Beware; avoid Radmacher shop in Tucson
01-24-2016, 02:17 PM
#1
Track Day
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Beware; avoid Radmacher shop in Tucson
I want to offer a word of warning to help others avoid the nightmare I have had with this shop. Radmacher, in Tucson, Az, is the recommended shop of many, but after my experience I feel I would be remiss to not warn others. Having spoken to many long time Tucson Porsche folks, the consistent story is that in times well past, this was a reliable, honest shop but that is clearly no longer the case. One person I spoke with, who has known Dave for 20+ years, told me that he was great prior to having developed a "God complex".
I took my '83 911 in to be checked over and ended up living a 2 month nightmare that left me with a car that was damaged and a $1400 tab just to diagnose a problem that was fixed for $350 elsewhere. However, the most disappointing aspect is the lack of caring displayed buy Dave, the owner.
After paying this guy $6500 for a variety of things but mostly engine work, my car developed a starting problem. My car then spent the next 6 weeks there while the starting problem was diagnosed; one time I was notified that my car was ready and when I arrived to pick it up, it would not start so back home I went. The kicker comes a few weeks later when he again calls and says it is ready. I go to pick it up and he tells me that my starting problem is related to the starter(!). He has not fixed it but rather has jerry rigged it and it "should be fine". At this point I have paid $1400 to diagnosis what would be fixed by another shop for $350. I go to leave and discover a hole in the middle of the driver seat; original leather interior. His response: "I didn't do that, I'm always careful not to sit in a car with a screwdriver in my pocket". Is it me or does that sound like a 7 year old telling you what he didn't do? Only after threatening the BBB did he finally admit to the damage and offer to pay to have it fixed. Even that however was a farce as in the end what he offered to pay for was the half-**sed repair and I would have to pay more if I wanted repair the interior guy would warranty.
In the end, my starting problem returned and I took my car somewhere else and it was fixed for $350. Avoid this guy; he doesn't care and is clearly just trying make some money and reach retirement. That he is burned out is so obvious it is sad. That others are being ripped off just makes it worse.
I took my '83 911 in to be checked over and ended up living a 2 month nightmare that left me with a car that was damaged and a $1400 tab just to diagnose a problem that was fixed for $350 elsewhere. However, the most disappointing aspect is the lack of caring displayed buy Dave, the owner.
After paying this guy $6500 for a variety of things but mostly engine work, my car developed a starting problem. My car then spent the next 6 weeks there while the starting problem was diagnosed; one time I was notified that my car was ready and when I arrived to pick it up, it would not start so back home I went. The kicker comes a few weeks later when he again calls and says it is ready. I go to pick it up and he tells me that my starting problem is related to the starter(!). He has not fixed it but rather has jerry rigged it and it "should be fine". At this point I have paid $1400 to diagnosis what would be fixed by another shop for $350. I go to leave and discover a hole in the middle of the driver seat; original leather interior. His response: "I didn't do that, I'm always careful not to sit in a car with a screwdriver in my pocket". Is it me or does that sound like a 7 year old telling you what he didn't do? Only after threatening the BBB did he finally admit to the damage and offer to pay to have it fixed. Even that however was a farce as in the end what he offered to pay for was the half-**sed repair and I would have to pay more if I wanted repair the interior guy would warranty.
In the end, my starting problem returned and I took my car somewhere else and it was fixed for $350. Avoid this guy; he doesn't care and is clearly just trying make some money and reach retirement. That he is burned out is so obvious it is sad. That others are being ripped off just makes it worse.
01-27-2016, 07:14 PM
#2
Three Wheelin'
I used to go to Radmacher back in my UofA days (1998-2003). Dave was a good guy and got the job done. I did have problems from time to time- one time being no brakes. I must say that Radmacher is better and CHEAPER than Chuck at Red Line. I ended up going to Deering on Ft. Lowell instead. Never a problem there and they worked on all my cars_ Porsches, Ferraris, Range Rovers, BMWs and MBZ