5 /5 William Lovell: Have you ever wanted to have a family member that was a "super mechanic" just so you would have someone you could actually trust work on your vehicle?
I recently purchased a 2002 Mazda Tribute. The engine warning light was on and was driving very rough. Advanced Auto ran a scan and said cylinders 3 and 6 were misfiring, along with a faulty O2 Sensor. I purchased new spark plugs, boots and coils for the tune-up. The Tribute has 3 cylinders up front (4,5,6) and 3 in the back (1,2,3), under the manifold, making it difficult to get to.
I took it to a dealership to have the diagnostic re-ran and the spark plugs replaced, thinking that was the issue. Having supplied my own parts, I only had to pay for service. Well, the dealership kept my Tribute more than 24 hours, charged more than quoted, almost $400!, and gave me the Tribute back running worse than when I gave it to them. Their response: "We didnt do a diagnostic, we changed out the spark plugs like you asked and that was it". There was no arguing with the shady mechanic, so I left having $400 less than I did with nothing to show for it.
I took it to Mitchells Service Center. Jim Mitchell said he would run the diagnostic, drive the vehicle, and then work on it. He said sometimes the O2 Sensor gives a false reading and would make sure it was defective before replacing it. It turned out, the ignition coil for cylinders 3 AND 6 needed replacing and the O2 Sensor was indeed bad.
Jim ordered the parts with NO UP CHARGE, replaced all faulty equipment, drove the vehicle and fixed everything.
$289.77.
Jim, you run an amazing shop and will have my business permanently! Your honesty and integrity are unheard of in todays society and much, much appreciated.
William Lovell
