MSS Inc/LPT Inc

I brought my car to the Gainesville Tire and Auto Center on several occasions However, this is not due to quality of work or customer service The last times I've brought my car for routine service or to have repairs, there has been something wrong I've had to bring my car back or, to another service center almost every single timeBut after my last visit , I have to say that I will never come back! My car came in for a broken signal light, brakes, tires, and a high mileage oil change, (for which I had over $in gift certificates for poor work on the last visit, and free high mileage oil changes)In the months since I've had the work done, the taillight has stopped working again and upon my state inspection, come to find out that my emergency brake wasnt workingThis was due to the brake most likely not being reset after the brakes were changed Just to have another center fix the mistake that should have been included in my brake repair was $ Also, immediately after getting in my car to head home, the tire pressure gauge light came onAlso, most likely caused my the brakes not being re-set after they were changed By far my favorite experience was when I took my car in for an routine oil change sometime last year, and the mechanic give the car a once over and reported maintenance suggestions My car was coming due (10,miles away) from a timing belt replacement, which is not a small fee The customer service rep came over to me in the waiting room and proceeded to tell me that I needed to have the belt fixed that day for $or else my car wouldn't make it home and I could risk blowing up my motor!! I'm not making this up! I'm not knowledgeable in car mechanics so naturally I was freaked out and panicky I immediately picked up the phone to call Warrenton Toyota and was very politely reassured that I had some time due to my current mileageI'm not sure what kind of scare tactic they were trying to impose, but it worked I have since found that the particular representative was let- go because of this incident It was the rep's responsibility to give me accurate information, and he lied trying to get me to spend more money, which rightfully cost him his job!! That was never my goal, but you cant do that to customers without reparationsI've tried several times to contact a manager to dispute the work, however they are just as unprofessional as the customer service representatives at the front counter Who by the way, are never the same as the previous visitSince I had such bad experiences I decided to see what the problem was I was able to capture some interesting footage on my go pro I've had mechanics search through my glove box (recorded on my go-pro) and the manager refused to acknowledge that anything was wrong The only reason this wasnt reported to the police was the fact that I live over an hour away and filing the report seemed like it would have been a wasted effort and nothing was actually stolen I was given the reasoning as looking for tools to get my lug nuts off I believe that the tire center would have all that equipment at their location, and not in my glove box In the last few months I've spent almost $at your location to have my car worked on, and in those months i've spend almost 425$ to get another service center to fix their mistakes or shotty workmanship Maybe they shouldn't worry so much about quantity but the quality of work I've written emails to the location to see how we could resolve the constant issues, but I never receive a response or a returned phone call I gave them their last chance to show improvement, but this last visit was the straw that really did it for me I'm not quite sure how this location manages to stay in business

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to meUnfortunately, the emails previously sent to me from the business were directed to my junk mail so I was unaware of their attempts to contact me until nowI'm grateful for their apology and earnest attempts to resolve the matter.
Regards,
*** ***

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending
it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

We responded to and addressed this complaint on May 16, 2014.  To our understanding, the customer is satisfied with the resolution.

Thank you for bringing your experience to our attention.  We apologize for the situation you encountered. We did an extensive investigation and identified a miscommunication between the technician and salesperson on your first visit to our facility.  The second visit addressed the...

miscommunication and we replaced the two tires at no charge.  Every auto service at our facilities is captured on video and we were able to watch the video and confirm that the wheels were balanced according to standard industry procedure.  We also further observed the technician perform a wheel balance on another vehicle and had him perform run out readings to ensure that he was completely capable of operating the balancer properly.  Everything checked out satisfactorily.We do take your concern very seriously and we take full responsibility for the issue.  And we have taken corrective measures to ensure something like this does not occur again.  We have tried reaching out to you via email and phone to apologize in person but have been unable to reach you.  We will mail you a gift certificate as a further measure of apology for any stress we caused you.  Again, our apologies.
Kind regards,
Virginia Tire & Auto

[redacted] states that he is still having issues with the vehicle but he has not given us
an opportunity to look again at the vehicle.  He had set up and
appointment with Jeff, the manager, then did not show up because of work issues and decided not
to re-schedule.
[redacted] has continually asked for
additional credit over the $500 that we have offered.  My understanding is that [redacted] has accepted the $500 credit we offered.

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's...

response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

While we always stand behind our work and go beyond to satisfy customer expectations we do not feel that any further steps are warranted.  We feel that we have taken the proper steps to address this concern.  To reiterate, the customer had a inspection performed at our facility. The customer was not charged for the service.  Lug nuts may or may not have been left off at our facility.  We addressed the lug nut issue (even though it is unclear if it was a 3rd party mechanic or VTA that caused the issue).  
We aim to treat every customer with respect.  Obviously, this customer is unhappy with the experience.  We are sorry that the customer did not feel comfortable with the experience; that is certainly not our intent.  We have discussed this situation internally and addressed the employee involved.  We wish this customer the best and we are sorry that we are not able to overcome this customer's hard feelings.

[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]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: I feel like the $500 credit isn't sufficient to cover the incident. Someone could have seriously be injured during this incident. I had emailed the store manager to ask for a counter offer but haven't received a response. I feel like a minimum of 50% off repair bill should be applied. The vehicle is still not running properly and will need additional work to be done. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Upon learning of this unfortunate situation, the store manager and his team responded with an immediate road side...

tow and
loaner.  Our technician did all additional needed repairs (approximately $1,000 of service) at no cost to the customer.  We also offered to pay to have a 3rd party inspect the vehicle and offered a  $500 credit as an apology for the issue.  At that point we turned the matter over to our insurance company.
The insurance company’s response, after
taking statements from the customer, was that this claim was not founded and
that insurance would have only been responsible for the repair to any damage
caused to the vehicle (which was already handled by us).
We also understand that the customer filed a credit card dispute for the charges on his card related to this service and the credit card company declined his claim.  At this point, we are not prepared to take any further action with regard to this incident.

The facts as we understand it are that the customer had a VA State Safety Inspection performed at our place of business.  The vehicle failed inspection.  Because the inspection took longer than normal we did not charge the customer for the...

inspection.  The customer took the vehicle to another mechanic for repairs needed to pass inspection.  The vehicle was then returned to one of our locations for re-inspection.  The 3rd party mechanic that performed the repairs states that certain lugnuts were not on the tires.  We were not given the opportunity to see the vehicle to confirm. Our video footage suggests that we placed the lugnuts on the vehicle but as a measure of goodwill we installed new lugnuts on the vehicle.  As such, while we always appreciate customer feedback and want to exceed expectations, we feel that there is no other action warranted.  The customer has been made whole and we have gone above and beyond and addressed the lugnut issue although it is unclear whether it was us or the 3rd party mechanic who left the lugnuts off.

We have spoken with [redacted] and addressed his concerns.  Our understanding is that he has withdrawn his complaint from the Revdex.com but has not yet received confirmation.  Thank you.

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have...

reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  They have also corrected the warning light problems I encountered and the low oil pressure light staying on at slow speeds. I am satisfied with the refund and the work they performed on my car.  I have been a 30 year customer and usually have no issues with their service.They stand behind their work and make an effort to correct issues that may arise from their service.
Regards,
[redacted]

Review: Deceptive sales practices: My wife took her vehicle to this business. The technician told her that she needed new front tires. The technician told her that buying the tires through the store would cost significantly more and that she should get the tires and then have them installed. I purchased the tires and brought the vehicle to the store to have them installed. They suggested an alignment. I said fine. After having the car since noon they called me close to five pm to tell me that they would not install the tires because they were not what they believed should be on the car. They then called back a few minutes later and told me they had performed the alignment. The alignment was 159.53. Install of the tires was around 50 dollars. Why would I bring my car to them to have an alignment only done. They knew they wouldn't install what are proper tires for the car and then held my car hostage for the alignment which I would not have done there once they gave me the nonsense on the tires. This is a classic bate and switch. This is the type of dishonesty that car repair shops are known for. I would not have gotten an alignment there if they were not going to install the tires which was the primary issue I had from the beginning. They knew this and did what they wanted to do.Desired Settlement: I want the money I paid for this alignment. I feel that this business has stolen my money at gun point. They knew if they told me they weren't going to install the tires I would not have gotten an alignment there. They waited till after they did the alignment to call me about this and only after they told me they weren't installing the tires. They should not be able to conduct business this way.

Business

Response:

We responded to and addressed this complaint on May 16, 2014. To our understanding, the customer is satisfied with the resolution.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: on 9/11/2014 I came in to do an Oil Change.

30 minutes into a process a service writer came over and informed me that Oil Drain bolt was stripped as well as Oil Pan is now damaged, they can try to drill out oil pan, but I would be charged $100 and no guarantee that it would be fix it. They stated bolt was like that when I came in and I had no oil in the car. None of the above is true or makes sense:

1. They did last oil change and no issues were present with bolt or oil pan

2. I had no oil stains where car was parked or any oil on undercarriage to confirm oil leak

2. I came in after a 90mile drive and driving that long with out oil would cause an engine failure, there were no performance issues, no oil pressure light indication.Desired Settlement: repair oil pan or if repair is not possible replace at no cost.

Business

Response:

We have spoken with [redacted] and addressed his concerns. Our understanding is that he has withdrawn his complaint from the Revdex.com but has not yet received confirmation. Thank you.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: On Sunday, 4/28/2013, I drove my 2000 Camry to the VA Tire & Auto at Centreville and arrived at 10:50 AM for their 20 point oil change, including replacement of the oil, oil filter, lubing the chassis, checking and filling fluids, checking the engine/cabin air filter, belts & hoses, etc. Prior to this oil change and service, my car had no problems. I drove to the airport earlier that day and dropped off two passengers who can both vouch that there were no problems.

At around 12:50 PM they notified me that my car was ready, and I started driving it off the lot. Immediately, I noticed my engine was making strange noises, and the check engine light was flashing on and off. My entire car started vibrating while idle. I called the shop at 20 minutes later and they told me to turn off my car, call a tow truck, and bring it back to the shop, so I did. They stated that the problem was not caused by their service, and then charged me an additional $324.28 for the towing, examination, and repair, which ended up being replacement of the spark plug wires.

My car was working fine prior to the oil change and service. This problem rose when I started my car immediately after the service. I do not see how this business can reason that the service did not cause the problem.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of the full charge for towing, examination, and repairs because I believe the problem was caused by the service. I do not see how the spark plug wires could fail coincidentally at the exact same time that the service occurred.

In short

4/28 10:50 AM No problem with car at all, service begins

12:50 PM Service finishes, start car and the engine light starts blinking, car starts vibrating,

Business claims that the problems are unrelated to the service and charges me $324.28 over the $41.70 I paid for the oil change and other services.

There was no indication of a problem beforehand, and therefore the failure must be related to the service.

Consumer

Response:

Fwd: Complaint #[redacted]

Review: I took my car into Virginia Tire & Auto of Gainesville to reseat the valve cover gaskets that were leaking. They did a great job with the valve covers but tried to give me the car with a Check Engine light on. When I asked them to fix it, they did. A couple of days later, I was in Baltimore when the check engine light came back on. I called the shop and they told me to make sure the spark plug wire were seated well. This caused to engine to run well but I still had the Check Engine light on and they asked that I return it to the shop. I took it in an asked to have the brakes checked while they had it for $40. When I returned the next day to pick up my car, I was charge $159 which included $106 for running diagnostics on my car and checking the brakes. I was also handed an estimate for $921 to replace the Air injection Reactor Pump. I called the dealer who informed me that this is not a common problem in my car and certainly not at 50K miles. So, I decide to decline the work and drove the car home to find that they had broken the hose and connector on the changeover valve under the engine cover next to the shutoff valve. Part Number is [redacted] EGR Changeover Valve (or Solenoid). When I check with Mercedes they said that this is probably what caused the [redacted] error code for the Check Engine diagnosis. I will probably have to take it somewhere else to repair the damage they have caused and it appears that it will cost me more than what I originally paid to fix my car. I should also mention that when I have new tires put on my car there a few months ago, the Tire Pressure monitoring system stopped working. I believe they damaged parts here as well. I feel that they damaged my car on at least two separate occasions and instead of making it right, charged me for trying to diagnose the problem and then tried to scam me into a very expensive, unneeded repair. I will not use the company again. I have a picture to show the broken part.Desired Settlement: Fix the problems with may car so that I no longer have conditions that will cause my Check Engine light to come on.

Business

Response:

We have resolved the customer's concern to the customer's satisfaction. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

I would like to retract my complaint and express the quick response from [redacted] (the manager) and his exceptional efforts to resolve my issues immediately upon hearing of my complaint. They did a great job of resolving my issues. There are no mo check engine lights on and my tire pressure monitoring system is working. I wish I had known to ask for [redacted] from the start. I am so satisfied that I am working with [redacted] to schedule brake and shock replacement work on my vehicle.

Regards,

Review: We brought our suv in for repair...the "check engine" light was on and they were to do the emissions test. We were informed it would be a while, therefore, had to leave the vehicle. About 2+ hrs later, we received a phone call stating what was wrong and the cost of the repair. They told us that a valve needed to be replaced and the part needed to be ordered and they would do the emissions test. However, in order for the emissions codes to register, we would need to drive the vehicle for about 150-200 miles to reset the codes or they could do monitor reset at an additional cost of $106. We were told that if it didn't reset, the $106 would be refunded. Later that evening (May 18th), we get a call that the vehicle was ready, but they were not able to do monitor reset. Once we got there to pick up the vehicle, we were told to bring the vehicle back in the morning for the emissions test...the car needed to get cold for the codes to reset. Early Sunday morning, May 19th we bring the vehicle back but was told by another tech/customer service person that we needed to drive the vehicle the 150-200 miles to reset, that what we were told the day before was a 50-50 shot it would reset. At this point we were frustrated with the service. A few hours later, the check engine light came back on while out running errands. We took the vehicle back. The manager [redacted] was there, [redacted] was not. [redacted] brought another person to help us...this person got our key and went outside to do a quick diagnostic...he came back in and went straight to the back, a few minutes later a mechanic comes from the repair area and gets into the vehicle and drives it back around to the repair area. In all this time, not one word as to the problem, not from the manager, the sales rep or anyone! We were thoroughly frustrated and surmised that being that everyone avoided us, it was the same problem they were supposed to have fixed the day before. After sometime waiting around, the sales person informed us that it was indeed the same code but also stated that the connection was corroded. Which led my husband and I to believe that was the problem all along and not a valve which cost us nearly $300.. They cleaned it up, the engine light went off...but the emissions had yet to be done of which was already paid for. We were told the monitor reset fee of $106 would be refunded and that it would take a couple of days to go back on my credit card. We brought the vehicle back a few days later for the emissions test. My husband spoke with [redacted] about the repair and service...how it appears that the corrosion was the main problem and not a valve replacement as the engine light came back on. [redacted] was apologetic and wrote notations stating that he would speak with the manager...that he would be contacting us within a couple of days. It is now June 1st, we've received no call nor has the $106 been refunded. I called this morning (June 1) and spoke with [redacted], and again, the same thing but no results. At this point, we feel as though we've been taken advantage of by paying more for an unnecessary repair...plus they owe us the $106 for a service they did not do of which they said would return the money back to us.Desired Settlement: I want the $106 refunded back to my credit card and partial payment $123.22 of a bogus repair.

Business

Response:

Customer was contacted and the issue was resolved this week. Customer agreed to revoke the complaint. Following up with the customer to confirm.