03-10-2004
BBB SERVING SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
ATTN BETHANN LUCAS
RE # 33001329
MAACO PAINT & AUTO BODY SHOP
DEAR BETHANN LUCAS
Thank you very much for your letter of Feb. 26,2004.
I have read Maaco's response very carefully and conclude the letter is no more than a cover up after the fact, lies, half lies and half-truth. In their hearts it seems they really believe 100 lies make one truth---it never has---- never will.
To make my case simple I have divided their response under 4 items. I answer each one by one.
Item # 1= I am ready to testify under oath in front of any investigative authority that they told me categorically that $60.00 is a tax collected by Miami Dade county' and when I further questioned they circled a Florida statutes by saying see here is the law. Later when I checked the Florida statutes I found out there is no such law and the statutes they printed and circled is just a cleverly designed ploy to cheat customers and Miami-Dade county tax dept.so either they refund my $60.00 or pay Miami Dade county. The choice is theirs.
Item # 2 = this explanation is a pure lie. There is no hole in the roof, there is no water leakage from long time or now. I am ready to testify under oath that my claim against them under this item issue is for destroying one rubber seal they cut (forcing me to buy 2) and the parts (linkage) they broke by trying to push it in by various tools. If they are so incompetent (as they acknowledge in their letter) they should not have accepted my car or any Mercedes.
I am forced to question who gave them license to paint cars??? Their response is so absurd that I am forced to contact Florida dept. of motor vehicles and find out how did they get license numbers mvr # 95103197 & fl regmv#-26718.
I am ready to testify under oath that A list of defects was made by me to protect myself and their manager was present who kept one copy, he further assured me not to worry as I also have warranty so I made the list before I picked up the car and had to rush to the Mercedes mechanic as it was raining and they left the sunroof wide open with all the dirt, water and trash falling inside the car. They would not give me the keys of the car unless I paid in cash so I was basically HELD AT RANSOM and I had to pay cash and pick up the car. Once the Mercedes mechanic tried to put the sunroof back THAT'S WHEN it was discovered that Maaco had cut the seal and broken links inside the sunroof, I was forced to order new seal and more parts to get the sunroof fixed.
My claim against Maaco for cost of parts broken by Maaco by negligent behavior $282.50
Cost of labor to fix the sun roof $ 275.00
Cost to repaint the sunroof- $100.00
(They scratched the sunroof)
Item # 3 this is a lie. I have shown the door to other paint mechanic and they concur that Maaco simply painted over the old bodywork and it shows and I am ready to testify under oath that they had categorically charged me $50 by saying that old paint job will be removed and re-done. Nothing of sort was done. They cheated me of another $50.00
Item # 4 their explanation is so absurd it doesn't even deserves a respectable comment. Are they in auto painting business or dry cleaning business?? How can they talk about wet paint dry paint, it is their business to paint the car properly and what ever it takes they have to do it properly, I am ready to testify under oath they charged me $ 100.00 by pressuring me to pay extra $100.00 for painting door jambs because according to them it require extra work & time and I paid them their full $100.00 so why I have to listen this non-sense of wet and dry paint & more time etc. Plus I went to them 3 times to get it fixed and they kept the car for more than 7-10 dayshow much time they need to dry this special ONE OF A KIND in the world paint?
The truth is they cheated me of $100 and had no intentions to repaint the doorjambs. The door jambs are in the same condition as they were when I picked up the car first dayABSOLUTELY NO WORK WAS DONE INSPITE OF MY 3 VISITS AND AFTER LEAVING THE CAR WITH THEM FOR MORE THAN A WEEK.
Maaco has enriched themselves by cheating me by unfair and fraudulent trade practices. And now they probably expect me to roll over and vanish ---IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, If they wish to close this chapter they can refund the unjust amounts they charged me, pay me for destroying perfectly new and good parts and I will consider reasonable offer from them.
Thanking you for your time and efforts
Sincerely
Shant
Copy of their response attached.
CLICK here to see why we deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.Shant
Miami, Florida
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on MAACOSTOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... CLICK HERE to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! It has been reported, when there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide. ..Remember. The BBB membership is not earned, it's paid for!