Unique Automotive & Lube

Sal is lll

I’m in NJ settling my mom’s estate, access to only a few tools, car starts having electrical problems. I take it to Unique, guy comes out with a jumper battery, is able to start it, diagnoses a bad alternator, then shuts it off. They give me an estimate, something like $ 450. Called Napa auto on my cell phone to inquire about the cost of the part, got quoted $ 140. Told this to Sal, he say’s «well, you get what you pay for». I tell them I may just fix it myself, can they give me another jump. «Sure, but you’ll have to pay a $ 20 diagnosis fee». Guy comes out with the battery again, now it won’t start. Finally, I give in, decide to just let them do it, guy comes out with the battery again, this time car magically starts and they can pull it right in, amazing. But they couldn’t start it when I was going to take it home and do the job myself.
I have an alternator put in, $ 290 for the part, plus labor. After installing the alternator, he says, «I got bad news for you, you’re gonna need a battery». So, $ 550 out the door.
8,000 miles later, back home, my alternator bearings start whining. I pull the alternator, sure enough, bearings are bad. I notice the Napa sticker on it, take it down there, get a replacement under lifetime warranty, all fixed. But, the kicker is, the replacement, same exact Napa part number, is only $ 145! You get what you pay for? Bullshit — they mark their parts up twice over what they pay for them. And they buy so much stuff from Napa, they probably don’t even pay retail.
What you’ll get, if you go to Unique Automotive, is SCREWED!!! Stay away from these Crooks!