ComplaintsforMiddletown Auto Repair & Service

• Initial Complaint

  09/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  9/20/2022 MY *** WAS ***ED MONRO AUTO ******************************. AN OIL LINE WAS BUSTED. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND THEY STATED THEY WERE NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR THE REPAIR.THEN IT WAS AGAIN ***ED 9/24/22 TO *****************************. MIDDLETOWN AUTO REPAIR FOR THE OIL LEAK.GOT A CALL FROM THE ***** ***** 9/24/22 STATING THE *** WOULD NOT START AND IT WAS STUCK IN HIS BAY AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SERVICE HIS CUSTOMERS.HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD A TERRIBLE TIME GETTING IT MOVED BUT WITH HELP HE MOVED IT.THE SHOP WAS CLOSED SUNDAY AND MONDAY BUT *** CALLED ON SUNDAY 9/25/22 AND EXPLAINED THAT THE STARTER ON THE *** WAS BAD AND IT NEEDED A STARTER THAT COST $852 CREDIT OR $803 CASH. THE ***** WAS COMBINED $540 LABOR,$248 STARTER $64 TAX. I STATED I WAS NOT WILLING TO MAKE THAT DECISION AT THAT MOMENT .SHE STATES "I WILL HAVE ******************* YOU AND HE DID I TOLD HIM LET ME TALK TO MY HUSBAND I DID NOT AGREE TO ANY WORK ON THE ***. *** LEFT ME A VM WHICH I STILL HAVE QUOTING ME THE ***** FOR OIL,DIAGNOSIS,***.$355 DUE TO ME STATING I WAS NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE THE *** FIXED WITH THEM.THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE WORK ON THE STARTER WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT MY CONSENT. THE ORIGINAL OIL LEAK STILL REMAINED.I HAD TO PAY A BILL OF $1050 9/28/22 WHICH THEY REFUSED TO TAKE MY CREDIT ***D AND ONLY WOULD GIVE ME MY *** IF I PAID CASH. I CALLED THE POLICE AND HE ADVISED ME TO PAY THEM, I HAD TO GO TO THE **** AND WITHDRAW THE MONEY TO PAY LASTLY WHEN I WAS ABLE TO SEE MY *** IT HAD TO DENTS ON EACH SIDE FROM WHATEVER THEY DID TO MOVE IT. THE *** TRUCK FROM AAA HAD VIDEO OF THE *** BEFORE DELIVERY.THAT WAS PROOF THE *** WAS NOT DAMAGED PRIOR.I HAVE VIDEO OF THE TRANSCATION OF PAYMENT I ASKED ABOUT THE DAMAGE SHE SAID WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT. *** DID NOT WANT TO ACCEPT THE CASH ON VIDEO. SHE LEFT THE OFFICE AND DID NOT RETURN TO TAKE THE CASH UNTIL I PUT THE ***** AWAY. AN EXPERIENCE I WOULD NEVER WANT TO RELIVE. OFFICER ****** SHIELD #**** WAS SHOCKED AT THE EVENTS. POLICE REPORT ********* MIDDLETOWN AUTO RECIEPT ******.

  Business response

  10/17/2022

  In response to the letter of dissatisfaction and complaint written by ****************************. I am a Veteran Owner and Operator of Middletown Auto Repair and Service, for over 7 years. I proudly provide auto repair and service to the Middletown Community and surrounding towns in the  Counties of Orange ******** and Pike County. My Business has serviced thousands of vehicles with few complaints in the past 7 years, and every once in a while a Con Artist has a "previously damaged" vehicle brought to my business and tries to commit a fraud. Miss ************************* is a fraudulent customer who spent over 30 minutes in conversation on several calls with my wife *** on our business line and over 50 minutes with me on several recorded cell phone conversations as I explained the difficult situation she presented me, by having a car towed to me, from another nearby shop that was unable to properly diagnose and repair her "busted"vehicle a ***. 

  
  It was dropped by the tow truck operator at my shop in front of my middle bay on a Friday night after hours, On Saturday morning I attempted to start the vehicle and it turned over once and then stalled. Several attempts were made to jump the battery with a booster pack after finding her battery with low voltage and yet the vehicle still did not start. I immediately called **************** and explained that her vehicle did not start and due to the design of a **** that the transmission would stay locked in the park model and that I would be unable to move it by hand since it would not roll. I further explained that her vehicle was blocking the entrance of my bay on my busiest day Saturday. She insisted that her vehicle did start for her and the tow truck operator. Perhaps it did before arriving at my business but not on that  Saturday morning. I asked her to send a tow truck and come to my shop so that the vehicle could be moved away from my middle bay opening. For over 8 hours neither she nor a tow truck showed up. During that day my lead ATech Mechanic with 30 years of experience, was able to diagnose and determine the vehicles inability to start after spending 2 hours while lying on the ground in the lot under the vehicle. He then informed me that the vehicle needed a replacement starter. I  again called **************** and informed her of this problem and solution. She needed  call a tow truck to lift the vehicle and have it  placed it in the middle bay. And when my business reopened Tuesday morning, replace the starter so the vehicle could be started and the transmission could be unlocked. **************** was given a price for diagnosis and repair of the starter only. And she verbally agreed to this plan and the repair. Any difference of price was caused by the fact her vehicle needed a two stage starter and not a single stage starter due to her vehicles start/stop feature  Her initial problem of leaking oil would also have be diagnosed on Tuesday. She one again agreed verbally to this arrangement and assured me the same tow company would contact me. On Sunday morning I was contacted by the owner of the tow company and arranged to meet him at my business late afternoon. With much difficulty since the vehicle did not roll, he skillfully manuvered

  ed the *** into my middle bay and caused no damage. On Monday while waiting for my dad at his doctor's ************ I called *************** and informed her that her car, was safely in my shop and would be lifted on Tuesday, and properly diagnosed for a severe oil leak, and a replacement starter would be installed so that the vehicle could be started and diagnosed, I informed her of the price to replace the starter and explain that the price given to her initially was not right, because her car has an auto start feature which calls for a more expensive starter, the labor would be the same, and diagnosed would be included for her severe oil leak. She insisted at first that only she had only $1,000 and expected the entire job completed including the oil leak and the starter and the diagnosis to be paid for with $1,000.  I recoded her phone calls because I sensed this could be a problematic customer. And after spending over 50 minutes on three separate conversations, all documented by my cell phone records, and speaking with her husband as well and explaining the situation and solution. I was given verbal permission, which is common in my business by customers who do not have the time to show up due to work or family obligations to replace the vehicle's starter. The parts were ordered, and on Tuesday her starter was installed and a severe oil leak which was her initial complaint was diagnosed and a price to fix that oil leak was quoted to her as well.

  
  Please be aware, that I do not repair owners cars without permission and I give them the most accurate quote I can depending on the availability and price of parts. ***************** was called and informed that her car was ready for pickup and that only the starter was replaced, 3 quarts of engine oil were added and diagnose completed. And the oil leak needed to be addressed still and she declined to authorize additional work to be conducted to fix the severe oil leak. 

  
  When she arrived at my shop office , my wife was at the front desk and ***************** came in wearing a police style badge and began making threats to my wife that we were thieves and she did not authorize the repair and expected the car to be given to her without payment. I was called by my wife ***, and advised her that ******************** car was not leaving my property until payment was made in full in the amount of $900 plus an additional  $150 owed to the tow company in cash, money order or certified Bank check. As a business owner I have the right to set my payment methods with a customer who I suspect is out to victimize me and commit a fraud by canceling a credit card payment. She then left the office after several minutes of taunting my wife *** to meet her behind the building. My wife *** asked her to leave the office. And she later  returned to our office with a local Police Officer. The Police Officer and I had a discussion via phone and asked him if he was there for a criminal matter, and he responded that there was no criminal matter and that this was a civil issue between my business and *****************. I further informed him that she was disrupting my business by being disorderly and acting in a hostile  and threatening manner to my wife and that I wanted her off my property as quickly a possible and advised him that  ******************** vehicle would be released only after payment of cash, money order of certified bank check was made. After the Police Officer and **************** left the property, two female customers who were picking up there vehicle on the side of my building, came into my office and stated that before the police officer arrived they witnessed ***************** kicking the back end of her car which was parked behind the building and did not wish to confront an angry **************** in fear of injury to themselves. And  both customers did volunteer to appear as witnesses if need be.  So with that said any damage that ********************* is claiming to her car was maliciously caused by her scheme to commit another fraud. And when *** ************ returned to make  payment she took out her phone an announced she was filming my wife ***, who refused to take payment with ******************** phone held in front of her face. Only when **************** put her phone away did my wife *** accept cash payment and **************** was then given her vehicle key and receipt of payment and itemized work rendered. 
  
  And please be advised this is my Initial and Final Response to this complaint. No refund or payment will be made to ****************. She has caused my wife and I much stress and loss of revenue by ignoring my request to her non starting vehicle moved  from in front of my shop on my busiest day,  stress in lying, disrupting, annoying and harassing my business partner and wife *** by her actions and in filing a false police report for damages.  Also be advised this response is being sent to our Business Attorney for record.
  
  **********;

  Owner Middletown Auto Repair & Service INC.

  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  10/19/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   

  The business owner is dishonest I have worked for the city for over 15 years Ive never had to *** any business for any thing I have documentation notarized from the tow truck driver that Middletown auto referred . The car was towed by AAA the day before with the same mileage on it and there are no damages to the vehicle and they have sent me all the photos from the day before thats why they requested all cash at the last moment The tow truck **** that was referred by Middletown auto states no stated when he dropped the vehicle off the vehicle was running it was driven on to his truck and dropped off at Middletown auto with no problem they called him back the following day with their complaints of it not starting I am currently working with my attorneys to *** for the damages an authorized work done on the vehicle I have a video Of my conversation with *** she refused to take the payment that she requested all in cash on camera Why would that be if it was a legal and authorized transaction

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************
  
  
  
  
   
  

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