For over 30 years, my family and I trusted C&C Automotive with our vehicles. My father grew up with the owner, Aaron Clements. As a kid i would play with the motor cut-aways in the waitinf room while my father spoke with the auto techs. C&C was once the shop that treated us like family; they even let me work on my own '66 Mustang in one of their bays on Telfair back when i was in high school.
Nearly every visit to C&C Martinez now seems to end with another issue, another return visit, or even new damage to my vehicles. Routine services--like oil changes or cabin filter replacements--have turned into frustrating and disappointing experiences that i often tell myself i should have just taken care of myself.
Here are just a few examples of what I've experienced recently:
* During a cabin filter change on my truck, they broke the filter door clean off and left it unrepaired. This is something that should be simple, yet they handled it with carelessness and never made it right.
* After an oil change on my wife's car, I noticed oil dripping in the driveway. When I checked, I saw the splash guard wasn't even secured properly. I took it back, and they "re-attached" it--only for it to fall again later, as they hadn't really fixed it at all. On another visit, they claimed the splash pan was damaged beyond repair, yet somehow, when I asked for it back, they managed to reattach it. I am sure they techs just get annoyed habinf to remive them for oil changes.
* This most recent visit: I had yet another oil change done, only to bring the car home and discover an oil leak all over my once spotless driveway. Again, I bring my vehiles in nit because i am not able to complete an oil change, but rather because i dont want the hassle or mess all over my driveway. After bringing the car back yet again, I was told that the drain plug had been stripped. The fix? A $16 charge for a $4 drain plug, and an hour of my time wasted.
The frustration I feel isn't unique. While waiting on this last repair, I overheard two other customers having their own issues. One gentleman was frustrated because he hadn't received documentation of an alignment they supposedly performed. When he asked for the printout, they offered to put the cat back on the lift and "show him the current alignment"--a completely unhelpful response since it wouldn't reflect any adjustments actually made. Another couple was dealing with leaks that appeared right after their recent service. This sounded too familiar...
The C&C I knew--the one that was thorough, careful, and truly valued its customers--no longer exists. It's been replaced by a shop that seems careless and more interested in getting the next customer in the door than actually delivering good service. I'm done giving them second chances, and sadly, after 30+ years of loyalty, I'll be taking my business elsewhere. read more