Well this all started when Mr. Patterson was recommended to me to install a clutch in my farm tractor. I spoke to Mr. Patterson who quoted me a price on labor do the clutch job. Labor Only. I agreed and transported the tractor to his location on 731 McEntrye loop in Calhoun Georgia. I advised him that I had done business with Felton Clutch in Chattanooga Tn and when he got the clutch out to call me and I would run it up there. Mr. Patterson stated that there was no need that Felton had a truck that came by every week and not to worry about it. I left it at that. But I did not tell Mr. Patterson that I had already priced the clutch at $430 plus tax. Well while it was down I told him I had been having intermediate trouble with alternator. A few days later he called and advised me that the alternator was bad. I told him I would come by and pick it up and have it rebuilt by a local alternator shop in calhoun. Mr. Patterson explained that they were not reliable to begin with and that he would recommend replacing it with a widely available General Motors style alternator. I agreed.
After several weeks I called to check the status of the work and was given several excuses/reasons as to why it wasn't completed. I called again and I was told it would be ready the following day. Upon arrival I Mr. Patterson stated that his employee had reengineered my alternator tensioner in order to make the GM alternator work and that I would have to use a pry bar inorder to apply tension to the belt. The orginal bracket which allowed for tightening the belt had been cut in half and a piece of metal had been welded onto it. They didn't even put a washer on it to spread out the weight. We talked further and I inquired about what I owed him he said he did not know that his wife had it at the house. I loaded my tractor and when up to his residence where I met him and his wife in the drive. His wife began explaining the bill which was higher than expected. During this Mr. Patterson never said a word she did all the talking while he just stood there. I questioned the price (almost $400 more than quoted) and was told that the clutch was higher than expected. I left and brought my tractor back to the farm.
The following day I called Felton Clutch and asked them again about the price of the clutch "KIT". He again priced it at $430 total. I wanted to be sure that this was everything as the clutch also runs the PTO which requires a second clutch disk and throwout bearing. The salesman confirmed that the clutch kit included the pressure plate 2 throwout bearings two discs and a pilot bearing. But on my invoice Mr. Patterson charged me $430 for the pressure plate alone $100 for the clutch discs, $75 for each throwout bearing and $35 for the pilot bearing. I don't have a problem with mechanics upcharging parts. It is done all the time in the business but usually after they are discounted to them by their suppliers. But when a customer tells you that they are going pick a part of and you tell them no just so you can rip them off on the part. I asked them to do the labor that was it. The tractor was a 1986 model and the original alternator had run fine until then, but he wouldn't have been able to make money off me having mine rebuilt. It two bolts to take it off, would have been hard to pad that labor bill. If I had to to do over I would have sued him but I hate the whole idea of it. I wasn't rested to go out and sue people. Live and learn.
Patterson Diesel Service Reviews
Well this all started when Mr. Patterson was recommended to me to install a clutch in my farm tractor. I spoke to Mr. Patterson who quoted me a price on labor do the clutch job. Labor Only. I agreed and transported the tractor to his location on 731 McEntrye loop in Calhoun Georgia. I advised him that I had done business with Felton Clutch in Chattanooga Tn and when he got the clutch out to call me and I would run it up there. Mr. Patterson stated that there was no need that Felton had a truck that came by every week and not to worry about it. I left it at that. But I did not tell Mr. Patterson that I had already priced the clutch at $430 plus tax. Well while it was down I told him I had been having intermediate trouble with alternator. A few days later he called and advised me that the alternator was bad. I told him I would come by and pick it up and have it rebuilt by a local alternator shop in calhoun. Mr. Patterson explained that they were not reliable to begin with and that he would recommend replacing it with a widely available General Motors style alternator. I agreed.
After several weeks I called to check the status of the work and was given several excuses/reasons as to why it wasn't completed. I called again and I was told it would be ready the following day. Upon arrival I Mr. Patterson stated that his employee had reengineered my alternator tensioner in order to make the GM alternator work and that I would have to use a pry bar inorder to apply tension to the belt. The orginal bracket which allowed for tightening the belt had been cut in half and a piece of metal had been welded onto it. They didn't even put a washer on it to spread out the weight. We talked further and I inquired about what I owed him he said he did not know that his wife had it at the house. I loaded my tractor and when up to his residence where I met him and his wife in the drive. His wife began explaining the bill which was higher than expected. During this Mr. Patterson never said a word she did all the talking while he just stood there. I questioned the price (almost $400 more than quoted) and was told that the clutch was higher than expected. I left and brought my tractor back to the farm.
The following day I called Felton Clutch and asked them again about the price of the clutch "KIT". He again priced it at $430 total. I wanted to be sure that this was everything as the clutch also runs the PTO which requires a second clutch disk and throwout bearing. The salesman confirmed that the clutch kit included the pressure plate 2 throwout bearings two discs and a pilot bearing. But on my invoice Mr. Patterson charged me $430 for the pressure plate alone $100 for the clutch discs, $75 for each throwout bearing and $35 for the pilot bearing. I don't have a problem with mechanics upcharging parts. It is done all the time in the business but usually after they are discounted to them by their suppliers. But when a customer tells you that they are going pick a part of and you tell them no just so you can rip them off on the part. I asked them to do the labor that was it. The tractor was a 1986 model and the original alternator had run fine until then, but he wouldn't have been able to make money off me having mine rebuilt. It two bolts to take it off, would have been hard to pad that labor bill. If I had to to do over I would have sued him but I hate the whole idea of it. I wasn't rested to go out and sue people. Live and learn.