On January 22nd, 2016, I had started my car. The engine egan to smoke, the car made a screeching sound, and stopped in the middle of the road. I called Ram's Auto Repair and told them my situation. They came out and towed my vehicle to their shop for $60. Ram's informed me he would check to see what was wrong with my jeep.
About a week or two later, I had called Ram's and asked him about my jeep. He had informed me something was wrong with the engine and that I needed a new motor. He told me my engine was in bad shape. A couple days later, he told me that I needed a new engine. When I asked him about price range, he told me he would have to call around for engines, since he had none at the time, and that he charged $800 for labor.
I get a call from a son or cousin of Ram who informed me that there was a 2011 Jeep Wrangler engine with 65,000 miles that was $2500. I was then told there was a brand new factory warranty engine with zero miles for $2800. I called Ram's back and told him I wanted the older engine, and he had told me it was no longer available. I told him I would wait. All of this had occurred at the beginning of February. I hadn't heard from Ram's and would call him a couple times a week asking if he found an engine, and he would tell me no. Ram's and I assume his office assistant (since he had a couple different female office secretaries) would tell me that they would call when they found an engine I wanted in my price range.
In the middle of February, I went to go check on my car at his garage, and saw that it had no engine in it at all. Ram's asked me to sign a receipt for $3900 that just said engine repairs. When asked what all I was paying for and why the price was higher, he told me it was because he had done an oil change and change the filters and did attachments to the engine. I told him i didn't ask for all of that. He asked me to sign the receipt and I told him I would come back Ram's had the engine, but hadn't put it in yet.
When I spoke with Ram's about the price, he had said, and I quote, "I'm hooking you up. I got you a brand new engine."
On March 9th, I had informed Ram’s that my jeep was due to be repossessed. Ram’s told me that he had just put the new engine in my jeep. I told him that I didn’t authorize that and to put the old engine back in and that I would pay him $1600 for labor. Ram’s told me, “No”, because he just put in the new engine.
On March 15th, I had paid $1800 in back fees I had owed for my car payment, trying to save up to pay Ram's. On March 15th, Ram's called and told me my car was finished and I could come pick it up. When asked how much I would be paying, I was told $4,048.50. When asked for a breakdown, I was told that it included taxes.
When speaking with Ram on March 28th, he directed me to Dawn to handle all transactions. Dawn told me I had an hour to pay the balance or else a mechanical lien was being placed on my car and an additional $675 for storage was being added. I told her I would try to check with my finance company. I wasn't able to get a loan, and called back. Dawn told me they had started the paperwork for the mechanical lien and that i would be hearing from my finance company.
Dawn then told me it would be difficult with my vehicle since I make payments on it and don't own it outright. She told me otherwise she could easily get the title to my jeep and sell my vehicle so the company got its money.
A week later, I contacted my finance company, USAA, who had informed me that no such mechanical lien was being placed on my vehicle. They told me they hadn't received any documentation.
I have contacted Ram's via text messages numerous times asking for a copy of the mechanical lien he sent and an invoice of why I was paying over $4k. He replied, "I have already put a mechanic's lien on jeep. It's out of my hands. Sorry I had to go this route but its my money in it. They send the owner of the vehicle."
I tried several more times asking Ram's for a breakdown of what all I was paying for. I told him that I didn't authorize anything nor did I receive any written estimates or paperwork stating how much I would be paying. All of this communication was done via text, and he never replied.
All in all, it was a shady business to begin with. Under the Florida Vehicle Motor Repair Act, as a consumer, I have the right to receive ALL and any documentation pertaining to my car. Even if the estimate increases by $10, the consumer must be notified. To make matters worse, I didn’t sign off on anything. Ram’s took it upon himself to “hook” me up with a more expensive engine that I didn’t want. I was never given a written estimate of how much everything would be and Ram’s, who is the owner, refuses to answer me when I ask for a breakdown of what all I am paying for. He claims to have put a mechanical lien on my car and when trying to search for it in public records, there is no such thing. My own finance company tells me that they haven’t received anything.
I’ve repeatedly asked Ram’s for documentation I never received in the first place. When I asked if he could release my car since a mechanic’s lien was placed on it, he never replied. When asked if he did payment plans, Ram’s told me no because he’s been ripped off before.
I also told Ram’s that I was paying $40/day for a taxi for work and school. That was money I could have been giving him. Ram’s refused partial payment, and asked for $4,048.50 all upfront.
All in all, the only way to resolve this is for Ram’s to release my vehicle to me and I will pay $2800 for a USED vehicle price, and $800 for his labor. I refuse to pay a storage fee since so such notice was placed.
Rams Auto Repair Reviews
On January 22nd, 2016, I had started my car. The engine egan to smoke, the car made a screeching sound, and stopped in the middle of the road. I called Ram's Auto Repair and told them my situation. They came out and towed my vehicle to their shop for $60. Ram's informed me he would check to see what was wrong with my jeep.
About a week or two later, I had called Ram's and asked him about my jeep. He had informed me something was wrong with the engine and that I needed a new motor. He told me my engine was in bad shape. A couple days later, he told me that I needed a new engine. When I asked him about price range, he told me he would have to call around for engines, since he had none at the time, and that he charged $800 for labor.
I get a call from a son or cousin of Ram who informed me that there was a 2011 Jeep Wrangler engine with 65,000 miles that was $2500. I was then told there was a brand new factory warranty engine with zero miles for $2800. I called Ram's back and told him I wanted the older engine, and he had told me it was no longer available. I told him I would wait. All of this had occurred at the beginning of February. I hadn't heard from Ram's and would call him a couple times a week asking if he found an engine, and he would tell me no. Ram's and I assume his office assistant (since he had a couple different female office secretaries) would tell me that they would call when they found an engine I wanted in my price range.
In the middle of February, I went to go check on my car at his garage, and saw that it had no engine in it at all. Ram's asked me to sign a receipt for $3900 that just said engine repairs. When asked what all I was paying for and why the price was higher, he told me it was because he had done an oil change and change the filters and did attachments to the engine. I told him i didn't ask for all of that. He asked me to sign the receipt and I told him I would come back Ram's had the engine, but hadn't put it in yet.
When I spoke with Ram's about the price, he had said, and I quote, "I'm hooking you up. I got you a brand new engine."
On March 9th, I had informed Ram’s that my jeep was due to be repossessed. Ram’s told me that he had just put the new engine in my jeep. I told him that I didn’t authorize that and to put the old engine back in and that I would pay him $1600 for labor. Ram’s told me, “No”, because he just put in the new engine.
On March 15th, I had paid $1800 in back fees I had owed for my car payment, trying to save up to pay Ram's. On March 15th, Ram's called and told me my car was finished and I could come pick it up. When asked how much I would be paying, I was told $4,048.50. When asked for a breakdown, I was told that it included taxes.
When speaking with Ram on March 28th, he directed me to Dawn to handle all transactions. Dawn told me I had an hour to pay the balance or else a mechanical lien was being placed on my car and an additional $675 for storage was being added. I told her I would try to check with my finance company. I wasn't able to get a loan, and called back. Dawn told me they had started the paperwork for the mechanical lien and that i would be hearing from my finance company.
Dawn then told me it would be difficult with my vehicle since I make payments on it and don't own it outright. She told me otherwise she could easily get the title to my jeep and sell my vehicle so the company got its money.
A week later, I contacted my finance company, USAA, who had informed me that no such mechanical lien was being placed on my vehicle. They told me they hadn't received any documentation.
I have contacted Ram's via text messages numerous times asking for a copy of the mechanical lien he sent and an invoice of why I was paying over $4k. He replied, "I have already put a mechanic's lien on jeep. It's out of my hands. Sorry I had to go this route but its my money in it. They send the owner of the vehicle."
I tried several more times asking Ram's for a breakdown of what all I was paying for. I told him that I didn't authorize anything nor did I receive any written estimates or paperwork stating how much I would be paying. All of this communication was done via text, and he never replied.
All in all, it was a shady business to begin with. Under the Florida Vehicle Motor Repair Act, as a consumer, I have the right to receive ALL and any documentation pertaining to my car. Even if the estimate increases by $10, the consumer must be notified. To make matters worse, I didn’t sign off on anything. Ram’s took it upon himself to “hook” me up with a more expensive engine that I didn’t want. I was never given a written estimate of how much everything would be and Ram’s, who is the owner, refuses to answer me when I ask for a breakdown of what all I am paying for. He claims to have put a mechanical lien on my car and when trying to search for it in public records, there is no such thing. My own finance company tells me that they haven’t received anything.
I’ve repeatedly asked Ram’s for documentation I never received in the first place. When I asked if he could release my car since a mechanic’s lien was placed on it, he never replied. When asked if he did payment plans, Ram’s told me no because he’s been ripped off before.
I also told Ram’s that I was paying $40/day for a taxi for work and school. That was money I could have been giving him. Ram’s refused partial payment, and asked for $4,048.50 all upfront.
All in all, the only way to resolve this is for Ram’s to release my vehicle to me and I will pay $2800 for a USED vehicle price, and $800 for his labor. I refuse to pay a storage fee since so such notice was placed.