I guess I allowed my gas tank to go below the half point mark a few too many times. Friday, when I thought I was leaving to go out to lunch, my fuel pump had decided its time had passed. I called AAA for a tow and had my car taken to the Auto Tech Clinic in Dearborn a few miles from where my car died.
It only took the tow service twenty minutes to arrive, which I was very pleased with. I watched as the driver attached my car to the truck and rode along with him to the Auto Tech shop on Michigan Avenue.
Although, I suspected the fuel pump being the culprit, I wouldn’t be sure until the mechanic completed his diagnostics on the car. I signed a work order and began walking back home, which would take me an hour. As I walked, I made a couple calls to check out their pricing for a fuel pump repair on my car. I received a quote of $572.00 from one independent shop and a quote of $701.00 from the service department of the Chevy Dealer where I purchased the car new. I knew, from experience, that a fuel pump wouldn’t be an inexpensive repair, but I was not prepared for a charge over $500.00.
It took me about an hour to walk home and it was quickly approaching 6 PM, almost closing time for the Auto Tech Clinic. At 5:36 PM, an hour and a half after dropping off my car, I received a phone call. The service tech informed me, surprise, surprise, that my fuel pump had indeed gone out. I then asked for the estimated repair cost. I could tell it was not a cheap repair when he began by using the term “whole assembly”. Of course, he didn’t know I was already armed with some knowledge of what to expect in pricing. “The estimate of this repair will be $475.00” he said, I, of course gave him the authorization to complete the work. I was saving $225.00 off the dealer price and over $100 off the other independent shop’s price. I can’t logically say I was happy, after all, is anyone happy to have to spend that much money on an unexpected repair? I was happy, though, that the Auto Tech Clinic appeared to be giving me a good discounted price.
When I asked when I could expect the car to be ready for pickup, I was told Saturday at noon. Not too bad, I thought, the shop appeared busy when I dropped off my car, I expected Monday. I know, if had I taken it to the dealer, I would have been without my vehicle for more than two days.
Saturday at 11:00 AM, I received a call from the service technician telling me my car was repaired and ready for pickup. I got a ride from my sister to the shop and planned on going out to lunch from there. I paid for the repair and walked to the car, but when I started it up, I immediately noticed it was much louder than it has ever been before. I also noticed a vibration in my seat and on the counsel. I decided to drive it around the block to see if the odd noises would go away. They didn’t, and I drove the car right back.
The technician listened to my complaint, got in the car, a drove around the block. He returned and said he didn’t notice anything strange or out of the ordinary. “I drive this car everyday” I said, something is not right. He told me to drive the car for a few days and see if it got any better, if I still had a problem, bring it back and he would look at it. So, off I went to lunch. When I got out of the car at the restaurant, I turned around to look at the car and immediately noticed my muffler pipe and some sort of plate hanging very low in the rear of the vehicle. I got back in the car and returned to the shop.
Once again, the tech came out and put the car back up on the hoist. With three minutes he returned to tell that the shop did, indeed, make a mistake. He apologized more than once and corrected the problem within five minutes. I returned to my car, no more noise or vibration, everything is good. Let’s have lunch!
I am very pleased with the Auto Tech Clinic located on Michigan Avenue at Telegraph Road in Dearborn, Michigan. They have supplied me with great service time and time again. Prior to this visit, I had only had oil changes and brakes done at this shop and was always pleased. In fact, last year I took my car in for brakes, which I thought I needed. The Auto Tech technician, on that day, came out to tell me I didn’t need brakes at that time. He could have easily sold me the brakes, my car had 60,000 miles on it and the original brakes were still on it. I would have never questioned the repair, but he chose to be honest, and I got another 12,000 miles on those brakes before I returned to have them replaced. Auto Tech gave me a great price on that brake job too.
The Auto Tech Shop in Dearborn has fast, friendly and honest service. I will continue to take my car to them in the future, they have saved me too much time and money for me to go anywhere else.
