Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/02/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My father took my 2011 **** **** to Tire Exchange of The Carolinas in Mauldin, SC this morning for an alignment. The cost discussed was $95. Which I willingly agreed to pay this company. The truck was there for a short time and then the mechanic called me and said it could be picked up. He told me they could not do the alignment. That there were a few things wrong with the car. I was told a bolt was loose on the front and a tie rod. The gentleman over the phone didn't inform me of any costs incurred. When my father arrived to pick up the truck Instead of going over anything, the truck was parked and they asked for payment. I never told them to do a full car inspection, nor did any balance get discussed on the phone when i was called after they said i could pick up the truck. My father picked it up and was unaware that they were going to ask for 53 dollars. If was not discussed with me on the phone prior to pick up. They explained things were wrong with the rear and that the brake fluid was low. Again, they were never told to do a full car inspection, only an alignment. No need to look in the rear at all. They took advantage of my elderly father and seeked payment from him. He just knew he was going to pick it up. He paid the 53 willingly bc he was under the impression it had been discussed. He then called me and told me he paid but didn't really have the money. I then asked what he paid. Next I called the business myself and spoke to the owner who didn't take me seriously at all. I asked why he even looked at my rear or had done an inspection. His response was that they spent 30 minutes on my car and I had to pay for labor. Again, it was not discussed prior. I am a mechanic myself so i know when I'm being taken advantage of, as well as my elderly father. I believe if i had been able to pick it up, there would have been no cost as discussed on the phone. I am also seeking reimbursement as well as a warning to future customers of this place.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/02/2023

  I am the owner of the Tire Exchange of the Carolinas.  I did not speak with Mr. *****.  He spoke with a sales person, however as is our standard policy he was charged the setup and diagnostic fee which we charge all customers when we cannot perform an alignment based on issues with the vehicle.  We cannot offer the services of our mechanics without payment for their time.  Setting a vehicle up on the alignment machine and dismounting it is a 30 minute process.  Therefore we charge .5 of our hourly labor rate of $100.00 plus shop fees of $3 for wear/tear on the machine as is common practice in our industry.  The machine also requires laser sighted machine heads placed on each wheel, both front and rear.  We did not do a full diagnostic on his vehicle, the issues with his rear were simply noticed and told to him as a courtesy.  We did not charge him for "diagnosing" anything wrong with the rear.  The payment we charge is based solely on the request of the customer, to cover our time and to explain the issues which will not allow the vehicle to be aligned.  The secondary reason we charge is that many customers wish to do their own work after we have given them a list of issues that need to be repaired before an sufficient alignment can be done.  We feel it is fair and appropriate to charge this $53 fee for time and knowledge. I am sorry if there was a lack of communication which caused confusion, but this has been Tire Exchange policy forever and has never been met with complaints from any other customer.