On Your Side: Woman says 'bring your own parts' car repair shop gave her the run around

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BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - When Jennifer Sturgeon tried to get the timing belt and water pump replaced on her 2006 Kia Optima she thought it would be simple, routine repair work.

"This is just very unprofessional," she said.

Sturgeon took her car to BYOP which stands for Bring Your Own Parts. The idea was that she could save money by bringing her own parts to BYOP instead of the dealership but Sturgeon said she was wrong.

"Soon as I got home they called and told me I had the wrong kit," she said.

She says she then decided to just buy and replace the timing belt.

"She called about 11 and said the timing belt is on the car but you need a cam sensor," Sturgeon said.

Jennifer bought that part but when she went to pick up the car she says it wasn't ready.

"Your car won't be ready until tomorrow they said it was the wrong part. I said put my car back together, give it to me and let me go," Sturgeon said.

But when she tried to drive home, she encountered a big problem.

"Car only goes 40 mph. I call back up there and they tell me its because of the part I bought," she said.

So Sturgeon took it back again.

"The part they told me to get Monnday and the part they gave me off the car Tuesday was two totally different parts," she said. "They just keep giving me the wrong part then they told me I needed an oil control valve if I buy this part my car will run smoothly."

She says that didn't work either.

"I spent money on a rental car buying parts I didn't need. I asked to get my money back he said he couldn't give me my money back. He said my car needs to go to the dealership to get reprogrammed. I have spent well over $1,200 parts and all."

The Better Business Bureau has given both Birmingham BYOP locations on 4th Avenue North and Roebuck Plaza Drive an "F" rating. The BBB has a total of 19 consumer complaints about the company. The agency says BYOP failed to respond to 15 complaints, two were not resolved and the repair shop made "good faith" effort to resolve two complaints.

In response, BYOP Co owner Willie Shepard told us that rate wasn't that bad.

"Almost 20 complaints out of 20,000 customers is not that bad. Bring your own parts is a simple concept that not everyone understands. You have to buy good parts. You are taking a gamble with used parts. Jennifer Sturgeon had the wrong parts," Shepard said.

Sturgeon disagrees saying she bought the brand new parts that BYOP told her to purchase. In the end, she says she got her car repaired at the dealership for $700. She actually saved money compared to the $1,200 she spent at BYOP.