Please, take note of the very specific pattern here for Middlessex Tire & Auto's reviews. Anyone who gives this company 5 stars, is typically a women, or, by, their own words, "they know nothing about cars." On the other hand, any customer who has car experience, or even general "guy knowledge", accuses them of price gauging. (And please do not take offense to any generalizations I make about men/women, they are merely generalizations,)Here is my story.
My mother is beyond a typical women in her lack of knowledge of cars. She is one who will openly tell a mechanic to do "whatever needs to be done" so she doesnt have to deal with it in the future. She is overly trusting to a severe fault, however that doesnt excuse the way these people took advantage of her.
They have performed $1500 worth of work on a motor & exhaust for her, and they never even changed the air filter. They billed her for it though. How do I know? It was a sh*tbox car which had been sitting for 6 months. Mice had made a very distinct nest with a unique insulation. That same nest was in the same filter when I opened it 2 years later.
My brother has an Audi a4 quatro which needed a clutch. My mother paid double what would normally be expected. within 10 miles, my brother was complaining it was worse than the old one. It took another $1000 and 4 more times before it was semi-satisfactorly installed.
I had a 1998 Chevy truck. My brother lost a key. Rather than just replace a key, they changes the whole lock structure throughout the truck to the tune of $500. They messed up the steering column, BAD. They put the wrong sized battery in the truck. (Too small.) Then they said it was having electrical issues (dying), so they disconnected all of the inner electrical features like the radio, AC, windshield wipers, instead of replacing the battery.
When they initially replaced the battery, we made it very clear that it was under AAA warranty, which they make no money off of, so they threw that one out and put in one of their own and charged us.
When I needed an alternator, I purchased one and delivered it with the truck to be installed. I paid $40 for it, They told my mother they "didnt feel like using it" and they put in a different one which they charged her $200 for the part. (THIS IS WHERE THE ITEMIZED BILLS ARE HANDY!!!) They also stole the initial one I had purchased.
My $2500 stereo system was stolen when left their over night, I didnt notice till after because they had disconnected the electrical system. They took the liberty of DRILLING huge 2 inch holes into my dashboard to put a horn button in it. The HORN WAS NOT BROKEN.
They replaced the entire heating unit in my 2010 Chrysler instead of just the one it needed (a switch maybe?) except it was an after market part which didnt fit right and the AC would never work again.
I could have sued them I suppose for the Thousands and thousands of dollars of needless work, but my mother's senility and need to literally "steal" our cars and bring them there really would undermind any claim I had. If I had only happened to go to them 1 or 2 times and they pulled this, I would have filed complaints and reports till the cows come home.
STAY AWAY!!! FELLOW LADIES, YOU DON'T NEED A MAN, BUT YOU DO NEED TO PROTECT YOURSELF. GOOGLE THE COST OF THE PART YOU NEED AND THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF TIME A JOB SHOULD TAKE. YES, THEY ARE EXCELLENT SALES PEOPLE HERE AND THEY MAKE PEOPLE FEEL CONFIDENT, BUT ITS A FACADE. read more
