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Just Brakes ripoff-Will lighten your pocket book with their Bait and Switch game! Fort Worth Texas
I have a 1997 Ford F-150 truck. It is in excellent condition. I bought it new and it only has 39,980 miles on it. The brakes on it were not giving me any trouble. They were not squeaking or making any kind of noice and were stopping the truck just fine. But in trying to keep the truck in good running order, I decided to have the brake pads replaced on it.
For years I have used the same honest mechanic, but he recently closed his shop and retired so I did not know where to have the job down. I have seen commercials about Just Brakes and decided to call them. I called Just Brakes on Friday, January 23. I asked what the cost would be to have the brakes replaced on my truck. I was told $99.88. I asked if that was for each axle and was told that was for both axles.
I am 65 and retired and money is not that easy to come by for my wife and me. We have to be very careful financially. I was elated the brake job was so reasonable. I told the person I would bring the truck in the next morning, Saturday, January 24.
The next morning I was at the shop. The service manager asked what the problem was with my brakes. He asked if they were squealing or making noise or something like that. I told him they were not making any noise, but I just thought I should have the pads replaced at 40,000 miles so the brakes would not become a problem and be a major expense later on down the road. I was trying to save us money by replacing the brake pads before they actually needed replacing. Little did I know what I was getting myself in to.
The service manager told me that in 10 or 15 minutes he would be able to tell me if the mechanic had found any problems with the truck's brakes. I told him I didn't think there would be any problems, but I waited in the waiting area. In a few minutes he asked me to come into the working area. All four tires were off my truck and my brake parts were all lying on the floor in little piles. I have very little mechanical ability so I really was unsure of what I was seeing. He showed me the pads and told me they were wearing unevenly. He said you could tell by looking at them. I really couldn't tell myself, but I said ok.
He showed me shims and springs and seals and rubbed his white-gloved hand on my brake drums and showed me grease on the gloves. He said that even though my truck had few miles on it, the brakes were in bad shape. He told me if I were trading it in within the next couple of weeks, the truck would not have to have that extensive a brake job, but if I were keeping the truck, this all really needed to be done. He quoted me a cost of $664.31 plus tax. I am sure I looked visably shaken and I told him I had no idea it would cost that much. I asked him if some of the items he wanted to repair could be left undone. He looked at a couple of items on his list and said these things might last another couple of months before they had to be done.
I really did not know what to do. My truck brakes were in pieces all over the floor. I knew I did not want to come back in two months and go through this again. I was embarrassed and just wanted to have this over. I finally told him to go ahead and fix the brakes. I went home feeling sick. I received a call a couple of hours later and went back and got my truck. Thanks to a credit card, I was able to pay the $707.77.
Now I realize I have been duped. I wish I would have had them put my brakes back together and put my tires back on my truck and had gone somewhere else. But I was afraid if I did that, they might actually mess my brakes up and my truck would not even be safe to drive home. So I paid $707.77 for a $99.88 brake job. That's how stupid I am.
I know I am not the only one this happened to that particular morning. While I was there I heard another lady complaining about her bill being over $600 or so. Just Brakes draws people in with this $99.99 brake job talk and then pumps up the bill as high as they can. I am sick that I let this happen to me.
I paid at least $550.00 more than I should have. These people simply have no conscience. I do not understand why our state attorney general has not intervened against this company.
Harold
Fort Worth, Texas
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Just Brakes
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Jon
Orlandop,Florida,
U.S.A.
Too good to be true..$99.88, very high pressure sales techniques
#6Consumer Suggestion
Mon, April 05, 2004
Harold,
Have you ever heard the saying.."too good to be true"?
If someone advertises a 4 wheel brake job for $99.88, such as they do, they are either using cheap quality, low grade parts, or they are sucking you in with the low price so that they can do the good old bait and switch deal..
Ovbiously, if good, QUALITY brake pads, from Bendix, or Wagner list for approx. $55-60 for your vehicle, and the shoes list for $45-50, there is no way on this planet that the job can be done that cheap.. And you probably called around for prices.. and they were by FAR the cheapest .. so you went with them..
But, you should have told them NO!! I am aware that they use some very high pressure sales techniques.. but, you still have the option to use that one word.. N O!!
Nicole
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
They saw you coming a mile away!
#6Consumer Comment
Fri, March 19, 2004
I find it sickening how these companies prey on individuals like us and take us for all we've got because we are ignorant in the subject of automobiles. I, too, have gotten ripped off from places like these, and let me tell you, it's not worth it. Just because you end up paying hundreds of dollars for something, does not make it top of the line when it comes to mechanics.
They size you up the minute you walk in the door to see how much they can rip you off. Just the fact that you went there tells them something.
If you want my advice, I'd try my neighborhood mechanic. All of these companies that are francised suck. They don't care about the individual, just the sale. The corner shop will be bothered if you feel they ripped you off because you'd be in there face yelling at them and there'd be no corporate b.s. number to call.
This will probably also make you mad. You paid $600 too much! Most brake pads and rotors and shoes cost no more than $100 for everything. It takes up to an hour, depending on the truck.
I'm sorry you had to learn this financially draining lesson the hard way. Stay far away from them, and try to dispute it with your cc company. And believe that for every time these people rip someone off, it will be back to haunt them somewhere down the line.
Its called Karma.
Take care.
Bradley
Derry,New Hampshire,
U.S.A.
SOMETIMES DISPUTES ARE GOOD!
#6Consumer Suggestion
Fri, March 19, 2004
Harold, I forgot to mention that since you paid by credit card, IMMEDIATELY DISPUTE THE CHARGES!!!
Tell the credit card company you were ripped off, and received shotty work, and even (if you have to) that your brakes are falling apart now, (or just not working right, be hard to argue that)
You dont have to be dishonest (unless you want to, as Just Brakes were) this is something legal you can do, just read more about it and then DISPUTE, DISPUTE, DISPUTE!!!
This is one of the few things (if only) that credit cards are good for!, Why do you pay that high interest???!
Now get you a bumper sticker that says "JUST BRAKES=JUST A RIPOFF" (no need to pay me money), and do alot of your shopping at places nearby!
Good luck!
Bradley
Derry,New Hampshire,
U.S.A.
JUST BRAKES JUST A RIPOFF!!!!
#6Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 18, 2004
These kind of places are JUST A RIPOFF, for that kind of money you could have had everything done at the dealer, had the right parts installed and by a ASE Mechanic, not some nut off the street.
Its a shame that some places and people are so low...
Generally the places that ADVERTISE THE MOST will RIPP YOU OFF THE QUICKEST....
Toby
Ft. Worth,Texas,
U.S.A.
Most Items Wre Suggested And Was Advised
#6UPDATE Employee
Thu, March 18, 2004
I would Be the service manager this gentleman refers toand would like to comment on this post.The work that he was told would be done for $99.88,was performed for that price as agreed to up front,which included an inspection of the brake system for any other problems while replacing the pads and shoes ,machining the rotors and drums,packing the bearings and bleeding the brakes.This customer was shown all of the needed and SUGGESTED items part for part and had every opportunity to ask any questions.I distingushed two parts that were needed and the rest were suggested,and I did advise customer that suggested items only be done if he was keeping the truck,that there was no need to spend money on a vehicle he was getting rid of soon.Yes,brakes can be very expensive to fix correctly but the money spent to make them last can save you alot more down the road.