Stay away from this one!! They tried to charge me 3 times what other repair shop charge. Then will charge you $120 just to look at your car! AAA recommended, but should be removed from the list.
This customer asked us to check out the front brakes and calipers on his 2015 Chevy Traverse because he was hearing a grinding noise and a tugging when braking. We had told him that the diagnostic fee was $120 for us to check out his concerns. He also signed the customer sign in sheet which clearly states the information on the diagnostic fee. Our technician pulled off all four wheels and inspected both the front and rear brake pads, rotors and calipers. Our tech did this since brakes are a safety concern and this customer was going to be driving back to his home in Minnesota in a few days. The tech found that the vehicle needed front brake pads and rotors. Our service advisor gave this customer the estimate over the phone. The customer must have called around to see if he could get a cheaper price, because he came by soon after and said he was bringing it elsewhere. He then refused to pay the diagnostic fee and said that we did not tell him about that. We decreased the fee down to $80 to help him out. If he really paid one third the price we gave him, then he must have found a shop that did a "pad slap", meaning they just replaced the brake pads and not the rotors. His rotors had "hot spots. "Any time the pads are low and need changing, the rotors must be resurfaced if at all possible (in this case not) or replaced. Yes it would be more expensive, but it would be the correct repair. Hot spots on old rotors can cause new brake pads to fail or perform poorly, leading to symptoms resembling brake failure. These hardened, raised spots prevent proper pad-to-rotor contact, causing severe brake vibration (pulsation), reduced stopping power, noise, and rapid overheating (brake fade), which can eventually cause total brake failure in extreme conditions.
- NOLA Automotive Repairs Inc