South Main Auto Service, Inc.

I am writing in response to case *** The customers Pontiac Grand Prix was towed in to our shop because the brake system failed The vehicle was checked the following morning, anytime a vehicles brake system fails the entire system needs to be inspected brake lines run
across the entire vehicle and down to the wheels In the process we found a broken brake line that goes from the right front caliper up to the ABS pump the line is about feet long and has over bends You cannot purchase a pre made line, the line has to be completely fabricated from a straight piece which is the reason for the labor cost Though the straight piece of line and ends cost dollars it took over hours to make by hand. The customer states we attempted to sell her unneeded services that is not true As stated previously when checking failed brakes the entire under side of the vehicle is inspected When removing the front wheels the technician checked for any movement in the front end which is the correct way to inspect a vehicle with a failure The right front outer tie rod end on this vehicle is dangerous as recorded on the customer’s invoice I strongly suggest she has that issue addressed before causing an accident A tie rod end is your steering linkage any time this part is replaced the alignment needs to be set that is the reason the alignment was recommended The fact the car is unsafe was documented on her invoice and should not be ignored, *** has been out of business for at least two years just because they replaced a part does not mean it will never go bad again The rear brakes are between 80-percent worn particularly the left rear pad, the brakes were checked due to failure not telling the customer the brakes are worn would not be acceptable they have the option of replacing them The customer feels like they were taken advantage of but the fact is the repair was not easy requiring the technician hours of work to fabricate a line with many bends The repair was done correctly the charges were not unreasonable The cost of the part does not reflect the difficulty to replaceA $section of brake line can take hours to replace a $alternator can take minutes the price of the part has no correlation to the cost of the repair We feel that making sure a vehicle is safe is important and when a vehicle is in need of repairs the customer should be informed they can choose whether or not to repair their vehicle Would you rather us tell you about a safety issue such as steering or brakes or withhold what we found because you did not ask and risk your safety? If the customer would like to see any recommended repairs we would be happy to set a time to show them

I am responding to case# *** dealing with a Ford EscapeOn 2/18/the customerbrought her vehicle to check for damage due to a curb strikeWe checked the vehicle and found adamaged wheel that needed to be replaced and recommended an alignment due to the impactWeinstalled the customers
spare at no charge because the wheel was unsafeWe did not charge thecustomer to assess the vehicle or install her spare as the invoice showsShe ordered the replacementwheel at that time, then called back to cancel the wheel and claimed we wanted to charge over $100more than another shop for the same service and she couldn't believe we would charge that much morefor the same serviceOn 2/23/the customer returned to have her vehicle aligned because the othershop could not do an alignment she also said her TPMS light had been on since the wheel replacement.I walked out to the vehicle with the customer and made her aware the wheel that was installed was aused wheel not a new one as she had been priced explaining the price differenceThe alignment wasway out of specification due to the curb strike and camber kits had to be installed to properly align thevehicle the customer was informed and given the price to complete the repair which she acceptedWealso informed her that the TPMS sensor was not installed in the used wheel she purchased at anothershop which is standard procedure and that was causing her TPMS light to come on.When the alignment was completed the customer picked the vehicle up and returned within 5-10minutes and said the vehicle was pulling hard in one directionShe waited in the lobby while the vehiclewas test drivenI had a technician drive the vehicle first, he returned and said he did not see a problem,I then personally drove the vehicle down towards the *** *** exit a route that I use whendriving for pulling and vibration problemsThe reason this route is used is because the angle of the roadchanges multiple times during a long straight away causing the vehicle to drift left and right dependingon the curve of the roadWith the wheel centered the vehicle properly followed the curve of the roadand straight when there was no crown showing the alignment was correct alongside the printout thecustomer received showing the alignment specificationsI explained the route I drove and why I chose itand that I did not find any problem with the way the vehicle was aligned and again we looked at thealignment printoutThe customer then said she only drove on *** **and it could have been thesection of roadI asked her to drive the same route I had driven and if she disagreed to return and wewould address the matter furtherThe customer agreed and left she did not contact South Main AutoService again until 5/2/leaving us under the impression everything was fine.Over two months later on 5/2/the customer called extremely upset I allowed her to yell for severalminutes not sure what the true issue was after getting her frustration out we talked about the issue.The customer said she had her vehicle at another shop changing the oil and they noticed a transmissionleakShe is confident this leak is a direct result of her accident and we neglected to tell her it was thereand as a result it would cost more to fix now than it would have thenI asked a few questions and madea few statementsAnother shop installed the wheel why did they not notice the fluid leak if it was thatbad? I then said it would be impossible to drive the vehicle daily for two months if the transmissionhousing was busted during the accidentShe then stated that another shop had to fill the transmissionwith fluid twice since the accident starting a month after the minor accidentI then asked why did thisshop not bother to look for the leak while filling with fluid twice? ls it possible the leak could have beencaused by something other than hitting a curb a month before? If she felt we were responsible for herleak why did she not bring the vehicle for us to check? Her answer was we just want to take money frompeople.In conclusion South Main Auto Service completed a proper alignment, we never refused to fix the issuethe issue was never presentedThere is no evidence to show the transmission was leaking immediatelyafter the minor accidentTwo shops and multiple technicians worked on the vehicle with no onenoticing a cracked transmission and heavy leak is not likelyIt is possible the damage was caused by theaccident a tiny fracture could have occurred that was not visible and no leak had startedIt is alsopossible something else caused the leak after the minor accident the customer drove for a month withno issues which would be impossible if the housing was busted when we checked the vehicleThe realissue is with the shop that filled the transmission fluid two times neglecting to check for a leakSayingwe are responsible for this issue has no merit, neglecting a problem that surfaced a month after a visualinspection lies with the driver of the vehicle and the shop that checked the vehicle months after theaccident.*** ***Store Manager

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Reply to South Main Auto Service, Inc.This is a good example of a garage trying to get more business and trying tocharge more than necessary to do a job. Originally they gave me a price that wasa $100.00 more than the original price was and I told my husband and he got onthe phone and told them he thought that was a little high for changing a brakeline and they reduced it a $100.00. Considering I only drive my car no more than4,000 miles a year, I try to take care of my car. I will not be able to answer thequestion concerning my rear brakes because I have an appointment on August 15,to have my car inspected and the mechanic that does my inspection, also checksmy brakes out and if I need brakes he tells me and I let him replace them. My cardoes not need an alignment it does not vibrate, my tires are not worn. Not all[redacted] have gone out of business there is one in [redacted]. I bought my tires inthe one in [redacted] and the one in [redacted] will rotate them. [redacted] hasalways done a good on working with my car and has been opened a lot longer.Sincerely,[redacted]

[redacted] they finally started delivering her paper although it took them 8 days. She considers matter resolved.

Review: had car towed in no brakes, found out broken brake line on drivers side front, this is a $30.00 replacement part, garage trying to add extra business by saying tie rods bad or ends where bad in which we had both of these replaced by [redacted] and know that both are in good condition and we where told outer bellow boot was bad this also in good shape. They then proceeded to sell us brake pads and to turn all 4 rotors and then try to say we needed a four wheel alignment, which there is nothing wrong with the alignment of the car,or the brakes and rotors. They then told me that the brake fuild was dark and needed to flush the whole brake system. We where charged $300.65. labor for changing a $30.00. brake line. It was $400.65. but my husband told them that was a lot of money replacing a $30.00 brake line, so they dropped it down to $300.65.Desired Settlement: Investigate the shop labor charges and practices for this repair of a $30.00 brake line which was very easy to get to and replace, the labor does not match the amount of time to make the repair. I. feel that I was taken advantaged of and makes me wonder how many other customers have been taken advantaged of also

Business

Response:

I am writing in response to case [redacted]. The customers 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix was towed in to our shop because the brake system failed. The vehicle was checked the following morning, anytime a vehicles brake system fails the entire system needs to be inspected brake lines run across the entire vehicle and down to the wheels. In the process we found a broken brake line that goes from the right front caliper up to the ABS pump the line is about 4 feet long and has over 20 bends. You cannot purchase a pre made line, the line has to be completely fabricated from a straight piece which is the reason for the labor cost. Though the straight piece of line and ends cost 30 dollars it took over 4 hours to make by hand. The customer states we attempted to sell her unneeded services that is not true. As stated previously when checking failed brakes the entire under side of the vehicle is inspected. When removing the front wheels the technician checked for any movement in the front end which is the correct way to inspect a vehicle with a failure. The right front outer tie rod end on this vehicle is dangerous as recorded on the customer’s invoice I strongly suggest she has that issue addressed before causing an accident. A tie rod end is your steering linkage any time this part is replaced the alignment needs to be set that is the reason the alignment was recommended. The fact the car is unsafe was documented on her invoice and should not be ignored, [redacted] has been out of business for at least two years just because they replaced a part does not mean it will never go bad again. The rear brakes are between 80-90 percent worn particularly the left rear pad, the brakes were checked due to failure not telling the customer the brakes are worn would not be acceptable they have the option of replacing them. The customer feels like they were taken advantage of but the fact is the repair was not easy requiring the technician hours of work to fabricate a line with many bends. The repair was done correctly the charges were not unreasonable. The cost of the part does not reflect the difficulty to replace. A $30 section of brake line can take hours to replace a $400 alternator can take 30 minutes the price of the part has no correlation to the cost of the repair. We feel that making sure a vehicle is safe is important and when a vehicle is in need of repairs the customer should be informed they can choose whether or not to repair their vehicle. Would you rather us tell you about a safety issue such as steering or brakes or withhold what we found because you did not ask and risk your safety? If the customer would like to see any recommended repairs we would be happy to set a time to show them.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Reply to South Main Auto Service, Inc.This is a good example of a garage trying to get more business and trying tocharge more than necessary to do a job. Originally they gave me a price that wasa $100.00 more than the original price was and I told my husband and he got onthe phone and told them he thought that was a little high for changing a brakeline and they reduced it a $100.00. Considering I only drive my car no more than4,000 miles a year, I try to take care of my car. I will not be able to answer thequestion concerning my rear brakes because I have an appointment on August 15,to have my car inspected and the mechanic that does my inspection, also checksmy brakes out and if I need brakes he tells me and I let him replace them. My cardoes not need an alignment it does not vibrate, my tires are not worn. Not all[redacted] have gone out of business there is one in [redacted]. I bought my tires inthe one in [redacted] and the one in [redacted] will rotate them. [redacted] hasalways done a good on working with my car and has been opened a lot longer.Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: I took my vehicle to them to get an assessment after a minor accident.

They failed to realize that my transmission was leaking (and has been ever since, as a result). They also aligned my vehicle and when I said it wasn't driving straight they refused to fix it.

When I called to complain about the transmission, [redacted], a manager, told me it was my fault and refused to take any responsibility for the negligence of this shop.

I am incredibly dissatisfied by the service I received here and I will not be returning.

Business

Response:

I am responding to case# [redacted] dealing with a 2009 Ford Escape. On 2/18/15 the customerbrought her vehicle to check for damage due to a curb strike. We checked the vehicle and found adamaged wheel that needed to be replaced and recommended an alignment due to the impact. Weinstalled the customers spare at no charge because the wheel was unsafe. We did not charge thecustomer to assess the vehicle or install her spare as the invoice shows. She ordered the replacementwheel at that time, then called back to cancel the wheel and claimed we wanted to charge over $100more than another shop for the same service and she couldn't believe we would charge that much morefor the same service. On 2/23/15 the customer returned to have her vehicle aligned because the othershop could not do an alignment she also said her TPMS light had been on since the wheel replacement.I walked out to the vehicle with the customer and made her aware the wheel that was installed was aused wheel not a new one as she had been priced explaining the price difference. The alignment wasway out of specification due to the curb strike and camber kits had to be installed to properly align thevehicle the customer was informed and given the price to complete the repair which she accepted. Wealso informed her that the TPMS sensor was not installed in the used wheel she purchased at anothershop which is standard procedure and that was causing her TPMS light to come on.When the alignment was completed the customer picked the vehicle up and returned within 5-10minutes and said the vehicle was pulling hard in one direction. She waited in the lobby while the vehiclewas test driven. I had a technician drive the vehicle first, he returned and said he did not see a problem,I then personally drove the vehicle down 460 towards the [redacted] exit a route that I use whendriving for pulling and vibration problems. The reason this route is used is because the angle of the roadchanges multiple times during a long straight away causing the vehicle to drift left and right dependingon the curve of the road. With the wheel centered the vehicle properly followed the curve of the roadand straight when there was no crown showing the alignment was correct alongside the printout thecustomer received showing the alignment specifications. I explained the route I drove and why I chose itand that I did not find any problem with the way the vehicle was aligned and again we looked at thealignment printout. The customer then said she only drove on [redacted]. and it could have been thesection of road. I asked her to drive the same route I had driven and if she disagreed to return and wewould address the matter further. The customer agreed and left she did not contact South Main AutoService again until 5/2/15 leaving us under the impression everything was fine.Over two months later on 5/2/15 the customer called extremely upset I allowed her to yell for severalminutes not sure what the true issue was after getting her frustration out we talked about the issue.The customer said she had her vehicle at another shop changing the oil and they noticed a transmissionleak. She is confident this leak is a direct result of her accident and we neglected to tell her it was thereand as a result it would cost more to fix now than it would have then. I asked a few questions and madea few statements. Another shop installed the wheel why did they not notice the fluid leak if it was thatbad? I then said it would be impossible to drive the vehicle daily for two months if the transmissionhousing was busted during the accident. She then stated that another shop had to fill the transmissionwith fluid twice since the accident starting a month after the minor accident. I then asked why did thisshop not bother to look for the leak while filling with fluid twice? ls it possible the leak could have beencaused by something other than hitting a curb a month before? If she felt we were responsible for herleak why did she not bring the vehicle for us to check? Her answer was we just want to take money frompeople.In conclusion South Main Auto Service completed a proper alignment, we never refused to fix the issuethe issue was never presented. There is no evidence to show the transmission was leaking immediatelyafter the minor accident. Two shops and multiple technicians worked on the vehicle with no onenoticing a cracked transmission and heavy leak is not likely. It is possible the damage was caused by theaccident a tiny fracture could have occurred that was not visible and no leak had started. It is alsopossible something else caused the leak after the minor accident the customer drove for a month withno issues which would be impossible if the housing was busted when we checked the vehicle. The realissue is with the shop that filled the transmission fluid two times neglecting to check for a leak. Sayingwe are responsible for this issue has no merit, neglecting a problem that surfaced a month after a visualinspection lies with the driver of the vehicle and the shop that checked the vehicle months after theaccident.[redacted]Store Manager