On October 26, 2015, my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 went into security lockdown. My husband didn't know what was wrong, and called Safe Auto Care to tow the truck . When the Amr (other complaints called him Omar, which is not his real name) arrived he was in a Green Chevy truck with a car dolly attached. My husband had to help push the back two wheels of the truck onto the car dolly. It took multiple attempts to get the full sized truck onto the car dolly ram. As Amr drove off, my truck bumper scrapped along the asphalt causing damage to the bumper.
After the truck arrived at the shop, I recieved a call from the secretary (other complaints have called her Bertha, which is not her real name) which explained to me that the mechanic needed to run an electrical diagnostic and would charge $85 an hour and it would take 3 hours totaling $265.00 after taxes. She said they had to hire a specialist to work on the electrical system, which is why it was so expensive. I declined electrical diagnostic as the dealership explained to me that the fix for a security lockdown is to simply put the key in the door and unlock the door. For some reason, another key fob signal crossed with my truck and caused security to think it was being stolen.
I explained this to "Bretha" and she explained to me that the mechanic had already performed all those checks. I asked to speak to the mechanic and she explained to me that he was not available. She told me if I gave her permission he'd work on the truck first thing in the morning. I declined and asked to speak to the mechanic before he does anything, as the dealership explained to me exactly how to fix the truck.
The next morning I didn't get a call until around noon. At that time, mechanic called and spoke to my husband and told him he removed the security system and the truck now works and stated we owed $265.00. My husband just said ok, and hung up. When we arrived at the shop, I walked in and asked to see the estimate, signed approval to perform diagnostic or rip out my security system. "Bertha" then explained to me she had a tow signature and that allows them to do any work they need to get my vehicle running again. I told her she was wrong. "Bertha" then told me I needed to pay before I could see an invoice. I asked her how am I supposed to know how much I owe if I don't have an invoice. She explained that the mechanic already talked to my husband and that they didn't need to explain it to me. I started to understand the shop was Muslim run and therefore they refused to speak to women.
"Bertha" told me the mechanic just left for lunch and would return in 15 minutes, and then explained to me that I could just pay and take my truck. She did not want me waiting around or talking to he mechanic. She accused me of being a drug addict and poor, which is why I was refusing to pay for the work performed. According to NRS 597.510 I am to be afforded a written estimate before any work is performed exceeding $50. Since I had not received any estimate and the shop was demanding $316.22 without any proof of signature, and stated "You pay or we keep your truck, and sell it!" This made me feel extorted.
NRS 597.520 further requires a signature for any repair that exceeds 20% or $100 over the initial written estimate. The tow signature only authorized a tow, for free, no charge. Any amount of money over $0.00 requires a signature authorizing the work to be performed.
During my wait, I discovered "Bertha" was using her personal phone to record me and my demands to see a signed approval on an estimate in accordance with NRS 597.510. I asked her to stop recording me, as Nevada is a two party consent state, which carries felony offense for recording a persons likeness or voice without their permission, NRS 200.690. Her reply to me informing her of her felonious activity and demanding she stop and destroy all recordings was "Make me stop!"
Amr called the shop after I had been waiting for roughly an hour. He asked to speak to me. When I was handed the phone I was told he was no on lunch as "Bertha" had stated earlier. He told me he was out helping someone with a tow. I then asked him to explain to me what he did to my vehicle. He explained how HE performed the electronic diagnostic with consisted of physically tracing the power through tracking the wires back to the battery. He told me he then ripped out my security system because he couldnt figure out how to fix the loss of electricity to the vehicle due to the security issue. I asked him if he went by the manual in his diagnostic. He replied that he didn't have one. He then asked if I knew how to fix it, I told him the dodge dealership had told me the fix was simply putting the key in the door and manually unlocking the door, sending a signal to the security system that the truck is not being stolen. He replied "well if you knew how to fix it why didn't you do it yourself or tell me how to fix it?" I replied "I called last night and your secretary told me you already knew and did all that." He then hung up on me.
I walked out to my vehicle and "Bertha" followed me recording me. She recorded my vehicles tag at which time she learned I am a disabled Veteran. This sentiment was relayed to Amr, the mechanic, who arrived after I waiting an hour and a half. He refused to speak to me, because I killed his people and I was a woman. When I tried to speak he put his hands in my face and replied "the men are speaking". When I attempted to speak he would shoosh me. At one point he asked me "How many of my people have you murdered?" I assume because of my veteran status and his middle eastern decent, is why he asked me this vile question.
Police were called after Amr put his hands on my husbands shoulder and refused to remove it (Left fingerprint bruises) He explained to my husband had I not been a veteran he would have given discount, but because of that he added $65 more dollars to the bill. Those charges were for $15.00 for "parts disposal"(although I have all the parts removed), $15.00 for "supplies" (although zero supplies were used in cutting every electrical wire connected to my security system) and $45.00 for "tow". Even the extra charges exceed the amount required to have another signature for work or parts.
We ended up paying the extortionists and declined to press charges at that time because they told us if police arrived we wouldn't get our truck. We did this in order to get our truck out of that chop shop.
Safe Autocare Reviews
On October 26, 2015, my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 went into security lockdown. My husband didn't know what was wrong, and called Safe Auto Care to tow the truck . When the Amr (other complaints called him Omar, which is not his real name) arrived he was in a Green Chevy truck with a car dolly attached. My husband had to help push the back two wheels of the truck onto the car dolly. It took multiple attempts to get the full sized truck onto the car dolly ram. As Amr drove off, my truck bumper scrapped along the asphalt causing damage to the bumper.
After the truck arrived at the shop, I recieved a call from the secretary (other complaints have called her Bertha, which is not her real name) which explained to me that the mechanic needed to run an electrical diagnostic and would charge $85 an hour and it would take 3 hours totaling $265.00 after taxes. She said they had to hire a specialist to work on the electrical system, which is why it was so expensive. I declined electrical diagnostic as the dealership explained to me that the fix for a security lockdown is to simply put the key in the door and unlock the door. For some reason, another key fob signal crossed with my truck and caused security to think it was being stolen.
I explained this to "Bretha" and she explained to me that the mechanic had already performed all those checks. I asked to speak to the mechanic and she explained to me that he was not available. She told me if I gave her permission he'd work on the truck first thing in the morning. I declined and asked to speak to the mechanic before he does anything, as the dealership explained to me exactly how to fix the truck.
The next morning I didn't get a call until around noon. At that time, mechanic called and spoke to my husband and told him he removed the security system and the truck now works and stated we owed $265.00. My husband just said ok, and hung up. When we arrived at the shop, I walked in and asked to see the estimate, signed approval to perform diagnostic or rip out my security system. "Bertha" then explained to me she had a tow signature and that allows them to do any work they need to get my vehicle running again. I told her she was wrong. "Bertha" then told me I needed to pay before I could see an invoice. I asked her how am I supposed to know how much I owe if I don't have an invoice. She explained that the mechanic already talked to my husband and that they didn't need to explain it to me. I started to understand the shop was Muslim run and therefore they refused to speak to women.
"Bertha" told me the mechanic just left for lunch and would return in 15 minutes, and then explained to me that I could just pay and take my truck. She did not want me waiting around or talking to he mechanic. She accused me of being a drug addict and poor, which is why I was refusing to pay for the work performed. According to NRS 597.510 I am to be afforded a written estimate before any work is performed exceeding $50. Since I had not received any estimate and the shop was demanding $316.22 without any proof of signature, and stated "You pay or we keep your truck, and sell it!" This made me feel extorted.
NRS 597.520 further requires a signature for any repair that exceeds 20% or $100 over the initial written estimate. The tow signature only authorized a tow, for free, no charge. Any amount of money over $0.00 requires a signature authorizing the work to be performed.
During my wait, I discovered "Bertha" was using her personal phone to record me and my demands to see a signed approval on an estimate in accordance with NRS 597.510. I asked her to stop recording me, as Nevada is a two party consent state, which carries felony offense for recording a persons likeness or voice without their permission, NRS 200.690. Her reply to me informing her of her felonious activity and demanding she stop and destroy all recordings was "Make me stop!"
Amr called the shop after I had been waiting for roughly an hour. He asked to speak to me. When I was handed the phone I was told he was no on lunch as "Bertha" had stated earlier. He told me he was out helping someone with a tow. I then asked him to explain to me what he did to my vehicle. He explained how HE performed the electronic diagnostic with consisted of physically tracing the power through tracking the wires back to the battery. He told me he then ripped out my security system because he couldnt figure out how to fix the loss of electricity to the vehicle due to the security issue. I asked him if he went by the manual in his diagnostic. He replied that he didn't have one. He then asked if I knew how to fix it, I told him the dodge dealership had told me the fix was simply putting the key in the door and manually unlocking the door, sending a signal to the security system that the truck is not being stolen. He replied "well if you knew how to fix it why didn't you do it yourself or tell me how to fix it?" I replied "I called last night and your secretary told me you already knew and did all that." He then hung up on me.
I walked out to my vehicle and "Bertha" followed me recording me. She recorded my vehicles tag at which time she learned I am a disabled Veteran. This sentiment was relayed to Amr, the mechanic, who arrived after I waiting an hour and a half. He refused to speak to me, because I killed his people and I was a woman. When I tried to speak he put his hands in my face and replied "the men are speaking". When I attempted to speak he would shoosh me. At one point he asked me "How many of my people have you murdered?" I assume because of my veteran status and his middle eastern decent, is why he asked me this vile question.
Police were called after Amr put his hands on my husbands shoulder and refused to remove it (Left fingerprint bruises) He explained to my husband had I not been a veteran he would have given discount, but because of that he added $65 more dollars to the bill. Those charges were for $15.00 for "parts disposal"(although I have all the parts removed), $15.00 for "supplies" (although zero supplies were used in cutting every electrical wire connected to my security system) and $45.00 for "tow". Even the extra charges exceed the amount required to have another signature for work or parts.
We ended up paying the extortionists and declined to press charges at that time because they told us if police arrived we wouldn't get our truck. We did this in order to get our truck out of that chop shop.