September 2022 by Aimee C.
Initially took the 2008 Saturn Outlook on March 21 2022 for possible timing chain replacement. Their diagnostic determined the timing chain needed to be replaced. At that time I was quoted around $4500 parts and labor. I agreed to have the chain replaced. The next week, I was contacted by their service manager, Brian Holt. He told me I needed to come in and look at the engine. They had removed the valve cover for access and he showed me that there were large chunks of congealed oil everywhere under the cover. He told me that if they were to complete the repair, the chunks would clog ports and break the engine worse. He told me he could get me a quote together for an engine replacement, so I told him go ahead and get a quote and we'll go from there. A couple days later, he contacted me and told me they had a used engine with approximately 80k miles and it would cost me $11,000. At that point I told him I needed to make a few phone calls and I'd call him back. I called some people I trust when it comes to vehicle matters and with their opinion decided to take the chance on the chain replacement due to the fact that I was well over $2500 into this repair anyway. I called Mr. Holt back and told him I was declining the engine and to continue with the chain. He then told me he advised against it and that he could even drop the price of the engine to $9,000. I told him that was too much and to continue with the chain. I asked how long it would take and he said they'd have it done in a few days. I did not receive a phone call, so I decided to wait another day and if I didn't hear from them, I would contact them. I did not hear from them, and this is now April 7, so I stopped by their shop after work. Mr. Holt was not there for the day, so the other adviser helped me. She told me she'd have to check with the mechanic on the status. She found out they were waiting on parts to ship from Salt Lake City and they expected them to arrive on Friday April 8. April 19, I again spoke to Mr. Holt and he again advised me about the chain and again tried to sell me the used engine. I told him I still wanted them to finish the repair with the chain. April 21, I was contacted by Mr. Holt and he told me that they tried to start the engine and it would not start. I said I'd be in to pay the bill and get a tow service as soon as possible. I asked what the total was and he said it came up to be about $4900. I asked why it was $500 more than the quoted amount, and he told me they asked if I wanted the bottom of the engine washed to possibly remove some of the congealed oil and that I agreed to it. I said I did agree to it, but the price was not discussed and he never told me it would cost $500. If I had known that, I would not have agreed to them washing it. When I went to pay the bill, he did knock off the cost of washing the bottom of the engine and the total came to just under $4,500. We went through the process of getting set up with sunbit to pay for the repair, and he then tells me that he was going to offer a good deal since he felt bad I had to go through this chain repair not working. He said he could offer me the install of a factory refurbished engine without the cost of labor, and that he would only charge me $6,000 for it. I told him he could email me the info and maybe at some later date I could consider it. I could not at that point because I could not afford it. April 22, I had to set up a tow service to pick up the vehicle at a time I wouldn't be there. I was going to be out of town and just wanted the vehicle back home. I talked to Mr. Holt and he said it would be ok for the tow service to pick it up without me there. At approximately 1:40 PM that day, I received a phone call from the tow service that they were going to have to charge me extra to tow the vehicle. They said they would have to charge me for oil leaking on their trailer as a result of parts missing from the engine. I was confused by this because Mr. Holt told me they put the engine back together. The tow service advised me that they c
