Our Ford F-350 broke down right before Christmas last year when we traveled from Heflin, Alabama to St. Louis, Missouri. My husband called around several places to find someone to fix the problem. At the time, we weren't sure what the actual problem was, but after talking with DJs, my husband decided that they could probably fix it. They took the truck in on December 17. We did not get it back until December 27.
I would like to think that there was some grand design to this whole thing rather than think the repair shop didn't know what they are doing. They refused to communicate with us about the current status. Matt had to drive 20 miles to their shop to get an update. When the new computer for the truck should have come in, no one called. Matt and I both tried calling the shop multiple times. No one would answer the phone. Matt was beside himself saying that they had already closed up for the holidays, and we would be stranded until they opened on Tuesday.
We drove to Pontoon to see if they had indeed closed up shop early. No. They were still there, but the door was locked. Matt knocked on the door, and talked to the owner who admitted he had seen us calling, but did not answer. Of late, he had taken to mumbling about the repairs, and refusing to make eye contact. He told Matt that the part did not arrive. Matt remarked about the lack of communication on their part. Matt told him the truck had already been there four days too long, and they were telling him nothing. He reminded the owner that we were stranded eight hours from home, and had been for a week. The owner's response: "I don't know what to tell you."
I have some suggestions for things he could have said. He could admit that he couldn't identify the problem. If he replaced the parts that weren't needed in his quest, admit it. If in his ignorance he messed up something else, then say so. Say anything that was going to help us end this nightmare. He finally said if the computer arrived Saturday, he would come in and work on the truck. Somehow I doubted that he is going to go that extra mile, and he didn't.
We didn't receive a phone call from the shop with any information on the truck, or the new computer that was supppsedly on its way via UPS. Matt called at 10AM and said he would be by the shop at 1PM, and he wanted answers.
We drove over at 1PM. I went with him because 1) he was a frayed mess, and 2) I wasn't sure what these people would try to pass off as the truth. We walked in the office, and some chipper young man (whom I will call Skippy) was kicked back behind the desk. He sputtered nervously, "We've got some good news for you. We got the truck running." He went on to say that the IDM they had gotten from O'reilly's was defective. He said the mechanic was putting the truck back together, and we could pick it up in an hour.
I found it interesting that the computer that was allegedly ordered was never mentioned in the ensuing conversation. I was sure that at some point someone would refer to it in some way, but it never came up. All they talked about was the IDM. I don't believe that they were waiting a UPS delivery. Smoke was blowing, but it wasn't coming from the exhaust from our 7.3l diesel. There was a lot of talk, stalling, and unprofessionalism on their part.
So this is the exciting conclusion to what was supposed to be a three day trip. Twelve days and $600+ later (not to mention the hours stress has taken off of our lives), we were back in our truck and heading south.
I would not recommend this repair shop to anyone. In fact, I have tried to block this experience from my mind. However, when it popped up and asked for a review...I just had to leave one to hopefully save someone else from this experience.
Matt and Susan Adams
Maureen Keller
