Tito Auto Service

I've taken my 2002 4Runner to Tito 3 times now. I would have written a 5-star review until the last visit, now I realize that I wasn't getting the level of service I thought I was.

BLUF: Tito is a really nice guy, pleasant to talk with, and he won't try to sell you repairs you don't need, but in my case, he didn't do quality work (transmission mount), he charges a fortune for labor on easy repairs, didn't correctly diagnose the whole problem, and wouldn't make it right when I called him on it. I'm never going back. 

Story:

Nov 2016: Had a vibration somewhere under the car not related to brakes or alignment. Took it to Tito, he found a broken transmission mount, replaced it. Vibration went away for a few months. paid about $200. Happy customer.

22 May 2017: Vibration came back, took it back to Tito, he found a broken U-joint connecting the driveshaft to the transmission (right next to the mount that he replaced). He recommended replacing front and back U-joints at the same time (which involves removing the driveshaft, more on that later) $300. I'm just happy that it wasn't a differential or transmission problem. Still feel like I'm getting great service and not paying a fortune at the dealer.

I drive away from the shop, vibration is gone, my speed remains under 40 (I live about a mile from the shop).

I drive the truck the next day, at 65mph there is a horrible humming noise but no vibration. I take the truck back to Tito, he says the driveshaft (that he just dismounted and remounted on previous repair) is bent. $840 quote. I balk at having to pay for the labor to take out and replace the exact same part that he just removed since I feel that he should have discovered the problem on the last repair, and I would have only paid for the cost of the new driveshaft. He says he'll give me $20 off the labor ($120 vs $140). I told him I'd think about it and drove off.

After talking to a mechanically inclined friend, I found that driveshaft replacements are pretty easy. In fact I found a Youtube video of a guy who did it on my exact vehicle in about 5 minutes with 2 box end wrenches and a screwdriver. The truck wasn't even on a lift.

I look up the price of a new driveshaft and I find an OEM one for $418 online. Continuing to shop, I find an aftermarket one from a highly rated online shop for $298 with free shipping.

That's when I discover that a new driveshaft comes with new U-joints - the part I just paid $300 to replace.

Worse than that, I crawl under my truck to get numbers off the driveshaft to order the correct part, and discover that the transmission mount is missing a nut and urethane cushion! The screw is just dangling in the wind held captive by it's head. Now I'm wondering if the U-joints went bad because the transmission mount was improperly installed causing excessive wear. Oh, and the mount that I paid $200 to replace? Costs $16 and has 6 bolts. He probably replaced it in about 3 minutes.

Tito is a really nice guy, pleasant to talk with, and he won't try to sell you repairs you don't need, but in my case, he didn't do quality work (transmission mount), he charges a fortune for labor on easy repairs, didn't correctly diagnose the whole problem, and wouldn't make it right when I called him on it. I'm never going back.