This entire incident happened on JAN 24. For more than a week, my auto would not start if left idle for several hours. The starter just clicked and the lights etc dimmed. The car started immediately with a jump and ran perfectly until left to sit for a few hours. I called Firestone Complete Auto Care (FCAC) 7619 Richmond HWY Alexandria, VA where I had purchased the btteryless than two years earlier. I asked "Peter" (Terron)" who answered the phons if Firestone could check my battery while it was in the car and determine if it was faulty. I explained that the car was dead and it was a hassle to get a jump because I lived in a retirement community. He cheerily said yes. IWhen I got to the Peter was behind te counter and just finished with the only other customer. Hew then told me that it would be two hours before they could get to my car. Did so and was told it would be 2 hours before they could get to it. I asked if I could come back after two hours and was told yes, but I would go the end of the line. (there was no one in the room at the time waiting, except a second clerk, "Jake" (Grubb). I decided to make an appt for the next morning, rather than go through that charade. After leaving the store, I decided that was a poor way to handle my problem. I had been told it was necessary to return to the same store that sold me the battery under warranty. I decided to go to the service station on Fort Belvoir VA where I live. They checked the battery immediately with a meter and said it was faulty. I called Peter and told him I was coming back to talk with his supervisor. He said his supervisor was in Florida, but I could speak with the store mgr. Peter was not there when I returned so I spoke with Jake who had heard the entire conversation from the beginning although he mainained that he had not. JJake told me that Peter was not there. He then told me the store mgr would not be back until the following Wed. He then said the car would have to go into the shop to determine if something else in the charging circuit was the cause of the battery losing charge. I said I was there because the battery was purchased in this store with a warranty. When I asked who would pay the shop fee while the auto was in the shop, Jake said that I would pay for the time in the shop unless it proved that the battery faulty and not somenthing in the circuit. I said this could easily exceed the price of a new battery and I would not agree. I gave up and left the store saying that I would write to Firestone. I went immediately to the service repair station on Fort Belvoir which also sells Interstate batteries. They immediately re-checked my battery, found it faulty and replaced it, all in less than half an hour. FIRESTONE NOT ONLY PROVIDED NO SERVICE, BUT PETER AND JAKE WERE VINDICTIVE AND I SUSPECT UNTRUTHFUL (I EVEN DOUBT THEY GAVE THEIR CORECT NAMES).
I am sure that i will never do business with any firestone auto care again. I'm not so certain about interstate since i have a new bbattery in my car and recently put one in my daughter's car.
My name:
James Wootten
9034 Belvoir Wods Pkwy
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
Tel: 703-781-0929
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