My family has been using Senior Automotive for all of our repair work, tire changes and oil changes (on four different vehicles) for several years. Today we terminated our relationship with this company and we will NOT be using their services ever again.
I am sad to be writing this negative review because in some ways this is a good company. I believe them to be good mechanics who charge fair prices. But I cannot tolerate OBNOXIOUS, deliberately RUDE, and STUPID behavior. Here's what happened when I showed up today for a seasonal tire change and fluids maintenance...
I made an appointment for 1:00pm. I'm ALWAYS on time. When I hopped out of my car, it was exactly 1:00pm. Maybe by the time I reached the office it was 1:01pm; maybe. When I walked in, Pete told me it would be at least an hour wait because they'd just taken in another car. There was no one entering the garage bay, and no one waiting in the reception area, so they'd have had to have aken that car into the garage several minutes before I arrived - just BEFORE 1:00pm, which means they chose to disregard my appointment.
I was nice about it and re-scheduled for 2:00pm that same day. I had to switch an appointment due to their delay, but I'm loyal to businesses that I like and didn't want to make a fuss. When I returned at 2:00 (on the nose), Pete was behaving like he was angry. I said (nicely), "You know I had an appointment, right?"
He replied: "Yeah. At 1:00. You got here at 1:05. We don't WAIT for anyone." He even made a snotty face and gesture at me as he said those words.
O...M...G...! In reply, I said,"Your clock is fast, because I walked in here at exactly 1:00, and when I sat down to try to re-schedule my next appointment my phone said 1:04 and we'd already been talking for a few minutes. And before that, I had to wait a couple minutes for someone to come to the front desk (even going in and out again to make the bell ring a second time). So there's no way I was five minutes late."
Pete insisted his clock was correct. I said that my phone can't be wrong because it's automatically set. The mechanic eating his lunch behind the desk started laughing at this point. I have no idea if he was laughing at how ridiculous Pete was being, or if he was laughing because I was being so rational about it. In any case, I'm thinking this can't be real because even IF Pete were telling the truth, and even if his clock were correct, they'd STILL taken that other car back to the garage just minutes before my appointment, which means that even though they are unapologetic about being quite late themselves, they don't afford customers even a one minute grace period.
That's the best case scenario for Pete, but even then, it's BS because iPhones keep reliable time. Anyway... I was still being calm and polite, but Pete shoved the service slip at me and walked out of the room. I signed it and put my keys on the counter.
By 2:08 he still hadn't returned. I had no idea if he intended to service my car, or continue with his weird tantrum, or punish me with a lengthy wait. But it occurred to me that this kind of behavior is outrageous and completely unacceptable. I didn't want him to service my car, so I left.
I will never return. I took my car, my husband's car, my mom's car, and my mom-in-law's cars with me. I also took with me my good opinion of them. I am at a loss for why any small business would wantonly alienate their friendly, loyal customers, or so casually lose four customers in one day over something so bizarre.
In the past, I've enthusiastically recommended this business to people, but I can no longer vouch for their professionalism. Mistakes are easily forgiven. But this kind of creepy, and abusive behavior is a deal-breaker. Who wants to show up at their mechanic's not knowing whether they will be greeted warmly or subjected to a game of silly harassment.
By the way, regarding Pete's "we don't WAIT for anyone comment"... the last two appointments I had with him, he took my car 20-30 minutes late. read more