This is a letter I sent to the regional manager on May 21. On April 27 my girlfriend visited your shop in Tampa on N Dale Mabry. While she was there she asked for a basic tune up and an oil change. She left the car with her brother in law who works there. Upon completion she received a bill for $372.00. The day after the tune up the check engine light came on. I had the computer scanned and the code read random multiple misfire. I brought the car to a mechanic and he said that there were multiple issues that were either not resolved or identified in the tune up.
First there was no coolant in the radiator, but there was a new radiator cap. Second was the air filter was filthy and had not been changed. The spark plugs that were in the car were brand new as I had them installed by a mechanic in the third week of March. I dont know the exact date. Yesterday I had to change the air conditioning compressor which cost $430.00 with labor due to the fact that the engine was not tuned up properly and the ac compressor was robbing power from the engine.
I called the shop anonymously yesterday, May 20, to inquire about what is included in a tune up. Ron, the store manager, said that a tune up includes spark plugs, wires and an air filter. The car is a 2005 Nissan Altima and does not have spark plug wires as it is a direct coil system. As mentioned before the air filter was never touched. I purchased a new one and retained the old one as proof. The spark plugs were brand new and did not need to be changed and the tech would have noticed that as soon as he removed them. There was NO coolant in the radiator which caused the car to overheat on my girlfriends way home. The last thing I noticed was the shroud that covers the engine has four bolts that hold it down. This shroud covers the ignition coils and now the bolt heads are stripped so badly that a special tool is required and the bolts need to be replaced.
After speaking with Ron again this afternoon I asked him what exactly was done to the car. After speaking with someone he returned to the phone and said the tune up consisted of changing the spark plugs. That was it. He told me to bring the car back to the shop and he would have someone look at it. I informed him that I did not trust anyone in that shop to touch my car as I have a 2 month old baby and his safety is my number one concern. Then Ron proceeded to tell me that my girlfriend said she only wanted the spark plugs changed. That is not true as she told them to give the car a tune up and not do the plugs as they were brand new.
I requested that Ron make the situation right or I would be in touch with my lawyer and seek legal action against Tire Choice. Now I am out $372.00 for the tune up and another $430.00 for the subsequent work that the tune up caused. He basically gave one option and that was to take it back to the shop with no promise of the issue being resolved.
I am writing this letter to request that this matter be resolved at your level and not have to go any higher. I am not asking for the reimbursement of the entire cost. What I am seeking is reimbursement of the cost of the tune up as there was nothing done and it has cost me more after the fact.
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