Air-conditioning recharge. - by phone was quoted for $200 something for a check and recharge of Air-conditioning. - in person, I was told a recharge of the Air-conditioning usually isn't a thing as freon usually doesn't leak, but that something is broken. - turns out nothing was broken, but just needed a recharge of freon (yay, the non-expert was correct) - bill was for about $450. Nothing was fixed. But turns out the refrigerant was not included as previously stated but instead a cost of $144. - the Air-conditioning works. They kindly added $20 of gas to the bill as I brought it in just before the low gas light turned on. - oh, just be aware, they will check your car for all problems...both needed and semi-needed repairs (like a cabin filter change for $100). So before picking up the car they asked if I wanted to do $15k of mostly non-urgent repairs and leave the car for 4 days. Nope! - they fixed the Air-conditioning fine and was the main purpose...but then other stuff 🙄 Update: Took the car to Japanese Service Center II. They saw no indication that a CV axel needed to be repaired. No grease seen around axel. Reason for 1 star at Paul's.
Hi David, Thank you for taking the time to update your review and share your experience. We truly appreciate your continued support and are grateful to have you as one of our valued customers. I reviewed your visit personally and would like to provide some additional context regarding the A/C service. In 2019, manufacturers were using two different refrigerant systems: the older R134a system and the newer R1234yf system. The approximate $200 service price quoted over the phone was for an R134a system, which is still a very common setup. Once your vehicle arrived, we confirmed that it uses the newer R1234yf refrigerant. Unfortunately, this refrigerant is significantly more expensive, which is why the final service cost was higher than the original estimate. I apologize for the miscommunication. In some cases, we cannot determine which refrigerant system a vehicle has until we physically inspect it, as certain model years were equipped with either option. We should have explained both possibilities during your initial phone call, and I have already spoken with our team to ensure we communicate that more clearly moving forward. Regarding the discussion about refrigerant loss, automotive A/C systems are closed systems, meaning refrigerant typically does not decrease unless there is a failed component issue such as a seal, valve, condenser, or compressor concern. Sometimes the defect component failure is extremely small and difficult to detect, which is why we add UV dye during service to help identify any future source of refrigerant loss. I'm glad we were able to restore your air conditioning and that it's working well, especially as temperatures continue to rise. You are also correct that we perform comprehensive vehicle inspections. This is a core part of our commitment to customer safety. We treat our customers like family and want to ensure they have a complete understanding of their vehicle's condition. For first-time visits, we perform an extensive inspection at no additional charge, which often identifies both immediate and future maintenance needs. Our goal is never to pressure anyone into repairs, but simply to provide information so our customers can make informed decisions about their vehicles. Thank you as well for recognizing our efforts regarding the fuel added to your vehicle. The fuel warning light was illuminated when we received the car, and occasionally we need to add fuel so we can safely perform road tests and complete our diagnostic procedures. We do not charge anything extra for this service, just the cost of the fuel. We appreciate your business, your honest feedback, and the opportunity to improve. Please also remember that all qualifying repairs performed by our shop are backed by our 2-year/24,000-mile warranty at no additional cost. Thank you again, David. We look forward to serving you in the future.
- Paul's Automotive Inc.