ComplaintsforComtires Co

• Initial Complaint

  10/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 6/22/22 , my 03 H2 hummer was stuck on 4x4 low. ***** told me that it must be the transfer case motor and it'll be $250 to fix. 6/23/22 11:12 am he calls me to tell me that i need a new transfer case, n that it'll be $1800 plus around $600 labor. I asked about rebuilding mine, n he said these were already rebuilt and it would take a long time to rebuild mine. I said i'll call him back in 1hr. so i can decide what to do. At 1:36pm i called to tell him to go ahead n fix it. 6/24/22 11:03am he calls to tell me my truck is ready, i was surprised that in a few hrs. they found a transfer case and replace the old one. i think most shops take that long just to replace the transfer case motor alone... a week later 7/1/22 the same thing happened the truck got stuck on 4x4 low again so i took it back. when my truck was on the tow truck i noticed that the transfer case that they said they replaced had the same paint over spray from when i painted the frame on my truck a few months before.so when i got to the shop to ask ***** about it, they told me he was on vacation. 7/6/22 i called and they told me they were getting another trans case and not until 7/13/22 i got a call telling me my truck was ready. 13 days later big difference to the 6hrs. they took the 1st time. then a month later the truck wouldn't drive so ***** said it was the transmission and that they don't do transmissions. i paid $2700 for a new transmission and a week later it went out again. that's when the transmission shop told me the transfer case was not rebuilt it was used no good.and a bad transfer case was the cause the transmissions were getting damaged. then he tells me that i was told he was putting a used trans case really? come on now its a hummer i got over $50k in upgrades on my truck you think i want a used t. case? i said who would pay $1800 for a used t. case knowing they go for less than $500 n he said.. "you did" i paid for a rebuilt case n i got a used 1 from the junk yard instead.

  Business response

  10/25/2022

  On 06/22/22 customer ****** ******* stopped by the shop stating his vehicle was stuck on 4x4 low and it would not move at all. Customer stated his vehicle was heavily modified and most shops would not want to work on it. Also customer stated he had recently replace transmission at another shop. ***** told customer to bring vehicle in, inspect it and find a solution for his problem. Later that day vehicle was towed in. the following day on 06/23/22 we proceed to inspect it. Upon inspection we noticed vehicle did not have a front driveshaft because of the modifications made to vehicle. ***** suggested to remove transfer case motor first and try to put vehicle in 4x4hi so vehicle would be drivable. ***** quoted customer for this job $250. Upon removal of transfer case motor we noticed broken parts inside transfer case and customer was informed right away about it. ***** quoted customer for a used transfer case and contacted customer with the estimate of $2300. Customer was explained that it was a USED unit, and the warranty on the part since it was used was only 90days. Customer requested a price on a rebuilt unit and ***** informed customer that we would not be able to do a rebuilt unit because it was going to take longer and we did not have a shop who would be able to rebuilt it for us. So that was never and option to customer. Customer agreed over the phone to proceed with the job. Transfer case was ordered thru a local wrecking yard on 06/23/22 and was delivered in the morning of 06/24/22. Customer was always a priority and we finished the installation of the used transfer case in the afternoon  of 06/24/22. Customer was contacted immediately so he could pick it up same day. Customer picked up vehicle by the time we were closing, as it was stated on invoice this was a USED transfer case and customer could have rejected our services and denied repairs. As a form of Payment customer used two different finance companies to cover expenses. On 07/01/22 customer called to the shop stating same thing was happening to his truck and he was going to tow it so we could inspect it. we waited for customer even after hours to store vehicle inside the shop, since it was going to be a long weekend and did not wanted to leave truck outside for such a long time. ***** left for vacation so Johnny took over the repairs. Mechanic diagnosed it and found it  was the transfer case again. We proceed to called A1 auto wrecking, the company where we got the transfer case from, and they stated they did not have any more transfer case available but they will take the old unit back and refund the money back to us. We proceed to research if any other wrecking yard would have another transfer case available. We found ****** Auto Dismantling in Fontana, it was $50 more expensive but we would not charge anything extra to customer as part of the warranty that was offered to him since day one. It took more time to complete the job because of availability of parts and because of the load of work we had at the shop at the moment. It was not until 07/13/22 when customer was contacted to let them know truck was ready. A week later customer calls stating same thing was happening and that he was going to tow truck again so we could inspect it. It was at this point when we noticed the transfer case was not the issue and that something inside the transmission was happening not allowing the vehicle to move. Customer was referred to the transmission shop next to us. They fixed his transmission and customer drove truck out of their shop. Vehicle was drivable. but it was towed back into the transmission shop again several times with the same results. We did not hear back from customer again until 10/04/22. when he stopped by the shop stating his truck was at a different transmission shop. Transmission shop was blaming the transfer case on why the transmission was breaking. Customer had with him the last transfer case we installed. ***** proceed to try to help customer by calling ****** Auto Dismantling and try to work something out with them and refund customer for the transfer case. Their warranty was already expired by time, our warranty was also expired by time, plus the transfer case we installed was removed by a different company. Customer got violent and threatened ***** saying that he was going to take care of this matter his own way. We tried to help customer as much as we could. We replaced the first time transfer case with no hesitation for customer, honoring our warranty on both parts and labor. We even tried to go out of the way and try to work something out with wrecking yard trying to return transfer case and get money back but it was not possible. We even showed original invoices from wrecking yards to customer so he could see how much we paid for the transfer cases and what warranty the supplier was offering. The way the customer act at the end was not right. We understand customers frustration and always try to help to keep customer satisfaction. but it was in written warranties given and we cannot do anything once those warranties are expired.  

  Customer response

  11/09/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I don't agree. 
   The shop stated after removing the transfer case motor they noticed something broken inside.  It is impossible to notice something broken inside the transfer case just by removing the transfer case motor. You have to remove the tranfer case and open it up to be able to see if there's any damage.
  
  Comtires stated the transfer case was delivered to their shop   in the morning  of 6/24/22  and  installation was completed the same day in the afternoon.   That can’t be true as I have phone records on 6/24/22 of an incoming call from comtires at 11:03 am telling me the work was completed and my truck was ready to pick up.
  The shop opens at 8 am and the shop that "delivered" the transfer case is 18.5 miles away. In order to remove transfer case you have to :  
  Drain transfer case
  Remove front propeller shaft
  Remove rear propeller shaft
  Remove transfer case motor
  Disconnect transfer case electrical plugs
  Remove cross member (port bolts)
  Remove bolts from transfer case to adapter (5 bolts)
  Then reverse the process to replace it with a new transfer case
  How can it be possible to have it delivered the same morning, go through all steps listed above, replace it with a new one, have it ready, and finish by 11 am.   ( 3 hours including delivery from the wrecking yard ) not to mention the reputation based on all reviews found online from previous customers complaining on how  long it takes them to complete repairs.   Even for simple repairs that should not have taken long.
  What really happened was , comtires DID NOT replaced my  transfer case, they only replaced the transfer case motor. I found that out a week later when my truck had the same issue and I had to tow it back to the shop, that's when I noticed I still had my old transfer case since it still had the overspray paint from when I   painted the frame previously.    
  
  ***** said when I took my truck the second time, he contacted A1 wrecking "the place where they got the transfer case" and they got a refund for the transfer case.    I also called A1 wrecking, spoke with ******** (owner/manager) and he said they do not give refunds,  they give you an option to buy a warranty on the part and if it is defective they will replace it with another one or will give you store credit.  But they do not give you a refund and never have.  
  
  When I took the car back to them and I was told ***** was on vacation. I was told by Johnny that I was going to have to wait until ***** came back from vacation because “he did not know what deal I had  worked out with ***** '' I was surprised by his answer as there was no deal,  truck was expected to be fixed: Period. How does an employee go on vacation with work left behind and not an update for the shop to keep the workflow moving.    
  After not hearing from them for a week, I went to the shop to find out what was going on with my truck and ******   said he had just called the place  where they got the transfer case and he was expecting a call back to see if they had one available.   I asked him if it was a junk yard he was calling to get a transfer case and he said no, that is because he knew I was charged for a rebuilt transfer case and not a used one.
  
  On 7/13/22 they returned my truck with a different  transfer case for the first time and a week later it messed up  but this time it wouldn't drive so I took it back to them and on 7/26/22 i got my truck back.
  On 8/11/22 I towed my truck back to the shop because it would not run  and that's when I was told my transmission was no good so they sent me to the transmission shop next door.  
  
   I Replaced the  transmission and a week later it got messed up. So they put in another transmission and a week later it went out again. So then ,  I went to another transmission shop that specializes in transmissions and transfer cases, and they were the ones that told me that the reason why I kept burning the transmissions was because the transfer case was no good .
  
  I believe this is true because I replaced my transmission 2 times in one month.  
  ******, also stated on 7/13/22 I got my truck back and a week when I took it back to him was when  they realized that the transmission was the problem.   That is a lie,    How can you say a week after 7/13 they realize it was a transmission problem and send me next door, but in their work order invoice # ***** states that on 7/26/22 they replace the transfer case motor and the vehicle was left in 4X4 high and  working properly. it makes no sense
  
  If I got my truck back on 7/26/22 and he states that they did not hear from me until 10/4/22.    Now 7/26-10/4 isn't that within the 3 month warranty.  These guys lie so much they can’t keep up with them.
  

  
  

  
  

  Business response

  11/13/2022

  Attach** you will find a copy of the check from Jonathan A1 wrecking yard, this check is proof of the refund.

  
  

  At this point we already present** proof of everything we stat**, and we tri** to help the customer in different ways, staying after hours, and contacting Bebe's auto dismantling trying to get a refund for the customer, which we cant do the final decision, as far as our work, we did it twice under warranty for the customer, the refund check proves it, they wouldn't refund the money if the transfer case weren't theirs.

  
  

  Again we tri** out best in the benefit of the customer, even though he threaten** ** and almost hit him, but we cant do the final decision as far as taking the transfer case back.

  
  

  Best regards.

  Customer response

  11/17/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Its interesting how comtires response focuses on a refund and not the other things I stated such as not being able to see something broken in transfer case just by removing the transfer case motor, or  their employee ****** telling me I was not getting a used transfer case,  or how the work order on the original receipt shows that they did something different then the things they are now stating they did. and again why would I want a used transfer case put in my truck? . I have over $50k invested in my truck, do you think I would agree to having a transfer case from a junk yard put in my Hummer? NO WAY!

  
  

  I'm sure its easy to change or forge some documents such as the check that was submitted that says it was for a refund, just as I'm sure that comtires has built a friendship with a1 wrecking, probably because they buy parts from them often. but  why does the check that says refund doesn't say that its from a transfer case? and why doesn't the check amount match the amount that they stated they paid for the transfer case in their original work order? why doesn't the amount I was charged add up? not even the sales tax is correct and why would they add a discount? could it be because the amount went over what I paid that they had to find a way to subtract some from the total??

  
  

  
  

  and why do you keep lying saying  that I threatened ***** ? now you are saying that I almost hit him. you don't almost hit someone unless you throw a punch or swing at a person if I would have made a threat or even go as far as almost hitting him I'm sure he would have called the cops if I would have done such a thing. you have cameras in your business but I don't see you uploading the video to show that what you're saying its true. what they need to do is stop trying to divert this situation to something that has nothing to do with this complaint and give me answers to what really matters which you have not done.

  
  

  
  

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