Tri County Auto
 

I have found many fine vendors using TOV - I also appreciate a warning, this is why I am posting this. I wish I checked TOV first.
My main car repair person who changed my oil told me I had a leaky oil pan, and not having a lift to put it up on, someone with a lift could do it much easier. He told me it should be about $200-$300 depending on parts.
I call Toyota in Leesburg and was quoted $400 - expected that, but checked anyway.
Found Tri County Auto on my way home (Rte 441, south of Lowes.
Went in and Josh quoted me worse case scenario of $296.00 - I brought it in next day for repair. When I called to check status, they never called me as they were supposed to. He told me it did not need a pan, but cost was $292 and I could pick it up before they closed. When I said why, he said he never quoted me with a pan and it would have been $480 with pan.
They had me. They had me once, not again. Owner only said I had a bad repair person that said I needed a pan and it was up to Josh, not him to price people, I know he heard conversation.
My regular mechanic is Vaughn at Tire place on 466 by 441, who is the most honest mechanic I have ever met.
I only have one car, so in future I guess it's Dealer if I need a repair he cannot do. I don't know any other repair place golf cart accessible.i

Sad, because 6 or 7 years ago they did good honest work for me.

I've never seen anything but top-notch service from Tri-County, for myself, my clients or friends. Sounds like there was a miscommunication in this case. I'm sorry this happened to you.

According to your own words, your mechanic told you that you had a leaky pan, he didn't say you needed a new pan. You probably just needed the gasket replaced. It would be highly unusual for someone to need a new oil pan...you would have had to have run over something, slung a rod, or had something fly up off the road. Tri-County Automotive is top notch.

You are right I misunderstood my own mechanic. but I did not misunderstand what I was quoted for and charged for. It was the gasket only replaced but they quoted me with the pan and charged me for the pan.
And the owner could have cared less about customer service.
I hope I saved someone else from the rip off I received.

Satisfactory service
 

Had very complicated big dollar repairs done successfully by Tri County. Communication skills not a strong point at this vendor but it doesn't detract from their mechanical ability.

Sorry you had a problem with Tri County Auto. We've been going there for 5 years with excellent and honest service.

Tri County
 

Tri County has always done excellent work for me for the past 11 years.

You don't say that your original mechanic said you needed a new pan--only that you had a leaky pan. His $200-$300 estimate might have been without a new pan as well. Dealer's estimate might have included a new pan, or they are just higher, as usual. If it's unusual that one would need a new oil pan, it seems like the normal quote would be to fix the leak, not replace the pan. Granted there was miscommunication, but it doesn't sound to me like you got charged for a new pan.

Tri county automotive is one of the best quality sops in the area. We have been using them for 11 years. Daily drivers and collector Corvette.
The had to be a mis- understanding in the equation some where.

Seems to me you are out numbered by satisfied customers here.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your post but it sounds like your normal repair guy does not have a lift? This seems very odd and would limit the amount of repairs he can do.

I agree with other people who have responded. Perhaps the communication could have been better but typically a leaking oil pan would need to be dropped and the gasket replaced. You would not need, nor want, a new oil pan unless it was damaged. It sounds like these people operated in an entirely reputable manner by doing only what was needed. If they were disreputable they would have called you up and said you needed a new oil pan (when you really didn't need one) and charged you for it ($480) instead of just replacing the gasket. I would bet dollars to donuts that your normal mechanic said/meant that you needed a new gasket for your oil pan and not a new oil pan. The estimates you received (essentially $300-$400, most expensive at the dealer and the independent shops being about the same) were undoubtedly for the labor and price of a gasket. If you call up and ask for an "estimate for a leaking oil pan" there is really no expectation that the estimate would be for anything other than replacing the gasket. Once the work started, if it was determined that the oil pan needed replacement then I would have expected a phone call indicating the the original estimate was too low. An oil pan is simply a piece of stamped metal. Unless it collided with something they typically don't ever need to be replaced.

Perhaps they solicited the responses - or a lot of people don't know when they were ripped off.

Or don't know that they weren't ripped off. Just look at your invoice. It breaks down parts and labor. Tri County always tells the customer what the standard estimated amount of time is for the repair. This is something that is computed by software. The price you were charged is spot on for a gasket, some sealer, fresh oil, an hour or so of labor, and some tax.

The above is sworn to be not a solicited response.

I doubt Tri-County has a clue that TOTV even exists, let alone asked us to defend them. As I said originally, I think there was a miscommunication -- you thought you were being given a quote for a new, unneeded oil pan; they thought they were giving you a quote for the repairs actually needed. I suggest you call the dealership again, tell them you need a new oil pan AND gasket and then see if the quote is still $400.

I understand you feel were cheated, but it really doesn't sound that way to most of us. Tri-County could have charged me $3,000 for a new clutch for my Miata (they have to remove the engine to get to the clutch). When I had the car towed there, I told them it needed a new clutch. They called me and told me it only needed a slave plate and the cost was under $300. These guys are as honest as you will find anywhere.