I took my car to Flat Black Automotive for a simple oil change but ended up with a $500 bill. I had also asked them to check why my heater wasn’t working and why my steering wheel was making a noise when turning. When I dropped off the car and spoke to an employee in person, at no point was I informed that I’d be charged $219 per hour for diagnostics. Here’s how the charges broke down: Labor: $418.49 Parts: $29.04 HazMat: $10.66 After tax, the total came to $499.43. I was never told about these fees beforehand and was shocked when I saw the final bill. During my visit, I mentioned that I hadn’t owned a car in 20 years, and it felt like they failed to provide critical information about the charges when they should have. Customers deserve clear communication about costs, not surprise fees after the fact. If you value transparency and fair pricing, I would strongly recommend avoiding this business. When I called to discuss my disappointment, the guy on the phone turned it into a joke with very little concern that a customer was not happy. Hence the review. ----- Update: As suggested in the reply, I did not leave before any repairs were done. I was quoted an additional $2,200 for repairs, which I was informed would need to be completed at a later date. The claim that I left before any work was completed is simply untrue, and I feel it’s important to clarify that. Additionally, the reply is vague and unclear.
Will, I am sorry you had that experience. While we do charge for diagnosis, and yes, we do charge $219 per hour for that diagnosis, we do have our standard training on the topic AND discussion of cost. In your case, we did have that time into diagnosing your issues stated and as you took your vehicle before it was fully repaired, the cost should have been discussed with you in regards to that timeline per our normal procedures. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to me. - Andrew
- Flat Black Automotive