I took my boyfriend's car to Firestone for an inspection, emissions test, and oil change. This is what happened:
I had gotten the car inspected the day before, but due to weird emissions regulations, I couldn't get the sticker at the first place (NOT a Firestone) as we were about 60 feet over the county line. So I took it to this Firestone store to get the emissions done and get my sticker.
Please note that the first mechanic cleared the car on EVERYTHING else, he just didn't have the equipment to do the emissions test.
I dropped the car off and came back two hours later. While waiting, I overheard another customer (female) talking on her phone in tears and asked what had happened. She said she had come in for new tires (with a coupon) and was told she needed an additional $600 worth of repairs. Then I overheard the counter help on the phone with another woman (called her Mrs.) telling her that she needed more repairs then had originally been estimated.
When they called me out, they took me to the wrong car and told me that I would actually need four new tires, not 2. When I corrected them, and directed them to my car, this is what I was told I needed:
New windsheild due to chip about two inches from the top.
New brakes as there was fluid leaking out which could cause my brakes to go out. (The brakes had been replaced not two months before, and the car had not been driven in a month.)
New front tires as mine were too worn to pass inspection. (Had replaced one the day before, and the other 4 months before due to a flat).
All in all, they wanted something like $5,000. AND, I realized later that they charged me $2.00 for the inspection sticker which I didn't receive due to all the repairs that I "needed".
Appalled, I took my car to another inspection station as I was concerned that the first guy I went to okay'd my car physically and Firestone told me all of this was wrong. I got my inspection approved by an honest mechanic elsewhere the next day. I honestly believe that if it had been my boyfriend, and not me that they would have found nothing wrong.
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