Bachetti’s Auto Sales

I will start this review by saying that my family has purchased 6 cars in the last 10 years from these people because of the location of where we live this was the closest dealership within 50 miles. I will also go on to say that 10 years ago these guys were a great place to buy a car. NOW THOUGH that’s a different story. My sisters jeep was $ 6000 over list price and on the 97^th of having it (they only offer a 90 day warranty she started having ECU issues, she still is to this day. The Subaru outback we bought from them actually self destructed its motor at 68,000 miles (all maintenance was done at Bachetti’s) and come to find out after doing some research that it was Scott Bachettis (The Owner) wife’s car, so i wonder why they wanted to sell it? hmmm Please for your own sanity and you will save a ton of money. Do not buy a car from these people, drive the extra half hour and go to Lenox or Pittsfield and you will be much happier.

Bachetti’s has a great local reputation for integrity of used cars sold and inspections/​inspection-​passing repairs.
Most people, however, do not use Bachetti’s for repairs not related to inspections; and last week I found out why.
I took a friend’s car, which was purchased at Bachetti’s, in for a routine transmission fluid flush and change.
Because of special fluids required by the manufacturer, the mechanic in charge of the flush and change warned me that the job would be expensive. He quoted me a price of three hundred dollars ($ 300.00). The Pittsfield dealership, normally the most expensive option, charges two hundred dollars ($ 200.00). But I couldn’t afford the extra day to take it there. And, besides, I was relying on Bachetti’s reputation and competence for a general check-​up of my friend’s car, since my friend is not — to put it generously — entirely on top of maintenance.
When we returned to pick up the car, my bill was four hundred and twenty dollars ($ 420.00).
At no point did anyone call me to report the increase in price. No one there did any extra work, or included extra work in the bill. It was a simple case of over-​charging a non-​regular customer, either because they felt they could get away with it, or because that is something Bachetti’s regularly does.
I was so angry I took the car to an extremely competent mechanic for an evaluation of Bachetti’s work. The mechanic examined the fluid, made some additional tests, and reported that the flush had been done completely and well (which does not always happen); and that the fluid was the proper, manufacturer-​recommended type, and had been filled completely. It was, in short, a good, high-​integrity job.
So the work was high quality, as Bachetti’s reputation warrants. But the price, and the integrity of their price, was stinking rotten.
Since then, I have made inquiries, and discovered what local people universally say: Buy your used car at Bachetti’s, and get your inspections at Bachetti’s; but never, ever, ever, go there for repairs.
I second their warning.
Then, few weeks later, we took the same car to a local mechanic — not Bachetti’s, after the transmission flush experience, for a once-​over/​safety check before going on a long road trip.
The mechanic showed us the front passenger-​side ball joint. The ball joint was cracked, and the ball worn almost completely away, like an arthritic hip ball that has entirely worn to a sharp stump.
My friend had had the car inspected only five weeks before.
«Any way that could have happened since the inspection?» I asked.
Nope.
«Any way they could have missed it?»
«Not if they were looking.»
«How about in an inspection?»
«That’s what inspections are: looking.»
On’t go to Bachetti’s.

I only go in for my inspections. But I highly recommend for that purpose. I brought in an older car for inspection, and they were able to figure everything out, and get me out the door quickly.