Horrible Service ROLLINS AUTOMOTIVE Gainesville FLORIDA
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
Horrible Service ROLLINS AUTOMOTIVE Gainesville FLORIDA
Cliffs notes: took it to have crank pulley replaced, they broke power steering and told me to f off. Had to pay $700 at gm dealership to fix and lost half of my christmas vacation with my family and wasnt able to help my dad with his store as planned (he had cut staff.)
This happened with my 98 C5 a while back and I didn't get to posting it right away, found it on my computer and wanted others to know to stay away. These people basically robbed me and threw me to the curb.
It's Rollins Automotive in Gainesville FL. Stay clear of the shop!
On December 19th I called Rollins Automotive, Inc. in Gainesville to see if they were capable of performing work on my vehicle, which was a 1998 C5 Corvette. They assured me that it would be no problem and that they had worked on other Corvettes before. I told them that I was pressed for time because it was nearing Christmas. I needed to get home since I was on break from school and my father needed urgent help with his store. They said no problem come in early tomorrow and we will take care of it. The job that was performed is fairly simple if you’ve worked on Corvettes before. This is what I was told by the other shops that I called before I chose Rollins Automotive. The replacement of the harmonic balancer or main crank pulley requires that you take the power steering rack out of the way because it is obstructing the bolt that holds on the harmonic balancer. Once you get the steering rack out of the way you have access to the bolt and can unscrew it and switch out the harmonic balancer with the new one and put back the steering rack.
December 20th I drove my car in early so that I could get it fixed quickly and be on my way back home. I watched the entire process as they worked on it. During the installation the young mechanics had to call the local Chevrolet dealership several times to get assistance with the job. This worried me, as I’ve never had one shop call another while in the middle of an installation. When they were finished the young mechanics lowered the car down from the lift and one of them got in, started it and began to back it off of the lift. He couldn’t even turn the wheel. He asked me if it is normally this hard to turn the wheel and I said of course not! After a while of them trying to fix it and add fluid that they had lost during the removal of the power steering rack they gave up for the day. They had already tried test driving the car several times but it was still nearly impossible to move the steering wheel. It was dark and they told me that they couldn’t do anything. I insisted that they were responsible and I am not a mechanic so I can’t fix it myself, but that they would have to. Finally they said sure come back tomorrow and we’ll try again.
I came back the next morning early and they did the same sort of things they had done the day before but nothing worked. A while later they came back and told me they didn’t know what else to do. I now forcefully told them that they are responsible and that they broke it and it needed to be fixed quickly so I can get home!! The power steering rack that they removed deals directly with the fact that there was no power steering after they were done working on the car. It is very obvious that my steering wheel would turn easily before and now that they had removed and reinstalled the power steering system it was broken. Not even after I drove the car, but while they were backing it off of the lift where they performed the work!! They told me sorry, and if you wanted to really get it fixed I’d have to go to the Chevrolet dealership as they didn’t know what else to try.
The next day I went to the Main Street Chevrolet dealership and they diagnosed it as a broken power steering pump. They stated that when the power steering rack is removed, fluid is lost from it and if the car is started up without adding the fluid that was lost the pump can run out of fluid and seize up. My bill to replace that was over $700 dollars. On top of that I was stuck at school with no way to get back home with my family until late Christmas day.
Rollins Automotive did not take responsibility for what they broke on my car. They did not even try to help me out but rather told me to go to the dealership. I told them that if I went there they were responsible. In the end there was a $700 bill of the broken power steering that they caused. Their service was poor at best and they did more damage to my car than they fixed. I have never had a problem with others working on my Corvette and I am saddened to see that a company would treat a customer like this during a crucial time especially near the Christmas holiday when I had an emergency.
This happened with my 98 C5 a while back and I didn't get to posting it right away, found it on my computer and wanted others to know to stay away. These people basically robbed me and threw me to the curb.
It's Rollins Automotive in Gainesville FL. Stay clear of the shop!
On December 19th I called Rollins Automotive, Inc. in Gainesville to see if they were capable of performing work on my vehicle, which was a 1998 C5 Corvette. They assured me that it would be no problem and that they had worked on other Corvettes before. I told them that I was pressed for time because it was nearing Christmas. I needed to get home since I was on break from school and my father needed urgent help with his store. They said no problem come in early tomorrow and we will take care of it. The job that was performed is fairly simple if you’ve worked on Corvettes before. This is what I was told by the other shops that I called before I chose Rollins Automotive. The replacement of the harmonic balancer or main crank pulley requires that you take the power steering rack out of the way because it is obstructing the bolt that holds on the harmonic balancer. Once you get the steering rack out of the way you have access to the bolt and can unscrew it and switch out the harmonic balancer with the new one and put back the steering rack.
December 20th I drove my car in early so that I could get it fixed quickly and be on my way back home. I watched the entire process as they worked on it. During the installation the young mechanics had to call the local Chevrolet dealership several times to get assistance with the job. This worried me, as I’ve never had one shop call another while in the middle of an installation. When they were finished the young mechanics lowered the car down from the lift and one of them got in, started it and began to back it off of the lift. He couldn’t even turn the wheel. He asked me if it is normally this hard to turn the wheel and I said of course not! After a while of them trying to fix it and add fluid that they had lost during the removal of the power steering rack they gave up for the day. They had already tried test driving the car several times but it was still nearly impossible to move the steering wheel. It was dark and they told me that they couldn’t do anything. I insisted that they were responsible and I am not a mechanic so I can’t fix it myself, but that they would have to. Finally they said sure come back tomorrow and we’ll try again.
I came back the next morning early and they did the same sort of things they had done the day before but nothing worked. A while later they came back and told me they didn’t know what else to do. I now forcefully told them that they are responsible and that they broke it and it needed to be fixed quickly so I can get home!! The power steering rack that they removed deals directly with the fact that there was no power steering after they were done working on the car. It is very obvious that my steering wheel would turn easily before and now that they had removed and reinstalled the power steering system it was broken. Not even after I drove the car, but while they were backing it off of the lift where they performed the work!! They told me sorry, and if you wanted to really get it fixed I’d have to go to the Chevrolet dealership as they didn’t know what else to try.
The next day I went to the Main Street Chevrolet dealership and they diagnosed it as a broken power steering pump. They stated that when the power steering rack is removed, fluid is lost from it and if the car is started up without adding the fluid that was lost the pump can run out of fluid and seize up. My bill to replace that was over $700 dollars. On top of that I was stuck at school with no way to get back home with my family until late Christmas day.
Rollins Automotive did not take responsibility for what they broke on my car. They did not even try to help me out but rather told me to go to the dealership. I told them that if I went there they were responsible. In the end there was a $700 bill of the broken power steering that they caused. Their service was poor at best and they did more damage to my car than they fixed. I have never had a problem with others working on my Corvette and I am saddened to see that a company would treat a customer like this during a crucial time especially near the Christmas holiday when I had an emergency.
Last edited by IDM; Jun 22, 2009 at 04:36 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,615
Likes: 60
From: Haymarket Virginia
This happened with my 98 C5 a while back and I didn't get to posting it right away, found it on my computer and wanted others to know to stay away. These people basically robbed me and threw me to the curb.
It's Rollins Automotive in Gainesville FL. Stay clear of the shop!
On December 19th I called Rollins Automotive, Inc. in Gainesville to see if they were capable of performing work on my vehicle, which was a 1998 C5 Corvette.
They assured me that it would be no problem and that they had worked on other Corvettes before. I told them that I was pressed for time because it was nearing Christmas. I needed to get home since I was on break from school and my father needed urgent help with his store. They said no problem come in early tomorrow and we will take care of it.
The job that was performed is fairly simple if you’ve worked on Corvettes before. This is what I was told by the other shops that I called before I chose Rollins Automotive. The replacement of the harmonic balancer or main crank pulley requires that you take the power steering rack out of the way because it is obstructing the bolt that holds on the harmonic balancer.
Once you get the steering rack out of the way you have access to the bolt and can unscrew it and switch out the harmonic balancer with the new one and put back the steering rack.
December 20th I drove my car in early so that I could get it fixed quickly and be on my way back home. I watched the entire process as they worked on it. During the installation the young mechanics had to call the local Chevrolet dealership several times to get assistance with the job.
This worried me, as I’ve never had one shop call another while in the middle of an installation. When they were finished the young mechanics lowered the car down from the lift and one of them got in, started it and began to back it off of the lift. He couldn’t even turn the wheel.
He asked me if it is normally this hard to turn the wheel and I said of course not! After a while of them trying to fix it and add fluid that they had lost during the removal of the power steering rack they gave up for the day.
They had already tried test driving the car several times but it was still nearly impossible to move the steering wheel. It was dark and they told me that they couldn’t do anything. I insisted that they were responsible and I am not a mechanic so I can’t fix it myself, but that they would have to. Finally they said sure come back tomorrow and we’ll try again.
I came back the next morning early and they did the same sort of things they had done the day before but nothing worked. A while later they came back and told me they didn’t know what else to do.
I now forcefully told them that they are responsible and that they broke it and it needed to be fixed quickly so I can get home!! The power steering rack that they removed deals directly with the fact that there was no power steering after they were done working on the car.
It is very obvious that my steering wheel would turn easily before and now that they had removed and reinstalled the power steering system it was broken. Not even after I drove the car, but while they were backing it off of the lift where they performed the work!! They told me sorry, and if you wanted to really get it fixed I’d have to go to the Chevrolet dealership as they didn’t know what else to try.
The next day I went to the Main Street Chevrolet dealership and they diagnosed it as a broken power steering pump. They stated that when the power steering rack is removed, fluid is lost from it and if the car is started up without adding the fluid that was lost the pump can run out of fluid and seize up. My bill to replace that was over $700 dollars. On top of that I was stuck at school with no way to get back home with my family until late Christmas day.
Rollins Automotive did not take responsibility for what they broke on my car. They did not even try to help me out but rather told me to go to the dealership. I told them that if I went there they were responsible.
In the end there was a $700 bill of the broken power steering that they caused. Their service was poor at best and they did more damage to my car than they fixed. I have never had a problem with others working on my Corvette and I am saddened to see that a company would treat a customer like this during a crucial time especially near the Christmas holiday when I had an emergency.
It's Rollins Automotive in Gainesville FL. Stay clear of the shop!
On December 19th I called Rollins Automotive, Inc. in Gainesville to see if they were capable of performing work on my vehicle, which was a 1998 C5 Corvette.
They assured me that it would be no problem and that they had worked on other Corvettes before. I told them that I was pressed for time because it was nearing Christmas. I needed to get home since I was on break from school and my father needed urgent help with his store. They said no problem come in early tomorrow and we will take care of it.
The job that was performed is fairly simple if you’ve worked on Corvettes before. This is what I was told by the other shops that I called before I chose Rollins Automotive. The replacement of the harmonic balancer or main crank pulley requires that you take the power steering rack out of the way because it is obstructing the bolt that holds on the harmonic balancer.
Once you get the steering rack out of the way you have access to the bolt and can unscrew it and switch out the harmonic balancer with the new one and put back the steering rack.
December 20th I drove my car in early so that I could get it fixed quickly and be on my way back home. I watched the entire process as they worked on it. During the installation the young mechanics had to call the local Chevrolet dealership several times to get assistance with the job.
This worried me, as I’ve never had one shop call another while in the middle of an installation. When they were finished the young mechanics lowered the car down from the lift and one of them got in, started it and began to back it off of the lift. He couldn’t even turn the wheel.
He asked me if it is normally this hard to turn the wheel and I said of course not! After a while of them trying to fix it and add fluid that they had lost during the removal of the power steering rack they gave up for the day.
They had already tried test driving the car several times but it was still nearly impossible to move the steering wheel. It was dark and they told me that they couldn’t do anything. I insisted that they were responsible and I am not a mechanic so I can’t fix it myself, but that they would have to. Finally they said sure come back tomorrow and we’ll try again.
I came back the next morning early and they did the same sort of things they had done the day before but nothing worked. A while later they came back and told me they didn’t know what else to do.
I now forcefully told them that they are responsible and that they broke it and it needed to be fixed quickly so I can get home!! The power steering rack that they removed deals directly with the fact that there was no power steering after they were done working on the car.
It is very obvious that my steering wheel would turn easily before and now that they had removed and reinstalled the power steering system it was broken. Not even after I drove the car, but while they were backing it off of the lift where they performed the work!! They told me sorry, and if you wanted to really get it fixed I’d have to go to the Chevrolet dealership as they didn’t know what else to try.
The next day I went to the Main Street Chevrolet dealership and they diagnosed it as a broken power steering pump. They stated that when the power steering rack is removed, fluid is lost from it and if the car is started up without adding the fluid that was lost the pump can run out of fluid and seize up. My bill to replace that was over $700 dollars. On top of that I was stuck at school with no way to get back home with my family until late Christmas day.
Rollins Automotive did not take responsibility for what they broke on my car. They did not even try to help me out but rather told me to go to the dealership. I told them that if I went there they were responsible.
In the end there was a $700 bill of the broken power steering that they caused. Their service was poor at best and they did more damage to my car than they fixed. I have never had a problem with others working on my Corvette and I am saddened to see that a company would treat a customer like this during a crucial time especially near the Christmas holiday when I had an emergency.
I put some random spaces in so it's easier to read
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,653
Likes: 428
From: Melbourne Florida
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Now you know...one of the best resources this forum offers is insight as to where to take your vette for repair...I guarantee you some local vette folks could have steered you to the right place to go...sorry you got taken...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
sorry it was long.
Cliffs notes, took it to have crank pulley replaced, they broke power steering and told me to f off. Had to pay 700 to gm dealership to fix and lost half of my christmas vacation with my family and wasnt able to help my dad with his store as planned and he had cut staff.
Cliffs notes, took it to have crank pulley replaced, they broke power steering and told me to f off. Had to pay 700 to gm dealership to fix and lost half of my christmas vacation with my family and wasnt able to help my dad with his store as planned and he had cut staff.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
Could this be someone from Rollins that got word of the thread? Wow, Who do you think you are kidding?
I guess not all scammers are rocket scientists.
Im glad you feel that your actions were appropriate in my case, sleep well on it
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Thanks for the warm welcome to the forum.. I've been browsing this forum for awhile but I'm not much of an internet poster unless I have a clear opinion and time which I had today.
First, I certainly don't work for Rollins.. every time I've been in there those guys are working too hard to post during business hours. I just have used them before and wanted to post my opinion of them.. that I think they are hard working and give good service. I thought that was the point of these forums.. that people could post their opinions and experiences.. or are you the only person allowed to have an opinion in here? I didn't knock what happened to you.. I only said that doesn't sound like my experiences there.
Second of all.. while you did post it had been awhile.. you didn't specify years! I believe it's been Palm Chevy not Main Street for years now. How do you know they have the same people even working there?? I think that if you are going to tell someone not to go somewhere.. your story should at least be recent.
Anyway, I'm sorry you feel you had a bum deal but it sounds like if you had a better attitude.. people might treat you better.
First, I certainly don't work for Rollins.. every time I've been in there those guys are working too hard to post during business hours. I just have used them before and wanted to post my opinion of them.. that I think they are hard working and give good service. I thought that was the point of these forums.. that people could post their opinions and experiences.. or are you the only person allowed to have an opinion in here? I didn't knock what happened to you.. I only said that doesn't sound like my experiences there.
Second of all.. while you did post it had been awhile.. you didn't specify years! I believe it's been Palm Chevy not Main Street for years now. How do you know they have the same people even working there?? I think that if you are going to tell someone not to go somewhere.. your story should at least be recent.
Anyway, I'm sorry you feel you had a bum deal but it sounds like if you had a better attitude.. people might treat you better.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
sounds like you remember the incident
It's not too late to make it right, Rollins will lose a lot more money when I'm through telling the Corvette community about my experience
I could have easily won in court, I had my lawyer get everything ready, but decided nah if I tell everyone from here on out they'll lose 5000x the money
It's not too late to make it right, Rollins will lose a lot more money when I'm through telling the Corvette community about my experience
I could have easily won in court, I had my lawyer get everything ready, but decided nah if I tell everyone from here on out they'll lose 5000x the money
Last edited by IDM; Jun 29, 2009 at 04:13 PM.
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
LMAO.. Sounds like you are completely paranoid or have some kind of God-complex..
Again I don't work for Rollins but I completely support local small businesses especially when they do good work. I do own a small business myself and I think it's important to encourage local buying.
From what I can see.. most of the people on here seem too smart to take the opinion of one person who has only been there once and sometime over two years or more ago..
Thankfully, the rain has let up and I can go out and enjoy my day off again
Again I don't work for Rollins but I completely support local small businesses especially when they do good work. I do own a small business myself and I think it's important to encourage local buying.
From what I can see.. most of the people on here seem too smart to take the opinion of one person who has only been there once and sometime over two years or more ago..
Thankfully, the rain has let up and I can go out and enjoy my day off again
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
If you are not Rollins, and you had a good experience there I'm very glad that you were not taken like me. I dont want anyone else to be taken, that is the point of my thread. Im trying to notify others of how I was treated at this shop so they can be educated to act accordingly.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
From: Miami FL
CI 7 & 9 Veteran
Just my 2¢
LMAO.. Sounds like you are completely paranoid or have some kind of God-complex..
Again I don't work for Rollins but I completely support local small businesses especially when they do good work. I do own a small business myself and I think it's important to encourage local buying.
From what I can see.. most of the people on here seem too smart to take the opinion of one person who has only been there once and sometime over two years or more ago..
Thankfully, the rain has let up and I can go out and enjoy my day off again
Again I don't work for Rollins but I completely support local small businesses especially when they do good work. I do own a small business myself and I think it's important to encourage local buying.
From what I can see.. most of the people on here seem too smart to take the opinion of one person who has only been there once and sometime over two years or more ago..
Thankfully, the rain has let up and I can go out and enjoy my day off again
you'll find there is none better when it comes to finding information about all things corvettes.Now I can understand that you may have had good experiences with the shop mentioned above. It may have been that the work they did for you was done by competent mechanics at the time. And you are correct about the fact that employees that worked on IDM's car may not be there anymore. But... from reading IDMs post above, it sounds like it may have been students working on IDM's car. How do you explain the fact that the mechanic were able to drive the car onto the lift but not off in the same or better shape than before? And if IDM saw that the mechanics were calling a dealership for advice while working on the car, that would be a BIG red flag that someone didn't know what they were doing with what I'm guessing was an LS1 engine.
And then not know how to fix a power steering rack? 
And then not take responsibility for their error? 
Where was the shop manager? Where was the shop owner? They should have made it right or suffer the consequences of hiring inadequately trained mechanics.If this were to happen to you anywhere else what would you do; not tell your fellow forum members? I would. That is exactly what this forum is for. I thank IDM for his post
. (Not that I live anywhere near Gainesville).Anyway, I saw the post and was compelled to respond. Again,
welcome to our great forum.Thanks for sharing
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Venice Florida
I've known the Rollins family for 30 years although I don't talk to them much since they left the Ft. Myers area many years ago, but this situation doesn't sound like the way they do business. I have had work done by them while in Ft. Myers and was very pleased. They are a close knit family that always took pride in their work. I don't know who is working for them now that they are in Gainesville, but I would like to know if Chip, John, or Jason were any of the mechanics that worked on your car. If not, I would like to recommend that you try speaking with Chip or Jason. If you had your bad experience with these men, then I am sorry to hear that their customer service has come to this and I am truly sorry that you had this experience as I would have been very upset too.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
I've known the Rollins family for 30 years although I don't talk to them much since they left the Ft. Myers area many years ago, but this situation doesn't sound like the way they do business. I have had work done by them while in Ft. Myers and was very pleased. They are a close knit family that always took pride in their work. I don't know who is working for them now that they are in Gainesville, but I would like to know if Chip, John, or Jason were any of the mechanics that worked on your car. If not, I would like to recommend that you try speaking with Chip or Jason. If you had your bad experience with these men, then I am sorry to hear that their customer service has come to this and I am truly sorry that you had this experience as I would have been very upset too.
Yes it was the same guys Chip, John, and Jason
Everyone was very nice and polite until it came down to being responsible for the damage they did to the power steering system, then they said sorry good luck
