Ken's Fairbanks Alignment

TO: Manager: Ken's Fairbank Alignment DATE: 4 Nov. 2011 FROM: SUBJECT: Repair of 1993 xxxxxx Pickup Truck Below is outlined the difficulty I have experienced in getting my truck repaired and my concerns: Oct. 24 I visited Ken's Fairbanks Alignment and outlined two problems with my pickup. 1. The circuit breaker trips when plugging in the winter heating devices and 2. The engine hood would not release. Oct. 26 I delivered the vehicle for repair appointment at 8 AM At approximately 11 AM I received a call telling me that the engine and transmission heaters were bad and to rewire and replace needed items plus clean and lube hood latch would cost $365.50. I approved the necessary repairs. Oct.26 I picked up the vehicle and paid the bill. Oct.27 I was unable to open engine hood. I returned the vehicle where an employee confirmed that repair were needed and I must bring it back in. Oct 31 I delivered the vehicle at 8 AM. When I called around 1 PM it was confirmed that a release cable was required and one must be ordered from the authorized dealer. The estimated cost of parts and labor to be over $200. I agreed to the order and installation. Oct.31 I picked up the vehicle to await notification of the arrival of the cable and subsequent installation. Dropping off the vehicle again and picking it up on repair completion will encompass a total of eight round trips from my home to effect relatively simple repairs. The original invoice included a charge of $52.50 for "DIO" and trouble shoot. Obviously this was not satisfactorily done nor was the hood release tested prior to releasing the vehicle when work completed. I feel that consideration should be given because of the inferred shop owner's warranty of work and the original estimate provided. Had I known originally that the final repair costs would constitute approximately %25 of the vehicle's value, I would have seriously reconsidered my course of action. I feel this is a direct result of your faulty diagnostic and troubleshooting procedures. As a very minimum, I feel the previous charges for "DIO" and troubleshooting should be credited to my future bill. Respectively, /signature/ Summation: It cost $548.50 plus eight trips to deliver/pick up truck to get the relatively simple repairs completed. It included a $52.50 original "DIO and trouble shoot" charges plus $73.50 R&R hood release cable R&R and $25.00 shipping and handling charges. The above letter explains in detail my concerns. more

I live about 150 miles in the AK bush, and needed a truck alignment. I have a jacked Dodge with 38" tires. Called Kens told them about my truck and my situation, they said they could handle it, so I drove the miles there. When I got there, "surprise!", they didn't know whether they could get the alignment done, because of the tire size it was at the edge of the machines range. So obviously I asked if they could test it and see, rather than have me wait 4-5 hours to find out they couldn't do it, no dice, minimum wait was 90 minutes to 2 hours, just to find out that they likely couldn't align my truck. I mean come on, it's drive it onto the bed and drive it off... Needless to say I told them no dice with my business either. What a bunch of jerks, if they can't handle these things or even suspect they can't they should be up front about it, and if they have a snafu at least try to figure something out. If they'd said "we're not sure", I'd have been cool, even about the wait to find out, but unfortunately they said a categorical yes, and they do these all the time, well not if you have 38" SSR's they don't. Pros: None that I can think of Cons: Customer Service more