Spencer's Auto & Diesel Repair Services

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This place took my car, my money, and almost my peace of mind
I don’t usually leave reviews like this, but what happened to me at Spencer’s Auto & Diesel in Ocala needs to be heard. I brought my 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander in for what I thought was a minor heating issue. The vehicle had never overheated before, but they told me the water pump, radiator, and thermostat all needed to be replaced — “just to be safe. ” I trusted them.
I’m a single mom of two kids, I work full-time, and I’m also in nursing school. I didn’t have $2,700 sitting around, so I had to put the repairs on my mother’s credit card, just to keep my only vehicle on the road.
Less than a week later, and after driving fewer than 200 miles, my car starts really overheating — something it had never done before — and the check engine light comes on for the first time. I bring it back in, and suddenly they tell me the engine is done — coolant has leaked into it, and now I need a full engine replacement for $9,000.
That was devastating to hear. But what truly broke my trust was when the owner offered me a “temporary fix” so I could get rid of the car. His actual words were along the lines of, “This will hold long enough for you to get out of it. ” In other words — he was suggesting I pass this car off to someone else before it blows up.
I was stunned. I asked, “You want me to dump this on another family? You think I’m that kind of person? ” I couldn’t believe a professional would even suggest something so unethical. That moment told me everything I needed to know about the kind of business this is.
The worst part is, I was worse off after their $2,700 repair than I was before. Now I’m left without a working car, and thousands in debt, while trying to take care of my kids and finish school.
I’ve filed a complaint with the Florida Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau, and I’m sharing my story so no one else ends up in the same situation.
Please — do not trust this shop with your vehicle or your money. If they can do this to someone in my position, they can do it to anyone.