwed up my car.
i'm never going back. ace auto is my new regular auto shop for _everything_! especially since they've now got a smog check machine.
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