- Report: #105664
Complaint Review: Allied Tires & Service - St. Petersburg Florida
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Author Not Confirmed
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Allied Tires & Service
2201 66th Street St. Petersburg, 33710 Florida, U.S.A.
Phone:
727-347-9986
Web:
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Allied Tires & Service Overcharged, held car, called cops & had me & wife arrested St. Petersburg Florida
They overcharged me on a repair job when they raised the price after the original quote. I caught it after I had paid the bill & they would only give me an in-store credit.
Several months later I brought my wife's car in to use up the credit & they quoted me $300.00 for a brake job. They called after they started the job & said it was going to be $525.00 instead. we said ok, only because we had the in-store credit & need to use it up. When we went to pick the car up the bill was $583.00.
We offered to pay the $525.00 but they would not accept it, said $583.00 or we could not have the car back. They had already given us the keys, so we told them we'd be back in the morning to settle up with the store manager. The service manager was a young hot-head and he maliciously called the police & filed grand theft charges against us & had us arrested. It cost us a night in jail $1,000 in bondsman's fees, and $3350 in attorney's fees to get the case dismissed and our records expunged, as well as 14 months.
The store manager apologized to us the next morning & said it was a "miscommunication." & never should have happened.
The fact is, this store raised prices after a firm quote on both of these jobs, and used the leverage of keeping the vehicle unless we paid all or some of the overcharge. Ransom??
Daniel
treasure island, Florida
U.S.A.
Several months later I brought my wife's car in to use up the credit & they quoted me $300.00 for a brake job. They called after they started the job & said it was going to be $525.00 instead. we said ok, only because we had the in-store credit & need to use it up. When we went to pick the car up the bill was $583.00.
We offered to pay the $525.00 but they would not accept it, said $583.00 or we could not have the car back. They had already given us the keys, so we told them we'd be back in the morning to settle up with the store manager. The service manager was a young hot-head and he maliciously called the police & filed grand theft charges against us & had us arrested. It cost us a night in jail $1,000 in bondsman's fees, and $3350 in attorney's fees to get the case dismissed and our records expunged, as well as 14 months.
The store manager apologized to us the next morning & said it was a "miscommunication." & never should have happened.
The fact is, this store raised prices after a firm quote on both of these jobs, and used the leverage of keeping the vehicle unless we paid all or some of the overcharge. Ransom??
Daniel
treasure island, Florida
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Melrose,Florida,
U.S.A.
Arrested for Grand Theft?
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, October 09, 2004
I would assume you removed the car from the premises w/o paying for it. As a shop owner, I've never heard of police arresting someone for that. Anytime it's happened to me, I've always been told "it's a civil matter, not criminal". In Florida repair shops are licensed by the Dept. of Agriculture. There is a 12 page section on regulations and requirements repair shops must adhere to. The key category for the consumer concerns the bill itself. We are required to give you a written estimate, unless authorized by you, in writing. We are required to save your parts for your inspection, unless authorized by you. We cannot deviate from the estimate by more than 10% unless authorized by you. We are required to document any changes in the original estimate, thouroughly. Unless, of course, "authorized by you". Get my drift here? The consumer is ultimately responsible for how the repair experience goes. The Dept. of Agriculture empowers you with the ability to know EXACTLY how your repair order will be billed. One last caveat the Dept. of Agriculture gives you. Something go wrong? Bill too high? Holding your car hostage? Getting "ripped off?". You don't have to pay the repair shop to retrieve your car. WHAT?!? you say? That's right. HOW? you ask? Request a copy of the signed repair order. (they did have you sign it didn't they? If not, you owe nothing! Well, maybe the $100 minimum, but that's another story.) Take the signed repair order down to the clerk of courts, pay them that amount. They give you a receipt for the amount of repair and that puts it in arbitration. Go back to the repair shop, give them a copy of the receipt and request your vehicle. Then, if they don't give it back, THEY are breaking the law. People, don't take your car w/o paying for it. The State of Florida protects you there. Ignorance of the law is a poor excuse for taking averse actions. I have made my share of mistakes in this industry over the past 26 years. Luckily for me, good communications, honest customers and a willingness to do whats right has served me well in most cases. Those traits will serve the consumer just as well. Here is a link for Florida residents to educate themselves on motor vehicle repair problems; http://www.800helpfla.com/MVRcouncil.html Good luck. Name witheld upon request.
