Fox & Fox Frame Service
reviews and complaints

I called the business and asked if they work on ***. Their answer was yes. I explained that my vehicle has error codes and is electrical. Their response was, "No problem, we handle those types of issues every day." We set up a day and time for me to drop off the vehicle. They agreed to diagnose the problem and call me with an estimate. They assured me that the cost would not exceed $150. However, near the end of the business day, I had to call them for an update. They requested more time and asked if they could keep the vehicle overnight. I was hoping for at least an idea of what the plan was, but they didn't provide any details. They said they would let me know more the next day.

The following day, I had to call them again for an update. They informed me that they had cleared several error codes but there were still three remaining. They then asked for permission to start a pinpoint test to identify more about these three codes. I agreed, but I made it clear that the total cost should not exceed $500. They agreed to this.

The next day, I called them once again to get a status update. They promised to call me back. Several hours later, they finally called and said that everything was fixed and that I could come and pick up the vehicle. They informed me that the total due was $456.57. I paid for the repairs and got the vehicle. However, as I was driving just two blocks away, the vehicle suddenly locked up while I was going 35 mph. This almost caused a pile-up of cars. I had to seek help and eventually made it back to the business.

I discussed the problem with the front counter person, the scheduler, and finally the mechanic. The mechanic showed me the diagnostic device, which still had all the error codes, including the last three that were still in error. The mechanic then informed me that they didn't have the expertise to deal with this issue and suggested that I take it to the dealer.

I requested to speak to the boss, and after some time, the owner came out. I explained the issue to him, and his response was that he needed to dig into the matter and gather all the facts.

I am extremely disappointed with the poor business practices of this shop. I simply drove my vehicle to them, expecting a reliable and experienced service. However, after spending a significant amount of money, I couldn't even drive my vehicle away and had to have it towed at my own expense. This is truly unacceptable.

I contacted Fox and explained that the car I had recently purchased was showing misfire codes for cylinders 1, 3, and 5, as well as a catalytic converter code. I wanted to confirm the issue before replacing the converter. They told me to bring the car in for a diagnosis, which usually costs $85. I agreed and took the car to them. They diagnosed the problem as leaky or worn valves and recommended either replacing the engine or doing head work on it. They claimed that repairing the top half of the engine would cause issues with the bottom half. They ended up charging me $178 instead of the usual $85, stating that the diagnosis took longer than expected. They then tried to convince me to commit to an engine replacement for $4500. I declined, as I believed the engine in the car I had just bought was not actually bad.

Upon doing my own research, I found that my engine did not exhibit the common symptoms of faulty valves, such as oil leaks, smoke, or valve noise. I decided to take the car to another shop for a second opinion. Within ten minutes, the other shop confirmed that the issue was indeed a bad catalytic converter. They showed me the compression test results, which indicated good compression and ruled out valve problems. The catalytic converter was replaced, and the problem was resolved.

I contacted Fox and asked to speak to a manager. I informed them that their certified technician had clearly made a mistake, as the catalytic converter was the actual problem. I explained that it had been replaced and the issues were now resolved. The manager responded by saying that I should be happy it was just the catalytic converter and not the engine. However, I was not satisfied. I had paid almost $200 for a professional diagnosis that turned out to be incorrect. The manager admitted that they had not performed a compression test to verify the issue and had simply assumed it was due to carbon build-up. I did not pay nearly $200 for a guess. I was also unhappy that they had made me believe my engine was ruined in a car I had just purchased. Additionally, I was frustrated that they had tried to convince me to replace the engine based on a clogged catalytic converter.

I was particularly disappointed that a certified technician had failed to diagnose the problem correctly, while an uncertified individual at the other shop had been able to do so. I even asked if Fox had verified the issue through a compression test, but the manager confirmed they had not. This meant that their diagnosis was nothing more than a guess, and a wrong one at that. They had also attempted to persuade me to spend a significant amount of money on replacing my engine.

I requested a refund due to the technician's clear mistake, which had been proven wrong. However, the manager refused and suggested that I sue them if I was unhappy with their response.