Japanese Auto Service

July 28, 2014
Dear [redacted]:On March 12 2013, [redacted] brought his car, a 2005 [redacted], for safety inspection. His car failed the inspection because of bad front brake pad rotors, and lower ball joints. We showed him and explained to him everything why the...

inspection failed. So [redacted] hired us to replace the front brake pads, rotors, lower ball joints for both sides.[redacted] came back on November 19th 2013 and complained about some noises from the underneath of the car. After we checked it, we did not hear any noises. He asked us to replace his brakes again for free. We reminded him that our warranty already expired (Labor is warranted for 90 days or 4000 miles whichever comes first). [redacted] drove his car for 5920 milesand brought it back to us eight months after we serviced the brakes. It was far passed our shop warranty. He refused to accept our warranty and threatened to post bad reviews about our business if we didn’t replace his brake, any parts, and labor for free. To satisfy the customer, we went ahead and agreed to service his car’s front brakes free of charge.On April 2nd 2014 he brought his car for a safety inspection and his car passed the inspection after he drove the car an additional 1945 miles (7865 miles and 25 months since the day we did the first replacement). He was happy and posted a positive 5 star review about us online.
On May 29 2014, he came back complaining again about a noise claiming that it was coming from the brakes. After we checked the brakes we did not find anything wrong, but we found out and explained to him that the noise was coming from the cars’ suspensions; not the brakes. He did not agree with our certified mechanic findings and we recommended that he take his car to the dealer for a second opinion. He threatened again to post bad reviews online and report us to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) if we didn’t give him full refund. He started yelling at us in front of our customers, so we asked him to either lower his voice or leave. He became aggressive and we had no choice but to call the local police for help.
Attached are the following:Original Invoice dated 03/12/2013Second Invoice dated 11/19/2013 Virginia State Police Inspection CertificateAfter I read [redacted]’s letter, It was confusing to me and to my mechanic to read what he wrote and I quote, “I took them at their word and had work done on the rear and front brakes...” This is not true. We never did any work on the rear brakes (please see attached invoices). He also stated and I quote “...he decides to offer up this nonsense excuse that [redacted] aren’t cars he specializes in. If that’s true- that he doesn’t work on [redacted] or know how to handle them —then he should have warned me earlier and he shouldn’t have accepted the job and he shouldn’t have taken my money.” Again, this is false information. All Japanese Auto Services mechanics are professionals and certified to work on all cars. The nice tech Sam that he mentioned on his complaint letter is one of them.I am also troubled by [redacted]'s discoveries when he took his car to the [redacted] dealer and wrote the following:"Japanese Auto Service had failed to put proper stays and sliders in the brakes.”I am not sure what [redacted] is referring to, the part we have installed is new; the slides and antirattle pins he mentioned are already built in.“They also failed to machine the rotors all the way....there is a rust ridge...misfit of the brake parts and uneven wear and tear...”Again I am not sure what [redacted] is referring to, we ordered and installed a new part, it did not come with any rust and it does not need any machinery, I believe he is referring to the rear brakes which we have not worked on in this service order. I will be very interested to see the invoice from [redacted] dealer with job description and the cost.Bottom line, we are in business to serve customers’ with their car repairs and preventive maintenance. We went above and beyond our shop policy to satisfy [redacted] with his car repairs, but he took advantage of our courtesy and customer satisfaction policy in order to receive free parts and services rendered.Thank you for your assistance in this matter and I look forward to hearing from you soon.Regards,Fouad L

Review: I brought my [redacted] into Japanese Auto Service for a Virginia inspection and they identified brake repairs I needed -- hundreds of dollars worth. I took them at their word and had work done on the rear and front brakes (and a lower ball joint) on March 12, 2013.

Shortly after getting my car back, the front brakes started clacking. When I went from reverse to drive, or drive to reverse, the brake pads clacked loudly. They were slipping in the brake shoe and/or sliders and being pulled forward and backward.

The repair by Japanese Auto Service wasn’t working. The brakes were clacking.

I brought it back to Japanese Auto Service and the owner said he didn’t hear the noise, which boggled my mind. I went back repeatedly, and finally a nice tech named Sam gave a listen and he heard the clacking brakes clearly.

So finally in November, after many requests to have them do the right thing and fix the problematic brakes situation they’d created, the owner’s wife volunteered to try the repair again. And they did. In November 2013.

Shortly after getting my car back a second time, after having had the front brakes worked on again, the brakes started making noise again. The same clacking. The brake pads (or some other brake element) loudly slid forward and backward, making a loud click noise.

I could not get the shop owner to commit to fixing the clacking brakes. I visited and called repeatedly.

Finally, in a few weeks ago, I called the shop and got the owner. I reported that the repair still wasn’t right, and that it was still clicking.

He tried to dismiss the whole issue and said “well we don’t really work on [redacted].”

You can imagine my surprise.

He took my money to work on my [redacted], and after two of his attempted brake jobs still weren’t working, he decides to offer up this nonsense excuse that [redacted] aren’t cars he specializes in. If that’s true – that he doesn’t work on [redacted] or know how to handle them -- then he should have warned me earlier and he shouldn’t have accepted the job and he shouldn’t have taken my money.

After the call, I showed up at the shop. Sam the nice tech again heard the clacking. But the owner and his wife became belligerent, spinning the story and dodging their responsibility. The owner called me “crazy” and told me to get off his property.

I explained that these failed repairs were costing me a lot of wasted time (return trips etc). The owners didn’t care. I said I wanted my money back for the botched brake repair, since they didn’t fix the brakes, in fact they made them worse.

Their response was “we don’t give refunds... get off my property!”

So I brought the car to a [redacted] dealer (June 23) to have the brakes fixed. Here's what we discovered:

• Japanese Auto Service had failed to put proper stays and sliders in the brakes. There were no anti-rattle pins.

• They also failed to machine the rotor all the way when they put new pads on, and thus there is a rust ridge, which is helping cause the misfit of brake parts and the uneven wear and tear. As a result, the [redacted] dealer had to put in new brake pads.

I am out time and money. I had to have the [redacted] dealer redo the brake job, including putting in new brake pads and re-machining the rotors.Desired Settlement: I want my money back from Japanese Auto Service for:

• the failed brake work/installation they did, but which I paid for -- $95

• the brake pads (which I bought from them and which were shot as a result of the uneven rotor machining) - $85

• the front rotors they charged me for, but which I had to have the [redacted] dealer re-do. - $140

The total amount I want refunded for the failed brake repair is the amount they charged me for this disaster: $320

NOTE: I also want $105 returned for the Ball Joint repair they did, since they only replaced the left ball joint, but they charged me for two ball joint sets. So instead of being charged the proper amount for one, $105, I was charged double, $210. I would like $105 returned.

Business

Response:

July 28, 2014Dear [redacted]:On March 12 2013, [redacted] brought his car, a 2005 [redacted], for safety inspection. His car failed the inspection because of bad front brake pad rotors, and lower ball joints. We showed him and explained to him everything why the inspection failed. So [redacted] hired us to replace the front brake pads, rotors, lower ball joints for both sides.[redacted] came back on November 19th 2013 and complained about some noises from the underneath of the car. After we checked it, we did not hear any noises. He asked us to replace his brakes again for free. We reminded him that our warranty already expired (Labor is warranted for 90 days or 4000 miles whichever comes first). [redacted] drove his car for 5920 milesand brought it back to us eight months after we serviced the brakes. It was far passed our shop warranty. He refused to accept our warranty and threatened to post bad reviews about our business if we didn’t replace his brake, any parts, and labor for free. To satisfy the customer, we went ahead and agreed to service his car’s front brakes free of charge.On April 2nd 2014 he brought his car for a safety inspection and his car passed the inspection after he drove the car an additional 1945 miles (7865 miles and 25 months since the day we did the first replacement). He was happy and posted a positive 5 star review about us online. On May 29 2014, he came back complaining again about a noise claiming that it was coming from the brakes. After we checked the brakes we did not find anything wrong, but we found out and explained to him that the noise was coming from the cars’ suspensions; not the brakes. He did not agree with our certified mechanic findings and we recommended that he take his car to the dealer for a second opinion. He threatened again to post bad reviews online and report us to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) if we didn’t give him full refund. He started yelling at us in front of our customers, so we asked him to either lower his voice or leave. He became aggressive and we had no choice but to call the local police for help.Attached are the following:Original Invoice dated 03/12/2013Second Invoice dated 11/19/2013 Virginia State Police Inspection CertificateAfter I read [redacted]’s letter, It was confusing to me and to my mechanic to read what he wrote and I quote, “I took them at their word and had work done on the rear and front brakes...” This is not true. We never did any work on the rear brakes (please see attached invoices). He also stated and I quote “...he decides to offer up this nonsense excuse that [redacted] aren’t cars he specializes in. If that’s true- that he doesn’t work on [redacted] or know how to handle them —then he should have warned me earlier and he shouldn’t have accepted the job and he shouldn’t have taken my money.” Again, this is false information. All Japanese Auto Services mechanics are professionals and certified to work on all cars. The nice tech Sam that he mentioned on his complaint letter is one of them.I am also troubled by [redacted]'s discoveries when he took his car to the [redacted] dealer and wrote the following:"Japanese Auto Service had failed to put proper stays and sliders in the brakes.”I am not sure what [redacted] is referring to, the part we have installed is new; the slides and antirattle pins he mentioned are already built in.“They also failed to machine the rotors all the way....there is a rust ridge...misfit of the brake parts and uneven wear and tear...”Again I am not sure what [redacted] is referring to, we ordered and installed a new part, it did not come with any rust and it does not need any machinery, I believe he is referring to the rear brakes which we have not worked on in this service order. I will be very interested to see the invoice from [redacted] dealer with job description and the cost.Bottom line, we are in business to serve customers’ with their car repairs and preventive maintenance. We went above and beyond our shop policy to satisfy [redacted] with his car repairs, but he took advantage of our courtesy and customer satisfaction policy in order to receive free parts and services rendered.Thank you for your assistance in this matter and I look forward to hearing from you soon.Regards,Fouad L

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

August 6 2014 I reject Japanese Auto Service’s response, and contest Fouad L[redacted]’s misleading letter. Ms. L[redacted] provides a lot of specious and misleading verbiage, but Ms. L[redacted] fails to address the main problem – i.e. that Japanese Auto Service (JAS) put in new front pads and rotors in a way that caused a clacking in the brakes, but they never repaired this ongoing problem they’d caused. It’s disheartening that Ms. L[redacted] is willing to spend so much effort to try to confuse the issue and shirk responsibility for what is a very simple problem that is very clearly spelled out in the record of documents, despite Ms. L[redacted]’s attempts to obfuscate with prose. Upshot: JAS’s work on my front brakes left the front brakes clacking, in worse shape than when I brought them in. I never had clacking until JAS worked on my brakes. They did shoddy work, and they charged me $320 for that shoddy work which left me with a problem that they never fixed and that I eventually had to have fixed at a [redacted] dealer. Therefore, JAS is obligated to refund me that $320 (I will settle for $320, even though I believe I’m entitled to more, as I’m out much more than $320 in time). Some salient facts: • Sam the tech acknowledged the clacking on more than one occasion. L[redacted] herself, in her letter, acknowledges “the noise” (page 1). [L[redacted] then also states that JAS reported to me that the noise was coming from the “suspension”, which is a false statement... JAS never said that.] Sam the tech heard the noise and JAS believed it was in the brakes... that is why the Nov 2013 Invoice 6104 confirms they attempted to fix the brakes by replacing the “brake pads” (see Appendix A)... nowhere in any JAS invoice or receipt is there any mention of “suspension.” Ms. L[redacted] has invented that fact, ex post facto. • The fact that they accepted my car back and attempted to fix it (as L[redacted] acknowledges) is confirmation that they agreed the responsibility to address the problem was theirs (as the owner’s wife told me in person at the shop more than once). Ms. L[redacted] makes a lot of misleading statements about why JAS took the car back, but the truth is that they took it back because Sam the tech (and other techs) heard the clacking on more than one occasion... and the owners who’d try to dismiss me, were embarrassed into taking it back in, on info and belief. • Ms. L[redacted] includes a copy of Invoice 6104, which proves my point: that they attempted to fix the problem they had caused and deemed all such repairs under “Warranty”, which word is inscribed on the invoice (see Appendix A). So Ms. L[redacted]’s specious statements about the warranty periods allegedly having lapsed are all just part of her apparent campaign of misdirection. After March 2013, I brought the [redacted] back on more than one occasion to try to address the clacking. Although JAS tried to deny their responsibility initially, eventually they were forced to acknowledge it and attempt to fix it under warranty, I think in large part because of Sam (who admitted the clacking hadn’t been addressed and was still there, even though the owner couple tried to pretend they couldn’t hear the clacking in the brakes they’d installed). • It’s concerning that L[redacted] has decided to make statements that are patently untrue. One of the more disturbing events in all of this was the male owner’s (Ed’s) backpeddling statement that “well we don’t really work on [redacted]s” after he’d taken over $700 of my money to work on my [redacted]. Ms. L[redacted]’s claim that this did not happen is not true. Apparently I am not the first person to be concerned about JAS’s honesty (given that [redacted] reviews include critiques of JAS like “DISHONEST CROOKS!”) • It’s concerning that L[redacted] included the later JAS invoice (6104) but failed to include the initial JAS invoice (4064) in her response. I include both below. When you see them side by side, you can see what L[redacted] was likely trying to hide... when you note the dates, you can see the amount of time that had lapsed (between the initial faulty brake job and JAS finally agreeing to attempt to fix the clacking problem they’d caused in the brakes) was only 8 months. Her letter tries to suggest some huge amount of time passed. (Note: between March 2013 and November 2013, I came in more than once on additional separate occasions and raised the issue of the clacking caused by JAS’s brake job, but I’d been dismissed by Ed on those occasions. JAS only agreed to try to fix their faulty brake job when their tech employees spoke up and said they heard the noise in the brakes). • Ms. L[redacted] quotes my Revdex.com complaint selectively and in fragments, so as to confuse. Example: she attempts to mislead by suggesting I’m claiming there was a rust ridge on the rotor when they first installed it. This is of course absurd, and merely L[redacted]’s attempt at obfuscation and misdirection. I did not make that statement or that implication. Her fragmentary quotation leaves out salient lines that refute her claims. So let me share the entire quote: “They also failed to machine the rotor all the way when they put new pads on, and thus there is a rust ridge, which is helping cause the misfit of brake parts and the uneven wear and tear.” My statement makes clear that the rust ridge was deemed to have RESULTED from the improper JAS installation and to have therefore happened (as all results must) after the initial installation of a new rotor. • In the last few weeks, [redacted] looked at the brakes (rotor plus pads) installed by JAS and assessed that it was causing the clacking problem because of ill-­-fitting parts and also a ridge on the rotor from uneven wear-­- and-­-tear due to installation. There solution was to replace the rotor (and pads) entirely so as to deal with the unevenness/ridge cause by JAS’s shoddy installation. The proof is the attached invoice from [redacted]. See Appendix B below. It seems Ms. L[redacted] is interested in directing attention away from the key issue and trying to throw up a smokescreen, by presenting a barrage of inaccurate statements and implications. For example, Ms. L[redacted] goes to great lengths in her letter to praise Japanese Auto Service and its professionalism and imply that they are a reputable outfit of sterling reputation. But the facts contradict her claims rather dramatically. The truth is, on [redacted], there are a multitude of highly negative reviews of Japanese Auto Service and tales of horrors story experiences. [redacted] Ms. L[redacted]’s letter contains other untruths. Here are some: • It was I who called the police, not Japanese Auto Service. I called them because the male owner of Japanese Auto Service (Ed?) was raging and yelling and threatening me with violence. He seemed to be irrational and wild. Even his techs were looking at him with concern. So I thought it prudent to make sure the police were present while I retrieved my car, since the male owner of JAS (Ed?) was saying he would attack me if I came on his property (even though my car was on the property). It was surreal. The male owner was in such a state that his wife even tried to cool him down from his enraged state. If you call the [redacted] Police, they will corroborate I called them and that the cruiser that arrived on scene was in response to my call. • Ms. L[redacted] states I came back and demanded that JAS “replace his brakes again for free.” This is untrue, and is designed to obfuscate and confuse. On my multiple visits after March 2013, I informed JAS that their repair of the brakes had left the brakes clacking, that JAS’s service was faulty and problematic, and that the clacking needed to be addressed... I made no demand for new brakes, just that they fix the problem they’d caused with the brakes. The determination to attempt to fix the problem by putting in new pads (which they allege they did) was their determination. Ms. L[redacted] is forced to admit that JAS did recognize their error and that they attempted to fix it (although they again failed), but of course she offers a specious narrative of why JAS then agreed to attempt to fix it again – that it was some arbitrary demand for free brakes from me, which is patently absurd. L[redacted] can make up all the reasons she likes to try to cloud the issue, but the fact remains: JAS took the car back and made another attempt at the brakes, and the reason for that was the clacking that JAS techs heard in the brakes they’d worked on. Ms. L[redacted]’s assessment is spotty, incomplete, inaccurate, misleading, and confusing. She ignores major points and minor ones (for example I note that she says nothing about JAS’s bizarre statement “we don’t give refunds... get off my property!”). I reject Japanese Auto Service’s response and remain as unhappy as ever with their poor service and refusal to refund me my money despite the evidence making it clear that they provided a shoddy service that not only did not fix anything, but caused more problems than there were initially.