Warning « Journals of Journeys

8Aug/10Off

Chuck Albert, Rob Jeffries, Michelle Jeffries, Accurate Auto

Did that get your attention people? Think you can flag a Craig's Listing post and have it simply "disappear"? Think again! Once on the web, it's there forever. And here, for the rest of you who might have missed out:

chico craigslist > community > general community

Accurate Auto - beware (Chico)

Date: 2010-08-07, 10:18PM PDT
Reply to: comm-bw3tp-1886874066@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]

This is a warning for everyone in the Chico area. Accurate Auto at 2246 Esplanade, Suite A, Chico, CA 95926 (the old Big O tire store) is not the customer oriented auto repair shop they advertise and jeopardized my sons' and my life due to their negligence. Don't risk your life by entrusting the care of your car to them.
On March 19, 2010 I took my 2005 Hyundai Sonata in for the manufacturer's recommended 60K mile service. They were fast and efficient - or so I thought.
Fast forward to Saturday, June 19, 2010 when I was on a road trip with my sons down in Death Valley. We were due back late that evening, but as we came up over the pass, 5000 feet above sea level, the check engine light came on and the car stalled. Knowing that being stranded in temps exceeding 116° that day, our lives were at risk. Coasting several miles down to sea level at speeds that exceeded 80 mph at points, I coasted into the Stovepipe Wells General Store and Fueling station parking lot. We spent several hours on the pay phone outside the lodge across the street before we could make arrangements for a tow the following morning.
On Sunday (Father's Day, which we missed out on celebrating with my husband, sadly), my sons and I were towed down to Harbor Hyundai in Long Beach, the only location I could find where the service shop would be able to get us in first thing Monday morning.
Shortly after 9 am Monday, July 21, I spoke to the Harbor Hyundai service advisor who said that the crank shaft motor sensor had gone out. Thankfully it was covered by the extended warranty I had the foresight to purchase and they would have the car fixed by early afternoon. Shortly after lunch, the service advisor called back saying that the timing belt assembly needed to be replaced. That was what should have been done when the car was serviced back in March when Accurate Auto serviced the car. He went on to say that the balance shaft belt (shown below), one with rubber teeth on it, had deteriorated, some of the teeth falling off, which caused the sensor to malfunction. While the sensor was covered, the timing belt replacement was not. He felt that I might be able to make it back, but it would have to be replaced soon. Since it was labor intensive job, it would cost even more to do it later than if they were to do it while the area was open for the sensor replacement. I authorized the repairs and picked the car up at the close of business.
Since it was rush hour, I waited it out until the roads weren't gridlocked with commute traffic and several hours after dawn Tuesday morning, arrived home.
On Thursday, July 8, 2010 armed with my owner's manual, the invoices from when Accurate Auto serviced the car in March and Harbor's invoice from a few weeks prior, the towing invoice (over $1300 as the tow was over 280 miles - the towing company was kind enough not to charge me for both ways), and the parts that were replaced by Harbor Hyundai, I went in to Accurate Auto and talked to the service manager, Chuck Albert. I didn't have to introduce myself, he remembered me from when they serviced my car back in March. I showed him their (Accurate Auto's) invoice where it said that the timing belt assembly was checked and that the belts were listed separately beneath as "ok", then pointed to the page in my manual under the 60K mile service section and showed him where it showed the belts were to have been replaced. He excused himself and went to check with the shop's All Data database which he explained most mechanics refer to. Sure enough, All Data showed the belts should have been replaced at that time, too. I then showed him the cracked v-rib belt (shown below) that was checked off as "ok" and he admitted that even if the belt was "ok" back in March, the cracks seen in the belt (see below) could not have been as numerous in the period between March and when Harbor replaced them in June. I also showed him the deteriorated balance shaft belt with some of the teeth still intact, others frayed and at the bottom of the bag Harbor put the parts into. I relayed what the service advisor at Harbor Hyundai told me, that if the timing assembly belts had been replaced, that balance belt would have been replaced, too, and the breakdown I experienced in the desert would have never happened. Mr. Albert agreed, admitting that they were responsible for the problems I experienced and additional expenses.
I had provided him with an itemized invoice for all additional expenses I incurred as a direct result of the breakdown. They were not unreasonable, I did not include loss of wages or emotional distress, simply the towing bill, lodging, and the additional expense of dining out over what I normally spend for groceries, as well as the additional miles I had to drive because of the repairs. He took copies of the paperwork and said that he would give everything to the owner, Rob Jeffries, within the next day. The following afternoon, Friday, June 9, 2010, Mr. Albert called to inform me that he had taken the paperwork and information to Mr. Jeffries who also expressed concern Thursday evening and that Mr. Jeffries would be in contact with me anywhere from within the hour to a week.
On Friday, July 16, 2010 I had not heard anything and called the shop. Mr. Albert was surprised to hear Mr. Jeffries had not contacted me and stated he would again relay my message to have Mr. Jeffries contact me immediately.
The following Friday, June 23, 2010 I called the shop and asked for Mr. Jeffries. The service employee that answered the phone asked for my name and then put me on hold. A few minutes later he came back on the line and said that Mr. Jeffries was no longer there. I then asked to speak with Mr. Albert. When Mr. Albert came to the phone, he claimed he had not seen Mr. Jeffries for "a few days". I happen to know for a fact that on both counts, this information was a fat lie. Regardless, I informed Mr. Albert that since Mr. Jeffries had failed to make any attempt to resolve this issue, that I would have no choice but to pursue legal action.
Immediately after the call, I sent a formal letter of demand and a second copy of the initial invoice requesting reimbursement for expenses. In the letter, I gave Mr. Jeffries until the close of business Friday, July 30, 2010 to contact me and make arrangements to settle this matter or would be filing a law suit.
On Friday, August 6, 2010 the USPS website showed that the certified letter had been refused by the addressee at 12:10 pm that day and was being returned to the sender. As a result, the Bureau of Automotive Repairs (BAR, the California licensing agency), NAPA Auto Parts and AutoCare of which Accurate Auto is an affiliate, and numerous online websites of similar nature have been contacted and formal complaints filed.
Side note: On July 23 after 3 in the afternoon, I posted a negative review on the Accurate Auto Facebook page. As of August 6, the feedback section of their business page on Facebook was hidden. However, the page is still on the internet, copies of it are posted in a number of areas, including my blog located at http://ejourn.net/journal under the entry for August 7, 2010 where further updates on this matter will be posted until it is settled.
I was referred to Mr. Jeffries years ago when I was having problems with an imploding gas tank on my Camry which has since been donated to an automotive repair program. He was referred by a former mechanic for a very large auto dealership in the area who said that Mr. Jeffries was the "last honest mechanic in town." Sadly this no longer seems to be the case. Whether this is because Mr. Jeffries has since taken a step back from the day-to-day operations which are now handled by his brother-in-law, Mr. Chuck Albert, or he has turned the ownership over to his wife, Michelle Jeffries (who is shown as the current owner), I don't know. What I can tell you though is that this negligence is potentially dangerous to you, fellow motorists, and your family. If Mr. Jeffries and his staff are sincere about their commitment to customer service as they state on their website and listing on the Napa AutoCare Center's site, then why have they not taken the steps to settle this matter satisfactorily?

Location: Chico
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1886874066

Filed under: 2010, Article, Discussion, Family, Here's Your Sign, Important, Information, Just Wrong, Rants, Review, Reviews, Slam, Tech Problems, Twisted, Warning, money, services
1 Comment}

7Aug/10Off

Accurate Auto = FAIL

Towed Hyundai Sonata June 20, 2010

CAPTION: 268 mile tow through the desert and into Los Angeles because of Rob Jeffries, Chuck Albert, and Accurate Auto's failure to provide service.

On March 19, 2010 I took my 2005 Hyundai Sonata in to Accurate Auto for the manufacturer's recommended 60,000 mile servicing. Why Accurate Auto? Because back when I had my Toyota Camry and had several instances when the gas tank imploded, a good friend of ours who had been helping us with our auto mechanic needs was unable to do so and recommended Rob Jeffries, the owner of Accurate Auto, to us saying that he was the only mechanic in the Chico area that he trusted.

Since then, the Camry was donated to the local community college because we felt that it was unsafe for anyone else to have it given that we never really were able to figure out what happened to cause the implosions and I bought a Hyundai Sonata. So when it came time for the service and the company I bought my Sonata at had lost their lease and went out of business, I brought it to Rob.

But Rob's gotten bigger, took over the old Big O Tires shop, expanded to selling and installing tires, too. And he's taken a back seat to the hands on he was doing back when I first started going to him, turning the daily operations of his shop over to his brother-in-law, Chuck Albert.

Still, they were quick and friendly, got the service done on the vehicle and I was on my merry way.

Fast forward exactly 2 months later when, on June 19, 2010 I was traveling with my sons through Death Valley before their summer got wicked hectic and we didn't have the time to take a mini-vacation together (and before it got too much hotter in the desert!). As we came over the 5,000 feet above sea level pass that dropped down to Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley, the check engine lights came on and the car stalled. For several terrifying minutes, I coasted down to sea level at speeds that sometimes exceeded 80 m.p.h., turning into the Stovepipe Wells General Store and Fueling Station's parking lot. I tried a few times to get the engine to turn over, but it didn't.

After hours of frustrations, making phone calls to places like Henderson Hyundai just outside of Las Vegas to have them tell me that it was my fault I was stuck in the desert, that I should have never driven my vehicle in there to begin with (I still find it hard to understand where that came from, but I guess that's probably one of many reasons they're going/have gone out of business last I heard), and AAA whose driver overshot us by an hour and didn't get to our location for several hours after being dispatched, we arranged for a tow to Harbor Hyundai in Long Beach, CA, the only place that was able to get the car in first thing Monday morning to find out what was wrong.

Sadly, we missed celebrating Father's Day with my husband and wouldn't see him for several days after as he was scheduled to work for 96 hours (the joys of working for the municipal fire department). With the tension of the unknown, it was probably all for the best we put off celebrating until later in the week. That's another joy of firefighting, the family becomes accustomed to celebrating holidays and special events on odd, off days.

Shortly after nine Monday, June 21st I contacted the service advisor at Harbor Hyundai who was able to tell me that the crank shaft sensor had malfunctioned. They were able to replace it and it was covered under the extended warranty I had the foresight to purchase. We breathed a sigh of relief and tried to spend the rest of our day resting and preparing for the long drive home once the car was fixed.

And then the service advisor called back. He needed my approval to replace the timing belts. The amount of the service was breathtaking - and not in the most gorgeous sunset you've ever seen kind of way. It came to the tune of over $400. He went on to inform me that the belt should have been replaced when the car received service at 60K miles and said that even if I opted not to replace it at that time, it would need to be replaced and would cost even more since the entire front they already had disassembled to access the crank shaft sensor would have to be removed again to perform the replacement. I authorized the repairs and worked at the kink in my neck from the tension.

The car was washed and ready by the close of business. Los Angeles traffic was a bitch. We waited it out until passage was relatively smoother and started off into the night. It took over nine hours and over a half a dozen rest stops catching a half hour here, an hour there, of sleep before we finally pulled in, hours after daylight, safe and sound at home, June 22nd.

On July 8th, armed with the worn belts that were replaced, receipts for the expenses we incurred, a copy of the towing bill (over $1300), and an invoice for reimbursement, I visited Accurate Auto (which happens to be a NAPA AutoCare Center whose pledge, according to their site, is:

About Our Services
Our business takes quality and customer service seriously. As a NAPA AutoCare Center, we follow a strict Code of Ethics so customers will know up front what to expect. As part of this code, we pledge to:
Perform high-quality diagnostic and repair services at a fair price, using quality NAPA parts.
Employ ASE-certified technicians in all areas of work performed.
Be dedicated to customer satisfaction.
Exercise reasonable care for the customer's property while it is in the shop's possession.
Provide a system for fair settlement of customer complaints, should they occur.
Maintain the highest standards of the automotive service profession. )

where I spoke to Chuck Albert. I didn't need to remind him that they had serviced my Hyundai Sonata, he remembered me. I shared with him, by way of showing the part in my auto manual under the 60K mile service requirements, that according to the manufacturer, my timing belt assembly was supposed to have been replaced. I then pointed out on the invoice they had provided me at the completion of the work the part on it that showed the timing belt was checked but not replaced as stipulated. Mr. Albert stopped me to check with an online database, All Data, to see what they recommended. A few minutes later, he returned to say that All Data did stipulate the same - that the timing belt was supposed to have been replaced. I then explained what happened with the crank shaft sensor's malfunction and subsequent repairs that included the costly replacement of the belt. Mr. Albert then looked at the belts I brought with me:

Above: Balance Shaft Belt

Above: Close-up image of destroyed balance shaft belt. Note the loose teeth on the white background and the ones still intact on the belt. These had fallen off and interfered with the crank shaft position sensor and caused it to go out, resulting in the engine's failure.

Above: Packaging from replacement balance belt and other replaced items.

Above: Ruined v-ribbed belt that was removed from vehicle during Hyundai Harbor's service, the same belt Accurate Auto stated on the invoice I received after the 60K mile service was completed indicating the belt was "ok". Clearly it was not and as Mr. Albert admitted during our conversation on July 8, 2010, could not have become that worn (note the cracks which should be smooth) in just 2 months time and should have been replaced.

Mr. Albert stated that the service Accurate Auto provided me was negligent and furthermore added that Accurate Auto was responsible for the subsequent engine failure I experienced Saturday, June 19, 2010. He made copies of the invoice from Accurate Auto at the time of the 60K service, Harbor Hyundai's service that was performed on Monday, June 21, 2010, the towing bill for over $1,300, and the invoice I had printed up listing the expenses I incurred as a direct result of their negligence. He said that he would give the information to Mr. Robert Jeffries, the owner of Accurate Auto, that evening or the following morning as Jeffries would be the one to handle the settlement.

The following day, Friday, July 9, 2010, Mr. Albert called me to tell me that he had seen Jeffries the previous evening, given him the information and paperwork and would be in touch with me. He was unable to say when exactly, stating it could be in the hour or up to a week, but did assure me Jeffries was concerned and would be taking appropriate action.

When I hadn't heard from Jeffries or Albert by Friday, July 16, 2010, I called the shop and spoke to Albert. He was puzzled as to why Jeffries had not contacted me and stated he would inform Jeffries I had called and expected to hear from him shortly. Another week passed and on Friday, July 23 I attempted to call Rob Jeffries at Accurate Auto. The employee who answered the phone asked who was calling, then put me on hold. Several moments passed and the employee claimed Jeffries had left. I have evidence to the contrary. I asked for Chuck Albert. Several more moments passed after being put on hold and Mr. Albert came on the line. Frustrated and feeling that I was being taken for a ride, I expressed this curtly with Mr. Albert. I informed him that I felt they were jerking me around. Mr. Albert was quick to say if it were up to him, this would have been settled, but he's not the owner and is not able to do so. At that time I told Mr. Albert that I saw no other alternative than to pursue legal action. After our phone conversation, I sent a formal demand letter to Jeffries at Accurate Auto along with the itemized invoice for the expenses I incurred as a result of their negligence.

On Friday, August 6 I checked the status of the certified letter I sent. It was noted on USPS's website that the article had been refused at by the addressee and was being returned to the sender (me). At this time, there is a formal letter of complaint that's been filed with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, NAPA Auto Care's customer service, and inquiry being made to the Ripoff Report folks. I've since learned that Michelle Jeffries, whose Facebook page shows she is married to Robert Jeffries, is listed by the Bureau of Automotive Repair as the owner of Accurate Auto, and therefore has been reported.

Why the Jeffries' and Accurate Auto are failing to uphold their claim to taking customer service seriously, is a complete mystery to me. Why they feel it's appropriate to let a woman traveling alone with her children be stranded out in the desert overnight and not make any attempt to offer a remedy to something that was caused directly by their negligence is more than disconcerting, it's contemptuous. I urge anyone considering taking their auto care needs to Accurate Auto to reconsider and share with others this experience so others are equally informed. This isn't about money, it's about doing what's right. It's about honest, integrity, and being true to the promises you make. The Jeffries' promise is as they pledged above. Clearly they have failed on all accounts and should be held accountable.

Side note: A review was posted to the Accurate Auto Facebook page that has since been removed. It read:

FB-review-posted-July-23-2010

As I stated before, Mr. Jeffries, even if you do remove the review from your Facebook business page, this is on the World Wide Web, it won't go away.

Other reviews can be found at Yelp.com under Accurate Auto in Chico, California (as linked throughout this post), Twitter.com, Facebook, and pretty much anywhere you look online. Because you simply can't fall short of your responsibilities and leave someone literally out in the desert, helpless, and not expect there to be some sort of karmic payback.

Filed under: 2010, Article, Family, Important, Information, Just Wrong, Review, Reviews, Tech Problems, Twisted, Warning, services, travel No Comments

27Oct/09Off

Under Re-Construction

This blog, this website, will be undergoing some revisions and getting a new face over the next couple of months. It's time to revamp, upgrade, streamline and make some much needed improvements in preparation -- for what, you'll have to be patient and wait to see.

It's out with the old, in with the new. Maybe I'll get lucky enough to have it all ready for release on New Years Day. Wouldn't that be the bomb?

Periodically I might post here. Thoughts get caught up in my brain and need a way to come out. This has always been the perfect medium. It's just of late, well, there's enough going on that those thoughts can't be voiced in this type of forum. Please don't ask. It's personal. Very personal, and not something I'm willing to share, not even via email or any other route. I don't want to seem rude, but even pressed, it's not going to happen.

What will become of the posts up and till then? Probably archived and removed from the site. I haven't decided yet. Of course, if there's something you'd like to see transitioned onto the new site, leave me a comment. Having a link to the particular post or page would be even better. I won't make any promises, this is, after all, my site. But I do try to be accommodating.

The other blogs and pages? Yeah, revisions, remodeling, maybe even removed altogether. It's the website mid-life crisis!

So there you have it.

In case you were wondering.

See you on the flip side!

Filed under: 2009, General, Information, Journals, Kathie, Tech Problems, Thoughts, Warning, Writing No Comments

21Aug/09Off

Homeowners Beware

American Home Shield offers a warranty that homeowners are probably most familiar with when purchasing a home. It's a nice little bonus realtors like to throw in to sweeten the deal. But for those of us who renewed when the year's end rolled around, we know that the human body can only handle so much sweetness before it gets violently ill.

You might rationalize that the cost of service alone is well worth the policy. You may even look at the reduced coverage on large appliances and other big-money items is worth the annual fees even when the premiums are increased. But if you look closely and carefully, you'll start to notice that the restrictions have doubled, then tripled and even quadrupled. Got a leak on the exterior faucet? Too bad. Not covered. Air conditioning conked out? Tough luck, you didn't perform the recommended prevention maintenance as we recommend. Got a repair service provider out that is a lazy bum and claims the two dollar soldering job done on your thermostat will solve the problem and a week later, your furnace dies? Not their problem, they'll tell you. "We're just going off of what the service repair person reported, who is the authority in this matter."

I really wish I could tell you that I got these examples from places like Consumer Affairs, but no, these are actual examples after talking with family, friends and our own experiences when using their "service" since 1995. In the years, we've even see the contractors that have been sent out, change. Spend any time waiting for an AHS representative to answer your call while listening to their recorded message loop around, and you'll understand they've become, more or less, a monopoly. They use Cleanmasters, Servicemasters, and have an umbrella of other services that include Terminex (and that in and of itself is scary if you spend any time looking into them for pest control services, gives me the eebie jeebies just thinking about it) among others. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but these aren't the people I want anywhere near my home, let alone tromping around to fix and service this or that.

A few years ago, when our policy came up for renewal, we decided to let it expire. Shortly after I received a call from an AHS representative. I explained that the lump sum they required was no longer affordable and we weren't so sure we needed the since watered down services they still offered. He was a damned good salesman. By the end of the call, we renegotiated the terms and he had my credit card information along with an arrangement to bill me monthly for a more affordable amount, no added fees tacked on and, as he explained, able to be terminated any given month.

As you probably know, when things roll over to a credit card, you tend to forget about the charges. Until the card is about to expire, they send you a "friendly email" and then you're back to reconsidering - do we really need this service? When's the last time we even used it? Is this an expense we can cut when things are as tight as they are? Can we make a claim against our homeowners policy if something big happened and exceeded our hefty deductible? That was us and we came to the conclusion, let it ride.

A couple of months passed and -wham- in comes a letter from a collections agency. It says that on behalf of AHS, their client, they're reminding us we still owe AHS several hundred dollars. They were even nice enough to include their client's billing address and phone number. Of course, it wasn't toll free.

As a homeowner, you're probably well aware of the importance of protecting your credit history. It's almost as precious as a baby. I phoned the number provided, waited a painful seventy-seven minutes to their messages that repeated so much I heard them in my sleep for days after, and finally was connected to a representative. I politely explained the situation, got the typical run-around that went along the lines of still owing money up until the policy was set to expire, which according to their records wasn't until November. I knew my rights, I knew their own limitations, and I made it clear that once we rolled over into the monthly billed amount, that these supposed "life of the policy" rules were no longer effective. That's when the representative said I had to call to another department and they would make a final decision. I stood firm. No, I fulfilled my end of the bargain, I chose not to renew my credit card information, they had no legal grounds to come after me, they were to immediately cease and desist with their attempts to collect and that if they continued, if there were any bad reports made against my credit history, I would sue them to the full extent of the law.

The representative said she would share this with the other department and that they'd have to call me to confirm the cancellation, so on and so forth. Good luck, I told her. I won't be around to take the call, I was heading out of town in the morning and could make it just as difficult for them as they'd made it for me. Regardless, the demand still stood, they were, I repeated firmly and made her repeat back to me, to cease and desist. She said she understood and would "relay the information."

Dated a week after my phone call that took an entire ninety-two minutes of my time (billable at $100/hour for a 3-hour minimum), another letter was sent from the same collection agency. I was informed that the clock started ticking when I received the first correspondence and had a mere thirty days to respond to their communication. It seemed vague about anything further than that, but the intent was loud and clear. That's when I began digging into AHS online and found hundreds of complaints filed against the company for a wide variety of things including this type of tactical (or maybe, tactless) maneuver in attempting to collect on debts that they really don't have a right to do.

I followed the advice on many of those complaint boards, went straight to the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) and filed a complaint according to their form driven website. Earlier today I received an email from the office that handles complaints about AHS and was told I would be hearing back from them soon.

A word to the wise, avoid American Home Shield. I can't suggest another warranty service that might be a better choice because I'm still dealing with this and haven't researched any, but given the headaches and the frustrations of dealing with this particular company, American Home Shield, which I've heard complaints have also come from many of the legitimate service companies AHS used to send out to service the policy, you're better off putting that money in a money market account and using that to make your repairs.

Filed under: 2009, Article, Discussion, Education, General, Harsh, Information, Journals, Just Wrong, Kathie, Rants, Review, Reviews, Slam, Thoughts, Twisted, Warning, money, services, websites No Comments

21Aug/09Off

Boys Don’t Let Your Momma Grow Up To Be A Sluggo

I sent a water sample into the local health department today.

I'm pretty sure they'll report back that, indeed, something was slipped into the water somewhere after eight p.m. and midnight. A sleep agent of some sort. And then the reports will come back that someone who works for the school district, listed as a bus driver, was the culprit.

That would, after all, explain why I was still dead to the world at 6:15 a.m., didn't budge when a kidlet came in to wake me twenty minutes later (or so he claims, I still think he and the bus driver might have a conspiracy going here), and didn't wake until almost 8:00 a.m., right?