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Review content:
I was ripped off here, big time--and you deserve to be warned!! Fail to heed, or read, at your own peril.\r
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To be sure, the owners do not seem like bad guys, but wolves wear sheeps' clothing, smile, shake hands and pose with their families--like a politician. \r
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BOTTOM LINE, they wanted to install a $1,200 computer to fix an ignition problem because the key was not being detected by the immobilizer. I took it to another mechanic who reprogrammed the immobilizer (he determined the computer to be fully funtioning, when D'Avico said that was the problem) to recognize a new key for $180 total. D'Avico's incorrect, and perhaps fraudeulent, diagnosis cost $8.00 more than the diagnonsis and complete fix at another shop.\r
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True Facts:\r
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My car would not start, I had it towed here because it's right around the corner (thought I'd support local business). They said it would cost between $100-$160 for the diagnosis, it was $186, with a ""shop fee,"" of which I was not previously informed. In contrast, I was quoted a flat rate at the Honda dealership of $70 for diagnosis.\r
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D'Avico's diagnosis: the computer was fried, cost would be about $1,100 ( they were wishy washy on this).\r
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I did personal research, called friend of my family who's a mechanic and wrote the guys from NPR's ""Car Talk."" Without looking at it, the other mechanic said the immobilizer (which prevents theft) probably needed to be reprogrammed to recognize the key--never in 40 years of being a mechanic had he seen a damaged computer in a Honda absent flooding or severe accident. The ""Car Talk"" guys, wrote back and said ""it's not likely the computer because the car was not flooded, the diagnosis sounds like BS, get another opinion.""\r
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I asked Mr. D'Avico if he could reprogram the immobilizer, he said the immobilizer cannot be reprogrammed because the computer was fried. \r
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I had the car towed to the friend of family mechanic who works at a Honda dealership about 40 miles away, and he reprogrammed the immobilizer to recognize the key for $180--including diagnosis (at dealership rates). If I had NOT done this, I would NOT have exposed what was either: 1) D'Avico's blatant fraud (i.e., they hoped to reprogam the immobilizer inexpensively and charge for an expensive repair), or 2) D'Avico's incompetence--one of these two must be true.\r
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If D'aVico ACTUALLY and TRULY performed D'Avico's suggested repair (rather than the reprogramming the immobilizer), I would have to ""buy back"" a NON-WORKING CAR for $1,386. Instead, towing it 40 miles fixed it for $180.\r
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If they ripped me off in this manner, why would they treat you differently?? TRUST is a key quality of a mechanic, and these guys have PROVEN to be UNTRUSTABLE..... I WOULD AVOID THIS SHOP!!!\r
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BTW: the family mechanic checked the computer and found absolutely nothing wrong. He also scoffed at the notion of installing one for $1,100, because the unit cost is $450 and installation is quick and easy.
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