ComplaintsforBill's Muffler & Automotive Shop-Cove

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 1/22/2024 my car shut off in the middle of the road , I got it towed to Bills Muffler and Automotive shop the same day . They then told me that I needed a new alternator, I told them to go ahead and complete the work , 45 mins later i called back and asked if they had started working on my car , the front desk lady said they were having trouble removing my old alternator. I asked them to stop working on my car and i would pay for any labor and towing fee , they argued with and told me no and that ill have to still pay . On 1/27/2024 My car shut off in the middle of the road due to the alternator again . I got it towed to my residence. On 1/29/2024 I called Bills Muffler and asked to speak with a manager , a manger never came and i talked to an older lady , O told her what happened she said I have to get it towed back to the shop and get it diagnosed again at my expense . She then proceeded to tell me that they dont offer any refunds and that I could get my car looked at if it was the alternator but if it wasnt it would be at my expense, My original diagnosisu only stated that my alternator needed to be fixed . The lady on the phone didnt ask me my name or number and abruptly hung up the phone after i asked for a partial refund .

  Business response

  02/02/2024

  Customer had car towed into our shop in the morning. We checked out the vehicle and found that the alternator wasn't charging and it did need to be replaced. Customer approved alternator replacement and pricing over the phone with us that morning and we began working on it. Almost 3 hours later, while we were working on it and the vehicle was torn apart she called back and wanted us to stop working on it and leave the vehicle incomplete and she wanted to have her car towed out. We advised her that we were unable to stop working on it at that time because the old alternator was already removed from the vehicle. A few minutes later her aunt called back and was advised of the same thing and she was understood we couldn't stop halfway through the job.We completed the job and showed the male owner of the vehicle that the old alternator and belt were soaked in oil when he came to pay for the vehicle. The customer called and wanted a full refund because she claimed the alternator was bad. We do not know if the alternator is bad or not without the car being in the shop. We offered to tow the car in and pay for the tow if it was the alternator that was bad and replace it under warranty but if it wasnt the alternator the customer would then have to pay for the tow. She spoke with the owner about this and chose not to have it towed to the shop. The alternator has a warranty on it and if indeed the alternator failed we would replace it but without the car at the shop there is no way of knowing if the alternator is bad or not. 

  Customer response

  02/05/2024

  Complaint: 21215167
  
  I am rejecting this response because:It was not almost 3hours later it was less than 1 . The owner was very rude and wasnt sure about me paying . She kept saying I dont know. If the original diagnosis was a bad alternator then why would the alternator go bad without any other problems. It just doesnt make sense. When i called them to stop working on my car, the owner was about to stop and said ill only have to pay for labor then she changed her mind and said no were going to complete the work because they dont do half jobs . When i originally called and asked if you guys had started yet she said that they were having trouble taking the alternator off , also told me that i would be ready for pickup because they were done . When my husband went to pick up my car it was indeed not ready. The store called me at 14:11 and said they received my car and at 16:27 is when i called and asked for them to stop working on it 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  02/12/2024

  By the time the customer, female owner, called back the alternator was already removed from the vehicle and the technician was already halfway through the job. The technician was already past the point of stopping.When the male owner arrived to get personal items out of the vehicle, we were still working on it and showed him alternator and belt saturated in oil. If the new alternator is bad (the vehicle has never been back for us to check) it has a 1-year 12,000-mile warranty on it. We have no issue warrantying it out if the new alternator is bad if the alternator is not covered in oil. 

  Customer response

  02/12/2024

  Complaint: 21215167
  
  I am rejecting this response because: If the first alternator was covered in oil why wouldnt the second one be . You guys will blame me and charge me and say the alternator going bad is my fault . If you would have stopped when I asked we wouldnt be having this problem . You guys shouldve diagnosed the car correctly . I dont appreciate how the owner handled things , she is very rude and need to work on customer service skills . I appreciate the response but im not satisfied and will be moving towards other outlets to make this right . 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************;

   

  Business response

  02/14/2024

  We do not know if the alternator is even bad because the customer has not brought it back to the shop. We offered to tow in the vehicle and look it over and if the alternator was bad we would replace it and if it wasnt the alternator that was bad she would then have to pay for the tow. The owner said the same thing to the customer, that it is under warranty, but until we see the car we have no idea what is going on with it. The car was towed into the shop at the beginning and the alternator was replaced and she drove the car away.
  We showed the male owner of the vehicle when he came to pick up personal items out of the vehicle, the old alternator and belt which were both saturated in oil.
  We never blamed the customer for anything if the alternator has a factory defect we are willing to replace it under the 12 month ****** mile warranty. 

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