Complaint Review: BRAKE STOP

On 2/25/04 I took my 99 Oldsmobile Alero for a tune-up. Brake Stop informed me that it was two (2) hours labor at 65.00 and hour and the spark plugs were 9.00 ea. I advised them that I had another shop that quoted me $79.99 for everything. They then said they could do it in one hour. Total for a tune-up - $101.40 plus 19.50 for an oil change.

When I picked my car up they said that the tune up did not fix the engine vibration and that I needed a MAP Sensor, which had to come from the dealer. They would install for 1/2 hour labor after I paid for the part at the dealr. I paid and left. My car was vibrating and shaking horribly. I called and told them about this and they said to bring it in the morning, that this vibration was due to the MAP Sensor going out, I advised them that the car did not vibrate when I brought it in.

As I approached closer to my house the CHECK ENGINE SOON light came on along with the light that says TRAC OFF. I called a friend of mine - he came over and found that the car was running on 2 cylinders, 2 spark plugs were not plugged in. After he fixed this the car ran perfectly fine - no engine vibration.

This morning I started my car and the low water radiator light came on - I opened the hood and the reservoir was completely dry, this light has never come on in the 3yrs of owning the car.

I called Brake stop and advised them of everything that happened and they basically called me a liar, said that my car was running bad when I brought it in, and that the mechanic did it right. I received no reimbursment, had to purchase DEX-COOL to refill the resevoir another $10.67.

So for a simple tune-up (which I found out exists of changing the spark plugs---period) cost me $140.27.

Kim
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico
U.S.A.