Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On October, 11, 2023 I brought my vehicle to GEM’s Complete Auto Care in Moriarty to diagnose an unfamiliar sound my vehicle was making. Their diagnoses identified (in writing) that the sound was coming from the transmission and recommended it needed to be replaced. They also advised they didn’t do transmission work on smaller vehicles and referred me to a nearby repair shop. Based on their diagnosis I purchased a new transmission from a dealership in Albuquerque, NM for several thousands of dollars and had another company in Albuquerque, NM install the transmission. Upon picking up the vehicle after the installation the unfamiliar sound was still there. I went back to GEM’s and spoke to Justin about the apparent misdiagnosis and the new transmission I purchased and he advised I should have gotten a second opinion before having the transmission replaced. He said there was nothing he could do about his misdiagnosis and the cost of the unneeded transmission. I then sought out another auto repair shop that diagnosed that the power steering pump was the cause of the unfamiliar sound and that it needed to be replaced, which eliminated the unfamiliar sound. For reasons unknown GEM’s diagnostics did not detect the problem with the power steering pump but did claim the transmission was bad when it wasn’t. Overall, I did not need a new, expensive transmission and would not have gotten one if not for the misdiagnosis of GEMS Complete Auto Care in Moriarty. I initially considered GEM’s because of their positive online reviews but a little research has discovered that the majority of their positive reviews are from family members and friends.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2024

  Hello again Mr. *******,
       This will now be
  the fourth time we have explained this situation to you. Let me write it in a
  different format to maybe help you understand better.
            We still stand behind our diagnosis. No matter how many times you give us a bad review.
            We do not work on little cars
            Your car had THREE transmission codes for line pressure low and incorrect gear ratio
            The catalytic converter efficiency is low
            The coolant thermostat is having problems
            It has multiple leaks
            It needs rear shocks
            It needs front struts
            It needs the passenger side sway bar end link
            It has very high miles
            This car is not safe to drive
       Your car needs way more work than the car is worth which, is
  exactly what we have told you four times now. Just because you write us a bad
  review and dispute a $120.00 diagnosis fee will not change that. We told you
  that if you wanted to fix anything you should start with the transmission,
  because that will be what leaves you stranded on the side of the road. We also
  told you that we did not think it was worth fixing, because the car is not even
  worth that much, so you would never get your money back if you decided to sell
  it. You sir were the one who decided to fix the transmission. You said you
  bought the transmission from ****** ****** but then you had a different shop
  put it in. Why didn’t you just have ****** ****** put in the Transmission? You
  have been going around from shop to shop trying to get what you want, when in
  the end that car still needs way to much work done to it, and it is not even
  worth it. Just because the new transmission did not fix the noise does not mean
  that the transmission did not need to be replaced, it was a ticking time bomb,
  that was going to leave you walking. There was so much popping, creaking, and
  leaking on this car that for $120.00 there would have been no way of
  knowing it was the power steering pump leaking and making the noise. We went
  with what the car was telling us with the check engine light, which led us to
  think it was the transmission was making the sound.
       Every time you write a bad review you tell the story right
  for the most part, but the biggest part you leave out is that you FAILED to
  tell us the first time you came in for the diagnosis on 10/11/2023 (wow long
  time ago) that you had been adding power
  steering fluid to the car for quite some time. What a strange detail to leave
  out. If you had let us know that we would have known to look for that problem
  as well, but when it came in, the power steering fluid was full. Why, because
  you added fluid to it. If you would have let us know that VERY important detail,
  we would have found that your power steering pump was bad, we would have
  changed it for you, but we would have also let you know that your car had THREE
  TRANSMISSION CODES and it was just a matter of time before you FOUND YOUR SELF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BROKE
  DOWN. We feel like in this situation either way we would lose, because you
  would still blame us even if you did not fix the transmission and you were stuck
  on the side of the road. You would probably say that we did not stress the
  issue enough and you would still want us to pay for the damages. We are not the
  ones who put in your transmission. If we were the ones to put in the
  transmission and it did not fix the noise we would have dug deeper to figure
  out the problem, and then you would still be out the transmission cost because
  replacing it got rid of the transmission codes, as well as the power steering
  pump, so either way you are the one who decided to fix the car that in our
  option was not worth fixing, which we explained to you.
       Please leave our other clients out of your issues. You have
  stated many times that you have done a little research, NO SIR, you have done
  some extreme research! You have been scouring the internet to find people and how
  they know us, that is called stalking. Like we have already explained to you, here
  at Gems, we strive to have extremely good relationships with our customers. We
  have also been doing this for 17 years in a very small community. We strive to
  have customer relationships that go beyond business, we want our customers to
  know that we care and that they can always count on us. We believe that
  customer relations are the most important part of business. Please respect our
  other client’s personal information and do not stock them!
       Again, we thank you for your business, and hope you have a
  good day. 

            Gems Complete Auto Care

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/21/2024

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  RE: GEM’s Auto Complete Auto Care, January 16, 2024 reply to
  filed complaint.
  
  Please find my responses to their spurious allegations as follows:
  
  Aside from my visit to GEMs on October,
  11, 2023, this is the first (not fourth) time hearing from them regarding
  their misdiagnosis and unwillingness to stand behind their work. 
  
  The company name GEM’s “Auto” Complete Repair, indicates
  they do work on automobiles (contrary to their claim otherwise). In addition,
  behind the desk of their shop entrance, on the wall are two large signs
  indicating costs for various types of repairs (diagnostics, etc.). One sign is
  for “autos” and one is for diesels.
  
  After the diagnosis, on October 12, 2023 I called and asked
  if they could make the other repairs, (other than the recommended transmission
  replacement), listed on their diagnosis (i.e. replace, shocks, struts, sway bar
  link, etc.) and they advised they could make the repairs but I would need to
  supply the parts. They even estimated the cost of the labor of those repairs
  would be approximately $450. This begs the question, if GEM’s Auto Complete
  Repair does not work on small car’s, why did they diagnose the problems of my
  small car? Thus, their claim that they don’t work on small cars is obviously invalid.
  
  The following was listed on their October, 11, 2023 diagnosis
  (verbatim). Excuse the elementary grammar:
  
  - Cat effeciance low
  - coolant thermostat problem
  - needs rear shocks and front struts
  - needs passenger side sway bar end link
  - noise coming from transmission
  - needs new transmission
  
  In addition, none of the following from their reply to you
  was ever communicated to me verbally or in writing;
  
  Your car had THREE transmission codes for line pressure
  low and incorrect gear ratio
  - It has multiple leaks
  - It has very high miles
  - This car is not safe to drive
  
  My vehicle was brought to GEM’s Complete Auto Repair to
  determine the cause of the unfamiliar sound and determine a viable solution. When
  the vehicle was brought in for the diagnosis my wife and I clearly stated that
  the power steering fluid needed to be refilled on an abnormal, frequent basis, and
  aside from that we had no other suspicion as to the cause of the unfamiliar
  sound (since we are not mechanics). Subsequently, their professional
  recommendation (as clearly stated on the diagnosis) was “noise coming from
  transmission, needs new transmission”.
  
  Based on their professional recommendation I sought out a
  new transmission and installation at a cost of $4,220.16.
  This cost could have been avoided if GEM’s had diagnosed the cause of the
  unfamiliar sound correctly. What is perplexing is that their so-called “diagnosis”
  never identified that the power steering pump was bad, which after replacement
  eliminated the unfamiliar sound. Additionally, if they don’t work on small cars
  as they claim, why did they state the following in their reply to you: “If
  you would have let us know that VERY important detail, we would have found that
  your power steering pump was bad, we would have changed it for you.”?
  
  GEM’s claims of stalking are also invalid and libel (and
  under legal review). As stated in my initial complaint, a simple and brief online
  search identified that the majority of their positive online reviews are from
  family and friends, which portends false representation. This is (documented) public
  knowledge.
  
  The premise of this complaint is very simple. GEM’s Complete
  Auto Repair diagnosed and recommended that my vehicle needed a new transmission
  to eliminate the unfamiliar sound it was making. (Please note their admission
  in their reply: “We told you that if you wanted to fix anything you should
  start with the transmission”). I trusted and followed their recommendation
  and had a new transmission installed into my vehicle at a cost of $4,220.16.
  The new transmission did not resolve the problem. Hence, if GEM’s Complete Auto
  Repair is a professional, ethical repair shop they should stand behind their
  work and recommendation and make restitution for their mistake.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** *******
  

   

  
  

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, the consumer must give a reason why they are rejecting the response. If the consumer does not provide a reason the complaint will be closed Answered]