Branning's Auto Body

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
The business has taken the issues and completely distorted them to suit their actions.
 
The original entry to the shop was NOT that I brought the car in because of an airbag that deployed ... the are was towed to the shop after being in a front-end collision.
The following day when I went with my granddaughter to view the car I met with Anthony and our discussion was just that the only visible damage was the deployed airbag.  The bumper was nothing and the car had a missing front fog light when purchased.  I did tell Anthony that the car had no collision but I was going to pay for the repairs ...  this is when Anthony said he would have to get the car into the shop before he could even give me any idea of actual damage and costs.  I
NEVER told him to just repair the airbags and make the car drivable.  This statement is ludicrous ... I would put my granddaughter back on the road in a car that we had no idea of any other damage?  We were waiting on an estimate to determine when the extent of the damage and whether it was worth repairing.  When Anthony called my son with the estimate and it turned out it was only the airbag we agreed to go ahead and repair.  If what the business is saying was true then I would have been given a waiver to sign stating that I did no want them to inspect a car that had been involved in an accident.  I checked with quite a few body shops and they all agreed that what took place was completely wrong.  I have nothing from Branning disclaiming themselves from any further damage or that the customer stated this is all they wanted checked on this particular car.   I question why Branning is putting so much emphasis on the fact that they drove this car around their lot, had it on a lift, and let it run for a period of time if there was nothing further for them to do but replace an airbag.  I also find it very coincidental that the car was in such great shape (as John told my son when he picked the car up).  My son specifically asked John when it had been check since it had been in a front-end accident and John assured him the car was good to go.  It is also very coincidental that car was fine when it left the shop and 30 minutes later my granddaughter was calling her father saying the check engine light came on.  AT THIS TIME my son called the shop, spoke to a young lady who, again, specifically told my son to get the car back to the shop ASAP and that they closed at 5:00.  Yes, my son did check the car with some computer he had for one of his cars and determined it was antifreeze.  He added the antifreeze and drove the car back to the shop ... check engine light was not on at this time.  This is when the car stopped and had to be towed.  We were then told that there was a crack in engine and the engine was blown.  How does something like this happen (radiator cracked) to a car that just came out of a body shop for front-end damage?
Again, yes they did tow the car to a lot in Marlboro because I am certain that they just wanted to get rid of this car because they are fully aware that they did not follow proper procedures when a car is towed in from an accident 
We have taken this car to another auto body shop to have the engine replaced and, again, they cannot believe what Branning put us through.  Branning has refused to take any responsibility and they definitely hold some responsibility.  They are the auto body shop, not me.  They new that this car was going back on the road with a teenager driving it, and they never inspected it for any other damage other than the airbag and are saying that they would listen to a customer and not cover themselves is ridiculous.  There is absolutely way for someone like myself to know what was wrong with the car and there is no way that a reputable body shop would do what they did.  They do hold responsibility for their actions or lack thereof.
 
rds,
[redacted]

I was very pleased with my experience at Brannings

I have told quite a few people about my experience and how professional and friendly everyone was to me

Review: My granddaughter's car was towed to Branning's after a front-end collision. There was minor damage to her bumper but the driver airbag deployed. I went with her to the auto body to see the damage and get an estimate ... there was no collision on the car so I was going to pay for the repair. I was told by the mechanic that he would have to get the car into the shop to access the damage; the air bag was the only visible damage. We rec'd an estimate for a new airbag which we told them to go ahead and do; no other damage was noted. My granddaughter picked up the car last Wed. and no more than 30 minutes out of the shop her "check engine" came on. She called her father who in turn call the shop and was told to bring the car back. He checked the car (she was at home at that time) and realized there was no antifreeze so he added it and took the car back. While driving back the car stopped; he called and Branning came and towed it and then called to say that there was a crack in the radiator and the engine was blown. They state that they did not check anything other than the airbag because I TOLD THEM TO JUST FIX THE AIR BAG AND NOTHING ELSE! I trusted them as a reliable shop to give us an estimate of damage and I NEVER TOLD THEM TO JUST FIX THE AIRBAG ... I have no idea of what was wrong. They claim no responsibility. As a matter of fact that stated to my son that they had run the car for 3 or more hours before it was picked up ... why would they have done this?Desired Settlement: I believe that Branning should have done a complete inspection of this car being that it was a front-end collision but being that it was not covered by insurance they were not interested in spending the time and money to do so. Never would a customer tell a auto body shop what to do with a car that was in an accident. They should offer to put in a rebuilt engine at their cost and I have no problem splitting the cost ... but to tell me they are not responsible is completely wrong. I have never dealt with an auto body shop that doesn't go over the entire car before giving an estimate.

Business

Response:

In response to the complaint filed, upon the original entry

of the car to the shop the customer (grandmother and granddaughter) came in to

inspect the vehicle. The car showed minimal exterior damage a small rip in the

bumper and a pushed in lower grille and the driver’s airbag had deployed. The

vehicle ran and drove with no leaks or any sign of further mechanical issues.

The customer stated that they did not have insurance coverage to take care of

the damage on the car and they were only looking to replace the airbag and make

the car drivable and they would handle the bumper damage at a later time. The

car was further inspected and an estimate was prepared for the customer

consisting of a driver’s airbag and seat belts required to be replaced with the

airbag deployment. The estimate was provided to the son or father and his

approval was given to commence repairs. Throughout the repair process it was

determined that the clock spring a component between the driver’s air bag and

steering wheel would need to be replaced as well as an airbag computer module.

This was brought to the owner of the vehicles attention and he provided his

approval increasing the cost of the repair by two hundred dollars. Throughout

the time the vehicle was at the repair facility it was moved multiple times,

driven around the rear lot, raised on a lift, and parked and idled for a period

of time never showing any signs of leaking or further mechanical damage. The

car was then cleaned and detailed and made ready for the customer. The car was

picked up and repairs reviewed with the estimator at the repair facility. The

customer, after picking up the vehicle, called back to the shop and stated to

the office personal that a light was on the dash of the car. The owner stated

that his daughter was at a restaurant and would take the car home and bring it

back to the repair facility to be checked. Approximately two hours later the shop

received a call from the owner of the car stating that they were on the side of

the road and would need a tow. The shops tow truck was dispatched and the car

was towed back. When the driver arrived to tow the vehicle there was a puddle

of coolant underneath the vehicle. The

daughter and mother were present at the scene with the car. When the car was

received back into the shop the shops mechanic inspected the car and found that

the car had a leak coming from a crack in the bottom of the radiator. The car

also showed no compression in the engine a problem caused due to it having been

driven for a period of time after being overheated due to the loss of fluids

from the crack in the underside of the radiator. There was no leak present at

the time that the car originally left the shop and it was determined that the

new damage regarding the engine was directly related to the fluid loss caused

by that crack and the continued driving of the car without fluids. The owner of

the car (father or son) was contacted and made aware that at that time to

correct the issues with the vehicle an engine and radiator replacement would be

required. The vehicle owner (father or

son) stated that after his daughter had originally contacted him stating that

there was a problem with the car he brought the vehicle home into his garage at

which time he himself had hooked up a personal at home computer diagnostic

scanner and added coolant to the car prior to starting the car and driving it

again. It was at that time expressed to him that if the vehicle had been towed

from his home and had not continued to be driven the current damage would be

much less severe. The customer would like us to pay for a new motor for the

vehicle. We are not responsible for the motor as the vehicle was driven while over

overheating. We towed the vehicle from our location to Marlboro at the customer’s

request.

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

The business has taken the issues and completely distorted them to suit their actions. The original entry to the shop was NOT that I brought the car in because of an airbag that deployed ... the are was towed to the shop after being in a front-end collision.The following day when I went with my granddaughter to view the car I met with Anthony and our discussion was just that the only visible damage was the deployed airbag. The bumper was nothing and the car had a missing front fog light when purchased. I did tell Anthony that the car had no collision but I was going to pay for the repairs ... this is when Anthony said he would have to get the car into the shop before he could even give me any idea of actual damage and costs. I

NEVER told him to just repair the airbags and make the car drivable. This statement is ludicrous ... I would put my granddaughter back on the road in a car that we had no idea of any other damage? We were waiting on an estimate to determine when the extent of the damage and whether it was worth repairing. When Anthony called my son with the estimate and it turned out it was only the airbag we agreed to go ahead and repair. If what the business is saying was true then I would have been given a waiver to sign stating that I did no want them to inspect a car that had been involved in an accident. I checked with quite a few body shops and they all agreed that what took place was completely wrong. I have nothing from Branning disclaiming themselves from any further damage or that the customer stated this is all they wanted checked on this particular car. I question why Branning is putting so much emphasis on the fact that they drove this car around their lot, had it on a lift, and let it run for a period of time if there was nothing further for them to do but replace an airbag. I also find it very coincidental that the car was in such great shape (as John told my son when he picked the car up). My son specifically asked John when it had been check since it had been in a front-end accident and John assured him the car was good to go. It is also very coincidental that car was fine when it left the shop and 30 minutes later my granddaughter was calling her father saying the check engine light came on. AT THIS TIME my son called the shop, spoke to a young lady who, again, specifically told my son to get the car back to the shop ASAP and that they closed at 5:00. Yes, my son did check the car with some computer he had for one of his cars and determined it was antifreeze. He added the antifreeze and drove the car back to the shop ... check engine light was not on at this time. This is when the car stopped and had to be towed. We were then told that there was a crack in engine and the engine was blown. How does something like this happen (radiator cracked) to a car that just came out of a body shop for front-end damage?Again, yes they did tow the car to a lot in Marlboro because I am certain that they just wanted to get rid of this car because they are fully aware that they did not follow proper procedures when a car is towed in from an accident We have taken this car to another auto body shop to have the engine replaced and, again, they cannot believe what Branning put us through. Branning has refused to take any responsibility and they definitely hold some responsibility. They are the auto body shop, not me. They new that this car was going back on the road with a teenager driving it, and they never inspected it for any other damage other than the airbag and are saying that they would listen to a customer and not cover themselves is ridiculous. There is absolutely way for someone like myself to know what was wrong with the car and there is no way that a reputable body shop would do what they did. They do hold responsibility for their actions or lack thereof. rds,