Salerno’s Auto Air Conditioning / Burbank Auto Doctor

I had brought my car here in the past on a recommendation from my normal mechanic (which I love and is super trustworthy) to get my air up and running on my older (but new to me) vehicle. All was ok that time (over 5 years ago).
Recently, the lever that controls the temperature broke and was no longer able to change the temp from hot to cold or cold to hot. I took it to these guys and although they were busy, they were able to manually switch my air back to cold from the heat that it was stuck on. He said to bring it back Monday or Tuesday and they would take off the dash to see what the problem was. He quoted the dash removal at about $ 80 bucks and then any repair after that would be additional. I was impressed with this and was eager to return.
I returned that Tuesday to leave my car all day. I filled out the intake form distinctly stating the issue with the lever but mentioned nothing about my air not being cold enough as it worked well enough for me to get the job done.
The guys went straight to work under my hood (which I thought was strange since I told them the problem was the lever located in the dash… but hey what did I know). They called me about an hour later to say they needed to repair a couple hoses and do yadda yadda additional for a total of $ 440. I asked well is that going to fix the lever? And the guy goes «Oh! You’re the girl from the weekend! I have to call you back. But do you want the other work done?»
This is where I made my mistake. Being that I don’t understand cars, I said «I guess if it has to done??» I authorized the «repairs.» He calls me back like 5 hours later to say they took the dash off and the part I need to fix the temp lever is no longer manufactured but he might have found one for $ 150. This cost would be additional and he didn’t know if it was actually the right one for my car (mind you, I’ve since found the full A/​C dash unit containing the part I need on ebay for $ 70-​$ 80). He said we could order it another time and fix it then on a later date.
RESULT: I spent nearly FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS for repairs I didn’t need nor did I come in for and STILL HAVE NO CONTROL OF TEMPERATURE. The shop blatantly disregarded the repair I wanted and just went to town to find «other issues» that they could get me on knowing that I wouldn’t know what they are talking about and would probably just approve it.
I’m sorry this is so long but I want others, especially females, to be weary of using their services without a presence of a male that knows something about cars (sad to say, but at this place it’s true)! These people took advantage of me and I will not be returning.

I went in with a broken AC. I had refilled my system twice myself (A/​C PRO) and it kept going warm eventually. One would assume there is a leak since it blows cold air when there is refrigerant in the system. Im not an AC mechanic though, I fix corporate information systems (servers) for a living.
Anyhow, they said it would be 70 bucks for the diagnostics and when they found out what was wrong, they would apply that 70 bucks to the fix. Seemed fair.
OK well they didn’t give me a diagnosis. They couldnt find a leak. I was still charged 175 bucks so they could put dye in there (that is AFTER the $ 70 credit for the diag). Wait, if you need to put dye in the system to find out where the leak is, isn’t that part of the diagnostics? What am I getting charged for? To help you do your job?
Im supposed to go back in 2 weeks now so they can find out where the leak is. Problem is they already credited me 70 bucks for a diag test that was inconclusive. That’s right folks, I got charged 245 — 70 = $ 175 to make it easier for them to find out what is actually wrong. NOTHING IS FIXED.
You read that right, im 175 in the hole and no closer to knowing why my AC keeps going warm. 1 star for now.
To be fair, he offered to not charge me for Freon when I took it back. That would be a 70 dollar credit when I get it fixed. But then I still paid 100 bucks to make it easier on them to find the leak basically. Ive never paid anyone to make a diagnosis easier. I usually pay once a problem is resolved.
I feel like they are just going to tack on an extra 70 bucks to the «fix» and then «credit» me for the Freon. Kinda bummed I went to this place. Unfortunately, I wouldnt recommend going here to anyone.
Ill update this post after I return from my «fix» and let you know the damage.
On a side note, I also asked them to look at a loud noise from my front wheel when I turn left. They called me and said that they didn’t hear any noises first. I drove all the way back there, and after a 2 minute ride with a tech, they understood what I was talking about. Not sure how you could miss that noise really. The diag on that? They couldn’t find out what was wrong with that either. They said they could TRY and change the rotor (300 bucks) but cant guarantee that is whats making the noise. Yep, another 300 bucks to help them determine if that’s the issue.
Im taking the truck to Elegant Auto Sport who has fixed every single issue ive had for quite some time (with my Sentra which I no longer own, and our minivan). Insanely reasonable rates, and they are very fast. Unfortunately, they don’t do AC.

Nope
I have a 89 F350 and in 94 they went through the entire system and charged me over $ 2400 with the claim the hoses and connections were now good «forever» and that Ford uses garbage. Sounds reasonable so I went for it to include a new pump.
In 2013 they tell me the hoses and connections are shot and all need to be replaced again and a recharge on the system. Just over $ 4000 this time?
When I showed the tech my bill from 94 he said that was not them and THEN any warranty has expired.
From 94 – 13 the truck has 8,000 miles because it is an RV (Lance Camper)
For $ 165 I had the system recharged again and it is all fine so they did what they were paid for in 94

My beloved 1995 Ford Taurus started its life out in the wild and woolly climes of Long Island, and eventually migrated across the Sound to Connecticut, where it came into my possession. It suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous winters there — salt, snow, sleet, and the dread grey slush. Bleh. We weren’t terribly concerned that the air con didn’t work, until we decided to up sticks and move 3,000 miles west to Burbank. In preparation for the drive, which started in late June, we decided to get the air con fixed back in New Haven. Ouch. We were told the condenser had cracked, and it would need to be replaced. On a ’95 Taurus, this means the entire dashboard would need to be taken out, and would cost around $ 1,000. We were given a work-​around tide-​me-​over fix of just putting some sealant in the lines, recharging the system and hoping for the best. It worked! Well, for 4 months it worked. In October, the charge finally petered out and when we tried to recharge it, it wouldn’t hold.
We kept putting off the inevitable, until we had a hot spell recently. I knew I needed to shell out at last, and cough up the requisite cabbages. My husband had asked around for recommendations for an air con specialist, and was told Salerno’s was the place to go in Burbank. I gave them a call on Wednesday afternoon. I told Terry (the miracle-​worker who has restored the cold in my car) what the CT mechanic had said; Terry said he found it hard to believe that my condenser had cracked, seeing as he had worked on many, many Tauruses of that vintage and had never seen a crack like that. He told me to bring it in – diagnosis would cost $ 70 and that could be credited to any work I needed to have done.
I showed up at 8am, when they opened. Terry had me fill in the paperwork, and reiterated his belief that my previous mechanic was wrong. He told me he’d call around lunchtime, and he did with some terrific news — indeed, it was not the condenser, but a pipe that had corroded from the CT/​LI winters. It did not require the dash to come out, could be fixed in a couple of hours and best of all, would only cost me $ 370. Oh Terry, keep talking like that. It makes a girl’s head spin!
The car was ready by 4pm, and we went down to collect it. Terry showed us the corroded pipe and all the holes in it – no wonder it wouldn’t keep a charge. For $ 370+tax, we got diagnosis, repair and recharge of the system. It is now ice cold in the Taurus, and we will hopefully survive another summer in the furnace we call Burbank. In short, Salerno’s know what they are doing. They are 30-​year air conditioning experts, and the quality of the work, the speed at which it was completed and the price are second to none. If you need to be cool this summer and your air con has gone tits up, go NOW to see Terry and Frank (who is apparently on vacation this week) at Salerno’s.