Complaint Review: CANADA TIRE

May 20, 2015 around 2 pm my car, 2005 Nissan Mourano V6, 3.5L, stopped running in the parking lot of Place Vertu in Ville St-Laurent right behind the Canadian Tire. With the help of my colleagues from the office I managed to get it to their repair centre and was told they would look at it the following day as they were over booked for the day.

The following morning I get a call from one of their repair agent with an estimate of $129.00 for a battery + $50.00 to install + $46.00 for diagnostic fees which I accepted and asked them to proceed with the job. Few minutes later, I get a call back saying it is also required to replace the alternator and that will cost $180.00 for parts + $185.00 install. Not knowing much about cars and its mehanics I asked the repair agent to re-install my old battery and change the alternator, the logical thing to ask if changing the battery didn't solve the problem, to which he responded "the battery replacemment is also a must because our test show it is also dead'' (ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DEAD AT THE SAME TIME?).

In the mean time, I went on google and searched to see the schematics of changing an alternator for a 2005 Murano and saw that the mechanic has to actually remove the battery to get to the alternator and replace it. Once done, I was handed a bill with labour charge of $184.68 for replacing the alternator + labour charge of $53.86 for battery install. I don't see how that is possible??? They have charged me twice for the same job right here.

They have billed me $46.17 diagnostic fees, just to tell me that my battery and alternator is dead??? What about everything else that is or could be wrong with the car. I came out of a so called "reputed" auto repair centre with no mention of rear brake system completely worn out (so much that even the rear mag wheels turned redish-black and rusty) , rear wipper system completely jammed, engine oil level much below low mark, service engine soon indicator lit on the dash. WHAT DID THEY DIAGNOSE? And if they did inspect the car, where is the report, it's not attached to the bill.

Later in the evening, my husband calls back the auto center to question their action. The agent was extremely rude putting him on hold for 28 minutes in a span, once questioned about the details of the bill and the job. The agent also said that the Murano 2005 had the battery and atlernator in separate locations hence the 2 jobs were not related. And refused refunds. This was our 2nd auto repair experience at Canadian Tire (1st at D.D.O branch in 2008 ), and we are ripped off at both times, the first was for replacing a windshield wipper motor, (in 2008 I was billed $600.00+, a week later it was discovered only the wipper bolt was loose, they changed a perfectly functional motor). We had vowed to not to return but we had to this time by inconvenience.

Canadian Tire is given the privillege to operate business in Canada within moral, ethical and legal boundaries. I see and I have experienced other wise. I would like someone to question them for their action. I did and I was treated as a "nobody" with a couldn't care less attitude. If they are given a legal license to steal by our government then it should be stamped on their logo, so we the consumers are aware. We trust them with hard earned money for honest and quality repair work on transport vehicles which they violate. WHY? GREED FOR WEALTH???

Zahida

Pierrefonds, Quebec