Local shop ruined my calipers...
Mar 15, 2012, 11:54 AM
#46
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From what I've learned, for a damage settlement of some sort, having a company (or lawyer) representing your claim, and going for the assets of the party at fault for recompense yields a better result than an individual dealing with another individual (or worse, an individual against a company).
Besides, what sounds more intimidating to the shop: Joe Schmoe VS Aurora Tire Center Inc., or United Services Automobile Association VS Aurora Tire Center Inc. ?
Mar 15, 2012, 12:08 PM
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The reason I went this route is because my insurance going after the shop's insurance would be more likely (in my opinion) to produce results than dragging the owner into small claims.
From what I've learned, for a damage settlement of some sort, having a company (or lawyer) representing your claim, and going for the assets of the party at fault for recompense yields a better result than an individual dealing with another individual (or worse, an individual against a company).
Besides, what sounds more intimidating to the shop: Joe Schmoe VS Aurora Tire Center Inc., or United Services Automobile Association VS Aurora Tire Center Inc. ?
From what I've learned, for a damage settlement of some sort, having a company (or lawyer) representing your claim, and going for the assets of the party at fault for recompense yields a better result than an individual dealing with another individual (or worse, an individual against a company).
Besides, what sounds more intimidating to the shop: Joe Schmoe VS Aurora Tire Center Inc., or United Services Automobile Association VS Aurora Tire Center Inc. ?
Mar 16, 2012, 08:54 AM
#48
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So Mr. Jackass, aka the Owner of Aurora tire, sent a response back to the BBB about the claim. Here is the verbatim response:
Joshua had his car towed to us "not drivable!" We had to have four men to push the car into the shop and out of the shop. Joshua told us to put HIS STRUTS on his car, which we did and did a Front End Alignment.
Joshua ask us to bleed his brakes which he had tried to do the work and broke a bleeder. He had already got brake fluid on one of his calipers. He didn't say anything about being extra careful of getting anything on his calipers. We bleed the brakelines and he wasn't even charged for the work. Joshua says its our fault for some discoloring of his calipers. We did him a favor and now he is upset.
Joshua had his car towed to us "not drivable!" We had to have four men to push the car into the shop and out of the shop. Joshua told us to put HIS STRUTS on his car, which we did and did a Front End Alignment.
Joshua ask us to bleed his brakes which he had tried to do the work and broke a bleeder. He had already got brake fluid on one of his calipers. He didn't say anything about being extra careful of getting anything on his calipers. We bleed the brakelines and he wasn't even charged for the work. Joshua says its our fault for some discoloring of his calipers. We did him a favor and now he is upset.
Mar 16, 2012, 08:55 AM
#49
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So... this is what I wrote in response to this: (sorry it's kinda long)
In response to the letter signed by Don Andrew of Aurora Tire:
First and foremost, I DID NOT brake a bleeder on ANY of the calipers. I have NEVER even touched the bleeders on this vehicle. I broke a mounting bolt on one of the calipers, which is why I had to buy another caliper. I never got any brake fluid on my calipers, and any attempt to state otherwise is false.
Secondly, the fact that my vehicle was not in drivable condition has nothing to do with the fact that they have done damage to it. Whether or not the vehicle starts when you turn the key is no excuse for shoddy workmanship.
Third, Mr. Andrews stated that he did not charge me for bleeding the brakes. That was his choice... I understand that they did this for free, and even if it was done as a "favor" it does not mean that it can be done incorrectly.
Fourth, I did not feel the need to state that the shop should be "extra careful" when bleeding the brakes. Anyone with any decent amount of mechanical knowledge knows that brake fluid will ruin paint. Also, any shop worth anything should have a subscription to AllData, a resource that has factory service manuals for nearly all makes and models of vehicles. If they had referenced this tool, they would have known the OEM method of bleeding these brakes is to use a tube on the end of the bleeder to collect the fluid that has drained out.
Furthermore, the reason I know for sure that the shop did not properly use their resources to do the job correctly, is when after bleeding the brakes the first time the mechanic thought there was something wrong with the brake master cylinder. I asked him why he though that. He told me that the brake pedal is still soft. I asked him if he bled both bleeders on each caliper and he said he didn't even know it had two of them.
Overall, this is a gross oversight on the part of Aurora Tire, Inc. The fact that the owner does not even have the common decency to apologize for his shop's mistakes, he has gone as far as blatently lying about what really happened. This is not the first time this has happened. I have, over the past few days, compiled complaints from other individuals who have had problems with this company. Every time someone has had an issue with this company, the owner automatically tries to blame the customer for it somehow.
This is not acceptable behavior for a business. Mr. Don Andrew is a prime example of what customer service should never be.
In response to the letter signed by Don Andrew of Aurora Tire:
First and foremost, I DID NOT brake a bleeder on ANY of the calipers. I have NEVER even touched the bleeders on this vehicle. I broke a mounting bolt on one of the calipers, which is why I had to buy another caliper. I never got any brake fluid on my calipers, and any attempt to state otherwise is false.
Secondly, the fact that my vehicle was not in drivable condition has nothing to do with the fact that they have done damage to it. Whether or not the vehicle starts when you turn the key is no excuse for shoddy workmanship.
Third, Mr. Andrews stated that he did not charge me for bleeding the brakes. That was his choice... I understand that they did this for free, and even if it was done as a "favor" it does not mean that it can be done incorrectly.
Fourth, I did not feel the need to state that the shop should be "extra careful" when bleeding the brakes. Anyone with any decent amount of mechanical knowledge knows that brake fluid will ruin paint. Also, any shop worth anything should have a subscription to AllData, a resource that has factory service manuals for nearly all makes and models of vehicles. If they had referenced this tool, they would have known the OEM method of bleeding these brakes is to use a tube on the end of the bleeder to collect the fluid that has drained out.
Furthermore, the reason I know for sure that the shop did not properly use their resources to do the job correctly, is when after bleeding the brakes the first time the mechanic thought there was something wrong with the brake master cylinder. I asked him why he though that. He told me that the brake pedal is still soft. I asked him if he bled both bleeders on each caliper and he said he didn't even know it had two of them.
Overall, this is a gross oversight on the part of Aurora Tire, Inc. The fact that the owner does not even have the common decency to apologize for his shop's mistakes, he has gone as far as blatently lying about what really happened. This is not the first time this has happened. I have, over the past few days, compiled complaints from other individuals who have had problems with this company. Every time someone has had an issue with this company, the owner automatically tries to blame the customer for it somehow.
This is not acceptable behavior for a business. Mr. Don Andrew is a prime example of what customer service should never be.
Mar 16, 2012, 09:09 AM
#50
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After submitting my response, I gave the shop a call on my lunch break. I talked to the owner and made sure that he was aware that I have never touched the bleeders on this car, and that any clearcoat damage that wasn't already there was caused by his shop.
He still had an attitude about it, saying that if I knew so much about how to do it that I should have done it myself. Obviously these people don't like getting business...
He stated that he is not going to change his position on the matter and feels that he isnt responsible for it. He said that he won't "let me gouge him for over $5,000." So apparently any damage he causes over a certian amount he feels isn't his fault.
I asked him why he didn't even offer so much as an apology for what was done and he said that he's "sorry for having to push my car in and do work on it and not even make any money off parts" or something along those lines... At that point I was so pissed I souldn't think straight.
It's obvious that this piece of **** has been allowed to run this business far too long, giving customers shoddy workmanship, terrible customer service, and getting away with it. What a damn joke...
He still had an attitude about it, saying that if I knew so much about how to do it that I should have done it myself. Obviously these people don't like getting business...
He stated that he is not going to change his position on the matter and feels that he isnt responsible for it. He said that he won't "let me gouge him for over $5,000." So apparently any damage he causes over a certian amount he feels isn't his fault.
I asked him why he didn't even offer so much as an apology for what was done and he said that he's "sorry for having to push my car in and do work on it and not even make any money off parts" or something along those lines... At that point I was so pissed I souldn't think straight.
It's obvious that this piece of **** has been allowed to run this business far too long, giving customers shoddy workmanship, terrible customer service, and getting away with it. What a damn joke...
Mar 16, 2012, 01:03 PM
#52
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Yeah. Not any really decent ones of just the calipers, but you can see the streaks and such weren't present before the date I had this done. Then I've got the pics that the insurance adjuster took for the claim.
One particular shows the caliper I replaced two days before I took it to the shop, and how nice and red it was. And the pic from the insurance shows a large section of that caliper is now pinkish and dull.
If I knew ahead of time I would have taken detailed pics of ever single area of the car they were going to be around before and after to really hammer the nail in the coffin for this thing, but hindsight is always 20/20.
Good news is that my insurance is making good on the claim. Bad news it they told me they don't know for sure if they will recoup the money from the shop's insurance. I get the calipers fixed either way, but it's kind of a crappy deal that my insurance has to foot the bill for something the shop is responsible for.
I'd love to give the owner of that place a good swift kick in the ***, but it's not even worth the trouble...
One particular shows the caliper I replaced two days before I took it to the shop, and how nice and red it was. And the pic from the insurance shows a large section of that caliper is now pinkish and dull.
If I knew ahead of time I would have taken detailed pics of ever single area of the car they were going to be around before and after to really hammer the nail in the coffin for this thing, but hindsight is always 20/20.
Good news is that my insurance is making good on the claim. Bad news it they told me they don't know for sure if they will recoup the money from the shop's insurance. I get the calipers fixed either way, but it's kind of a crappy deal that my insurance has to foot the bill for something the shop is responsible for.
I'd love to give the owner of that place a good swift kick in the ***, but it's not even worth the trouble...
Mar 16, 2012, 04:39 PM
#54
Yeah. Not any really decent ones of just the calipers, but you can see the streaks and such weren't present before the date I had this done. Then I've got the pics that the insurance adjuster took for the claim.
One particular shows the caliper I replaced two days before I took it to the shop, and how nice and red it was. And the pic from the insurance shows a large section of that caliper is now pinkish and dull.
If I knew ahead of time I would have taken detailed pics of ever single area of the car they were going to be around before and after to really hammer the nail in the coffin for this thing, but hindsight is always 20/20.
Good news is that my insurance is making good on the claim. Bad news it they told me they don't know for sure if they will recoup the money from the shop's insurance. I get the calipers fixed either way, but it's kind of a crappy deal that my insurance has to foot the bill for something the shop is responsible for.
I'd love to give the owner of that place a good swift kick in the ***, but it's not even worth the trouble...
One particular shows the caliper I replaced two days before I took it to the shop, and how nice and red it was. And the pic from the insurance shows a large section of that caliper is now pinkish and dull.
If I knew ahead of time I would have taken detailed pics of ever single area of the car they were going to be around before and after to really hammer the nail in the coffin for this thing, but hindsight is always 20/20.
Good news is that my insurance is making good on the claim. Bad news it they told me they don't know for sure if they will recoup the money from the shop's insurance. I get the calipers fixed either way, but it's kind of a crappy deal that my insurance has to foot the bill for something the shop is responsible for.
I'd love to give the owner of that place a good swift kick in the ***, but it's not even worth the trouble...
Wow, thats really crappy your in this situation. I wouldnt feel bad for the insurance company, they have lots of money.
I am surprised that shop had the nerve to say they didnt know they should have been extra careful to not get brake fluid spilled on your vehicle, seems like common sense to me. They should know basic stuff like this and using a tube to stick on the bleeder so it drains into a container is pretty typical as well.
If they didnt know that you had 2 bleeders per caliper then Im sure they didnt even bleed in the correct order either. Lesson learned, do your own work from now on.
Mar 17, 2012, 07:28 PM
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That's good to hear, I don't see the reason for new calipers when you could just get them repowdercoated, not sticking up for them at all but just saying. Mine were nice and red when I bought my car, it was garage kept and rarely driven and now theyre all peeled and crappy looking after months of owning it haha I dont have a garage and drove it 500+ miles a week but yeah it deff does suck, eventually I want to get them powdercoated some cool color and put on the brembo stickers or something unique. Your situation deff blows tho, all I gotta say is dont trust NO ONE, I have no faith in anyone not just car wise, about anything in life. I could drop it off at one of the most famous evo shops on here and I still wouldnt have full satisfaction they are doing it right or to how I want it done. After working at many shops even dealerships I see what really goes on and it's pathetic, the only work I won't do is tuning for now till I learn more but I know how it feels to want to just drop it off and want it done for you. Hope it ends up good for you.
Mar 19, 2012, 08:50 AM
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That's good to hear, I don't see the reason for new calipers when you could just get them repowdercoated, not sticking up for them at all but just saying. Mine were nice and red when I bought my car, it was garage kept and rarely driven and now theyre all peeled and crappy looking after months of owning it haha I dont have a garage and drove it 500+ miles a week but yeah it deff does suck, eventually I want to get them powdercoated some cool color and put on the brembo stickers or something unique. Your situation deff blows tho, all I gotta say is dont trust NO ONE, I have no faith in anyone not just car wise, about anything in life. I could drop it off at one of the most famous evo shops on here and I still wouldnt have full satisfaction they are doing it right or to how I want it done. After working at many shops even dealerships I see what really goes on and it's pathetic, the only work I won't do is tuning for now till I learn more but I know how it feels to want to just drop it off and want it done for you. Hope it ends up good for you.
Mar 22, 2012, 06:10 AM
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Well now... All of a sudden my insurance company is saying that the Comprehensive claim that was made is not valid. USAA apparently has a clause in their policies that says they don't cover any damages caused by a shop, the shop has to be the one to pay out on it. They told me that because the owner refuses to make good on the damage he's done that I have to take him to small claims court.
What a crock of ****... Why would they go through all the trouble of opening a claim, sending out an adjuster to take pics and write up an estimate, and get the insurance information of the shop just to tell me they don't cover it. They could have just told me that when I made the first phone call.
I'm just about to say screw it, I don't have the time to be wasting in a courtroom when I know for a fact that this douchebag will try his best to fight it and drag it out so long it won't even be worth it anymore.
What do you guys think? Take his sorry *** to court and run this thing into the ground? Or just cut my losses and move on?
What a crock of ****... Why would they go through all the trouble of opening a claim, sending out an adjuster to take pics and write up an estimate, and get the insurance information of the shop just to tell me they don't cover it. They could have just told me that when I made the first phone call.
I'm just about to say screw it, I don't have the time to be wasting in a courtroom when I know for a fact that this douchebag will try his best to fight it and drag it out so long it won't even be worth it anymore.
What do you guys think? Take his sorry *** to court and run this thing into the ground? Or just cut my losses and move on?
Mar 22, 2012, 06:21 AM
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Well now... All of a sudden my insurance company is saying that the Comprehensive claim that was made is not valid. USAA apparently has a clause in their policies that says they don't cover any damages caused by a shop, the shop has to be the one to pay out on it. They told me that because the owner refuses to make good on the damage he's done that I have to take him to small claims court.
What a crock of ****... Why would they go through all the trouble of opening a claim, sending out an adjuster to take pics and write up an estimate, and get the insurance information of the shop just to tell me they don't cover it. They could have just told me that when I made the first phone call.
I'm just about to say screw it, I don't have the time to be wasting in a courtroom when I know for a fact that this douchebag will try his best to fight it and drag it out so long it won't even be worth it anymore.
What do you guys think? Take his sorry *** to court and run this thing into the ground? Or just cut my losses and move on?
What a crock of ****... Why would they go through all the trouble of opening a claim, sending out an adjuster to take pics and write up an estimate, and get the insurance information of the shop just to tell me they don't cover it. They could have just told me that when I made the first phone call.
I'm just about to say screw it, I don't have the time to be wasting in a courtroom when I know for a fact that this douchebag will try his best to fight it and drag it out so long it won't even be worth it anymore.
What do you guys think? Take his sorry *** to court and run this thing into the ground? Or just cut my losses and move on?