Complaint Review: The Original Muffler City Inc - Tampa Florida

Don't go there! They are scam, its impossible that their management doesn't know what sort of business practice is conducted there! I called them and asked if they can check and re-surface (if needed) the rotors on Toyota Camry 2007 with 50K miles on it. It was priced at $60, which sounds reasonable. I can't say that I had a complain about rotors, but recently I have done a road pressure wheel balance on this car and I was told by the guy who took the car for a test ride that there might (just might be) a little issue with rotors when you speed the car up and push hard on the brakes. I can't tell if I really could feel anything like that myself, but I decided to check it up.

20 min after I left my car at the Original Muffler City, I received a call from them. The muffler city guy told me that rotors are too thin and I need new rotors and new front brakes to be installed. I asked him all the questions and he assured me that if I don't do so, then I will be back in 3 weeks. He priced job and parts $245.00 +tax. I started thinking what to do and called TOYOTA Tampa Bay on Fletcher and asked a service advisor if it is normal to have rotors replaced at 50K miles. He said that it is absolutely NOT, but to make sure - I should take a rotor measurement.

I called the shop (Original Muffler City) and asked them to leave my car alone and told them that I am coming back in 3 min and would like to look at the brake pads and the rotors.

When I walked to this store, the guy showed me my rotor and the pad. I asked him why does he think it is too thin. He replied to me that they are experts and they know that. Well, I asked him what is TOYOTA's allowance for this part. He replied: "Yours is too thin". Then I told him: "we are going to measure something according to an instruction I received from TOYOTA service advisor. 

And first - we have to find a number on the rotor.The muffler city guy said: "it doesn't have any!" Then I inspected the rotor and found THE NUMBER 25mm! I asked him how he knows that this rotor is very thin if he doesn't see the number? He replied that he is an expert :))

I asked him to bring a measurement tool and measure the part. But he tried to sneak out and took the part from me to the next desk and cover measurement process with his back. I told him again: "Please bring the tool over here, I want to measure it myself, I don't want to see your back"

Then his spirit went down. A scale showed - 28mm. He said:"Its almost 25...its thin" I replied : "Its 28(!) and TOYOTA has this allowance accordingly their standards as a manufacturer!!!" It means as much as I drive this car it is going to get to at least 70,000-75,000 miles before the rotors would need to be changed."

He said: "You owe me money anyway. You owe me $60. Because we worked on your car. The labor cost $60 per hour".

It was turning to be really interesting :) I told him to show me what did he do in one hour, and that also based on my phone call history - the car was in the shop for mere 40 min. He replied that it doesn't matter and he will charge me for the full hour!!!

Well, then I had to ask him;"What is going to happen if I pay you money and then I go to Toyota and check the rotors and brakes. What if upon an inspection they give me a conclusion that everything within the limits and no service is required. Then by all means: you made a false statement about rotors and brakes condition. Then you forced me to pay you $60 for PARKING my car in your shop for 40 min. Well it's a price for a cheap hotel for a day....its dam expensive parking. So what we are going to do next?" The guy did a lot of blah-blah-blah telling me that they didn't try to steal my money.

And that I can take my car now and get out.  I asked him if he likes to have my $60, but he said: "I don't want your money anymore". Well after I left The Original Muffler location and went to TOYOTA and they inspected my car. As I suspected: no problems were found and they had a lot of laugh when I told them a story. I still have a paper from their service department that no maintenance was required at this time.