WARNING TO ALL CUSTOMERS -- READ BEFORE USING THIS SHOP…read more
My experience with Christian Brothers Automotive in Covington was one of the most deceptive, unprofessional, and manipulative automotive services I've ever encountered, and I want to warn the public so nobody else goes through what I did.
I requested a full transmission flush & fill for my 2022 Ford Transit Connect. I was very clear about this from the first phone call. The estimate they sent even listed 9 quarts of Mercon ULV -- a quantity ONLY used for a flush. That's the only reason I approved the estimate. I do my research, I know my transmission model, and I know the difference between a flush and a drain & fill. A drain & fill uses roughly 4-5 quarts, not 9.
Fast forward: I drop the van off. No updates. No calls. No delays communicated. Hours pass. When I finally check in myself, I'm told it's "almost ready." When I show up, I learn that they DID NOT perform the service I approved. They did a drain & fill instead -- without contacting me, without asking permission, and without explaining anything beforehand. They made that decision entirely on their own.
When I questioned it, the tech told me, "We don't have a flush machine." The service manager backed him up. Both acted like a flush wasn't even possible at their shop. Then the owner later told me they DO have one, but "don't use it often." So which is it? Why did three different employees give me three different stories? And why did the technician proceed with the wrong job when the estimate clearly showed 9 quarts, which no competent tech would ever associate with a simple drain & fill?
The receptionist also told me the original estimate had been "overwritten" and couldn't be accessed -- yet the owner claimed he still had it. Again: more contradictions and more evidence of dishonesty.
Then came the worst part: They refused to release my van unless I paid for the incorrect service. I rely on this van for work. They knew it. They waited until the last minutes before closing and boxed me in. That is coercive, unethical, and absolutely unacceptable. I paid under duress because I had no choice -- and they knew exactly what they were doing.
Had anyone called me, even once, to say:
"We don't recommend a flush,"
"We don't have the equipment,"
"We need to change the service,"
I would have CANCELLED immediately. Instead, they made their own decision, provided a service I did not authorize, charged me for it, and tried to justify it after the fact.
The owner's "resolution" was to tell me to bring it back so they could do the flush... the same flush his staff claimed they couldn't do, on the same machine they allegedly didn't even have. After everything I experienced, he expected me to trust them again? Absolutely not.
This shop demonstrated:
- False information
- Contradictory statements
- Zero communication
- Unauthorized service changes
- Holding a customer's vehicle until payment is made
- A pattern of deceptive behavior among multiple employees
There is no scenario where this is acceptable business practice. None.
I strongly urge anyone considering this shop to think twice. If this is how they handle something as straightforward as a requested transmission service -- ignoring the estimate, ignoring the customer, altering the job, pressuring for payment, and lying to cover the mistakes -- imagine how they'll handle something serious.
Consumers deserve honesty, consent, and communication. I received none of that here. This was, without exaggeration, one of the most unethical automotive experiences I've ever had.
Be warned.
