Look, we’re not 100% positive. We like hugs, but sometimes someone needs to be kicked in the shins. We’d be just another bunch of turds if we just did positive reviews.
Today is Automotion, 225 Telegraph in Reno, on the corner of Greg, across from the fake lake at the Grand Sierra Resort / Hilton / Bally’s / MGM Grand…
Let me start out by saying this was just my experience. It was frustrating, took too long, and involved what would have been a LOT of money. Granted, this may not happen to another person even in my exact same scenario, but this was my first (and last) experience with them. Allow me to continue.
To give a little background about myself, I have automotive experience. I’ve worked on Geo Metros, Chevy Celebrities, a fleet of random Subarus, Chevys, Toyotas, Fords and Volkswagens. I have no official training, besides having a good Cuban friend (you know those dudes bleed oil), many friends and family that typically do not buy new cars, and my own vehicles, which I’ve always maintained and cared for on my own unless it was way beyond my ability and/or lacked the tools. On a scale of 1 to 10, whereas “1″ is “… you change the oil?” and “10″ is “I”m Jessie fucking James,” I’d place myself a solid “5.” Meaning, I’m not an idiot.
Which was kind of what I felt like for going to Automotion, and they seemed to try and ease my mind about this.
Keep in mind, that I’m going to go a tad “car talk,” in this, and I’m not going to describe what these parts do. You either know or you don’t. If you can’t keep up technically, try and find the spirit of the whole thing. Just a warning beforehand.
My partner and I took a Subaru there, because it was idling slightly rough at about 700-800 RPMS. Check engine light on, I pulled an engine code off the car with my ODB II computer, which said the cylinder 2 was misfiring. Okay, fair enough. Spark plugs? Spark plug wires? We change the plugs. Still kind of doing it. Problem with the spark plugs, fouled with oil. Uh oh. Since it’s not my car, my partner went kind of extreme, wanted it to go to a mechanic. Okay, let’s try this place.
Enter Automotion. They have the car from 11AM until close, and said they’d call by close. This didn’t happen. No real big deal, we can work it out. 9AM the next morning.
“Hello sir? This is Dallas with Automotion. Before I begin I wanted you to know what a great deal you’re getting on all this work I’m about to tell you about.”
That was the opening line. Now, what would you think? I’ll tell you what I thought, what kind of ridiculously large number am I about to have a miscarriage over?
Which is almost exactly what I asked.
“Well, okay, um, just to let you know, we have to change the head gasket, which requires pulling the engine, replace a few other seals, do the timing belt which requires a belt hydrolic lift kit, a few coolant hoses, a water pump and then the labor involved.”
I asked again. “What is the final cost…?”
“Okay um, well it’s… going to be (he laughs) a lot, um, $2250.”
I’m silent. Wouldn’t you be? The car cost $4000. You do the math.
Okay so I react fairly. We continue the conversation over the phone as usual, trying to find out what is REALLY necessary versus what they simply recommend. Dallas helps me as far as saying that we could probably get away with about $1400 worth of work, involving the head gasket and the timing belt. From what I know about these Subarus, a 1996 with a 2.2 liter engine, this isn’t outlandish repair advice. Yes, changing the timing belt at 100,000 miles IS a good idea if you have to have the engine apart for the head gasket. The timing belt needs new specific parts. That’s fine too.
Something’s itching at me though. IS it the head gasket? Normally head gaskets keep the coolant and water away from the oil, and moreover, the cylinder shafts of the engine. If they fail, water goes into the firing chamber. That means steam coming out of the tailpipe to some degree, and exhaust smelling like coolant. I know that much. That’s NOT happening with this car.
I ask Dallas this.
“Oh, well um, yeah that’s the diagnosis, that’s what we know is wrong.”
I have to call back, because I have to drop the $2250 bomb on my partner, or a $1400 depending on how much of a screwing seems more pleasant at the time.
I call back Dallas to ask more about the work and to help make a decision.
“Hey I’m glad you called, um, I just wanted to let you know that if we don’t do all the work we suggest we won’t be able to warranty it.”
I’m deadpan. “Excuse me?” I ask.
“Yeah I talked to my boss, and um, yeah we can’t warranty the work. I mean we can, but we can’t under certain circumstances.”
$2300-$1400 and no or a partial warranty? What the fuck is this noise? My noise is, I’m getting pissed off. I kindly asked what would and would not be warrantied.
The following garbage Dallas continues to tell me involves scenarios. Scenarios like, if I choose to not replace part A along with part B, if part B fails, I’m screwed, but part C will be okay because it has nothing to do with part A or B unless part D is involved so therefore part F must be replaced to make sure that part A, B and C could be warrantied. That’s not exactly how it happened, but that’s how it sounded. It was total BULLSHIT. I say this because it made no sense what so ever. It made sense in one form, because they don’t want to have warranty work done if it breaks the thing they fix, but I go back to my original assumption, is this a bloodly head gasket, which is a really BIG fucking deal, or not?
Which is kind of what I ask Dallas. Dallas says he needs to talk to his boss, and suggests I do the same. This guy’s name is Mark.
Mark is not available, but would call me back later.
Meanwhile, I make some phone calls. To my Cuban friend, to another mechanic friend, and other auto enthusiast types. All of them are starting to confirm what I was thinking… is it REALLY a head gasket? If it IS, hell, great deal for all of that. But is it really, really, TRULY a head gasket? They asked me if he tested hydrocarbon output, saw steam, smelled coolant, all the things I was thinking about myself…
…two hours later, this now being about 4PM dealing with this all day, Mark calls me. He says he’s really busy and would like to call after hours when he has time, but kind of goes over exactly what Dallas says and suggests about the parts. In fact, he even goes further to say he can’t warranty ANY of the work unless ALL the work is done. $2250, sha-bam, blammo, ka-CHING. I ask mark about the hydrocarbon and other tests which to my knowledge would confirm a head gasket. He says his mechanic is totally sure. Also, I explain to Mark, who I believe might be an owner rather than just the manager, what’s going on and how I’m getting kind of a run-around, not getting straight numbers for labor, parts, and what needs to be done, not getting warranty information straight, and all I wanted was a number, a satisfactory warranty, and let’s get to it. Mark says that I’m a “…very direct young man.” Golly, thanks Mark, I totally don’t feel 13 fucking years old now.
But hold tight, he’ll call back later.
I’m… numb with irritation. To his credit, Mark (and Dallas) are being VERY, VERY nice to me over the phone. They’re explaining things to me a bit condescendingly, repeating themselves, changing their story, kind of wasting my time, but not once did I get treated like shit directly. I as well, while being direct, as Mark tactfully pointed out, am being very calm and mostly because I am being treated friendly-like. What it boils down to, is a car that is just running a little rough!
8PM rolls around. Mark calls. Mark, to his credit has done everything in his power to get me what I want, and settles on $1900 for all work to be done, all warranties covered, all done. He further explains his top-notch mechanic’s credentials when I ask him about the head gasket, and he really wants me to get this started tomorrow. Tomorrow will be day three the car has been there, and it has to stay overnight anyway.
This still isn’t acceptable to me, or my partner. I feel like I’m being sold, I feel like I’m having my time wasted, and my gut is telling me “…not a head gasket.”
I thank Mark over the phone, and tell him we’ll pay our hour shop fee, wrap her up and have the keys ready by morning. He doesn’t react much, but thanks me and reminds me what a deal I’m getting. Which I’ve confirmed now, really IS the case. IF that work had to be done, it’d be a GREAT deal. I relay this to Mark, thank him again, and let him try and get me to reconsider.
The next morning, I am very untalkative over at Automotion. Mark is there, and tries one last-ditch effort, to which I just ask for the key in exchange for $100. It’s made, I’m gone. My blood pressure must have been critical.
Upon suggestion of a friend of mine, that morning, I talked to a nice guy named Ken over at a place called Independent Automotive (see link to the left if you have a Subaru!!!). Ken gave me a real straight-up experience over the phone, which I was already sensitive to the high-pressure sales routine, so I know it was pretty genuine. I explained the situation with the car, Automotion, an how frustrated I was. He said to leave the Subaru with him, and he’d let me know in a couple of hours.
His verdict? IT WASN’T A HEAD GASKET. He was 100% positive about it.
Long story short, $200, the car was FIXED. It ran like NEW.
Ken did suggest he’d do the timing belt, fuel filter, and a bunch of gaskets, because like most Subarus, they weep oil. His cost? $600. That would total $800 or so by my calculations.
That’s a difference of $1450 versus Automotion.
On Automotion’s defense, Ken did say that at his shop they specialize in Subarus. There are shops that try and fix them, but usually get by with the standard tools and diagnostic equipment, and most don’t have the specialized equipment. Being a former VW owner, I know all about special equipment.
Okay listen. Automotion probably isn’t a bad shop. I mean really, Mark and Dallas were trying hard to please a hard-to-please customer, but I’m not impossible. I just want answers. I want estimates, I want numbers. They speak louder than nice. They speak louder than sales. They speak louder than waiting me out.
Automotion, however, does tout itself big-time with it’s 20 garage bays, 20+ year history, “Award Winning,” hooplah, trained technicians and a very Showroom Lobby. They, in my experience, left a really bad taste in my mouth, and I will not be going back. An employer of mine, my father (both who own Jeep Grand Cherokees), will probably not be going back either. Which is a disappointment, because good auto shops are HARD to come by in this town. I expected MUCH MUCH more out of them, like proper diagnosis, for example.
In closing, if you have any auto places God Hates Reno can list as GREAT, that people might not know about, let me know. Not only for Reno, but for myself as well.
- Gay Rodeo
