MEINEKE DID ME WRONG! Is there a way to really stick it to them?

Question

On Monday morning, I drove there to get an ESTIMATE for brakes on my old '93 Toyota Corolla. I made it clear that I didn't want any work done...just an estimate. I refused the 1st estimate of $845, which they then decreased to $511, which I still wasn't willing to pay for an older car. Then I found out I couldn't leave b/c they had taken ALL 4 TIRES OFF THE CAR, stripped my car of all of its brakes AND put air in the line. THEY then refused to put the car back the way I drove it in. In fact, they told me that if I tried to drive it, they'd call the state troopers & tell them I was driving an unsafe vehicle! I had to walk to work in my 3" heels where I wrote up a complaint to the Better Business Bureau, as well as Meineke's HQ. I never signed any agreement with them. Short of suing them, is there anything else I can do? A friend of mine helped me push the car of their lot and onto street parking so as not to get towed. (This is what happens when you're a woman)

FEDUP, you think that b/c you happen to be a female who owns some rinky dink repair shop that it makes you a car expert. It does not. It only makes you more jaded. You were so busy attempting (unsuccessfully) to read btw a stranger's lines that you failed to read what was actually written. My car did NOT need all that mess you said it needed at all. They told me "there's air in the line now b/c we opened things to have a look." And THEY said that the car was now unsafe after THEY messed with it. They wanted to "make it like a 2007 model." I feel sorry for anyone who goes to YOUR little Mom & Pop shop. YOU need to grow up and realize you don't know what you're talking about and ashamed of yourself for pretending to have a clue.

Answer 1

First let me say this NEVER should have happened,but Meineke is a franchisee not a corparate store so calling HQ will not help much and the BBB is not too scary either ,the people you need to contact are the STATE ATTY GENERAL ,those people on the other hand are real SCARY also contact local TV stations cause they eat this stuff up. Now I work for one of the biggest names in the auto repair industry and I love my job but alot of people bring this on themselves because I know you have heard the saying ,you can't get something for nothing ,or Things are worth what you pay for them, how long could a store stay open if they really did $39.99 lifetime brake jobs. Now here is a tip that will come in handy and might clue you in to who I think is the BEST in the bussiness-BUY YOUR TIRES AND BRAKES AT THE SAME PLACE- because when you get your free tire rotation the tech looks (looks mind you ,not a full blown brake inspection) at your brakes because alot of times he will come up and say "hey robert I was lookin at miss smiths brakes when i was rotatin her tires and she is gettin close ,i am not busy and we can do them now BEFORE she needs .... then i will call miss smith and say ,we were looking at your car and noticed you were close on your brakes we can take care of them this morning and you can get it at lunch ,its gonna be XXX and then you say gosh that seems like alot and i say yes but we are going to do such and such and you will feel warm and fuzzy about your brakes because you caught them BEFORE it was $800 bucks and you had to walk to work and I will say miss smith we can fix those today and put that on your FIRESTONE acct and you can pay $20 a month and EAT next month too-see we are serious about car repair and customer service ,but we have fun too!

Answer 2

First of all, there is absolutely NO love lost with me and Meineke corporate so you can believe I am in no way standing up for them. However, as I have owned a automotive repair & accessory shop for several years now, I can read between the lines on your post. First of all, no one PUTS air into your hydraulic lines and judging from the quote you obviously had a problem with more than just brake pads & rotors. I can assume you also had a problem with the calipers, lines or cylinders and THAT is how air gets into your lines. The fact that they refused to allow you to leave the shop in such an unsafe vehicle and jeapordize OTHERS on the road tells me the problems had to be severe. Given you far-fetched accusation that they 'put' air in your lines, they were wise to do just that. Had you gotten into an accident, I would just about bet money, you would not have taken any responsibility for allowing the vehicle's brakes to get in such bad shape and you would be all too happy to blame the shop.

Also, in order to do a brake inspection, the wheels HAVE to be removed and as their inspection was 'free', you should be ashamed of yourself.

And lastly..............I too am a woman and I deal with other women that come to my shop every day. Grow up and take some responsibility.

Answer 3

I'd call the Better Business Bureau and Meineke's HQ as well as writing them. I'd also call the local manager and take it up with him/her. Then I'd call the Attorney General for your state and ask what you can do.
You're right to be angry about this.