We dropped off our Chrysler 300 at Monroe Collision for an Alignment, and slipped the key in the night drop.
As we pulled away in our Ford Taurus, we hit a dip at the road & the left front spring popped on the strut. We turned around, the front left tire smoking, & the front end sitting low down on the tire... so the Taurus could no longer be driven.
We then dropped the key to the Taurus, with a detailed note, into their night drop with our phone number (which they already had), and explained why they had a key to the Chrysler 300, yet it was not there, & explained exactly what had happened to the front end of the Taurus, requesting a call from them for an estimate of what they would charge to fix the Taurus' strut.
Thankfully we had another key to the Chrysler.
The next day, (2 days before Christmas), a secretary called us at about 11 am telling us they could fix the Taurus for $576.79.
Politely declining, what we felt, was a high-priced & over-priced repair, and we immediately informed her that a wrecker would be coming within the hour.to tow the Taurus
That is when she informed us that they would be to holding the Taurus hostage unless we paid them $50.00!
I politely explained that By Law, (under Michigan law), there should have been "A Written Estimate Of Cost BEFORE ANY REPAIRS ARE BEGUN" and tried appealing to her logic that the $50 was UNAUTHORIZED, but the secretary kept trying to sell me the repairs, and assured us that the $50 would be waived IF we allowed them to do the $576.79 repair.
Since we were being held hostage, we gave them a credit card payment so they'd release the Taurus & key to the tow truck driver, until we could go there later to discuss our dissatisfaction in person...
(Insurance company paid for the Taurus to be towed to our mechanic who fixed it that day for $226.35 total for 2 new full Struts and 2 new sway bar links. Savings of $350.44!
NEXT: We went back later in the day to Monroe Collision to remake the alignment appointment and discuss the $50 charge. A different secretary/cashier, Lisa, assured us she would waive the Taurus' $50 charge, and we would only owe $6 for the alignment on the Chrysler 300. (She later Reneged)
We dropped off the Chrysler 300 key into the night drop, and left the it for them to do the original alignment we were seeking in the first place.
We got a call the next day telling us we needed to 1st have a $495.97 repair, of 2 tie-rods & a lower control arm, in order to do the alignment.
We politely informed Lisa, the secretary, that we'd have our mechanic do the front end repair.
Lo and behold... Another Bogus and unauthorized $50.00 charge if we did not allow Monroe Collision do the repairs.
We had our mechanic replace the 2 tie rods & a lower control arm that day for $185.69
Savings of $310.28 on the Chrysler 300 by Not Allowing Monroe Collision to do the repairs.
Went to pick up the Chrysler and Lisa, the secretary/cashier, Reneged on her agreement to apply the $50 to the alignment, as she said previously we'd only owe $6. Lisa, then denied she waived the $50, but now she was only charging $25 for the Taurus, and $25 for the Chrysler 300. So she said we owed them $56.
I again politely explained the law to her, but she got all riled up and went and got one of the owners, Ed Moore.
I kindly told to Ed Moore that under the Michigan Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Act, it is against the law to charge anyone without their authorization, and that we felt the law states it clearly this was "unfair and deceptive practices" to do this to customers.
And, brought out that regarding "Pre-Repair" a repair facility is required to display a consumer information sign informing its customers of their basic rights under the motor vehicle service and repair act, & a requirement that Notice Be Posted in the cashier's area and at each location where customer service orders are written, which There Was NOT A Notice Posted Anywhere in the office, the hall, the waiting area, etc..
Irate, Ed Moore intimidatingly screamed, "We've had one posted in the back for 30 years!" (where customers do not go) "We Don't Work For Free!" You Trying To F*ck me out of $50?"
I tried to pay the $6 but, "Get The F*ck Out Of Here and Don't Ever Come Back!"
I complied with owner Ed Moore's vulgar rant to leave Monroe Collision, and we certainly won't go back again. Apparently this deceptive practice is the norm there.
A $310.28 savings on the Chrysler 300, & $350.44 saved on the Taurus.
$660.72 Total saved by NOT Allowing Monroe Collision to do the repairs.
Our position/example is this, and the Michigan Laws back this up: if you get in a wreck, and take your damaged vehicle to a collision shop for an estimate, you Do Not Owe the shop money for writing an estimate of repairs. Can you imagine if you went to 3 collision shops? You'd have $150 in costs added to your total repair cost.
Same thing for a strut repair. Same thing for a tie-rod repair.
Moral of the story: "Know Your Rights." read more
