Tuesday, April 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
There really wasn't much unusual about the Cadillac when it pulled into the service driveway at Falcon Body Works, Len Yoder remembers.
And he didn't think much about it when the driver got out, claiming engine trouble.
Little did Yoder know then, but that moment would land him on national television when "Hard Copy" decided to test the honesty of Las Vegas garages.
Falcon Body Works was the only one of 15 businesses in the valley that caught the bug in the Cadillac -- a disconnected wire -- and charged the undercover reporter nothing.
The other 14 shops gave out estimates of $500 to $2,500 to repair the mysterious grumbling under the Cadillac's hood.
Falcon's staff stayed late at the shop Monday night to watch the broadcast, which aired on KVVU Channel 5.
"Wouldn't miss something like that," said Yoder, general manager of the 8-year-old garage at 4263 S. Boulder Highway.
About the only thing unusual about that morning when "Hard Copy" came calling was that the driver "was real abrasive," and he wasn't alone. Two other men were in the car.
The engine warning light was on in the dashboard panel, so Yoder directed the driver to take the car to one of his mechanics.
The mechanic asked the driver to pop the hood, and after quickly scoping out the engine, he spotted a disconnected map sensor, Yoder said.
"He plugged it back in, closed the hood and told the driver to start up the car," Yoder said. "It started up fine and the engine sounded good."
The driver asked how much he owed, and the mechanic told him nothing. "When you've got a problem, come back and see us."
The next day, the Cadillac pulled up on the driveway again. All three men were inside, accompanied by a second car with several women, Yoder said.
"They got out with TV cameras and immediately started filming us," he said. "They said they were from 'Hard Copy,' and that we were the only one who figured out the real problem. ... I was dumbfounded."
They finished the interview with the crew, then said their goodbyes. Next stop for the reporting team?
"The bad guys," Yoder said. "They said they were going to interview all the rest. I guess they knew what they could be in for -- I looked out behind them and there was a police car waiting to escort them."
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