When I moved to Ocala about a year ago, Pals was recommended to me by a family member because of their reputation for honest work and reliability. Since then, my wife and I have taken our vehicles there multiple times and, until recently, had overall positive experiences. Unfortunately, my most recent visit left me extremely disappointed. I brought my vehicle in for an oil change and asked for a routine inspection. I was later called and told that a couple of preventative maintenance items were due, including a brake fluid flush and coolant flush. I agreed to those services, along with their recommendation to replace two filters. At no point during that phone call was I told what these additional services would cost. I found that a little odd at the time, but because I had trusted this shop based on our previous experiences, I didn’t think too much of it. When I arrived to pick up my vehicle, I was shocked to find out that my bill was approximately $850. For a service approaching $1,000, I absolutely feel the total cost should have been clearly communicated before the work was performed. I’m not a mechanic, but nearly $1,000 for an oil change, two filter replacements, and two routine preventative maintenance flushes feels excessive. That’s the type of bill I would expect after an actual mechanical repair, not routine maintenance. What bothers me most isn’t simply the price — it’s the lack of transparency. Had I been told the total beforehand, I could have made an informed decision about whether I wanted to proceed with all of the services at that price. After previously having good experiences here, it’s unfortunate that this visit has changed my opinion. I left feeling taken advantage of, and unfortunately, I won’t be returning.
Thank you for taking the time to write this, and I especially appreciate that you mentioned the positive experiences you and your wife have had with us in the past. You are absolutely correct about one thing: the pricing for those services should have been clearly communicated to you before you agreed to have the work performed. It wasn't, and I sincerely apologize. The advisor who assisted you was in their first week with us and was still learning our processes and expectations. I want to be clear, though—that is context, not an excuse. Our practice is to discuss the work being recommended, clearly communicate the price, and allow our customers to make an informed decision before moving forward. I was personally very upset when I learned what happened because transparency is one of the values I am working extremely hard to instill in every member of our team. I never want a customer—especially someone who has trusted us repeatedly—to leave our shop feeling taken advantage of. We have addressed this directly with the employee and used it as a coaching opportunity with our team. I understand why this experience was disappointing, and I hope you'll accept my sincere apology. You've trusted PALS with your family's vehicles multiple times, and I don't take that lightly. I hope you'll give us the opportunity to earn back that trust and show you that this experience was the exception, not the standard we are working to uphold. — Shannon, Owner
- PALS Ocala Auto Repair