Complaint Review: Meineke - Amarillo Texas

NEVER TAKE YOUR VEHICLE HERE!

THIS IS A LONG REVIEW BUT WORTH THE READ. My car was working very well up to the date of my oil change. I went for a basic oil change on 6/21/13. Was told my car would be taken back right away and started on. Thirty minutes later  was told air filter needed replaced, didn't even look very dirty, was given estimate of $808 for repairs to a power steering leak, which wasn't there at last check, cracked alternator belt, also not there at last check, and 2 oil valve leaks, not there at last check and an oil pan leak, that WAS there at my last car check. I declined repairs due to financial issues as me being a single mom of 3 children. I do always keep my car updated with repairs when I need to, especially if it's something major. Last year spent $600 just to have whole front end CV axle replaced.

Another 45 minutes later, they release my car to me, when I was told it would only take 30 minutes for an oil change, it took over an hour and my car was taken back immediately upon arrival. The next day, check engine light is on, my engine is shaking violently, car cannot accelerate very well at all without sputtering along, the muffler starts popping, and the car dies every time geared to drive or reverse. NEVER did I have these problems before the oil change. I changed spark plugs and wires, checked the spark plug coils, had spark plug cyliner compression check, passed, and had mass air flow sensor cleaned. Still my mechanic could not find out what was done to break my car. I called Dennis, the manager at this shop, to complain and ask what was done to my car. He then began to tell me his mechanic did nothing and he knows because he was back there. Well, he must forget I sat and waited the whole time in the lobby, and he was up at the desk the whole time, so no, he was not back there to see what the mechanic did. He began to yell, and would not let me get one word in to explain what was going on and he yelled at me, "Lady, if you're going to call and yell and talk over me, then I will not speak to you!" I had to stop him there and tell him he was the one yelling, and not letting me get one word in to him. He hung up multiple times and didn't want to hear my complaint. I explained to him that other people I've talked to after my issue had the same problems with his shop, he stated I was talking to a "bunch of liars", he then stated his shop is #23 out of 900 on the Meineke website, I told him of course, it's the company website, google it and see other reviews, he said he didn't care of the review or my problem. Dennis also told me that "apparently I've never taken good care of my car in the 170,000 miles that I've owned it",  tried telling him that I've only owned that car 2 yrs. of those 170,000 miles because it's all I could get during a divorce and it's all I have, but he refused to hear it and hung up on me. I called back and spoke to another employee who heard the previous conversations and said I was not treated fairly and they've had numerous complaints about Dennis, I was given the owner, Roger's, phone number to contact. I contacted him, he was not of much help either. Offered to "look" at my car, but any repairs would be at my expense because they did nothing wrong.

I'M SORRY, BUT IT'S NOT NORMAL TO TAKE A CAR THAT WORKS, IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, AND THE NEXT DAY IT IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE.

I had to purchase a new vehicle at my expense to replace the one they totalled.

BEWARE, DO NOT GO HERE!!