Brake Masters Company completed front-end alignment on 9/28/05. Same Problem Plus Truck began to pull to side Took truck back. Diagnosed rotors below allowable limits calipers then calipers bad. They do not give you an honest Brake! Lake Forest, Ca California
Took truck in on 10/28 for front-end alignment. A couple weeks later the truck began to pull severely to right and then left when braking with a thud sound.
Took truck back on a Saturday. Tom (who insinuated he was the owner / card read manager) called me to ask if they could keep it until Monday. Ok. He then called and said it was the rotors, which they were worn below limits. I asked how the calipers were and he said fine. Called to say he was not finished, but would have it done on Tuesday. Called on Tuesday, said calipers were bad. Replaced rotors and calipers. Called to say truck was done.
I went to pick it up. Paid $ 538.00. Drove out of the parking lot and noticed my radio had the anti-theft lock engaged. They had messed with my electrical system or ???
The truck was pulling the same if not worse. Turned right around and went back.
Made the kid (Tom's son) take a test ride with me and then drive it himself. He just kept saying, I don't know I wasn't here when you brought it in. I talked to Tom on the phone and wrote a note on the invoice:
Car is Not Fixed
Same Problem Plus
Battery was run down recharged & now radio is locked.
I signed it, dated it and put the time down and asked the kid to sign it. He wouldn't do it and called Tom again. Tom said that he wouldn't let the kid sign it. I would not leave the truck if they could not even sign a simple statement of the facts.
They admitted to leaving the ignition key in the On position over the weekend. They were not going to tell me about since they had recharged the battery. I asked them if they knew if they might have damaged the battery by over charging, etc. Of course they said: "Your battery is fine."
I contacted the Brake Masters corporate offices in Arizona:
6179 E. Broadway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85711
Phone: 520-512-0000
Fax: 520-512-1000
I spoke to Mrs. Laura Ramirez, Manger of Customer Service.
Told her I had spoken to the owner, Tom. She said that she didn't know who Tom was, but it was a franchise and the owner is Mr. Don Gord and that I need to speak with him. Great, I'll be happy to, what is his phone number. Her response was: I can't give out his number, but I'll have him call you. She also said that I should speak to their Manager of Franchise Development (?) Mr. Isreal Lender. So, I asked for his number and she said she couldn't give that out either.
They would call me. Well, I have not heard a word from any of them and called Mrs. Ramirez again and she did not return a call. I also left a message for a Mr. Robert Fortuno, who the receptionist says is the President of Brake Masters, but Mrs. Ramirez says is the VP of Operations no return call.
I also spoke to Sal, who Mrs. Ramirez said was the District Manager. Mr. Sal Nunez claims he is the owner (today November 25, 2005 at approximately 1:00pm at the Lake Forest location at Mr. Nunez claimed to be the owner.) I had told Sal that if we could not come to some agreement that I would file a complaint with Visa and contest the charge. He stated then to go ahead that he would get his money anyway.
I had lost all trust and confidence in these people trying to figure out who is who; not to mention the terrible work and customer service at the shop. I took the truck to another repair shop and they discovered two significant things:
1. Who ever had installed the calipers improperly routed the brake lines and caused them to come in contact with the wheel/tire resulting in one with a hole in it and the other with a severe rubbed area almost a hole.
2. The pulling was caused not by brakes, but by someone leaving the bolts / nuts used to make adjustments to the alignment un-secured / loose. Resulting in the pulling.
3. The reason a new steering stabilizer was required that with everything loose it would put undue stress on that part and cause it to fail. Brake Masters did put a new one on: Since they hadn't caught it originally missing.
The truck is now fixed at an additional cost to me of $ 538.00. I made an appointment with Mr. Nunez, Owner, District Manager or whatever his position is today. I showed him the hoses, the bill from the other shop and the bill for the original front end alignment they had done.
Sal stated that he wanted to put the old calipers back on so he could get his money back on the new ones he installed. That I should pay for the rotors since the brakes were pulsating. I was never told they were pulsating nor was it written up in a diagnosis from his shop nor had I felt it. He stated that His Guys would never miss route the brake lines causing them to get warn like that. And he went on to say that the second shop had ripped me off. That they couldn't have done an alignment that my truck doesn't have a rear alignment. The bill actually says repairs to alignment. Sal also stated that Tom put a steering stabilizer since it was missing on that side.
I told him I would compromise and pay for the rotors, though I doubted that I needed them now and that he should pay for the second bill less the cost of the rotors and his alignment charge, thus splitting the difference.
Sal stated: Well Mr. Thomas, you can take me to small claims court and I'll just tell them that I offered to repair your car for free and you won't get anything.
Mr. Nunez appears to be quite experienced with small claims court and I told him that obviously our conversation was over, I never mentioned court or sue and that instead of going to small claims court that maybe this time needs to go to big peoples court. He also told me that he fired Tom the Manager and the Mechanics because of this and now has a new guy he promoted to Store Manager.
Fred
Laguna Hills, California
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Fred
Laguna Hills,California,
U.S.A.
2 years and 8 Months - Finally A Response!
#4Author of original report
Fri, May 02, 2008
Dear Mike the Franchise Owner:
You were obviously miss-informed. I did not come in for brakes, but came in for a front end problem. A brake job had been done three months prior to the front end alignment done by Brake Masters.
All of my claims were substantiated and thoroughly investigated by Bank of America in my dispute of the charges thus the reason Brake Masters in Lake Forest was charged back the transaction. Again, my claim was investigated and upheld by a third part - Bank of America.
To restate: Your characterization that the claims were false is without merit. Had the claims been false then the Brake Masters franchise would not have been charged back.
"The stabilizer link was then replaced free of charge,as a form of customer satisfaction and offered the money of the calipers since the customer felt that they might not have been necessary. He declined the refund offer and expected the whole amount to be refunded instead. His original problem was brakes, and there were no problems there."
Yes, and the instillation of the stabilizer link was done improperly with the bolts upside down, which resulted in the break lines being ruined by the bolt threads. Correct! There were no problems with the brakes.
My original problem stemmed from the faulty front end alignment. Breaks were not replaced as part of the $ 538.00 I had to spend to repair the damage done by Brake Masters. Had it not been for the terrible job done on the front end alignment I would not have been out one penny to repair the damage done by Brake Masters.
Brake Masters does not take Customer Service or Satisfaction seriously. The corporate head quarters of Brake Masters was contacted numerous times and they failed to respond to any inquiries. The Franchise Owners District Manager paraphrased statement at the time was: "Go ahead, charge us back. I've never lost a charge back yet."
Well there is always the first time, Sir. Particularly if the consumer is diligent in keeping track of all communications and all repair information. Brake Masters lost their $ 500.00 and I lost an additional $ 538.00 repairing the bad work done by Brake Masters.
Do not be on the end of a lose - lose repair. Avoid Brake Masters!
Mike
Pomona,California,
U.S.A.
TRUTH BE TOLD....
#4UPDATE Employee
Fri, May 02, 2008
I am a franchise owner to the company, and it is extremely important to have a good reputation in any business. I was curious to find out if the company i own has any bad reps, when i came across this report on a store i am familiar with. Curious about the incident i called my close friend who actually owns the store to find out what really happened. This happened a few years back.
The customer originally came in for brakes, they were metal to metal. upon inspection they noticed that his two front rotors were undersized and unable to be reused. The customer then mentioned that the vehicle was pulling, therefore they recommeded new calipers (also by the fact that one side was worn out more more than the other.) his total was a little over $500.00.
The customer did come back right after that, complaining that the vehicle was still pulling, then, thats when they discovered that a stabilizer link was damaged. (Note: We are not always informed of the problems when written up, so it is impossible to determine all the problems when inspecting a vehicle) Also, don't forget that the vehicle was metal to metal. (we never test drive cars when the brakes are metal to metal, to prevent further damage to the vehicle).
The stabalizer link was then replaced free of charge,as a form of customer satisfaction and offered the money of the calipers since the customer felt that they might not have been necessary. He declined the refund offer and expected the whole amount to be refunded instead. His original problem was brakes, and there were no problems there.
In conclusion, the customer did a stop payment on the credit card and the $500.00 He claimed he paid was false , he paid $ ZERO. it was a total loss for the company.
In this business, it is extremely difficult to make everyone happpy, and when something goes wrong we do anything to make the problem right, whether by refund, or simply taking care of your problem at a different location. The Disctric manager in charge at the time is one of the best guys i've met. He is ultimately the best in customer service and i've personally seen him go above and beyond for a customer in a case like this. this incident was simply taking advantage of the situation, nothing else.
Fred
Laguna Hills,California,
U.S.A.
Costs to Repair Brake Masters Work - $538.00
#4Author of original report
Sat, November 26, 2005
I now have to submit all the information I've gather to the bank for a Visa investigator.