Complaint Review: Meineke Car Care Center - Charolette Nationwide

first off i would like to say thank you and appreciate the comment about me having insight on things---but to make comments about stupid little gramticals is in fact just stupid---after all--you were able to understand what i was saying---now in terms of the things that you think it is funny that 9 out of 10 it is the employees who think it is the companies fault--i can't speak for others but i can myself---i just didn't know if you were referring to me so i had to make the rebuttal---why i left was i had a manager who worked with me in the back as a fellow GS(general service) worker before he was the manger---when he was manager he began to go on these power trips i feel---for example i did work around the shop when there was nothing to do--they had these 50 gallon drums tthey used for garbages(they use to be for soap to wash the floor)--when i first started working there obviously no one took the garbage out--the garbages were overflowing--and 50 gallon drums of garbage(these drums are bigger than me) can be heavy if very filled---me and another guy(who quit 3 days later-but doesn't matter) took these garbages out--what a nightmare--they weighed more than 75 pounds i would say--also the techs there had this attitude that we GS's are the bitches so they would throw rotors and brake pads in the garbages making them extra heavy(after all they didn't have to throw it out, they are commision i was hourly)------in any case--after this experience i decided no one was going to do it--and to avoid this experience again it would be better to take it out everyday--so i did--there was roughly 8 of these garbages---so with this fact--everyday i threw the garbage out--i did my work around the shop--also there was a bench in the middle that i would clean so often cause people just put things down on it and leave it there--let's not mention also every morning after the garbage i would dump all the oil out of the oil buckets(there was about 5-6)--it wasn't a big deal but the principle of the matter---lets not forget when people did tires they just put the old tires in the middle of a bay(which was next to the tire machine) and basically i took everyones tires out to the dumpster area--every morning i would come in and take out roughly 5-20 tires(it varied)---I DID WORK AROUND THE SHOP-----while i watched this guy talking/kissing the managers a*s all day--another guy that was ALWAYS on his phone and would work on 3 cars per day(sometimes less)--i would work on 8-10---there was 1 other guy that actually worked around the shop and the job itself and that was carl---so let us say you are in my sitation--and you have a manger that use to be a fellow worker only screw with you that "you are an hourly worker do something"--again while you watch everyone else putzin off!!!!----also--every week i was always at the top in commisions--there was maybe a couple times i was 2nd behind carl--me and carl were the top---in any case you can imagine my surprise when they actaully promoteed the guy that talked on his phone all day(they gave him the commision job on sunday)--when i worked with this guy on sunday it was mostly tires and oil changes(gs work)---this guy just sat in the a/c office on his phone and the computer most of the day talking to the jerk off manager i speak of(ray)---they paid him 100$ a day(no matter what)--i ran my a*s off and produced to take home less than 100$---again i will admit it is my own anger that takes control( a lesson i learned after working here)---but things got worse when i asked for a raise---they knew i would leave and i feel they launched a pre emtive strike and fired me--if you read my rip off report you will know these details----but one thing that i did not mention which is important--is after i was fired/ i quit---i had my friend call and pretend he was a potential employer--they told him that i just stand around all day and i have a bad attitude(i will admit i had a bad attitude-but for a reason)---they gave me a bad reference and tried to hinder my employment efforts---hence why i wrote the report in the first place--plus i was pretty drunk and angry at the time i wrote it--i do believe it was ray he spoke to----anyway--remember--out of love comes hate---if i didn't love that place so much i wouldn't be so hateful--if i didn't care i wouldn't of cared--but when you care and you get treated the way i did it takes a toll--i felt very unappreciated---so now to respond to the statement about being 9 out of 10 it is the workers--yes it is--but workers get pissed for a reason--they took money out of my check to pay someone else more so they can take more from him--they wanted me to bend over backwards for them after i gave it 110%--and again the manger on the power trip being a total jerkoff---i hope this info as a business owner helps you in realizing what your employees MAY be feeling--my experience--the better worker you are--the more you get screwed--remember this when you think of your best worker

As the owner of a company I came across this and I couldn't resist throwing my hat into the ring.  I always giggle at ex-employee's thoughts and rants about former employers b/c 9 out of 10 times it is all the companies fault for the separation and not the employee's.  Even though THEY screwed up and THEY were the reason for the separation.  This is especially true after reading this little rant by Mr. Secret, and bill p. (who by the way MUST re-read his rebuttals to check for spelling and grammar errors.  I'm just saying, it would help when reading the rants.)

Moving on... Mr. Secret, I have a good friend who owns a Meineke and they are a great company who I use all the time, and so does my family and friends.  Now, I will admit there are some bad apples out there but you have to admit ALL companies or franchises have a bad apple or 2 in their basket.  Maybe the one you worked at has some issues, or maybe just maybe it was just you.  Maybe you promised way MORE then you could bring to the table.  I have to agree with the gentleman who threw his hat in about the $11.00/hr.  That is a high rate of pay, and is a good pay for a "qualified" technican.  I find it hard to believe other lube shops pay any joe $11.00 or more per hour, but maybe that is true in your neck of the woods.  Especially with the economy the way it is.  So many people need jobs and you are complaining about $11.00/hr?....HELLO MCFLY is anyone in there???  Bottom line Mr. Secret, just b/c you left or more likely fired don't drag everyone down.  Not all Meineke's are the same.  Not all of them do as you said "crappy repairs" or "hire shade tree mechanics".  Before you start pointing your finger and accusing people remember there are 3 more finger pointing back at yourself.

As far as the oil changes, there is a method to the madness, but obviously you fail to catch the concept.  But then again after reading your little blog I would have not expected you too.  A tech's job is to diagnose vehicles not think for the company:  what is profitable and not profitable, or what is or not considered a gimmick.

Bill P., I have read many of your comments, and please re-read them before submitting.  Just a thought.  Ususally you have good insight on things.

I wish you gentlemen the best of luck and hope you find employment soon, if not already.  But as the old saying goes, "Don't throw rocks when YOU live in a glass house".

Logan1994

it depends on who owns the meineke you worked for--most people/owners are scumbags that want to work you and pay you crap---the shop i worked at took in 2 mill a year--it was a busy store in a very high class area---i posted my ripoff report about them and what they do--type in meineke weston in advanced search to learn more--by the way--if you read it--i looked at the beetr business bureau site and they are rated F---in any case--in terms of 11$ an hour-????--meinekes have different owners so they may be different with pay--where i worked at there was gs(general service-which i was) and the mechanics--the mechanics made 13% of the value of the ticket they worked on---there is a mechanic there who makes over 100k--why--as an example--a car comes in with a check engine light--in some cases--1 code may trip other codes--so you may have like 4 other codes in your computer(again tipped by one bad sensor)--this mechaic would just read the codes-and recommend the work based on all the codes/selling 5 different things---since it is a high class neighborhood and people with money tend to be stupid cause money is wasteful and nothing to them--they do it---this is how they make 2 mill a year--also with there markup on tires--we got people coming in with porsches and i've seen 4 tires costing people 1600+100 for alignment---remember--not in ALL cases but most---if you know your mechanic was making this kind of money--suspect there to be a rip off and selling needless parts--if your honest you will make less--but live descent

it depends on who owns the meineke you worked for--most people/owners are scumbags that want to work you and pay you crap---the shop i worked at took in 2 mill a year--it was a busy store in a very high class area---i posted my ripoff report about them and what they do--type in meineke weston in advanced search to learn more--by the way--if you read it--i looked at the beetr business bureau site and they are rated F

If you people could just slow down and read, I have been employed with Meineke for the last 3 years, I just quit last week

Yes Mr. Willy Wonka, we believe you even though it has been 3 years from what you say since you worked there, and it is in bbbuuu, internet.

Ripoff report should have caught your report and not posted it, and maybe even banned you.

About oil changes, even buying the stuff "on sale" at your own local parts store to do your own oil changes if it was $9.98 for 10w30 motor oil, and you needed 5w30 or 15w40 you wont get it all for $9.98. So what is your beef with that?

$11.00 an hour is more than I make, and I am a truck driver / heavy haul driver / painter / p.m. mechanic. I have to change the oil and grease my own truck(s) and trailers each time it has to be done. And I make LESS than Meineke pays. Maybe I should look into working for them. I would be happy if all I did was change oil for $11 an hour.

Your report really lacks credibility due to your not even willing to use your own name. Why would you even wait 3 years to file a report of this?