Tire Merchant Ripoff Fixed Low Oil Pressure Light yields Tow Truck College Park Maryland
I recently went to a tire merchant upon a recommendation for a diagnostic and an examination for a low oil pressure light. My Honda Civic is approximately six years old. I knew that my A/C was not functioning up to maximum capability but I was more concerned with my low oil pressure.
The mechanics were cordial and attentive. The manager informed me that I had a lot of oil in the oil pan and my car's gasket was leaking. I gave the standard reply..." How much will that be?" They wrote up an estimate and I consented to the repairs. At this point, there were no strange noises coming from my car and I drove the car to the facility with absolutely no problems. I waited restlessly for close to 8 hours but what I thought as being extremely strange was the store's manager taking pictures of my car's engine with a digital camera!!! Danger.. Will Robinson!!! He went on to say that my vehicle's oil should not look so dark and that I need to change the oil every six hundred miles and he made some mention of the oil pump. Last, I purged my pockets of close to six hundred dollars and I went out to dinner with my family.
The next day on my way to church, after about twenty minutes into the trip, my car started to make very stange noises that quite frankly had never come from the vehicle since I purchased it. My wife insisted that I pull over and the car was cutting off when I would idle at stop lights. Initially, I thought it was my battery but I had the battery checked and it was fine. I tried to make it home but the vehicle stopped completely and I needed a tow. I had the tow truck operator tow my car to the nearest Merchant tire store (909 Chillum Rd, Hyattsville, Md). I was certain that the mechanics of the store would not see my vehicle that Sunday (6/17/07). I went home...
On Monday, I called and they informed me that the car was fine and they had in fact driven the vehicle for a mile to listen for these alleged noises. They could find nothing and they checked the engine..."the oil was right on level." The manager said that I needed to take the car back to the other Merchants... Needless to say that within 10 minutes of driving my car the noises were back and I needed another tow truck. I was furious and the second store's manager cavalierely say..."Can you get it towed to the Baltimore ave Merchant's..?"
I got the vehicle towed to the Baltimore ave store and thus began adventure in wonderland. After repeated calls, I was informed that I had a claim against Merchants (Mind you, all I wanted was my car fixed!!!) I called the district manager and Esis. They examined my car and found that Merchants was not liable. They said that my vehicle was damaged from oil starvation. Meanwhile, I have paid Merchant six hundred dollars for a vehicle that will not run. What I believe happened is that upon cleaning the oil pan and repairing the gasket that indeed the oil pump did get clogged causing the oil starvation!
Now, I have to get my car towed to another location to repair the engine or buy a new car. The district manager tells me to look at the report. The store manager made no mention of oil starvation when he patted me on the head and bounced me out of the store on that sunny Saturday. And what about the pictures? How do I pursue this any further? I am as mad as a swarm of hornets!
Kervin
washington, DC, District of Columbia
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Phillip
Boone,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
Take Your Car to a Reputable Shop
#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, November 07, 2010
The first thing I have to say about this is this:
1. You took your car to a tire shop for an engine problem. Most tire shops hire people who know suspension and alignment, they are not experts on major engine repairs.
2. Chain stores like this one simply sell a service and their franchise pressures them to sell unnecessary services to consumers by deception.
Do your self a favor and find a 'Real Mechanic' for your repair needs.
My neighbor had a similar experience with a local tire shop. I was in another tire shop and saw some of their questionable diagnostic skills conveyed to a customer. I am Master Certified by ASE and will never replace a gasket and send you on your way if there is a major problem with your vehicle. Its just Bad Business!
I suggest you contact the news, most stations have a section called 'On your Side' to expose situations like this where consumers were cheated by a local business.
Good Luck with Small Claims Court
Thinker
McLean,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Going to court
#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, September 23, 2007
Please get an estimate clearly on going to court to file or using any attorney, In Virginia for example, the cost to hire attornies to fight this is not worth the settlement.
The justice system is so over abusive because of the need for revenue in Maryland and Virginia these companies know it and have full time collection attornies on retainers.
Jennifer
California,California,
U.S.A.
Take them to court
#4Consumer Suggestion
Fri, July 06, 2007
I think you have a valid claim here. You brought the vehicle in because it had no, or low, oil pressure. Whatever they repaired obviously did not fix that if the problems you had after were due to oil starvation, as the district manager decided. Whether you had oil in the car or not (when they checked the level and said it was fine at the second store) there was no oil pressure. They gave you back the car without checking that and they should be responsible. I know it wasn't the same store as the one that did the repair, but they are the same company and I assume that they were aware of what work was done a few days before and what the problem was. Either way, it wasn't fixed at the first store and the second store didn't check it out very well.
I don't know the whole story obviously, but I would definately talk to another mechanic for an independent inspection and then try taking them to small claims court. Just because they decided it wasn't the stores responsibility, doesn't mean a judge wont. That's my opinion anyway. I really don't see how they aren't responsible at all for this situation.