ComplaintsforMeineke Car Care Center

• Initial Complaint

  02/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 01/04/2024, I went to Meineke in ********** ** to get services done and got a part ordered that day for $250 and they did not reach out to me that it came and I was the one who had to call them on the 14th of January, same year about the status. They were strangely rude the first day I came in there and then not calling was the last straw, so I cancelled all the planned service and parts for that and demanded my money refunded to me. The employee told me some nonsense and told me to come on the weekdays to get the refund from the manager, so I did and an employee gave me ripped piece of paper with an email address to try to get my refund. I contacted customer service or their corporate number and have been getting the run around till this day February 26 , 2024 by customer service to finally tell me to contact the ********* location for the refund. Customer service said, the locations are separately owned and they basically had nothing to do with my refund. So they did not relay my message.

  Business response

  03/26/2024

  Ms. ****** ****** 
  Meineke ordered a specialty part for your vehicle and was explained that the part was non-refundable due to the nature of the order. Upon receiving the parts, Meineke contacted you by phone and text multiple times. While you reserve the right to have services completed anywhere you chose, the cost of the part was known to be non-refundable upon our ordering. We are sorry that you felt that Meineke should refund a special order, but hope to have a chance to earn your service in the future.

  Customer response

  03/28/2024

  Complaint: ********

  
  I am rejecting this response because, the owner will definitely fail to prove such policy even exist about the "specialty" parts I ordered, from a dealer within the state, was non-refundable. The owner should be worried of having records showing none of his employees made the effort to verbally mention the parts being ordered was non-refundable, even then, the company failed to contact me about the arrival of the parts; remember, I had to be the one who contacted them about the arrival status of my parts and that was 10 days too long, and it would have been more if I didn't initiate the contact. They are just lazy bulls, it's been over two months now and still they show no regards for my time, money and privacy, so I asked for a refund for the parts ordered. Please make them submit legitimate proof they have contacted me via text or phone call, or if their said purchase I made was non-refundable or else, they have to refund my money now; they do have cameras and other surveillance I would believe. Thank you for your patience.

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

  Business response

  03/31/2024

  Ms. ****** 

  I am sorry that you disagree, but to highlight the facts regarding the event:

  -- Meineke ordered OEM parts from the dealer for a 2006 ** ******. We order parts for customers and take deposits against our loss risk from customers not returning. This is and has been our policy for a long time. If we didnt take a deposit then we would risk the cost of specialty parts. 2006 ** parts are not usually stock items, nor do dealers readily accept returns. Onsite manager rejects assertion that no attempt was made to connect with customer regarding preparation for repair and repeatedly attempted to connect with customer. Customer was also sent text and emails regarding the parts which have been in the store. 

  I understand that the customer changed their mind regarding an approved service, but we reject the assertion that their decision should come at our expense. We inspected and analyzed the vehicle issues, ordered parts per customer request and noted that we would need a non-refundable downpayment against work which Ms. ***** requested. 

  We do not believe that Meineke did anything wrong in this customer situation.

  Customer response

  04/06/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because, the doubtful owner of the Meineke in ********** **, can not show proof of his policy for ordered parts, since it is implicit based on his responses; that's not how a professional does business, he must be a new owner of an establishment and does not know how to act according to the law. Where did he purchase the parts? Where's the emails and texts he falsely claimed to have sent me? Please make him assert himself of his claims, by requesting he inserts or attaches some proof to show he's not just a snoozing, snooper for stealing my money and wasting my time, when he knows too well his policy wasn't stated to me nor shown to me in writing, receipt or on his 'official' mechanic shop wall(s).
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  10/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Jul 1st, 2022, I went to Meineke to get my brakes fixed and to get an oil change. They did the oil change, and gave me a quote for the brakes. I went to call around for better pricing, which I got, so I reentered the store and told them I won't be doing the brakes there. The fellow there asked me if it's about the price, and I said it was, so he told me that really only one rotor needs replacing, and it will come out cheaper. I accepted that and the work was done. A short while later, the brakes started making terrible noises. I tried to bring it to a different Meineke that I was near, but they did not have availability to look at it then. I was then out of town for a bit, and when I returned I called the original store and told them the issue. They told me that they would charge me a diagnosis fee to look at it, and then if it was determined that it was their issue, they would not charge me for the work. That was ridiculous, seeing as I had these brakes less than 2 months prior. I had no choice but to bring it to another shop and pay again for the service. The guy in the second shop explained that what happened was because I didn't replace the rotors in pairs, meaning that the suggestion of the Meineke rep ruined the brakes and really put me in danger. There was absolutely no backing on the part of Meineke and I would like the approx. $350 I paid for the brakes back.

  Business response

  10/14/2022

  On July 1 Mr. ********* brought his vehicle to Meineke for a brake inspection. The manager recommended replacing BOTH front brake rotors and pads as the caliper had seized. Mr. ********* didnt like the price and declined the service. After failing to find another price he sought, at his request, to replace the single front passenger pad / rotor -- in opposition to our suggestion. The single rotor replacement would be warrantied at Meineke -- but only Meineke -- and only around the service completed (vs the initial total replacement recommendation). By taking the vehicle to another service center we are unable to verify if the work was a result of our service or due to previous issues which were noted and declined in the initial work. Additionally, per ******, the vehicle has not been worked on in a reporting service center since our July 1 work (almost all centers report service to help customers on warranty and residual value) which results in questions regarding the post Meineke services provided. 

  Customer response

  10/14/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Pretty much the whole story written there is true except for one vital fact. The manager in fact did suggest that I only replace one rotor, telling me that only one needed replacement. That was based on his suggestion exclusively. I would have brought it back in as for the warranty, except that the lady who answered the phone told me they would charge me a diagnostic fee and they would not cover under the warranty because it was over 60 days. The fact that they continue to gloss over the fact and state the unsure further convinces me that I did the right thing we're not going back th

  ere for my car service which is a life decision, especially in regards to breaks. The other Auto center told me that by them recommending I only do one rotor I further damaged the rest of my brake system. I continue to maintain that they owe me the money in return for a job that was done incorrectly, and unsafely.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *********

  Business response

  10/17/2022

  Mr. *********, 

  As you noted - Meineke technician initially recommended the total brake package, but you rejected this service. The manager worked to subsequently attempt to improve your situation while providing a warranty on the single service (again not our initial recommendation). Should there have been an issue caused from our service this would (per invoice) be warrantied - but nothing else.  At no point did you allow Meineke to provide the value of the warranty either at the ********* location or anywhere nationwide (where they would have also honored your warranty), if valid. That said, it is impossible to verify or validate your concerns as you claim to have had services completed elsewhere.  

  Customer response

  10/18/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  To be clear, I told the tech I plan to do the service elsewhere. He asked, "Is it because if the price"? I told him it was. He told me "although we usually change rotors in pairs, only one of your rotors need replacing and that would save you money". I asked to confirm, is there nothing wrong with doing that? And he confirmed that there is no problem with that. I did it completely based on his suggestion. After my brakes started causing issues, I did my research and discovered that what I was told was utter negligence, as it is always bad for the car not change it in pairs. He tried getting me not to go elsewhere by convincing me to do something bad for my car, which was negligence on his part, now he should pay the price and refund the cost of a service that not only didn't help, rather it made things worse. 

  As far as the claim that I did not try to claim my warranty, you seem to be repeatedly ignoring what I stated clearly. I called in to book a warranty appointment, I was told that I would need to pay a diagnostic fee to have the car looked at. That coupled with the fact that your service center gave me advice that damaged my car were two very valid reasons I didn't come back in.

  Please just recognize the fact that you did me an utter disservice, and instead of weaseling your way out and keeping my money that you should not have gotten, just take responsibility for your error and refund the amount. And please stop distorting, hiding and glossing over the truth. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *********

• Initial Complaint

  08/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  08/12/2022 1:29pm oil change at meineke ******* ** paid 66.76 they changed my oil I went home went to sleep all of the oil leaked out my car without me noticing I went to work that night around 12:40 very dark outside drove to work and on the way back car started showing me oil pressure light once I’m 5 mins away from my house it starts making noises I park in my drive way pulled the hood up it’s overheating I call the tow company the guy also checks the car out and says they left off the oil filter or left it loose he then brings it to meineke there saying we may have left the filter off but the engine doesn’t blow with no oil in it and it’s driving which is false she then says my frywheel is messed up which doesn’t have anything to do with oil leaking out she says she’ll buy a new engine but i have to put to put it in they then tell me there going to buy it and put it in they told me that over the phone and through text which I’ll show the message now today she called me telling me I have to pay for labor which is insane I was already spending 70$ to get back & forth to work because they have had my car since last Saturday they have to put the engine in as well and the car has to be in the condition I gave them there trying to find every way out of it she also said today the car has had 4 oil changes in 20 years that’s impossible. I want the engine put in and my car back in good condition the engine is blown

  Business response

  08/24/2022

  We are aware of the issue and have been investigating. We note the customer recently purchased a vehicle in secondary market which (according to ******) had not been serviced in many years. Excess sludge buildup was noted in service and subsequent inspection. Vehicle remains at center, but we do not believe at this time that the service had any cause of issues which likely were pre-existing. 

  Customer response

  08/25/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:The vehicle was purchased in may from an elderly lady who took good care of the car. The car has a little over 100k miles and since I’ve been driving it I had no issues with it at all. I took the the car there for an oil change and clearly they left something loose because all the oil leaked out. On the day of the incident, I didn’t see that the oil had leaked out(I leave for work at 12:30 am in the morning)so I drove the car to work, 30 minutes away and 30 minutes back home. As I was getting off the high way the oil level light came on and the car started smoking. I was a few minutes from home , I got home parked the car in the drive way and a family friend checked the dipstick and it was completely dry. I called Meineke right away and a tow truck came about one hour later. The tow truck driver said it seems like the oil filter was left loose. Then, a little while after the car was towed to meineke, a manager called, she said the engine was blown. How is the car engine blown, conveniently, just after taking it to get the oil change and all the oil leaked out. They’re not taking responsibility. How did all the oil leak out?! They still haven’t said what caused the oil to leak out. According to ****** search a car engine, depending on the car, can get damaged if driven without oil for even 30 minutes. I drove that car for one hour without oil, unknowingly, because a technician at Meineke, negligence caused the oil to leak out my car. How  is Meineke not responsible?
  
  Sincerely,
  ******** *****

  Business response

  08/29/2022

  We believe this issue to be settled externally to the benefit of all parties and hope the customer appreciates that we are helping to rectify any issues his vehicle may have.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩