Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:17/01/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  January 12th, I took my vehicle to Budget Brake and Muffler. I have a rotten eggs smell following going up hills, the check engine light is on. I came to the shop was told it would be 30 minutes to have it looked over. I told the staff another mechanic had said it was the ******** converter. Staff looked at the vehicle for less than 30 minutes, gave me a quote of $205 and said it could be done in about an hour. Nothing further was explained to me. After the hour and I paid I went to start up my vehicle and my check engine light was still on. I went back inside and the mechanic Isiah came back outside and cleared the code. On January 13th I still had the rotten eggs smell. January 14th I brought my vehicle back to the shop as my engine light was back on. The mechanic Mitch was very **** to me, checked the code and said it could be a multitude of things. I reached out to the owner on with several emails on January 16th. He said the converter was removed and replaced with a pipe. I had no idea of this I was not informed of this on January 12th. I was never explained that a part was removed and replaced with a pipe. I came in to have my vehicle fixed and it was not fixed I still have the rotten eggs smell, and my check engine light is still on. I am not sure what I paid for at this point. I feel like I was taken advantage of as a part was taken out, for no reason, my vehicle was not fixed, and the issue was not corrected. I was not informed of what was done to my vehicle, I paid for something to be removed from my car and Carlos is not trying to correct the issue. He is being **** and wants me to pay him more money.

  Business Response

  Date: 20/01/2023

  
  Hello ******, as per our conversation on the phone, I give you permission to copy past this email since the complaints email did not come through. 

  
  

  This is my response to complaint ID # ******** filed on 1/16/2023.

  
  

  A gentleman named Paul called in Monday January 09,2023 called in to book Kristy's vehicle to have the secondary Catalytic converter cut out. Kristy then called and rescheduled to Thursday the 12 of January, 2023. When the vehicle was brought in the technicians looked at the vehicle and the service writer gave the customer an estimate for the requested repair and explained what was going to be done. The customer authorised the work. We did not diagnose any drivability issues but our tech did scan the vehicle to retrieve the codes as we had not diagnosed anything and do not like to do work that was not first diagnosed by us. The customer did not give us any symptoms or request  a problem to be resolved, she requested to have the cat "cut out" as recommended by her trusted mechanic who had supposedly diagnosed her issue and did not want to "weld on the ground".  A secondary Catalytic converter is not monitored (un-monitored means it does not have an oxygen sensor to evaluate its operation and can not turn on an engine light. It is not monitored for emissions). 

  
  

  
  

  The following emails were exchanged between myself and Kristy when she was dissatisfied with the repair. In summary, I tried to explain that we had not diagnosed any issues and had performed the work she requested and approved after being explained the estimate. Since she was still dissatisfied we offered to reinstall her old Catalytic converter and refund her. She declined and said she did not want anyone here working on her car. We then offered her a refund and her old Catalytic converter to take with her in case she wanted to have someone else reinstall it. She came in for the refund and declined to take her old catalytic converter.  

  
  

  I have attached a copy of the refund. She had paid in part by cash and in part by bank card. We were not able to refund her bank card therefore refunded the full amount in cash. 

  
  

  Let me know if there is anything else you need. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 22/01/2023

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I had also emailed following speaking to Carlos and we had settled with a refund. I would like no further action, I am satisfied. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ******