JLD2k3

So my car has been making a terrible whining/growling sound for about a year and I go in for an oil change (believe it or not, I can get them to do it for less than buying my own oil and filter...go figure...I'd been doing it myself) and ask them to tell me what's making the noise. The tech comes out and tells me it's the PSP and the SA gives me a price of $900 for the parts and labor. That's too much for me on a 130k mile car, so I go find a PSP off a 41k mile 2005 and get it put on at an indy shop for $150. Cool, right? No. It's the AC compressor, not the PSP making the noise. Less than 5 minutes with the stethoscope made it abundantly clear.

On the plus side, they didn't charge me for the diagnosis. I called the service manager to tell him that I didn't appreciate being told the wrong thing. I said I understand that sometimes people make mistakes, but the fact that in less than 5 minutes the indy shop identified the correct problem, his staff was not giving due diligence to identify the problem. I'd be perfectly willing to pay a half hour labor to get it right, but in this case the solution was so incredibly simple that even for a freebie diagnosis, he should have been able to get it right.

So I'm out $250 for the PSP and now I need a new bearing/pulley for the AC Compressor. That's going to be another $350. Not happy about it, but what can I really do?

cpbeasley

without having paid for the diagnosis, i think you're a fish out of water. but I would DEFINITELY call them. it's their job to keep customer's happy as they want you back. give it a shot.

i had a misdiagnosis too (the Dx was $90) for new wiper motor and all it needed was wiper arm needed to be tightened. ridiculous. i never persued it, but wish i would have.