Plaza Service Center, Inc.

Review: Unfulfilled sales terms, undisclosed fees.

On 7/3/13, around 7:30pm, my car overheated. I called AAA, and a tow truck from Plaza Service Center arrive shortly. In deciding between towing to my local shop and the tow shop, I asked the driver about any fees for mileage, storage of my car, and diagnostic services. He said that there is a $96 diagnostic fee to inspect the car. I asked if this fee, as well as any mileage fees (for going beyond AAA's 3 mile service) would be waived if I gave Plaza Service Center my business for repair, and he said yes. Thus, I had my car sent there. After a thorough inspection, on 7/12/13 I was told that I needed a new engine, as the head gasket was beyond repair. I was told that a suitable replacement was on hand, and that the "good news is that the replacement engine only has 42,000 miles, and it comes with a one year warranty on parts and labor." I was given a $3200 for the job, with repeated assurance that it comes with a 1 year warranty. I consented to have the work completed. When I picked up the car on 7/17, I was told that the engine comes default with 6 months warranty on labor, but they "recommend to all customers that they upgrade to a 1year on parts and labor" for an additional $200. I was told that this upgrade was absorbed in the estimate. In short, I paid for a warranty that I was led to believe came standard (free) with the engine.I told him I wanted the 1 year warranty that I was repeatedly told "came with the engine," rather than at the additional $200 expense. The man grew frustrated and told me (I'm not sure why) that someone dear to him was going to the hospital. I assumed he was rushing me out, as there seemed to be no relevance to our conversation. I asked to speak with a supervisor. I was told that I was speaking to a supervisor. I asked if there was another person I could speak to. I asked another employess if he was a manager or supervisor, and he simply shrugged his shoulders and turned away from me silently. This man who ignored me is the shop's president. I asked that the the upgraded warranty, the extra charge for which I had not approved, be removed from my invoice. They acquiesced. I saw that the invoice included a $96 diagnostic fee, and a $16 towing fee. I showed them my note, written at the time my car was towed, of the tow driver's assurances that these exact fees would be waived if I gave the shop my business. The employee unilaterally rejected my attempts to inform him of what his driver assured me. He grew visibly agitated and yelled that I should leave because someone is dying at the hospital. I wasn't sure why he brought this up again. I request again to speak with someone else. This was rejected. The shop president said he would call the driver to verify what he said regarding the fees. He and [redacted] left the room, ostensibly to make that call. I heard no conversation, despite the open door. [redacted] returned and said to me that I should take my car and go, that he would contact the driver, and that if the driver validated my claim, the shop would send me a check. I rejected this option, citing that I now had three fees I was contesting and I no longer had faith in the integrity of the shop to take that option. [redacted] returned to the office (again, ostensibly to make that call), came back a few moments later, claiming that he had spoken to the tow driver regarding waiving fees. He said the driver "was completely certain" that he never told me about fees waived if I gave my business. As I heard no conversation and only a few moments had passed, I do not believe any phone call was ever made. Facing open deceit and hostility, I paid the bill (with the diagnostic and towing fees included) with the plan to contest them somehow afterward. I told both men that I would contact the Revdex.com, AAA, local media and "make public" this terrible customer service. I asked the manager-type employee his name. He responded "[redacted]." I asked for his last name; he said "[redacted] is enough."

Desired Settlement: Aside from the incredible rudeness and condescension that I faced, the failure to stand by the words of several shop employees, as well as the deceit and hostility directed at me when I dared to advocate for myself, is appalling. In business, there is a good faith assumption of integrity and delivery of what is promised. Not only was this not the case for me, but I endured what I can only describe as an attempt to shame me into submission. It is exactly this experience that feeds the public's (especially women's) distrust of the auto shop industry.

I believe that I am entitled to the following things, all promised to secure my business:

1. A 1 year warranty on parts and labor, the charge for which is included in the $995 charge for the new engine.

2. A refund of the $96 diagnostic fee that I was assured would be waived if I gave the shop my business for the repair of my car.

3. A refund of t he $16 towing fee that I was assured would be waived if I gave the shop my business for the repair of my car.

4. An apology for hostile and deceitful customer service.

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2013/08/02) */

Subject: [redacted] Case

Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:15:34 +0000

From: [redacted]

To: ([redacted]@sbcglobal.net)

Hi [redacted],

Below is my report submitted to Member Relations in regard to this case.

Please let me know if I can help you with anything else.

Thanks,

Both parties submitted statement letters detailing their account of this situation. I also received a statement letter, a signed authorization for repairs with 1 hr min of $96.32, and the signed invoices from Plaza. The cost of repairs on the finished invoice are normal for this market and member was not overcharged for any repairs or diagnosis. Speaking with the member today, the vehicle is and has been operating correctly.

I also listened to the original call, and our call counselor mentioned that we would not charge the over mileage if the vehicle was brought to Plaza. Because of this we need to refund the member the $ 16.00 charge for extra mileage. There was no discussion where the call counselor had to assure the member that our shops are all Revdex.com accredited as the member mentions in her letter.

After reviewing both sides of this compliant, I found that no matter how the warranty on the engine was originally presented to the member, it was not at an additional cost and Plaza removed it and adjusted the invoice once the member objected to it. AAA needs to reimburse the member for the over mileage, and the member signed an authorization to diagnose with a 1 hour min.

With this information, I cannot arbitrate refunding the 1 hour diagnosis and the 1 year warranty was already removed from the final invoice.

[redacted] Approved Auto Repair Service Specialist

AAA Southern New England 2276 Whitney Avenue Hamden, CT XXXXX

T XXX-XXX-XXXX x [redacted] F XXX-XXX-XXXX

[redacted]@aaasne.com AAA.com

Consumer Response /* (2110, 8, 2013/08/05) */

(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the partial settlement response from the business.)

While the AAA representative investigated appropriately, my concern about the bait and switch was not addressed. To secure my business for diagnostic testing, I was assured that a fee would be waived. Once the work was completed, that assurance was not honored by the company president. In addition, to secure my agreement to the scope of the repairs, I was assured of a type of warranty at no extra cost. The warranty that I ended up receiving is not the one that I was assured of receiving. This is another case of assurance given to me to secure my business, but was not honored by management.

Offering me a certain warranty for free, and then reducing that warranty in order for it to be free, is a bait and switch.

While I find no fault in the AAA rep's investigation and inevitable limited power to take disciplinary action, I am not satisfied with the business response. There continues to be a lack of accountability for employee actions, which essentially gives the green light to repeat this process of exploiting customers without any legitimate consequence.