My wife's vehicle was swaying/pulling at highway speeds, and we assumed an alignment might be needed. I called to set up an appointment and was given a reasonable price for a potential 4-wheel alignment. The $19.99 cost of an alignment check would be included if an alignment was indeed needed. A couple of hours after dropping the vehicle off, I received an email with an attached 6-page printout of a "courtesy inspection" followed up quickly by a call. A technician had taken less than a 2-mile drive and put the car on a lift for a brake inspection. The primary issue identified was a left caliper that was dragging/seizing up. Yet, a recommendation was given for a complete front-end brake job that included replacement of calipers, pads, and rotors, under the assumption that heat damage had likely caused damage to all parts, even though there was no evidence of this. Repair cost = $1121.47. I was also given 7 other recommendations for repairs that included everything from cleaning and adjusting rear brakes ($125) to cleaning battery terminals ($62.50) to replacing air filters ($250.48). In total, a nearly $2000 set of repairs was suggested. I refused all these recommendations and was charged $73.50 for the "courtesy inspection" when I picked up the vehicle. I then went to another local shop the next day where the technician took the vehicle out on the highway and monitored the temperature on the brakes to see if there was a serious heating issue. There was none. He then replaced the front left brake caliper and hose ($280 for parts and labor). He also replaced tail light bulbs (for $6.22 versus $71.49 at Legacy) and two wiper blades (for $35.99 versus $86.75 at Legacy). My takeaway from this experience is that Legacy has a business model that seeks to maximize profit via unwarranted assumptions and recommendations, charges inflated prices, and minimizes the essential needs/interests of customers. This is unfortunate but mirrors the strategies of many in the industry. EDIT: Andy, thanks for calling me and talking through the parts of my experience that were particularly frustrating. Given all the great reviews your business has received, I know you'll address some of the process/communication improvements that can be made.
Hi Wayne! I'm glad we could finally speak and I could learn from your experience with us and make the necessary changes. My advisor agrees that some changes are necessary with the communication process and explaining prices and priority of repairs. Thanks for your input and consider the changes done!
- Legacy Auto-Tech