Sierra Vista Auto Repair

We are sorry you were disappointed in the HVAC service you received for your twenty year old Mazda rotary vehicle. We are not sure what the minimal service you expected would be. It is true we did not simply plug an A/C machine to your vehicle and start pumping refrigerant into it. Without inspecting an A/C system which includes applying and holding vacuum to confirm no leaks are present, and at the same time removing all moisture from the system; and reducing any remaining refrigerant to zero in order that the exact amount of refrigerant specified by the manufacturer can be accurately added to ensure the system will cool according to the design. In addition, with so many do it yourselfers adding a store bought refrigerant kit with sealant, the system must be tested to verify fugitive sealant is not present (fugitive sealant can destroy an $8k A/C machine with just one service). No customer will be prepared to pay for a replacement machine even if they added the sealant and failed to notify the shop. The argument would be the shop failed to use due diligence to determine whether or not the system had the sealant. In our case we use due diligence. Likewise if the system is not checked for leaks and refrigerant is simply added to the system and a leak is present, customers get upset because now the expensive refrigerant leaks out and the shop is on the hook to explain why the system wasn’t checked for leaks and the leak source(s) identified at the time of service. This also scores a one star review. As a final comment on the issue of pulling the vacuum and removing any residual refrigerant, without removing the refrigerant, how is one to know how much new refrigerant should be added to bring the system to specification? DIYers simply have no clue when adding refrigerant from cans purchased from a parts store. The proper procedures to service an A/C system require time, provided by a trained and certified technician, and expensive equipment. There was no $195 charge for something we did not mention over the phone. Our A/C service complies with industry standards and a complete A/C service was provided to your Mazda. When it left our facility it was cooling to designed specifications and should give you comfortable driving for several years in the future. We sincerely apologize for not providing the minimal service you expected. We feel certain with a deeper search, you will be able to find this type of service at other facilities in town.

OMG, years ago you had a problem and just now you decide to write a one star review? For starters we have no record of a Leslie Smith ever having done work here (yes, we keep records). Next, we have an absolute policy of two year, 24,000 mile warranty on parts and labor for all work performed here. That you claim to have had many issues and kept bringing vehicles to us without any claims or attempts to have any warranty service is beyond belief. Notwithstanding our head scratching on this review, we ask that you bring in your receipts of work performed and we will look into your claims. Your statement "They guaranteed no leaks and it had leaked ever since" is indeed questionable as most people who would experience this situation would call immediately and seek a remedy. Yet you did not even attempt to have the work corrected? You stated your spent "Thousands, thousands of dollars . . .". Surely you have kept your receipts if this is the case? We will be contacting Google to have your review removed as we have no record of any service performed, years have passed since the alleged problems, and you took no effort to request correction of the alleged problems. Most companies do not own crystal balls and cannot react unless a customer addresses problems on a timely basis.

Thanks for your kind words, Pat. Your Honda is now ready to give you service for several more years. We were glad to work with your insurance company and secure the funding for needed work. Our team is ready to work with you for any future repairs and services which may be needed.

Thank you for your review. Although we pride ourselves with providing excellent customer service each and every time, we sometimes fall short. While you acknowledge multiple positive factors you experienced during your visit, you also mention two areas we could show improvement. Our records show you came in for an oil change service. During our complimentary digital vehicle inspection, after you dropped the vehicle, we discovered a substantial oil leak coming from the front and bottom of your engine. We communicated this and our other findings with you on the phone, primarily your excessively worn brakes. The oil leak did require an hour diagnosis which included power washing the entire engine and inserting UV dye in the crankcase to determine the sources(s) of the leak(s) which would take a second appointment after driving the vehicle for a few days. Yes the brakes were in need of immediate attention, especially the front. It is an industry standard and our policy to replace brake rotors when replacing brake pads. Although other shops may cut corners for safety, we do not. We did not diagnose exactly where the oil leak was, but suggested the weak points on an engine where leaks like yours are generally found. It wasn't until several hours later on a subsequent phone call, did you divulge that you had recently replaced the engine in your vehicle. With this information we discovered a new or rebuilt engine should carry a warranty and you instructed us to contact Jasper to investigate a warranty claim on your behalf, which we did. We discovered you were covered under warranty for parts and a labor rate of $50 per hour. We explained your warranty would cover a portion of the charge if there were internal components damaged or failing causing the oil leak, but a diagnosis of the leak may include a partial tear down of your engine resulting in multiple hours of labor. As anyone purchasing a new engine certainly would not expect it to be leaking any fluid, let alone the most critical fluid the engine needs work. After you made a public scene in front of our reception area including in front of other customers, we did offer to waive our diagnostic fee just to get you our of our shop, not a second oil change. The second oil change was only necessary if we needed and authorized a tear down of the engine to actually determine the cause. We simply don't just tighten screws or bolts, guessing and hoping such an action is a permanent fix. Others may do that, we don't. Although we're glad you made if back to NY safely and without incident, that is a risk we do not recommend when we discover "metal to metal" wear on vehicle's braking systems. FYI, we did apply your military discount of 10%. The net cost of your effective labor rate was $152 per hour.

It was our pleasure servicing your Chrysler. Thanks for your kind words.