Val P's Auto Service Inc
About us
4 employees. Cost is determined by the job. No travel charges: some customer drop off & pick up esp for senior citizens Discount for first time customers ALL MAKE VEHICLES
Business highlights
Services we offer
Auto repair: A/C repair, all general repairs, brakes, computer diagnosis, cooling systems, electrical, engine work, oil change, tires, tires & batteries., tune-ups
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 92% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 2% | ||
| 2% | ||
| 4% |
A week earlier, I went to Titus to have two tires replaced, and the guys did a great job with that also. Since I have going there, I have been very satisfied with their work. These guys do an excellent job!
"We regret any misunderstanding in this transaction. We NEVER encourage fixing costumers vehicles without consent. The car was diagnosed and we found nothing except for some worn spark plugs. (removed member name) was informed of this on the phone. The total invoice was $ 93.82 and not $110 as reported. We did not charge for diagnosis and everything done was stated on the invoice. We again regret any misunderstanding."
AC was working on and off. They found the root cause in the "mixing" unit where hot air and cold air get mixed to adjust accoridng to the temperature selector inside the vehicle. The mechanic (Junior) honestly told me that wasn't a complex fix but a very long one because they have to access the back of the engine. After some thinking he thought of a workaround. Living in Florida he could by pass the heater and so no more problem. I agreed to the workaround and now my AC is cooler than ever. And so is my wallet!!
"Thanks for your kind comments [member name removed]. that's our concern saving our customers valuable $$$$"
Better than a dealership!
Dropped car off about 830am. Got a ride home and Titus called me an hour later and told me what was needed.
When the car was ready, they came and got me.
All employees courteous, friendly, professional.
"Thank you [member name removed]. When our customers are happy we are kept happy too. SERVICE is our greatest concern."
"Hi [member name removed], thanks for choosing Val P's.We truly apologize for that misunderstanding. It is our policy to always confirm all work and prices with our customers before completing the job. This was an honesty error and we again apologize and will be happy to continue to offer you excellent service."
Would highly pass on to others, quality work , friendly service 5 star rating. thanks Julius
"Thanks for your business (removed member name). We at Val P's are very happy when you are satisfied with our service. Again , we appreciate your business."
To back up a bit, my car is in bad shape and basically on its last legs...I am just trying to buy some time until I can buy a new one. Titus understood this and was very honest about the situation. He said he could fix the high rev and the steering - also stated that the car needed a new clutch but that we needed to do one thing at a time. I appreciated that because he could have told me I needed a new clutch now and charged me an extra $1000. But he did advise me that I probably only have 2-3 months tops left with the clutch and not to put any more money into this car. I really appreciated his being honest with me when a lot of other mechanics would have pounced on this opportunity to take me to the cleaners.
And to top it all off? I asked him if he could possibly deliver the car back to my house because I was still at work and would not have been able to get to the garage before closing unless I had left work early. Titus had two of his men drop the car off to my house and it was there waiting for me after I returned the rental car and got home. This was the first time in my life I have ever handled a car repair transaction entirely by phone - and it was a real pleasure with this place. Val P's is definitely a quality place with quality people.
"Hi (removed member name). We certainly appreciate your kind comments. Val P's strive at all times to keep our customers satisfied as best we can. Your satisfaction is our great concern. We truly appreciate your business."
"Hi (removed member name). Val P's appreciate your kind comments. You our customers are our first concern. We certainly appreciate your business."
"Hi (removed member name). So happy to know that you were satisfied with our service. Our appreciation for your business deserves your satisfaction."
"Hi (removed member name). Thanks for choosing Val P's. We are very pleased to that you were satisfied with our service. We survive on our customers' satisfaction. Thanks again"
I look for and expect, excellent service, a caring and intelligent attitude, fair prices and (within reason) a commitment to a price.
What I found here, was (seemingly ) a lack of expertise, (in the AC case anyway) non-caring customer service & attitude and a broken promise.
Details:When I first arrived and told them of the problem, they told me I needed my gas replaced, they deducted this from the specific nozzle that was on the gas chamber for the AC. I told them that the gas had been changed over to the new format and I did not know why the old nozzle type was still on. But I had to point out a second time that when the air was on, it was ice-cold. There was not a problem with the gas but the system coming on and off. If I did not put my foot down they would have replaced the nozzle and charged me for the kit and labor.
Then Titus told me the relay to the compressor needed replacing (other partner of the company) and they needed to order the part if I wanted to get it done. He told me how much the part would be and I had already confirmed that I would get it done and be back in the morning. I asked him if he wanted me to pay for the part there and then and he said no. Just to look at your car they charge $65 (If I remember correctly) but that is subtracted from any repairs they do for you. I could not get there in the morning but rang early afternoon to tell them I was coming in about an hour and they said fine. When I arrived, I found that they had not ordered the part at all. This was a serious gaff in my thinking because they said they would.
(Note: When I paid the bill the next day, I bought this broken promised up and Titus acknowledged the problem, he said it was wrong and apologized- I appreciated that he admited it, but I had to bring it up while an employee nodded his head in agreement, but felt with my whole experience, it was worth noting.)
Then they told me the job would be a couple of hours at least. Given the super small waiting room, I asked if they could drive me a mile down the road to the nearest restaurant where I could eat and wait. They told me they didn't have anyone available. I only asked because someone else on Angies list had glowingly mentioned they offered that sort of service. But they could not. As it happened I asked if I could get a ride with the guy who had to go and get my part, They said yes. I was at the resturant for around 3 hours and they called and said it was ready. (No offer to come and get me) So I ordered a cab back.
As I said at the start, I left the shop after the repair with my AC running (remember it would go on and off) and those guys telling me with conviction that they had solved the problem. As you know the AC stopped later that night and exhibited the same symptoms that it had before going to Val P Auto Service. I ended up fixing the problem with other people for a lot less then the $500 part they had suggested when I went back the next day and told them it's still not working.
Of course it's highly debatable whether I needed to spend the $187 to begin with. I'll never know.
On my own admittance I agree that sometimes electrical problems can be hard to diagnose, but what peeved me in this case was two fold. 1) These guys told me with conviction what was wrong with my system. There was never a sense of humility here, they were the experts, this was the problem and I should listen. If they had told me, "They were pretty sure that this was the problem" then I might not even be writing this, but the conviction of the remedy bordered on arrogance.
2) Having used Angie's list for a year now, I look straight at the top of the A list (don't we all?) when looking for a vendor or merchant. Having dealt with a few of them I have become used to excellent customer service, expertise and respect for the customer. In this case I found all of the above to be lack luster. I also found it strange that there were so many good reports given my encounter. Maybe something has changed of late. I can not believe given my experience, that I was the only one who received such service and everyone else went away smiling. In my experience, this was a smoking gun scenario.
I will never go back there, I do not believe these guys deserve the A rating they have.
I am not saying they are crooks, dishonest or bad mechanics. I am saying, that my experience delivered Tardiness, a lack of expertise and average (or below) customer service.
___Update____:
The head Gaskets Val P's clamined were damaged weren't overheating, my head gaskets are fine. I took it to three mechanic shops for a second opinion. The issue was unanimous the radiator was beyond repair. I took it to another highly rated company listed on Angies List on the beach, and they were appaled that he tried to fix a corroded radiator. It only needed to be replaced. So I wasted money trying to flush it and he was going to "attempt" to fix a head gasket that was not broken for 1800. He offered to fix it, but I already replace the radiator and I won't be going back to Val P's again nor letting him touch my car, I wanted a refund on the flush and he refused. Beware.... Stay far away
__OLD REPORT___
My car was overheating, I went to my primary mechanic to fix it, and the fix didn't last. So I decided to use Angies List to find another mechanic on short notice. I settled with Val P's. I took my Toyota Celica 95 up there for a Cooling system Diagnosis. The service was great, he took the time to explain the issues while we were under the hood and the steps he would have to take to fix the issue. He also gave me a break down of the parts and labor cost. His prices are on the high side. His hourly labor rate was $85. plus parts and labor. But I sucked it up deciding I would pay more to have it fixed the first time. I would usually pay around 160 to 200 for this type of service. But they were alot less than the dealership. The also offered to drive me to the library to wait on my vehical.
"In reference to complaint made by customer we are responding to the situation with the following information: On March 23, 2012 member drove a 1995 Toyota Celica 1.8 VIN# 1J2AT00N1S0034564 to our garage with a bust upper hose and heating problem. We diagnosed the problem and informed her that she needed a radiator, upper hose, lower radiator hose, thermostat and gasket. She said that she could not afford the radiator so we cleaned and flushed the engine an explained that the overheating could damage the cylinder head gasket because the radiator is restricted. Approximately week and a half later she called to say she was on her way from Ft. Myers and the car was overheating. I advised her to allow the car to cool and bring it into the garage. She did not turn up. About a month later she came to the garage claiming that the work we did was no good. I again explained to her that she needed a new radiator in order to correct the problem. We stand by our faithfulness and loyalty to our customers and go the extreme to help our customers stay safe on the road. We realize that not everyone will be totally satisfied but we remain a business that operates in honesty and integrity. Thank you for inquiry, Respectfully Titus Hayden Manager"
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