2020 Automotive or Lifetime Automotive Robert located at 2020 E6th Ave Flagstaff AZ Fraud, gouging, extortion, scalping, harrasment, and distress, Flagstaff Arizona

Two college students made a trip to Flagstaff AZ in order to train at altitude over the summer. On the way here their vehicle broke down and it was towed the remainder of the way. Robert, the owner operator of 2020 Automotive, promised a he would fix their vehicle and provided a quote for the repairs of $2600. A towing company, who recommended the shop, dropped off the vehicle at his shop location. It was later found out that the tow company, catz towing, always recommended Roberts shop due to a business agreement. 2020 was "highly recommended" for the repair of the vehicle. Rober claimed that he was the best in town for engine rebuilds, he warrantied his work, and he was less expensive than anyone else.

The quote provided a date and price for the repair. The college students Mother (who is almost broke from sending her son to college) managed to pay half down ahead so he would have money for the parts. Over the 3 week period before the date it was supposed to be repaired the price continued to increase. On the date the vehicle was promised to be finished the college students contacted Robert and Robert claimed he was having family problems and that it would be a few more days. In another phone conversation with the college students mother, Rober said that he had not touched the vehicle. This led to questions about why the cost had increased. The students had given Robert a date and told him that they needed to return home, which was over 2k miles away for the fall session of school. After several phone calls 10 days after the original date I took them over to the shop. The shop was very dirty, had oil all over the floor, and ROber was nowhere to be found. After several minutes of searching for the owner, there was no one to greet us at the door and the shop was nearly empty we found him in the back. It was not the place in the online photo. When asked when it would be done Robert became very hostile, claimed that there was alot of extra work that needed to be done, and that if the college student wasn't happy with the work or the price to pay him an additional $500 for the extra labor and he could have the vehicle back.

The students expected to have the vehicle by the original date and to be on their way home. In anticipation of the move back they cancelled their jobs and no longer had any money or income. They had to vacate their apartment and had no place to stay. With no money, no place to stay, being from out of town the students were forced to live on the streets in cold weather, un sanitary and unsafe conditions for several days and rely on the generosity of friends for food, moral, and eventually a place to stay. At the time of this report the vehicle still was not finished and Rober refused to give up possession of the vehicle claiming a Mechanics lean on it. 

On the visit mentioned above, Robert smelled of alcohol. In person Rober claimed that the parts were much more expensive than I was paying for the same parts on my engine rebuilds. Robert did not have a good technical understanding and used words and phrases about his work that were not industry terminology. Resizing instead of Milling etc.. . When I compared Roberts quote that he had sent to the students mother to what he was telling us in the shop, the quote was half of his statement. He also stated that he had to do work that was not in the quote, and didn’t need to done for the problem and wasn't approved either. It was apparent that the work had just been started only a couple of hours previous and he was claiming far more hours of labor (for the mechanics lien) than was possible for the complete job.

If you choose to have work done by Robert, you should further understand that his former business name Lifetime Automotive is a name registered for a business in Tempe. Arizona does not allow multiple businesses with the same name to operate in the State. Request to see his insurance, request to see his business license, and request to see his mechanics qualifications. Know who you are dealing with ahead of time, do not rely on photos that are posted on the internet, nor the word of towing companies or anyone that could be in business with him.