Barry Road Tire & Service Center Rip Off, Stolen Stereo, Amp, Subs, Car Damaged ripoff to many customers and they could care less Kansas City Missouri
Car was left with Barry Road Tire and Service Center on Barry Road in Kansas City for repairs. It was a Saturday, and I was called at the end of the day and told that they couldn't get to the car that day, but were open on Sunday, so encouraged me to leave it overnight and they would try to get to the next day.
I was called me on Monday to tell me I had given them the wrong key. Got there to investigate, and they had the right key, but the clown failed to notice the broken window, missing stereo, and backseat partially torn out, so it didn't occur to him that the key wouldn't fit because the steering column had also been damaged.
Further investigation revealed that two sets of subs in boxes and an amp were stolen from the trunk. They called the police, who refused to come because it was on private property, so was left basically on my own, the guy told me that he hadn't broken into my car, wasn't his responsiblity, so I took my keys back and began looking for someone who could tow my car away from the Barry Road Service Center to a real shop who could get the car back into running order.
Next day the owner,Steve, talked to me on the phone, he was able to bend something in the steering column so the car could be started, and put some carpet up over the broken window. He wouldn't give me the name of his insurance company, but said he would handle it himself.
He offered to give me another stereo that he already had, and to replace the items that I was able to give him original receipts for. Took the stereo, which was a piece of crap, but didn't complain because he was being decent about replacing the other items after the service manager had treated me like such a jerk the day before.
Took him the receipts for the two sets of subs, and planned on writing off the amp as it was in the car when I bought it and so there was no receipt. The owner said he would put the receipts in the file, and we discussed how I would check the pawn shops and internet hoping to find the stolen items.
Heard nothing from the owner, Steve, so finally called him about a month later. He suddenly sounds like the jerk I dealt with the first day, not the nice man who told me that while he had my car and my keys, he was responsible for my car and he appreciated all the business I had done with him over the years and wanted to continue with in the future. NO. He said HE didn't break in to my car. In fact, he said he has had four cars broken into since mine, and he didn't have to be bothered with any of those as they were all turned in to the car owner's insurance.
What difference this makes regarding my claim is beyond me. I only have liability insurance, and was doing what my insurance agent had told me to do in order to file a claim with Steve's inurance company. Since he didn't have to deal with any of those break-ins, he wasn't dealing with mine either, he'd already done more than he had to by giving me the crappy stereo, and if I didn't want to bring my cars in again that was fine also. Hmmmmm......now how do I know that there was really a 'break in'?
It seems to me five cars broken into in the last month at your business could indicate an inside problem, a lack of security, and a plain "I don't care so just go away and leave me alone" attitude.
So, if you are brave enough to take your car to Barry Road Tire & Service Center, be warned, it may not come back with everything it went in with, it may not be in quite the same condition as when you left it there, and you better not even think about leaving your car with them unless you have full-coverage insurance, and you better plan on finding your own ride to the police station to report the theft, because as they will tell you "THEY did not break into their car, and it is not their problem."
Susan
Kansas City, Missouri
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Susan
Kansas City,Missouri,
U.S.A.
PROBLEM RESOLVED BARRY ROAD TIRE SERVICE CENTER FAIR HONEST
#6Author of original report
Tue, September 07, 2004
I am happy to report that this complaint has been resolved. The owner contacted me and we were able to agree on a solution. He has proven himself to be fair, honest, and a dependable business person. His abilities as a mechanic were never in question, during the several years that I have been using his shop I can confirm that he and his employees are fine mechanics, and I regret if any of the comments I made in my original posting led anyone to think otherwise. I have used their shop for several years prior to this incident, and was always provided with good service and treated fairly.
Susan
Kansas City,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Company Fair and Responsive, Problem Resolved
#6Author of original report
Tue, September 07, 2004
I am happy to report that this complaint has been resolved. The owner contacted me and we were able to agree to a solution. He has proven himself to be fair, honest, and a dependable business person.
His abilities as a mechanic were never in question, from the several years that I have been using his shop, I can confirm that he and his employees are fine mechanics, and I regret if any of the comments I made in my original posting led anyone to think otherwise.
Prior to this incident, I have had nothing but positive dealings with Barry Road Tire and Service Center, and would still not hesitate to recommend their service to others.
Susan
Kansas City,Missouri,
U.S.A.
A police report was filed ,thx for your comments
#6Author of original report
Sat, September 04, 2004
Thanks for your comments and suggestions. A police report was filed, but the police wouldn't come to the 'scene of the crime', so had to find transportation to the police station to file a report. Don't think any real investigation was done, property crimes don't seem to be much of a concern to the police here, but the report will come in handy when/if we head off to small claims court. Danielle, I am glad to hear someone in a similar situation was compensated. I checked for liability signs after the break-in, there were none, and the owner initially told me he was responsible for my car while it was at his shop, so I am sure I will be pursuing this further.
Mike
Radford,Virginia,
U.S.A.
If you've been robbed, call the police yourself.
#6Consumer Suggestion
Fri, September 03, 2004
You should have called the police. Most burglaries happen "on private property", and the police still investigate. Unless you heard that directly from the police, I think Steve was feeding you a story.
If you get "full coverage" insurance, make sure the insurance company knows about any expensive stereo or other aftermarket equipment on your car and agrees to cover it. The basic rate is based on the car being in stock condition. Extra stuff may not be covered without paying an extra premium.
Danielle
Largo,Florida,
U.S.A.
similar experience Don't believe those signs these places put up saying "not responsible for theft, fire or whatever"...
#6Consumer Comment
Fri, September 03, 2004
I am not sure about laws there where you are from Susan but I had something just like this happen to me in Ohio last year. I have an older Camaro and bought a high performance engine from a machine/repair shop in Dayton, Ohio and had problems with the new engine as soon as I put it in. So I called them and they told me to drop it off with them and they would look at it. I was told that my car would not be left outside. It was a Thursday when I dropped it off and on Monday morning I got a call from the shop telling me my car had been vandalized. They forgot and left it outside. When I got there my stereo, speakers, tach, nitrous bottle, fuel pressure gauges and cd magazine were all missing plus I had a lot of damage to my car. They tried the same thing by saying it my my insurance company that would be responsible but since I had classic car insurance and it states in my policy that my car must be garaged to be covered for theft or vandalism they would not accept a claim for my car. But then they told me that in most states once you turn your car over to a repair shop they are to take responsibility for your car and they told me to tell the repair shop they better call their attorney if they needed the law explained to them! Well I did the next thing better, I paid a lawyer $99 to call and send a letter to the repair shop explaining the law to them and that if they didn't want to also pay for attorney fee's and loss of use for the vehicle on top of the damages and theft then it would be in their best interest to contact their insurance company. Well within about 72 hours of them getting hte phone call from my lawyer they had a insurance adjuster out to look at my car. Within another 24 hours I had a check in hand for all the damages. What I am saying is that you may want to call a lawyer that offers free advice and see how much he would charge you to call the repair shop for you and explain to them why they are responsible? You may find one that will call or send a letter but either way I bet it will work for you.
Don't believe those signs these places put up saying "not responsible for theft, fire or whatever"...
Well good luck, Danielle.....