I went to Just Brakes in Largo, FL yesterday 8/17/02 to take advantage of their $99.89 special that they advertise and what I am about to tell you is not only going to make you mad but is currently being reported, by me, to all the major media outlets in my local area of Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fl and also to John Stossel at 20/20 ABC News and I am also seeking a class action law suit with my attorney on this most disturbing matter.
My journey begins at Pep Boys when I took my '93 Ford Taurus there to get a break inspection. The mechanic there told me that I needed front pads, rotors and rear shoes and that everything else was O.K. They put it in writing, gave me a price, and I said I would let them know if I was going to get done there, so I left. Then I phoned JUST BRAKES to ask about the special and explained to them exactly what my car needed and they said they could do all the work for $99.89. So I brought my car in. The manager said he needed to do the inspection so I signed the inspection authorization and they pulled my car in to the bay.
As I watched from the lobby they literally took apart my brakes and then called me in to tell me what I needed. They said that I needed all new brake calipers because the seal was bad (he was jabbing at it as we spoke making come off) and I needed cylinders in the back (again jabbing and intentionally puncturing the seals as he was talking making the hydrolic fluid leak all over), new rotors and new pads and that my master cylinder might need to be replaced.
I told the mechanic that he just did all most if not all of the damage that he just explainded to me and that I had just had an inspection done at Pep Boys to prove it. Then I said I can't afford to have all that done and to put the old parts back on and I'll go away.
He said, "I'm not letting you drive out of here like this, you're going to have to get a tow truck" and the manager told me to leave the building! I told him I was going to call the police and he said, "Wait, I'll call for you". The entire time they were VERY HOSTILE TO ME AND LITERALLY WERE THREATENING ME CAUSING GREAT EMOTIONAL AND PSYCOLOGICAL DISTRESS.
So I said no I will call the police. So I went outside and got on my cell phone and dialed up the Largo police dept. And had an officer come out. I explained everything to the officer and that all I wanted to do was get my car out of there and go home.
Well, after the officer came out he told me that while it is against the law to hold someone's car hostage based on what he saw and what he was told by the manager that he couldn't let me drive the car in the condition it was in because he was liable if I got into an accident.By the way he wasn't sure so he had to call his superior to make sure he wasn't out of line, that's what he told me.
So my wife, who was getting the play by play at home from me, called a tow truck and they came out and towed me for $35.00 (good price). Then before leaving the premises I went back into the shop to get a copy of the reciept and on the copy the manager wrote the following, "Questionable milage, suspect (my car has 142,000 on it and it reads 42,000 because it turned over, any idiot would know this) Largo police officer, inspection incomplete. Customer became hostile during brake inspection. Law enforcement had to be called. Lower hydrolic failure has uccurred. Brake light is on master suspect, vehicle unsafe for highway, recommeded tow truck, customer refused to sign".
Before I left the building I told everyone I could see that was within earshot to get their car out of there ASAP including an unsuspecting couple that was at the counter being bamboozled by the same guy! They were just about to sign and I said wait! Dont't sign and told them what had just happened to me pointing outside as the tow truck was loading my car for tow. They looked at the manager and promply left! That probably cost them about $600.00, Just Brakes that is.
I continued my crusade by going to every customer in the lobby and in the bays where the cars were being worked on to warn them, many left.
My car is currently being fixed by the person who towed it and they said I didn't need all the stuff that Just Brakes recommended and I was one of many that he has either heard of or towed from that place, they are a TOTAL RIP-OFF TO SAY THE LEAST!
If anyone is interested in a class action law suit the legal proceedings for a nationwide law suit have already been set in motion, please contact me if anyone would like to add their name to the list and would like to seek compensatory damages from this company. These bad boys are goin' down BIG TIME. I will not quit until they do.
Post your consumer complaints and this web site will bring everyone together.
Michael
St. Petersburg, Florida
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