ComplaintsforVIP Parts, Tires and Service

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  99/28 appt. to get tires aligned, rotated, front dr.side CV axle replaced. During appt. They sugg. front&rear diff. fluid change, I said ok. Going home when I got up to 50-60mph I heard distinct 'dudududud'. I drive 40 min to and from work every day and I had never heard this sound before. Called VIP back, let them know what I was hearing. They made an appt. for that Sat. On Sat, they said that they heard the noise but couldn't diag. with only 1 tech. in house. My next appt. was the following Wed. After this appointment, they assured me it was nothing that they had done, but guessed my trans. was overheating (No dash light or code) Next day called ***** ****** Auto to get sec. opinion, he was able to get me in same day for diag. they drove the car and heard the noise. When he checked my differential fluids he found the font diff. already had black sediment in the new fluid, and diag. The diff. was where the noise was coming from. At that point I called VIP corp. heard from Jeremy district manager and told them info I had gotten from ***** ******. He wanted me to bring my car back in so VIP could see it for themselves. During the appt. I asked to see the fluid that came out as well, both the mgr. and tech. said the fluid we were all looking at was clean, I disagreed, there was clearly black sediment. I called Jeremy back, he wanted to change the diff fluid and change the CV axle again. I said ok, hoping to solve the problem. After next appt the noise was still there. At that point they sugg. bring to Subaru dealership for diag. and said if Subaru thought it was caused by them, then they would take care of it..Made appointment, on 10/18 they diag. that my diff. was making the noise, sugg. replacing the trans. because the diff. would fail. Opinion of the serv. adv. That the damage most likely done at VIP The same day I started hearing the noise. Even with Subaru's professional opinion, VIP would not taking responsibility (Want to tell details I wasn't able to fit)

  Business response

  10/30/2023

  On 9/28/23, ****** ********* brought his vehicle into Keene VIP and requested a CV Axle change. Our counter staff asked to diagnose the issue before replacing the axle. Customer declined and stated he already knew what needed to be replaced. He indicated which side, and we returned his old CV axle so he might return it to ********. The customer also got a tire rotation, front/rear differential fluid exchange, and alignment. 
  
  On 10/4/23, the customer returned, stating the vehicle had a noise it didn't have before. We observed the A/T light was flashing and recorded it in the MPI with video. No codes were present. Our technician performed a test drive and put the vehicle on the lift, observing the noise from the transmission/differential unit. 
  
  On 10/6/23, the customer called and spoke to the manager, John Belanger, and said there was a noise that was happening that wasn't there before. He stated that he'd taken the vehicle to ***** ****** Automotive, and their team told him he needed a new transmission, and there was metal in the differential. At this point, our manager wanted the vehicle back to verify, and our District Manager was involved. The customer brought the vehicle back on 10/6/23, where our technician removed the axle, observed the fluid, and, other than some old residual fluid on the drain cap, noted the fluid was full and new. We showed the customer a dab sample and magnet to show him no contamination. The customer agreed to have VIP replace the axle and fluid again after initially declining - service took place on 10/10/23. 
  After replacement, the noise was still present. We requested the vehicle go to the Subaru dealership for a second opinion. Dealer diagnosis is as follows: "Verified noise coming from front differential. drained fluid and found it was clean. recommend replace transmission. This kind of noise is usually caused by lack of lubrication. eventually this unit will fail."
  This information was shared with the customer. We at VIP feel we are not responsible for the noise that he heard, considering there are too many external factors involved. 

  Customer response

  11/05/2023

  
  Complaint: 207*****
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because there was no gap between 9/28 and 10/4 as implied by VIP.  I called VIP back on 9/29 to report the distinct noise I was hearing and went back in on 9/30, but VIP couldn't diag. until 10/4. There seems to be an insinuation that since I asked for the CV axle to be replaced that VIP is not responsible for their work. VIP did not ask if they could do a diag., the front desk just asked who diagnosed it, I said that I did, and that was it. Some people know what a bad CV axle sounds like. Before the install, I was called and told by the front desk that the mechanic confirmed that the CV axle did need to be replaced. That was the same phone call that VIP had suggested that they change my differential fluid. 
  The first and only time I was told that the A/T light came on was during the same visit I asked to see the diff fluid that came out when they checked it 10/6, it was said to me by the mechanic, never before mentioned by the front desk or the manager. I don't know why I was not told about it on 10/4, when they now claim they observed it. I drive my car for a total of 80 min. a day, just for work. I have not once seen the AT OIL TEMP light come on, so it's concerning that VIP now claims they saw that light come on 10/4, but didn't tell me. To add, on 10/6 the tech did not remove and check my CV axle (as stated by VIP, I was there the whole time) I was only there to show VIP the dirty differential fluid, like they asked for. That was the day I refused to have VIP work on it because I didn't trust VIP to do any more work on my car. After talking with Jeremy district manager, VIP would not do anything to help before trying the CV axle and differential fluid again. So I agreed to the work they wanted to do, hoping to solve the problem. When VIP redid all the work they previously did, to try and solve the issue, they did not put in the manufacturer recommended diff fluid (75W90) like they put in the first time, they put in 75W140. I'm left thinking VIP put in a thicker fluid, against mfr. recommendation, not to fix the problem but to attempt to cover it. When the noise was still present they suggested I go to Subaru, and the word of John B. (manager) was that if Subaru thought the damage occurred at VIP, then they would take care of it. The "dealer diagnosis" VIP is referring to, is the technician notes, simply stating the facts of the condition of my car. It is the prof. opinion of the Subaru service advisor that the damage happened at VIP (the day I started to hear the noise). I quote him saying "they are going to need to take care of this".  To try to sum up.. 9/28  (the same day the noise started) VIP did a CV axle (asked for) and a differential fluid change(sugg. by VIP) both have to do with the front differential, the same day I heard an obvious noise that was confirmed by 2 different shops, ***** ****** Automotive and the Subaru dealership, that the sound was my differential. My car has a more serious issue now than when I brought it in. I don't believe VIP destroyed my transmission but they clearly damaged my differential and according to both ***** ****** Automotive and the Subaru dealership, the way to fix this damage is to replace the transmission. It is unacceptable that VIP expects me to live with a compromised car just because VIP is not willing to fix the problem that they caused. VIP needs to keep their word.
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *********

  Business response

  11/25/2023

  While we appreciate Mr. *********** opinion - our own emailed communication with the dealership does not have them stating fault. We are happy to provide this proof to Mr. ********* upon request. As VIP is not stated to be responsible, we do not believe we are at fault for the issue.

  Customer response

  12/07/2023

  
  Complaint: 2077****
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: VIP says they are not responsible, but their actions say differently. When I brought my car back to them(at their request) to redo the work they had previously done, hoping that it would fix the issue. I would have expected them to do just that, redo the work just as they did the first time. That is not what happened, VIP took it upon themselves to put a much thicker differential fluid in my car (75W140), against manufacturer recommendation(75W90), they never asked or told me that they were going to do that, I figured it out by looking at my invoices. That was clearly them hoping that a thicker fluid would stop the noise I was hearing, knowing full well that it would not actually fix the damage, but simply cover it up. These are not the actions of an honest company. These are the actions of a company that realizes they caused damage, but will do anything they can to avoid the bill of actually taking care of it.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *********

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Jan 24, my daughter ****** took her 2007 Jeep liberty to VIP because her window wasn't going up. While there, they performed a unnecessary "free" multipoint inspection. This had nothing to do with the window or the blinker that was found to be out. They convinced her that her brakes were not safe, that "whoever had done them didn't grease them properly" and it was unsafe to drive. They insisted she have them clean and lube the breaks, perform a brake fluid service and adjust her rear brakes. The rear brakes were brand new, less than two weeks old. The car itself had undergone inspection in Maine at the same time checking all the brakes with no problems. Basically they terrified a young girl into unnecessary work to pad a bill by making her believe if she did not have the work done, her brakes may overheat and fail on her way back to school Attached are the invoices from VIP for the "work" done, the quote from VIP for what they say is needed on the car and the invoice from the original mechanic showing the brake work and lubrication done less than 11 day prior to VIP's fraudulent work.

  Business response

  03/22/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2022/03/01) */ Customer did come in for a window not going up or down and also complained about directional not working and hyper flashing inside of vehicle so that wrote up an RO for her concerns and brought it into the shop. Our company performs MPI's to all vehicles that come in the shop to make sure customers are driving safe vehicles. In this case they found the front pads and the rotors to be in poor condition and also a seized caliper that wasn't releasing properly. Management took customer out to the car and showed and explained what was going on. Recommended a clean and lube on both axles and priced out some front pads, rotors and calipers. After receiving the BBB complaint, the manager of this location attempted to contact the customer via email and phone and have not received a response. Consumer Response /* (3000, 13, 2022/03/09) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) No I don't accept that, given the car had just passed ***** inspection at an ASE certified shop where they did both rear brakes before inspection 11 day prior. On the invoice from Maine Auto, it shows lubrication charge for the rear brake work. (Previously attached). So you're saying that mechanics overlooked the brakes on both front and rear and allowed it to pass ***** inspection in an unsafe condition and further, left it in worse shape when they supposedly repaired the rear breaks but failed to lubricate them? As for showing her the problem, you could have shown her a flux capacitor and she wouldn't know what she's look at or for. All she knew was someone was telling her it was unsafe to drive, she was 30 miles away from her campus in New London and 130 miles away from home. How would you expect someone to react buy pay whatever was asked? I have just checked email and voice mails going back prior to this complaint and don't have any contact unless it was caught in a spam filter. Just in case however, my work phone is ************. Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2022/03/10) */ Assistant Manager Tim ******* contacted Mr.***** and resolved the situation.

*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. ↩