Audio store cuts up the wires in my radio and leaves it burning (Santa Clara: insurance)

[salilsurendran]

My car's front speakers were not working and I went to a nearby car audio store that had decent ratings on yelp. After a couple of hours the owner calls me and says that the speakers are all right but the car radio was not giving the proper output for the front speakers and right speakers are faulty too. I went back to pick up the car. He behaves slightly weird when I am paying his diagnostic fee of $75 where I get the feeling that he wants me to change the radio and says that my current radio is a very poor brand which surprises me because I didn't think so. He says he needs 30 minutes to put the radio back in. Some time later he calls me asks me to touch the radio and says that radio is really hot and hence he has unplugged the radio so that it doesn't become a fire hazard. I don't care much. However, driving back I notice that there are wires etc. hanging out of the radio and windshield is cracked. I get back home open up the radio and see that most of the wires inside are cut and the inside of the radio is a real mess. I plug the radio and immediately within seconds smell the radio burning like in case of an electrical fire. I call the store and he tells me that he noticed the windshield was already cracked which I find it difficult to believe because I for sure would have seen it before. He tells me while testing the radio he had to cut the wires and he can put it back again. But given that he is so incompetent and dishonest I don't want him to work on my car. However, he has completely destroyed my radio and I will need a new one. Can I complain to the BBB or take him to small claims court to recover my costs? I have pictures etc. to prove this. Also I checked on yelp his negative reviews and he has done this to other customers too.

[joosoon]

Originally Posted by salilsurendran

Can I complain to the BBB or take him to small claims court to recover my costs? I have pictures etc. to prove this. Also I checked on yelp his negative reviews and he has done this to other customers too.

The BBB isn't a governing body. They're the Yelp of yesteryear and if a business isn't a voluntary member of their group, complaints are even more pointless.



Small claims starts with a demand letter but I would at least one more time informally ask the owner of the shop to compensate you for the damages before going that route. If it's only a few hundred dollars, it's probably not worth your time. Less than ideally, you might be able to get your auto insurance to cover everything if you have comprehensive coverage. You should also look at whatever work order this shop gave you before they began the diagnostics/repair.

[Heidi60]

Maybe AAA can help?
Check the Santa Clara County Court website for small claims process. If you don't, he will continue to damage others.

[salilsurendran]

the audio store paid me the money for the damages they did