Complaint Review: Auto Lab Of Belleville #135 State # F158712 - Belleville Michigan

I cannot defend the experience you wrote about since I did not own the business at that time. I can tell you that the current crew at AutoLab of Belleville is outstanding. The Managing Partner, Elston Smith, has 30 years of automotive experience and has received an Outstanding Customer Service Award. Our technicians are ASE certified and the Master Technician is one of the best I have ever seen. He has been with us for just over a month and is quickly earning the reputation as the tech to see when other shops can't figure it out.

I regret your previous experience and encourage you to come in and meet the new crew. We would like the opportunity to impress you.

Sincerely,

Charles Scott and Elston Smith

As of November of 2007, a few short months after I filed this complaint, I had to replace all of the brakes that were all new in June.  This includes the pads, rotors and calipers.  Which was all included in the work done in June. 

Also, I took my tire business to Discount Tire in Dearborn, MI who was more than happy to take the written quote from Auto Lab and honor it.  They treated me fantastically and had my tires on inside of an hour.  The sales rep was fantastic and everything went off without one single problem.  They were more than happy to take my money.

I did not take my warranty back to Auto Lab and try to fight them because I did not care to have any more conflict with that awful manager or owner. 

Since then, I no longer do business with anyone affiliated with Auto Lab. I also make sure to tell anyone that is thinking about using them, do so at your own risk. 

I'm not an angry person, I prefer to deal with people that are nice and honor their word.  So, as for all of the people that said how basically I deserved it because I didn't let them take advantage of me with a smile, you let me know how you like being cheated.

Being someone that deals with the public daily, I know how to treat customers and the people that used to work there did not have any idea.  All said, I still stand by my complaint and you can do what you want but I'll never deal with any company that tells me they are doing me "a favor" by doing the quoted work and me paying the quoted price.  For all you laymen out there that is called doing business not doing a favor.

Dear Natalie, I took over the Auto-Lab of Belleville in September of 2007, a few months after this incident. I want you to know that I am deeply disturbed by all of this. I was shocked to see this on the internet. Since none of the people identified in your letter still work at this location, I do not know their side of the story. Nevertheless, I feel an obligation to apologize on behalf of the store and franchise. I can assure you that me and my staff value each and every customer and will never treat them with disrespect. I hope that you will give me the opportunity to prove it to you. Best Regards

Well it's quite obvious that you are very angry and it almost sounds like you are TRYING to start a fight. It would be interesting to hear the shop's side on this, because it's hard to believe they just suddenly became rude and threw your keys at you and told you to get out. Especially after hearing your response to the rebuttle posted by Thomas, I'm quite sure that your attitude had a bit to do with it. Instead of focusing on the real problem or issue at hand, it seems you would rather try to turn little details into big problems, as if you just need something to argue about. I can easily see how the shop would have become frustrated trying to deal with you. It seems to me that they tried to get you tires for the price quoted, even if they weren't the tires they originally quoted. Mistakes happen and I don't know what happened in this case, but the shop does not have to honor a quote if work has not started yet. It's just a quote, it is not any type of price guarantee that is set in stone. But anyway, they tried to get you tires for that price and get the work done when promised. I don't know why it would take more than a day to change some tires, so I do wonder about that. But either way, you picked up your vehicle and I guess you didn't have them change the tires. Now you are questioning your warranty on the other work performed previously. I can understand that because of their attitude towards you, you are now questioning their work. But, as Thomas said, you don't have any type of case against them just because you question their work. Now you say the brakes are making noise and you do have a case. (Which btw you seemed quite happy that they are making noise, apperently proving your thoughts about them were correct, and also proving my theory that you are trying to make mountains out of molehills) But you still don't have a case against them. You don't have a case until you bring the vehicle back for warranty work and they deny you the warranty. Then, and only then, will you have a case against them, at least in court. Again I don't know the whole story here, but from your response to Thomas, and other details in your original post it really seems like you want to make a big deal out of everything. Seriously, I can't imagine calling the cops and then asking them about my warranty rights, before even having a warranty related problem.

Well it's quite obvious that you are very angry and it almost sounds like you are TRYING to start a fight. It would be interesting to hear the shop's side on this, because it's hard to believe they just suddenly became rude and threw your keys at you and told you to get out. Especially after hearing your response to the rebuttle posted by Thomas, I'm quite sure that your attitude had a bit to do with it. Instead of focusing on the real problem or issue at hand, it seems you would rather try to turn little details into big problems, as if you just need something to argue about. I can easily see how the shop would have become frustrated trying to deal with you. It seems to me that they tried to get you tires for the price quoted, even if they weren't the tires they originally quoted. Mistakes happen and I don't know what happened in this case, but the shop does not have to honor a quote if work has not started yet. It's just a quote, it is not any type of price guarantee that is set in stone. But anyway, they tried to get you tires for that price and get the work done when promised. I don't know why it would take more than a day to change some tires, so I do wonder about that. But either way, you picked up your vehicle and I guess you didn't have them change the tires. Now you are questioning your warranty on the other work performed previously. I can understand that because of their attitude towards you, you are now questioning their work. But, as Thomas said, you don't have any type of case against them just because you question their work. Now you say the brakes are making noise and you do have a case. (Which btw you seemed quite happy that they are making noise, apperently proving your thoughts about them were correct, and also proving my theory that you are trying to make mountains out of molehills) But you still don't have a case against them. You don't have a case until you bring the vehicle back for warranty work and they deny you the warranty. Then, and only then, will you have a case against them, at least in court. Again I don't know the whole story here, but from your response to Thomas, and other details in your original post it really seems like you want to make a big deal out of everything. Seriously, I can't imagine calling the cops and then asking them about my warranty rights, before even having a warranty related problem.

Natalie, I understand your complaint and I just wanted to tell you that you have every right to feel the way you do. There are a few posters on here who do nothing but try to discredit the original poster and it's actually a little amusing. Don't get worked up over this - most of Thomas' posts are "argumentative" toward the OP and he should not be taken seriously. "Honey"? Oh come ON, Thomas. I'd like to see you use a little "honey" in your next post. You're getting boring.

If I were you I would definately file a claim against the Mechanic shop with the State of Michigan. You can do this by going to Michigan.gov. They have a section under the Sect. of State or you can search the site. They did not do what they said they would which they put in writing. And that is wrong of them. That is why the state requires written estimates. Just because you are a woman does not mean you don't have a brain or common sense. They treated you unfairly. As far as them throwing the keys at you, that is assault. I would have pressed the issue and filed charges against them. That was totally uncalled for. I am a woman, however I have been in the automotive field for most of my life. And I still get treated like I don't know what I am talking about. Yes it upsets me but most of the people I talk to now know that I know what I am talking about, sometimes more than the person I'm talking to, and yes that has happened even in my own shop.

I believe that whether or not you agree with whether or not, I have a "case" or a fair complaint, the truth of the matter is that they performed a service with which I paid for in full with every confidence that the work they did is NOT faulty. However, being that the treatment I received was less than satisfactory I don't have a whole lot of faith in the quality of their work. As far as whether or not I was using "honey" is something silly that someone would say to a woman who is either not knowledgeable about her car or her money. I was also informed several times by the manager about how he did me a "favor" and I should consider myself "lucky" that he did me that favor, forgive me if I am wrong, but most favors don't include someone doing their job and me then paying for the services I received. I have the exact same right to the exact treatment when it comes to my car, as any man. Why yes, I am upset, wouldn't anyone be? I believe I was treated in a manner that bespeaks of a company that is not concerned with either customer service or keeping it's shady business open very long. P.S. As a matter of fact, the brakes are making noise, which is what they just replaced so I DO have a case.

But the tone of your post seems very argumentative... the very trait you attribute to them. Maybe more honey would have gotten you somewhere? Most establishments have weasel-wording in their ads etc. that basically says "we are not responsible for our errors". Anyway, the Cartalk website includes "the mechanics' files" which lists repair shops found reliable by Cartalk fans and are therefore recommended . Enter your ZIP code and see what pops up in 25, or 50, or whatever # of miles you choose. PS 1. Why is the 'warranty on work performed' an issue? Do you NOW have a problem with what they 'repaired'? If the answer is 'NO' then you have no case. PS 2. "Throwing the keys" at someone might be a form of assult.

But the tone of your post seems very argumentative... the very trait you attribute to them. Maybe more honey would have gotten you somewhere? Most establishments have weasel-wording in their ads etc. that basically says "we are not responsible for our errors". Anyway, the Cartalk website includes "the mechanics' files" which lists repair shops found reliable by Cartalk fans and are therefore recommended . Enter your ZIP code and see what pops up in 25, or 50, or whatever # of miles you choose. PS 1. Why is the 'warranty on work performed' an issue? Do you NOW have a problem with what they 'repaired'? If the answer is 'NO' then you have no case. PS 2. "Throwing the keys" at someone might be a form of assult.

But the tone of your post seems very argumentative... the very trait you attribute to them. Maybe more honey would have gotten you somewhere? Most establishments have weasel-wording in their ads etc. that basically says "we are not responsible for our errors". Anyway, the Cartalk website includes "the mechanics' files" which lists repair shops found reliable by Cartalk fans and are therefore recommended . Enter your ZIP code and see what pops up in 25, or 50, or whatever # of miles you choose. PS 1. Why is the 'warranty on work performed' an issue? Do you NOW have a problem with what they 'repaired'? If the answer is 'NO' then you have no case. PS 2. "Throwing the keys" at someone might be a form of assult.

But the tone of your post seems very argumentative... the very trait you attribute to them. Maybe more honey would have gotten you somewhere? Most establishments have weasel-wording in their ads etc. that basically says "we are not responsible for our errors". Anyway, the Cartalk website includes "the mechanics' files" which lists repair shops found reliable by Cartalk fans and are therefore recommended . Enter your ZIP code and see what pops up in 25, or 50, or whatever # of miles you choose. PS 1. Why is the 'warranty on work performed' an issue? Do you NOW have a problem with what they 'repaired'? If the answer is 'NO' then you have no case. PS 2. "Throwing the keys" at someone might be a form of assult.