INDIAN RIVER AUTO AND TRANSMISSION INDIAN RIVER AUTO & TRANSMISSION 5225 INDIAN RIVER RD VA BEACH VA 23464 BEWARE; CLAIMED TO HAVE TAKEN OFF MY WATERPUMP BUT CANNOT PROVIDE IT/SAME DAY SERVICE AND PICK UP VIRGINIA BEACH Virginia

September 30, 2014

Today, I had the vehicle towed to Indian River Auto and Transmission at 5225 Indian River Rd Ste C in Virginia Beach, Va. The service advisor stated that four fuses that pushed power to the water pump and coolant system were deliberately removed. Not blown, but physically removed. They stated “When the vehicle was checked, we noticed four fuses were totally removed from panel one and one fuse was blown, disabling the safety feature for the Water Pump, resulting in overloading to the power source. A technician at Checkered Flag deliberately removed my fuses. Immediately prior to having the vehicle towed initially, I had just gotten off the road from Washington, DC at 3am. That is when I thought I had gas but apparently, it read wrong and I was out causing me to have it towed directly to Checkered Flag. I have no doubt in my mind my fuses were removed by an auto technician causing significant sabotage to my vehicle. I have no clue where they even are in the vehicle. But again, that is why I thought I paid for superior service for my vehicle, not to have it sabotaged. But wait, it gets worse.

Today, I paid $945.654 for a new water pump, thermostat, and fuses/labor in regards to this incident, paid directly to Indian River Auto and Transmission. They stated that four fuses needed to be put in the vehicle and that the water pump was absolutely necessary. When asked to have my old waterpump and thermostat, and see where the water pump had been leaking from, the manager, Mike, stated that he did not know where the technician put it. Relative to this statement, I have to remark that the shop is extremely small, and the old thermostat was located and given to me but the water pump was unable to be located. In addition, the manager, Mike, stated he could not get a hold of the technician that I watched work on my vehicle that entire afternoon prior to it being finished, and that he did not have a contact phone number for him. I am stumped as to why a shop does not have an employee directory? Or an emergency contact list for the employees? I stated I did not feel comfortable leaving after having paid almost a thousand dollars without being given possession of my old water pump.  Because, in my eyes at the time, either you did not replace my old one, or you did replace it, and where there was no leak will surely BE a leak by the time I pick up the old one up tomorrow. The water pump was just there while I was watching the man work underneath my vehicle, so why is it a mystery that it is no longer in the shop? These people did not replace a thing. Mike, the manager, refused to look for my water pump until located, because he knew it never left my vehicle. He asked me to leave the shop once paid and wait for tomorrow, in which I politely asked him to loate the pump, and he called Virginia Beach 911. Unbeknownst to him, I had already called the non-emergency number because he was being very confrontational telling me I should have asked for the pump before service was started. There is no rule or policy that states that. If I recall right, it is my pump, in addition, MY vehicle, and I believed I had paid for a new one also. He knew he could not show me a “brand new” water pump, so he did not show one at all, even pulling a container off to the side out of my view, to search thru it. He kept stating to come back tomorrow to retrieve my water pump. Why is it that, I watched these people work on my vehicle all evening, I asked him, to all of a sudden “misplace” my old water pump? This evening, I had another mechanic check the vehicle, and surprise, my original BMW water pump is still on the vehicle. These deceitful  people knew that those four fuses were what was preventing my vehicle from driving,  and in return, losing power and causing it to overheat, but they chose to bill me for a thousand dollar service, and will most likely ship the new water pump back to where they had it delivered from. I feel lied to and manipulated. I have to mention on other customers’ behalf, while inside the shop, one customer came complaining of these people giving him a “tune up only” and all of a sudden his engine light coming on. One customer stated that they charged him over a hundred dollars an hour for labor and that was not expressed to him the prior day. I, personally, was quoted 850-900 over the phone, which is why I decided to have my vehicle towed there, if it was the water pump, only to get there and Mike (same guy I spoke to over the phone) tells me that the quote was now over 1300 dollars. I had to politely keep trying to reason with him about the difference, and he went down some, but would not allow me to use my military discount (which it states is 20% on their internet website). Eventually, when it came time to pay, the woman there, Jaime, did take off a military discount..but still, where is my old part I ask? STILL ON MY VEHICLE. I WILL NEVER feel secure bringing my vehicle back to Indian River Auto and Transmission in Virginia Beach ever again. After what occurred, I would hope that others read this stay away. If after bringing this fault to their attention tomorrow once they reopen, I will go about the litigation process and also stop payment on my credit card.  These people, when asked about their bad reviews online, laughed it off and claimed their under “new management.” These people aren’t new, they never left. They intentionally ripped me off and I will take them to court if my money if not promptly refunded  for a service/parts they did not provide.