Firestone Blatant Robbery North Miami Florida
On Monday, March 9, 2009, I requested my 20 year old son to take his car to Firestone because I had noticed that when he turns there is a clicking sound. He took the car to be checked for that noise. Late afternoon my son calls me and tells me the estimate is $1200 and change. I asked why and the first thing he read was WIPER BLADES!!!!!!!!!!
I told him to stop and bring the car home.
Now I am sending you a copy of the ESTIMATE ( for a clicking sound while turning).
1) wiper blades $ 33.98
2) half shaft, whatever??? $556.80
3) front tires 195.72
Lets STOP here for a minute
I spoke with the mechanic who told me that, my son or I should have known that he would have to rotate the tires every 6000 miles. I asked where was it written, he said no where, you or he should know because I tell everyone. So therefore, all 3 of my cars are in the same boat because none have been rotated. He told my son there were no threads left and the tires were very dangerous.
4) Brake job 221.57
5) Tune up 89.99
Now let us break this down:
#1 total robbery
#2 not needed the actual work cost me $171.12
#3 the tires should probably be replaced, and will be, NOT AT FIRESTONE, but they are not dangerous!
#4 total robbery
#5 more than total robbery that car was tuned 1 month ago to the tune of $175..
I am not sure at what point companies are allowed to so blantantly steal from the consumer. But you can rest assured that neither I nor anyone I come in contact with will ever go to this den of thieves again.
I am including my mechanics bill totaling $171.12 (*price, tax, labor). If your so called mechanic (shyster) had addressed the issue and later added all the other (non necessary services) I probably would have had the work done at Firestone. Yes, the fact is I still would have been robbed but at least with a smile! Your mechanic (?) tried to rob us, because he said so!!!!
Isabel ****
North Miami, Florida
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
J.r.
Sandy,Utah,
U.S.A.
A littl bit of industry
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, July 26, 2009
Things like tire rotations are in every owners manual I have read (many being someone in the automotive industry).
You do have to realize they are running a business, things like wiper blades may seem to you like nit picking, but wipers are actually a safety item which in some states that require safety inspections for licensing things like wiper blades are grounds for a fail.
Also included in safety is tires, when the tread is low (2 32nds of an inch or the distance on an American penny from Lincolns head to the edge of the penny) it IS definitely a safety hazard. Not just are you having low traction but also it makes the tire moer prone to failure. these conditions make you a hazzard to not just you and your car but others if your tire blows going down the freeway.
Without being there to diagnose it, the half shaft ( CV AXLE ) sounded like a proper diagnosis according to how you phrased it, and the price seemed nothing out of the ordinary.
I agree with RAMOWNER on his statements. Definitely Industry professional VS Uninformed Consumer
As far as mentioning everything they see, its two fold, one you might get those issues fixed there making them money, but also it is done to let you know what issues you vehicle may have. I would hate to go to a shop who only fixed what I told them and didn't tell me there was other issues. A lot of the time some of these issues they find they didn't charge you to find them, so getting one job done you had some free diagnosis on some other issues in your car.
Ramowner
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
Industry professional vs uniformed consumer
#4UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, March 27, 2009
First off just about all auto mfg reco tire rotations every 6,000 miles. You not knowing this already identifies you as an uninformed consumer.
As for the brakes, did that include both axles? What about new rotors? For you to have a 20 year old son you should be old enough to remember when the norm was to rebuild calipers everytime you put new pads on. I certainly hope that if they did reco rotors and you went elsewhere they didn't true the rotors as firestone only reco rotors when below mfg specs or severe warping or grooves that a lathe could not properly take care off.
The tune up, well they won't take out the plugs just to see if they're new or not, and more than likely reco them due to mileage. If you just had them done did they replace the plug wires? Probably not otherwise the tech would have noticed that and wouldn't have reco plugs.
The cv half shaft appears to be appropriate, was your vehicle aligned when the half shaft was replaced?
Have a good day.
Flynrider
Phoeix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Tire rotation
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, March 16, 2009
Your issue with the tires is pretty clear cut. You ask "where it was written" that you must rotate the tires regularly. This is a basic maintenance item that is written in just about every owners manual that I've ever seen. How you can own so many cars and not ever have heard of tire rotation is amazing. Any time you buy tires, the accompanying paperwork from the manufacturer will also say that you have to rotate them for even wear.