Complaint Review: All Tune & Lube

I am an almost 10 year customer of Crofton All Tune & Lube. They do all my service work on my car from oil changes to brakes. Whatever is needed.

On Saturday Aug. 17 2002, I took my car in for an 11:30 appointment that I had made earlier in the week to have an oil change and a tire rotation. I arrived a little bit early and informed the desk person that I was planning to wait for my car to be service, had a busy day and how long would they expect it to take. They started to give me some excuses about it being a Saturday and busy and would I like to bring it back another time. I informed them that No I had an appointment and would like to keep the appointment.

They then told me it would be around 1 hour. 1 hour was an acceptable length of time. I just did not want to spend my entire day waiting for a oil change.

During the time I was sitting in the waiting room Glenn(the desk person/customer service man) told me that I should have my car by 12:00.

Around 12:10ish,Glenn informs me that the did't have the oil filter and could I make another appointment and come back another time? This is a company whose main business is tune-ups and oil changes. Shouldn't they have adequate stock and inventory and if not be able to get one relatively quickly.

I had made an advanced appointment. It's not like they didn't know I was coming in with a car of my make and model!

I said that was not acceptable and as a regular longtime customer who has spent thousands of dollars at their business, I felt they should honor my appointment. Glenn told me that he'd find the filter but it would take awhile. I asked how long. He told me that my car should be done by 2 PM. I said that was acceptable. I didn't want to wait there for another 2 hours so I arranged for their owner Ray to give me a ride home. While
in the car with Ray I reiterated what Glenn had told me about my car being ready by 2PM. Ray told me that if that's what Glenn told me then that's what was going to happen.

I called All Tune & Lube around 1:30 PM to check on the status of my car. Ray the owner told me that he didn't know, but would call me back shortly when he found out. I waited until 2:05 with no call from All Tune & Lube. I called All Tune & Lube and asked about the status of my car. Glenn told me that it still wasn't done yet that they were still waiting for the filter. I informed him that he had told me that it would be ready @ 2PM. He got mouthy with me told me I was causing him grief. I asked if they planned to give me a discount due to the inconvenience. There's no way a longtime regular customer with an advance appointment should have to go through what I did nor be treated that way.

Glenn told me on the phone that he should charge me double for the grief I was causing him. We left it that he would call me when the car was ready. I hung up the phone angry with the way he spoke to me and they fact that he lied at least twice about what time the car was going to be ready.

Instead of waiting for their return call,because them someone from All Tune & Lube would then have to come get me I decided to walk to the shop. It was about 90+ heat and humidity and took about 1/2 hour or so to walk there.
When I arrived at the shop which was around 3:30-3:45ish noone was at the customer service desk.

When Glenn came from the garage area, I asked about my car.He told me that it still was NOT finished. 4 hours after my original appointment of 11:30 AM. I informed him that I didn't appreciate being lied to and he should have been a bit more honest as to when my car was to be ready and that as a longtime regular customer I didn't appreciate he lack of proper customer service skills. You DO NOT lie to or mouth off at or piss off regular customers especially in this economy.

I asked for my keys and informed him that they had now lost a regular customer and that I was writing the home office of All Tune & Lube and the Better Business Bureau about my encounter. He didn't care and based told me to not let the door him in the butt on the way out the door.
As I was leaving the shop Ray(the owner) was walking down the sidewalk. I asked to speak to him. I told him of my situation, reminded him that I was a regular, longtime customer and didn't appreciate the way Glenn had dealt with me.

All Ray did was come up with excuses of which I informed him that a company whose primary business is oil changes should have adequate inventory. He basically gave me more excuses and told me to come back another time. I informed him that there was no way I was ever going to give them any of my business and left.

I left angry that a business that I had given that much business to in almost 10 years had treated me with such poor business acumen and customer service.

I went down the street to their competitor Jiffy Lube and had my oil changed in around 1 hour. I informed the folks at Jiffy Lube about my encounter. They couldn't believe it and also stated that the oil filter for my make and model of car was not rare and unusual so they should have had it in stock.

In summary, All Tune & Lube in Crofton Maryland does not care or know how to treat their regular longtime loyal customers who spend thousands of dollars at thier business! I am taking my business elsewhere and letting any and everyone know about my experience. A simple appointment MADE IN ADVANCE for 11:30 AM with a company that I had patronized for almost 10 years turned
into a very unpleasant experience that wound up wasting
my entire day. 8^(

tim
crofton, Maryland