AllPro Automotive Repair ripoff, waste of time, overpriced, no service rendered, rude staff Jacksonville Florida

I brought my 2001 Tracker in for an oil change on a Saturday morning as well as a request to have the steering checked out. I had looked over the car myself, and saw where linkage had become damaged on the steering column. My wife had already been to All Pro on another occasion, and they had been very fair with her when any automotive repair shop could have easily taken advantage of her, as I was out of town.

So I dropped the car off, told the lady behind the counter what I was having done, and was very specific about what I had found out with the steering. I expected them to say that they would call me later that day, as that was what their staff told my wife the previous evening. But instead, she said she would call Monday. No problem I thought, took my reciept and left.

Monday comes, and I get a message on my voice mail at work to call All Pro. I call and speak to what sounds like the very same lady who I left the car and keys with, and she says the oil change is done, and the estimate on the power steering if $500.00 to repair the "faulty power steering pump." I asked why it was faulty, and she said she couldn't say, the mechanic was not available at the moment. She also told me that the rack and pinion steering could be bad as well, but no telling until the pump is replaced. At this point, the lingo was beyond what I understood about cars, so I wasn't sure what to think. But something just didn't seem right. So I told her not to do the work yet, and that I would come and pick up the car.

Later that day, I realized that I wouldn't be able to leave work in time to pick it up before the placed closed, so I called and made arrangements to pick up on Thursday morning.

Upon arrival on Thursday morning, I walked in, and was approached by the same lady who had taken the car, and told her I was there to pick up my car. She grabbed the keys off the hook, and went out side to give them to some kid who was working in the garage; my guess was to pull it up to the door. She came back inside, I rendered payment for the services done, which was 30.00 plus tax, and she said it would be just ten minutes. She explained that the oil change had been overlooked and that there were going to rush and do it right now. She apologized, and I said ok.

I was pretty upset, but given the time in the morning, the whole thing hadn't really sunk in yet. Went outside and jumped back in the other car with my wife and daughter. Told them the situation. Started to think about the situation, and began getting a bit frustrated. After 10 minutes had rolled by, I start to see my car in the garage going up on the lift. They hadn't even started!! And even worse, the kid who drove the car into the garage was bringing in an oil catch from another door, and bringing it over to another car!

Well, that's about all I was going to take. I stormed back into the office, and the lady had stepped out apparently. There was some stocky, elderly guy, gray hair, appearing to be in his 40's sitting in a chair on his cellphone. He was in an adjecent office to the main lobby with the door open. I yelled over to him, "can you have them pull my car off the lift? I'm not staying to have the oilchange done!" He looked at me as if to say, how dare you interupt my conversation, sat down, put his feet up, and continued his phone conversation.

So I said fine, walked outside, walked into the garage, and told them to pull my car down, and not to do the oilchange. The mechanic began to lower my car. As I walked back inside of the office, I saw the familiar face of the lady who took my car entering through a back office door. The guy hook ignored me says "go take care of this guy before I have to take care of him." I replied, "you're going to take care of me? How is that? Do I have to call the law up here to get my car back?" He tried walking up on me and look down, trying to be some kind of tough guy. The lady intervened, gave me the refund as the guy walked away. I left promptly afterward.

When I got home, I began dialing the phone to get a hold of their corporate office. I had to tell someone. Just ridiculous. They had my car for 5 days, and didn't even do the oil change. And then some guy is going to give me crap about getting my car when I'm not willing to wait?!!?

After a bit of research, I found that their corporate number rang right into an office at the location I had stormed out of. The idea that this was some kind of large chain disappeared immediatly. I realized that there wasn't going to be much I could do. I'm just thankful that I was able to get a refund and get out without them doing anything to my car.

I would advise anyone requiring automotive service in the jacksonville area to stay as far away from All Pro as possible. They do not have their act togethor, and most of their staff was either rude, or just plain incoherent...not the type of people I want working on my car that drives my family around. Do yourself a favor, and find a real mechanic, not the "GUESS-TIMATE TECHNICIANS" they have over at all pro.

Phillip
JACKSONVILLE, Florida
U.S.A.