Complaint Review: meineke store 728 frederick md - frederick Maryland

Wow.  Youre not only disgruntled, but sexist, too?  A female can't turn wrenches?  Your mathematics might make sense in a perfect world.  However, anyone who knows anything about the world knows that more forces come into play than simply sitting under a tree and having an apple dropped on to your head.

To the consumers, and most importantly the sucka from somewhere USA following this thread. Yes sir or maam, your right- I had no intention of reposting after the rebuttal to my ex-employer. But, your understanding of basic brake wear compels me to debate what I believe is an issue in the industry. It occurs to me that I may need to start an automotive training blog for those who state they are in the field, in order to educate the most basic automotive knowledge of brake wear. Let me be clear, I have been in the automotive industry for more the 20 years. Ive owned my own shop, have been a lead technician, managed multiple shops, and am a respected diagnostician for both aftermarket companies and dealers.

Here are facts you might want to research.GM Product Service Training Manual 5000-1A furnished by Delco Moraine Division, Buick Know-how Training Manual KH-98 and Code of Maryland Regulations (the state safety manual for Maryland) all state, that a brake pad lining that reaches 1/32 over the rivet or 2/32 overall thickness SHOULD be replaced. If my training blog is needed at this point Ill gladly furnish you with all other manufacturers specifications on the planet earth.

Using basic math, an average new out of the box set of pads at 16/32 inch and a customer with 40,000 miles coming into the shop for a brake squeak with 4/32 still has time before there pads are deemed worn out by the people that make their car. THIS is the variable, and why we need to diagnose cars and not sell parts. 10k depending on driving habits could be two years, could be six months, and if were talking transport may be a few weeks.

So, going through the math, 16/32 or 100% that is at 4/32 or 25% still has 2/32 or 12.5% normal wear left before according to the people that make the car has to be replaced.

100% at 16/32 and a driver that has 4/32 at 40,000 miles is wearing about 3/32 every 10,000 miles.

Yes, you need to start talking to a potential customer at this point, but not telling then their car is unsafe to drive! I have customers that do an oil change a month and have customers that do an oil change every 4 months. DO THE MATH!!!!!, TALK TO YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!!. Then determine a course of
action.

A WARM SMILE, TRIP INTO THE SERVICE BAY, OR A GIRL BEHIND THE COUNTER does not mean you are getting the facts right.
 
P.S. Sucka, not every customer that comes into a shop that is metal to metal or grinding, (because they did not hear the manufactures wear indicator squeaking, actual set at 2/32, proving my pervious point,) need calipers replaced. Also, just because techs dont have the ability or the means to turn rotors, doesnt mean they should be replaced to deliberately increase the customers bill for an easy way out. Also, your assumption that that I worked continuously with this company for the same owner over six years is in error.  In my previous post I stated I have worked on and off since 2006. I was only with the current owner a year and a half and stated on a previous post that I tried for months to get him to do the right thing. In hind sight I wish I had blown the whistle sooner so again Lets agree to disagree.

Darrell,

You incorrectly presumed I am a "Sir".  It is none of your business who I am or where I am from.  You are on a need-to-know basis and you are not entitled to that right to know me.  I don't have a clue as to who the owner of this facility is.  I am in no way associated with him/her.  I simply ran across your complaint.  I take care of my customers.  I care about my customers. A couple times a week, I randomly search various automotive repair facility online reviews and this site in an effort to better understand how the customer views auto repair service.  

I focused on your comment about 4/32 getting another year because that shows your lack of knowledge or concern.  Your shop is centrally located in a mountainous area.  Does everyone who visits that facility live in the valley and never leave the valley?  Do they they never travel upwards over the mountains?

You worked at a facility for six years, knowing that you perceived fraudulent activity was occurring?  Yet, you didn't speak up about it until you were fired?  I gotta call BS on that.  You can speak about your ethics all day long. I find your ethics questionable, at best.  If there was any fraudulent activity going on, you were involved...either directly or indirectly.  If you are truly the benevolent bright white knight in shining armor that you feel you are, you would have quit working there on your own accord a long time ago.  

You posted at some point something to the effect of "this will be my last post here", yet you continued to post afterwards.  You are still a disgruntled former employee. Good Day, Sir

I had a chance to read your post, but didnt have the pleasure of learning exactly who you are Sir. You are questioning my expertise and suggesting that I am an uneducated disgruntled ex-employee yet you dont have the courage to offer your name and credentials when throwing such stones.  You refer to yourself a SUCKA from SOMEWHERE USA.

I think I agree with some of the things you say but have to respectfully disagree with many others. For instance, being from Florida, I have to assume you dont actually know Frederick Maryland very well, as you were questioning our road conditions, mountains etc. Frederick is a city, and as such, there are a lot of city drivers who have come to the shop of which I speak. So, my point was made originally that the specific behavior of the driver and their habits is critical to the decision on the brake pads. Also, I never made a specific reference to a specific car, I was simply warning consumers that the shop where I am no longer employed uses less than ethical tactics when dealing with clients who might not know better. 

My point here is that if a mechanic spends a little time learning about the client they can better understand their needs and what should or shouldnt be done for maintenance and when.  Our responsibility to the customer is to diagnose and repair their vehicles, not sell them parts. THAT was my warning for consumers.

I do find it interesting that you only focused on the brakes issue. You seem to be somehow defending my ex-employer, insinuating that I am a deadbeat drunk sitting on my couch collecting unemployment. (You said something like that) Yet, in your (inaccurate) judgment of me, you dont bother to consider the other issues I made mention of, such as the steering couplers or the fact that this company is now being brought to court for fraud charges with the state for mishandling and illegally selling safety inspections.

I have a sneaking suspicion you know my ex-employer and are trying to defend him by discrediting me. Sad really. And not necessary. Calling me a disgruntled employee is simply weak and easy. You mention that I probably made other claims to places like OSHA and the EPA.  Funny both of these organizations SHOULD be contacted for many reasons, but frankly, I havent done so yet. If my suspicion is correct and you know my ex-employer, I am not surprised he is worried I
would file those reports against him, he knows what he has done in his shop is hazardous on so many levels. But, are you suggesting I shouldnt report these things? 

If you really do own a shop in Florida, then you, more than most, should understand the importance of the issues I have brought to this post. I have a personal agenda to expose these people for their unethical conduct. That comes after months of trying to get the owner to do the right thing while I was there. So, sure, you can chalk me up to a disgruntled employee if you like, but even if that WERE the truth, which it isnt, the facts are the facts and customers in this community should be made aware of this unethical conduct.

I dont appreciate your snarky comments about me being an uneducated, ex-employee sitting on a couch living off the system. First of all, you dont know me and have no idea of my work ethic or my education status. I dare say I would put my knowledge of mechanics up against most.  I wont assume YOU are uneducated Sir, but I will say you prove yourself to be mean spirited with your own agenda. Secondly, living off the system is the LAST thing I want to do and I will, without question, be back on my feet sooner rather than later because I believe there are service shops that DONT engage in such unethical behavior. Third its funny; my ex-employer used the exact same words when I left. Coincidence? 

Again I go back to my original point buyer beware.

Isn't Frederick, MD located somewhere within the Appalachian Mountain region?  I can see deeming a brake pad with 7/32's friction left to be safe.  However, if those pads are being placed on a warped brake rotor, I would never place my son in that vehicle, especially in a hilly or mountainous area surrounded by Interstate driving.  

I find it hardly believable that an ASE technician certified in A-5/Brakes would ever say the driver of any vehicle with only 4/32's of brake pad friction can get another year out of those brake pads.  Especially in a hilly or mountainous area.  Slamming on your brakes going downhill because another driver cut in front you forces, not only decreased braking distance, but a great bit of heat between such a low brake pad and a potentially warped rotor.  

Excessive heat can certainly cause premature damage to brake calipers.  It's important that the technician or service manager show and explain to customer what they are recommending and why.  I do it all the time in my shop.  I openly bring a customer into my shop and right to their vehicle.  I expect my technicians to have the knowledge base,  customer service skills and presentation in that they can visually show customers what is going on with their vehicle.

One of the biggest mistakes I have seen technician's make is assuming:  1. The customer drives the exact same way the technician does.  2.  The customer wants their vehicle maintained the exact same way the technician maintains his/hers.  3.  The customer knows exactly how to maintain their vehicle or knows what to do during a break down/failure.  

I've also seen that the biggest online complaints come from the most uneducated disgruntled former employees.  Seems to me this is, yet, another one of those cases.  An employee perceived the work he produced was far more productive than how the employer perceived such work output.  Besides the state trooper and ripoff report claim, I don't doubt this former disgruntled employee also made false and misleading complaints with the EPA, OSHA, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Unemployment.   If Maryland is anything like the state of  Florida, this former employee will sit around on his couch for the next 99 weeks getting drunk while living off of unemployment.  I'm sure all EPA, OSHA, and EEO complaints will be dismissed due to compliance by this Fredrickson auto repair facility.

Final Note:  This company has not been registered with BBB in a very long time, and probably for a very good reason.  My repair facility has an A+ rating with the BBB.  However, after receiving a ridiculously false and fabricated complaint, it took a lot of time out of my schedule to prove her complaint was completely out of line and false (I know for a fact because I was there).  BBB's are also divided up by region.  

Some BBB rep's are just far more valuable and helpful than others.  IF you really look into it, do your research, it's obvious that the BBB rep's in that Maryland area very poorly handle the auto repair industry.  If I were in that area, just by reading the statistics, I honestly would have stopped paying the BBB to handle my business, as well.  Those BBB rep's take entirely far too long to help handle a situation which small businesses pay them for.

This will be the last post I make to this site. I have no desire to engage any further.

Discrediting me, and throwing my past around does not dispute the facts of this situation

For the Record

1)     
The Maryland State police recently engaged in a sting operation on Mr Penells garage due to multiple reports from the community about illegal inspections taking place.  During their sting operation,  Mr Pennells garage failed on multiple levels
and both he and his manager Dave Hanna have had their license to do State Inspections suspended.

2)     
As of 10.2.2012, sited on the Better Business Bureau Website (www.bbb.org)   Meineke store#728  still has a D minus rating. If that rating is based on one employees appalling service, I again ask why he continued to employ me for so long. That rating is not based on anything I did and is based on many situations.  

 3)     
According to www.mdcasesearch.com,  Mr Pennell  has thousands of dollars in back taxes and there are numerous cases open against him regarding tax evasion or payroll tax neglect.

4)     
Mr Pennell admits he believes I drank regularly, over the course of more than a year, on the job during open business hours in his business establishment. I have to wonder how credible he is as a business owner to allow someone HE BELIEVES IS DRUNK to work on his customers cars.

 5)     
I have witnessed Mr Pennell mislead people, sell parts and services that werent necessary for the customer, pocket cash for
dirty inspections and show an overall disregard for his customers well being.

6)     
The fact is, even if I am the worst drunk in the world, (which I am not) and even if I am a horrible criminal (which I am not)
my history and/or my substance use still has no bearing on the facts about this company. (as stated above)  I wont
bother to refute Mr Pennells accusations about me, they arent relevant. I am no longer with the company, and I have no skin in the game at this point but the facts are the facts so really, in the end, buyers beware, you have been warned.  A charming smile, and a warm greeting shouldnt fool someone who has been warned.

 
A helpful hint for consumers when working with any garage, be sure to ask the company for your old parts to be given back to you.  Be sure you ask what the measurements were on your rotors or brake pads when they are replaced. Ask them
to show you what they did and why. 

 Wow!  Where do I start?   I guess I will keep this short and simple.  What Mr. Darrell Lucas reported is completely false!  Mr. Lucas was FIRED for Drinking on the job in front of 3 other employees!   But now claims we are all Lying about it???  This completely false claim comes from a disgruntled employee that the police had to be called on for him to leave the facility!  
   This was after he was a great employee while working on WORK RELEASE from the Frederick county detention center.  I guess at that time he was unable to consume any alcohol and had nothing better to do but work??  This Meineke location has a 98% customer satisfaction rating and a great reputation in Frederick.  ( the only complaint came from a customer that Mr. Lucas worked on and drove the car off the lift before he lowered it all the way to the ground and caused $2000 worth of damage to)  I guess I would give a bad review for that too!!  These are personal attacks on myself and my staff from a person unhappy with his life and the choices he has made.   Please disregard his statements and come see for yourself.  

Thank you.
Randy Pennell, Owner/Manager
Meineke of Frederick.

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