PROVIDING AWARENESS FOR THE CONSUMERS OF SUFFOLK COUNTY NY
"In Unity There is Strength"
Place of Occurrence: Mavis Discount Tire 1742 Sunrise Highway Bay Shore NY:
A customer's car needed a New York State Inspection. The car was entrusted to the above to perform this inspection. The vehicle is a mid-sized non-luxury sedan. It was driven into the shop from the parking lot by one of the mechanics and placed on a lift. The car was then raised from the floor to a proper height and the mechanic then proceeded to remove the front and rear wheels. Shortly thereafter, the service manager advised the customer that in order to pass inspection the front brake rotors needed to be replaced along with the brake pads. The brake pads are advertised at $59.99, BUT if you need rotors, and they will most likely tell you that you do, also then be prepared to dig way down deeper into your pocket! The rotors for this vehicle are available from a cost of $31.00 to about $45.00 each at two (2) local auto supply stores in Bay Shore. It's just a plain sedan, not a "luxury" vehicle. Mavis charged $74.99 for each rotor! Then to add insult to injury they applied a charge of $30.00 to "install" them! Installation of rotors is accomplished by loosening and unbolting the wheel caliper and then sliding the rotors onto the wheel spindle and turning a nut to tighten them! The wheel caliper bolt is then placed back into the caliper threading and re-tightened. Not a difficult task. However, even if you believe that you are being "ripped off" you cannot refuse to pay them because the fine print on the service order allows them to place a "mechanics lien" on the vehicle until payment is tendered for the services rendered, no matter how much they charge! Now get this, the "fine print" on the service order, and by the way, you automatically agree to the stated terms and conditions by giving them the key(s) to your car, state that you agree to authorize them to have their employees operate your vehicle on the streets and highways or elsewhere, yes, "elsewhere" (wherever that may be) for the purposes of testing and/or inspection, and get this!, even though you are not driving the vehicle...if they have an accident it's completely at your risk!
Finally, the bill was paid and the car was taken home. A phone call was placed to their "customer service center." When the charges for the rotors were protested as being exorbitant the answer from customer service was, "Yes, you can certainly get them cheaper at an auto supply store, but we're not an auto supply store, we're an auto repair facility!"
Take your car to Mavis? Hmmmm, NOT A GOOD IDEA BUT it's your choice, just don't say that you weren't warned!
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO OPENING PAGE
DIRECT COMMENTS/QUESTIONS TO: