ComplaintsforGray's Auto Service

• Initial Complaint

  05/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had just purchased this car on 5/7/22 and took my car to Gray's auto service on Monday 5/9/22 at approx 1:00pm for a safety and emissions inspections in order to get the car registered in VA. Before heading over I removed the NY state decals and cleaned out the car including the trunk before I left my house and the trunk was not dented or damaged in any way. I have 3 people who can corroborate this statement as well as they viewed the car between when I got home Saturday and when I took it for inspection Monday. The vehicle had an exhaust leak so it would not pass safety or emission and I left the car overnight with them to diagnose and repair. I got a call at 9:54am on 5/10/22 that the total bill would be approx $800-900 and I gave the go ahead to repair. At approx 5:30pm I went to pick up my car and paid $912.20 for the work and $48 for the safety and emissions at 5:43pm. I got home at approximately 6:00pm and found that the exhaust work done was satisfactory but when I opened the trunk I discovered the damage. I drove back to the shop where I talked with the owner, Shane C*****, on the phone as he had left for the day and denied responsibility but promised to review the footage of his shop that would show the work on my vehicle with me at 9:00am the following morning. I arrived at the shop at approx 9:00am on Wednesday 5/11/22 as discussed and Mr. C*****, and he denied any damage had been done while the car was in his possession and refused to show me any of the footage to show that this was true. I called the Arlington County Non-Emergency number and spoke with Sergeant ** ********* #**** at 9:20am. I then passed Mr C*****'s information along so that Sargant ********* could speak with him to try to get him to show me the footage of my car being worked on. Mr. C***** was still unwilling to help and continued to deny any responsibility that this happened while in his possession or me footage and asked me to leave his property at this point which I complied with.

  Business response

  07/05/2022

  June 13, 2022 
  To Whom This May Concern: 
  My name is Shane C***** from Gray's Auto Service. The repair of *** ******'s vehicle involved removing and replacing a section of exhaust pipe in the front of the vehicle. I personally assisted the mechanic by holding the pipe while he unbolted it and I also held it up when he installed it. As the part weighs less than 20 lbs. No other tools were required. When *** ****** called me later that night and said that his vehicle had been damaged, I told him that we would watch the video the next morning to see what happened. 
  When he showed up the next morning, I looked at the damage and was confused by what I saw. The mark he showed me was obviously very old and covered with rust and it was also at the rear of the vehicle, nowhere near the exhaust. Then he proceeded to explain that he watched some videos on ******* showing people holding the exhaust up with poles during the installation. The part we installed does not ever require anything like that. You can hold it with one hand, and it does not have hangers on it. The rest of the exhaust does, and it remains on the vehicle. I tried many times to explain about the ******* videos and other things that do not relate to the repair that was performed. 
  The damage to his car is obviously old and covered with rust and there are drag marks showing that the vehicle was moving when the damage happened. As you can see from the pictures the exhaust is not visible. 
  If the damage had been caused by us, we would have taken full responsibility but that is not the case. The pictures make this obvious as you can tell it was done in a different manner and also a good time ago. We cannot issue any refund for pre-existing damage that is unrelated to our repair. 
  If you have any further questions, please call me at ###-###-####. 
  Thank you, 
  Shane C*****, Shop Manager
  
  

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