My W had new tires put on our van two weeks ago along with an oil change and inspection. A couple of days later the tire pressure light came on so she called the garage and she took it in the next day. While on her way there the check engine light came on. She talked to them and they asked if she had filled up lately, she said about three days ago but the tank is half empty why. They said it might be the gas cap but they will check it out.
They called my W and said the gas cap was the problem with the check engine light and the tie pressure was too high on the rear tires. When she went to pick up the van they charged her $40 for the diagnostic of the gas cap. BS if you ask me and she did complain but paid the bill. Last Wednesday the tire pressure light comes on again. She again takes the van in and now they say the pressure on the rear tires are low.
She is not very happy but picks up the van. Now yesterday the tire pressure light comes on again while we are running errands. She is really irritated and so am I. I heard the left front tire squeal and make the assumption that is the problem. When we get to one of the stores I check all the tire pressures and it is the left front. She says she is taking it back it.
I ask her if she wants me to handle it now. I don't do much with the maintenance of the van because its her vehicle but when it goes on this long and she is getting frustrated I feel its time I step in. She says if you want to do it go right ahead.
This morning I take it in and ask for a manager and tell him what has happened and that I think either the valve stem is leaking or the tire bead is. I tell him in a very irritated voice how that I am tired of coming in here with the same problem and that I want it fixed.
He says he will personally see to it and call me. About an hour late he calls me to inform me that the valve stem on the left front is leaking, no sh**. I proceed to ask him why they gave my W the run around by saying it was the rear tires when in fact it was the front tire. I said I understand that the valve was bad and that the first time we brought it in that you might think it was improperly filled but the second time it should have been fixed and what really upset me was the fact that you lied to my W twice about it. I said it took me five minutes to figure out the problem and I’m not a mechanic.
He apologized and asked what he could do to make it up to me. I told him I want the $40 back that they charged me for the diagnostic the first time my W brought the car in. He agreed and I went and picked the car up. When I got there he apologized again but I told him he should be saying that to my W since she is the one that was lied to. I was impressed he called her right there and did apologize top her. I thanked him and he took the diagnostic off my credit card and gave me a free oil change.
What you need to know is we have used this garage for a long time till we bought our new van two years ago and got free inspections for life and good deals on oil changes from the dealership but they were out of the ball park with the tires so we went back to the other garage.
My W calls me and says I can’t believe you made them call me and apologize, I said I did not mean for them to do it but they were like ok when I said that so they called you. And by the way I made $40 today because you paid for the diagnostic with your CC and I got it put back on mine. This is about the third time she has paid for something that I have returned and got the money put back on my CC. Now it all comes out of the same account but it’s the principle of the thing as she put it. She’s not irritated its just a little joke between us.
