ComplaintsforGerman Auto Works

• Initial Complaint

  09/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Car was delivered August 31 and pick up September 14 Quoted $****** Paid $****** Took it here they said they knew what was wrong and could get the car done over the weekend of the 31th. Was quoted ****** for diagnostic, labor, parts, etc. they kept delaying the date of when the car was going to be done. They called and said the car was done with that part but that it didnt fix it and wanted to try a new part for another $800 bucks. I said no and that we waiting to come pick up the car. At this point the price went up to ****** without my knowledge. When I said I was quoted ****** they said I had to pay the $****** or they were going to put a mechanical lean on my car. Very poor service, and not good communication.

  Business response

  09/20/2023

  German Auto Works
  ****************************************************************
  September 18, 2023
  
  *************************
  ******************************************************************************
  Response with BBB regarding complaint #********
  
  I am writing in response to the recent complaint submitted to the Better Business
  Bureau regarding the repair services performed on a vehicle at German Auto Works. I want
  to begin by expressing our sincere regret for any inconvenience or dissatisfaction experienced throughout this process.
  
  The vehicle, a 2008 *** 3 Series, was brought to our facility on August 31st, and we
  appreciate the trust placed in us for its automotive repair needs. In a typical case, after conducting a thorough diagnosis of the issue, we provide an initial labor quote, as the parts needed are not yet purchased (and thus cannot be included in an estimate.)
  
  This labor quote was communicated incorrectly by our employee to **************** via voicemail as the total. Rest assured that we have taken actions to ensure this type of miscommunication will no longer happen in the future, including addressing the employee at fault and exploring invoicing options that automates and secures written permission during the estimate and final billing approval process.German Auto Works and our entire staff learned a valuable ****** from this incident.
  
  The next day, *************** called *** and the explanation and approval of the final bill (labor costs along with part costs and fees) was exchanged. As per standard procedure,we require authorization from the vehicle owner or an authorized representative to proceed with repairs and purchase the parts needed for those repairs. In this case, we were given permission to order the required parts and proceed with the repairs by both the vehicle owner herself, and an authorized representative who identified themselves as ****************** father (***********************.) There was a huge, and frankly, deceptive, misunderstanding regarding the identity of multiple individuals we interacted with during this transaction. This does not excuse our failure to communicate clearly.
  
  There was never any mention of a mechanical lean. Our company has never entertained the process of the mechanics lien as it is far too complex and usually unreasonable. We trust our customers to take responsibility for their vehicle maintenance and repairs in the ****************** realm. After some fraught communications and what we thought was a reasonable resolution, **************** requested for the real *********************** to pay for the car (which he did) while he was in the facility on September 14th and to hand him the key.
  
  We sincerely apologize for any confusion caused by the initial miscommunication of a labor estimate as the total bill. Our primary goal is to provide exceptional service to our customers while maintaining transparency throughout the repair process.
  
  We acknowledge that there was a delay in the completion of the repairs, primarily due to the time required for the parts to arrive and the acquisition of a specialized tool necessary for the installation. Our team at German Auto Works takes customer satisfaction seriously, and we
  understand frustrations with extended repair timeframes due to shipping issues.
  
  While we cannot change the past, we are committed to addressing future concerns of customers and ensuring their experiences with us are a positive one moving forward.
  
  We cannot entertain the request for a full refund for the repair services, but will propose an alternative solution. Because the issue at hand was a misquoted labor estimate as a final bill, we are willing to remit the difference between the initial erroneous quote ($559.64) and the final bill ($861.93.)
  
  Our aim is to find a resolution that is satisfactory to both parties and reflect the high-quality service we deliver. We can offer **************** a remittance of $302.29, the difference between the initial labor quote and the final bill.
  
  To ****************, please feel free to contact us at ************ or ************************* Our team is dedicated to resolving this matter promptly and to your satisfaction. Thank you for choosing German Auto Works for your specialized European automotive repair needs. We look forward to the opportunity to resolve this issue and demonstrate our commitment to providing exceptional service to our valued customers.
  
  Sincerely,
  ************************* *****
  Owner
  

  Customer response

  10/10/2023

  Hello this is *************************, I was reaching out to see when I would get any updates on the case German auto works has contacted me via email saying that they would let me know when they got any updates to proceed with the refund. They said it could take up to 2 weeks which is coming up soon. Please let me know if there is any updates as this is putting me down! 

   

  *************************
  
  

  Business response

  10/12/2023

  Good Morning, 

  We received the notification to ***************************** case complaint against German Auto Works. 

  Can you please clarify that this case was closed. Also, from what we are reading, we are under the understanding that she rejected our offer of the difference payment we offered her. 

  How many times will she be able to keep carrying on this case (even when BBB states its closed)? What are our options to even move forward if she refused to accept our offers? We here at German Auto Works are trying to come to a resolution and cannot seems to satisfy ******. Please help in Advising us. 

   

  Thank you, 

  ***********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩