Complaint Review: Chris Shuler

I went to Chris's Auto Garage on Sat, April 26, 2014 at 5242 S. Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida. I told the Service mgr/Dwayne I was a "Repeat Customer' from 2 yrs ago when Chris had installed a transmission in my other Van.

I now had a white/Chrysler T & C Van.  I told him I had looked at my brakes at a shop last week and all 4 brakes needed to be Replaced.

He said they would Inspect it & tell me what they found.

An hour later, Service manager/Dwayne tells me the Rear brakes were in fine condition and would last another 20,000 mi, or 1 year more. (he put that in writing)

He said I needed to Replace the Front Rotors and new Disc brake shoes.

I told him I had the Front Rotors "mic"ed (micrometer) at Pepboys couple days ago & they said they were fine to "Resurface one more time", Dwayne mumbled some lame reply, almost undecipherable.

I told him I wanted the Front Rotors Resurfaced and install the "metallic" brake pads, to REfigure his HIGH estimate.

5 minutes later, we agreed on $220 & change for Resurfacing the Front Rotors & installing "Metallic" brake pads.

About 1.5 hrs later it was done.

I paid the bill & walked out to the Van.

My Van has SPOKED chrome Rims on it, u can easily "see thru" them & see the Rotors.

I looked thru the spokes & clearly saw that they had FAILED TO RESURFACE THE ROTORS!!!!!

They should have been "shiny metal smooth" from turning on the lathe machine, they were NOT, they still had the bead of RUST that builds up on the edge of Rotors from the Rain.

I reached my fingers thru the Spokes of the Rims & 'felt the Rotors", dragging my finger across them, they DEFINITELY WERE NOT RESURFACED!!!!!

(*) A CLASSIC CASE OF "BAIT & SWITCH" = RIP-OFF THE CUSTOMER !!!!!

So, since they SCREWED ME out of that part of the job, they PROBABLY SCREWED ME ON THE 'PADS' TOO?, I.E., they probably only gave me the "cheaper disc pads' (Asbestos pads) & NOT THE "METALLIC" PADS.

I drove North a few miles thru Orlando & to the Firestone-Tire/Garage on E. Colonial Dr. & asked them to Inspect my Brakes. (*) I told them what happened & suspected the "City Garage' (Chris Shuler) had SCREWED ME BIG TIME!, and, I believed my REAR BRAKES WERE NEARLY-UNSAFE in their present condition.

They were very friendly & efficient.

The Firstone-Brake mechanic (CSE Certified) agreed the Front ROTORS HAD NOT BEEN RESURFACED at Chris's garage (just 2 hours previous)!!!!!

(*) Firestone Service mgr (Giovanni) looked at the brakes also,as well as I did look at them in the shop & we all clearly saw a "LEAKING REAR WHEEL CYLINDER" on the left Rear , and the Brake shoes on the same left Rear were ALMOST TOUCHING THE RIVETS!!! AN UNSAFE BRAKE & GETTING READY TO 'SCORE" THE DRUM!!!

If that 'scoring the drum' had taken place, it would Ruin the drum & cost me an extra $Hundred in the near-future!

[**] I had Firestone Service mgr (Giovanni) VERIFY IN WRITING THE HAZARDOUS COND OF THE REAR BRAKES & the fact the Front Rotors were NOT RESURFACED in the brake job done at Chri's "City Garage' just a few hours earlier THE SAME DAY!!!

2nd Brake Shop:  I drove to GOODYEAR-Brake shop on Goldenrod Blvd, after I left Firestone, to get a 2nd SET OF WITNESSES & IN WRITING to HOW I got DEFRAUDED & SCREWEED out of the rightful brake job I paid for; and was sent out into busy traffic with (*) VERY UNSAFE REAR BRAKES!!!!! by Chris Shuler; a very blatant RIP-OFF ARTIST!!!!!

Yes, I told the manager at GOODYEAR the same set of facts (the truth of the matter) and he also found my Rear brakes in a very UNSAFE COND, which I also looked at in his shop. His brake mechanic agreed as we [all 3 of us] stood looking at the Front Rotors = they had NOT BE RESURFACED BY CHRI'S SHOP!!!, BUT, I HAD BEEN CHARGED FOR IT!!!

I phoned chris Shuler at the phone number on his business card: (407) 459-1907 and told him HOW HIS CROOKED-SERVICE MGR HAD DEFRAUDED ME ON THE BRAKES, SENT ME OUT INTO BUSY TRAFFIC WITH "UNSAFE" REAR BRAKES & that he owed me the $220 as a Refund, that i now had to pay another shop to finish his job & still fix the Dangerous/Rear Brakes. he wasn't there of course, being 4 PM on Sat. eve, had to leave a voice msg.

I will be filing every ONLINE COMPLAINT FORM I can find against Chris Shuler & HIS BLATANTLY CROOKED REPAIR GARAGE in So. Orlando, Fl.

i WILL ALSO FILE VALID complaints with the Florida Consumer Affairs/Dept.

Federal Trade commission

U.S. Justice Dept.

Better Business Bureau

The "cCty License Board" (that issues his license to open shop)

and any other agency I can find.

(*) thank u for your fine website!

Josh Holliday, Orlando, Florida, April 26, 2014