F & F Tire & Muffler Service

Review: This automotive shop installed unneeded parts on my car. The part that was removed was in good working order, and was not in need of replacement. I was told that all of the work could not be finished on Tuesday May4th, so I should come back the next day to have the work on the passenger front side completed. The Manager said that if the parts were stuck together on the passenger side he would need to have a CVC axle on hand, and only had one for the driver's side. That was indeed part of the original estimate that I had agreed to. He showed me the three parts stuck together after they were removed from the vehicle. He said he wanted my permission to destroy one of these three parts in order to salvage the third. Luckily he said, we already knew you needed a CVC axle on the drivers side, so we have that right here. I will need to install new lugs, he said, and have those here for about $106.00. That raised the price from about $1,200 to $1,300. I okayed the work, and told him I would return the next day to have the remaining work completed. Before I left I said I wanted him to do what ever he could to salvage the parts from the other side. Twice I said that. I also repeated twice that he should have no problem removing the other parts as the problem was with driver's side bearing. When I drove the car home it was fine, and really didn't seam to need the other work done. I went in the next day, and had the work finished anyway. I stayed at the shop awhile to see if they were having issues with the parts. They were not. I walked around back, and as they had had they garage door open I could clearly see my car up on the lift with the good CVC axle still attached, and in bright shiny new condition! Good I had thought, they will salvage the parts after all. When I returned the CVC axle had now been removed, but I thought maybe they had wanted to attache everything together at ground level, and then hoist it all up, and onto the car, as I had seen all three of the parts still connected together in that way the previous day. When the [redacted] came out to the waiting area the first thing that he said was everything came apart right away, and that there was no problem disconnecting anything. I said oh good then, you reused everything on that side. He said no, and rang up an additional $467 on my credit card. He installed the brand new parts anyway even though they were not needed just to gouge me for more money.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded the money for the replacement part that was not needed on my car.

Business

Response:

Hello,

This is [redacted] at

[redacted] in Franklin, WI.

This customer came in to

have two tires installed that he had purchased at [redacted]. The

tires he brought in were not the correct size or speed rating for his vehicle.

We did not install those tires but we gave him an estimate for the correct

tires. We also gave him an estimate for front end repairs.

The front end

repairs that we quoted were: both front sway bar links (broken), the left front

lower control arm (worn), both front wheel bearings (worn / loose), the right

inner tie rod (worn / loose), left front front cv axle (ripped boots), wheel

alignment (required after front end repairs) and a cleaning and adjustment of

the rear brakes (out of adjustment). The right front cv axle was not listed on

the original inspection because, there was nothing visually wrong with it, it

was not bent or broken. Wheel hub replacement was also not suggested because,

visually, they appeared fine (not bent).

The customer agreed to

have the left front lower control arm, both front sway bar links, both front

wheel bearings and the left cv axle replaced. The other repairs were declined

at that time.

We ordered the parts and

set the appointment for the following day.

We installed the

left lower control arm. We began to disassemble the left front wheel bearing

but it was so worn that it had welded itself to the cv axle and wheel hub.

This was not an issue

because we were already planning on replacing the left front cv axle. We needed

to replace the wheel hub on the left side too. There was no additional labor,

it just required additional time to cut it away from the hub. The wheel hub was

authorized by the customer when he was shown the left front seized bearing,

hub, cv axle, steering knuckle assembly.

I then explained to the

customer that the right front cv axle may have also have welded to the bearing

and before I attempted to remove it, I wanted to have the right front cv axle

and another wheel hub on hand. The customer agreed. We finished replacing both

front sway bar links, the left front cv axle, the left front bearing, the left

front hub, and the left front lower control arm.

We had ordered the right

front cv axle, and the right front hub in case it needed to be replaced when we

did the right front bearing. We then scheduled the customer an appointment for

the next day. We took a partial layaway payment towards the service we had

performed and let the customer leave. The remaining balance was explained and

shown to the customer at that time. I didn't have the customer pay the entire

bill because we hadn't replaced the right front bearing yet and we didn't know

if the axle and hub were still needed.

There was no

mention of wheel lug replacement or a $106 charge which is listed in the

customer's complaint. I'm not sure what this pertains to and I don't see it on

the customer's invoice. I believe the customer is speaking about the wheel hubs

which were replaced along with the bearings. The left front hub was welded to

the bearing and need to be replaced at the same time as the bearing. The right

front was scored from excessive heat. Both front hubs were authorized prior to

their installation.

The customer returned

the following day to have the right front wheel bearing replaced, the cv axle

(if needed), and the right front wheel hub (if needed).

The remaining balance

was still listed on the invoice prior to the final service on the right

front.

The right front cv axle

nut was extremely rusted but was removed. Most of the threads were damaged on

the cv axle with the removal of the rusted nut. The cv axle was removed from

the right front bearing easily though (it was not welded together). The right

front wheel hub was removed but was scored (replacement required). I explained

to the customer that the cv axle had not been welded to the bearing and may be

able to be saved. I also explained that the wheel hub was scored and

replacement was required. I personally went out to the vehicle and attempted to

renew the threads on the right front cv axle while the technician pressed in

the bearing.

After many

attempts, I was not able to save the threads on the right front cv axle and it

too needed to be replaced. This was explained to the customer while the job was

being performed. At the end of the right side service, The customer paid the

balance on his bill and left.

All this information can

be confirmed by the technician that did the service on the left front, Scott

H., the technician that did the right side service, Anthony D., the [redacted] at the time, Robert N. and myself, Lee G[redacted].

If it is relevant,

Robert N. can also be a witness to the customer's unusual behavior while at the

service desk and how upset he seemed after realizing [redacted] had

sold him the incorrect tires for his vehicle.

If you have any

questions or need more information, feel free to contact me.

Thank you,

Lee G[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

Review: I had a transmission put in my van and the guy who works with this company put it in and give me a 90 days for repairs on it and it was in the 90 days and he told me he would not fix it without charging me again and I paid him 2200 to do the work and he mess up my transmission switch and my computer switch in my van and that is why I can not pass emission to get my sticker for next year and the engine light stays on and never goes off and the abs lisght stays on and knocks out the gauges so I can not tell how much gas I have in there and I want him to fix it so I can pass the emission test soonDesired Settlement: I want him to fix it soon and do not charge me at all

Business

Response:

ID#[redacted]

To whom it my concern.

We are in receipt of you letter

dated 8/4/2014.

We have spoke with this customer on

several occasions regarding her problems

And have asked her to bring the

vehicle back to us and to date she has not

Been able to bring it in. The most

recent contact was with our West Allis

Location on August 8th

2014 and again we were told the vehicle could not be left.

The warranty on the transmission

work is clearly stated on the service order

For 30 days. In addition, on July

24th2013 this customer brought her vehicle

To our old Holmes Ave. location

complaining that the ABS light was coming on.

At this time we also questioned the

dash lights as having a possible short in the

Wiring. Customer did not want us to

further evaluate the situation.

We again, request that the customer

bring her vehicle to our West Allis

Location, by appointment, to leave

the vehicle to review our installation

Of the transmission.

Sincerely

F & F Tire Service Inc.