Bob Adams Automotive Diagnosis ripoff

Hi glad your here!

Aug 1 2001, Our 96 Ford Contour was overheating. My husband who is well versed in car care, put in thermostat. It still overheated. We made appt with Bob Adams Repair garage in Bedford, Ohio Aug 6th to diagnosis the problem. This was the closestplace to us, and sign said ASE, meaning (certified mechanic) so we thought. Man said it would cost $30 to diagnose. We left car there in morning and went shopping.

We came back 2 hrs later, front hood was up on car, mechanic told us, radiator hose was crimped and all antifreeze leaked out, so he had to put on another hose and refill with antifreeze. He still didnt know what was causing it to overheat.

He stated that he would check the thermostat next. He wasn't working just on our car but on several others he had in the shop.

Dont really know how long he spent on our car, but if he spent 2 hours on it, a real mechanic would know what was wrong with it no? We asked him what the cost was at that time. He said right now the cost is $82 ($60 for labor and $16 for antifreeze). He would have to charge us another $30 to check thermostat. We said this is ridiculous. $60 and we still dont know the diagnosis??

We took the car home, still without a diagnosis. I called the pres. of Bob Adams Repair next day (Karan Adams) and asked her how couldwe be charged $60 for diagnosis, when we still didn't know what the problem was??? It would cost how much more money to find out??? She said she would look into it and call me back. She never did.

On Aug 10 I called her again, asked for her decision. She argued that $60 was for the labor of putting on the belt and antifreeze. WHAT A BIG RIPOFF! We never told this mechanic to put the antifreeze in in the first place.

I have already written to the BBB, writing to you and I will write to the Federal Trade next. We are in our 60's, dont need this kind of highway robbery to exist! T
hank you for listening and being here for us.
Frank