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:11/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore 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.

  On 11/5/24 I took my car to be repaired under a full warranty at 5 Star Auto Repair located in *********, **. I was told that everything would be covered but later given a quote for $145 after warranty coverage. 5 Star Auto Repair called on 11/7/24 and stated it would be $280+ as a wrong part was ordered and needed to be exchanged. After hearing this I told the manager not to perform any service as I would follow up with my warranty company on 11/8/24. I spoke with the warranty company; they stated that the 5 Star Auto Repair was over charging, and this is why they would not agree to part price as it was above ****. I later called 5 Start Auto Repair on 11/8/24 to discuss warranty company concerns. They were to call me back but did not. I tried multiple times and left messages. I never gave permission for a repair to take place. I also had my mother call today, 11/8/24, via 3-way and was placed on hold for an extended period of time. After waiting 10 or more minutes, the manager came on the call. She was defensive, rude and did not allow us to express our concerns. She stated that work repairs had already taken place, and I would be responsible for the difference. I stated to the manager that I did not give permission for repairs. She stated to me and my mother that in an effort to help, she called the warranty company and received permission to complete the repairs on my car. We asked why she did this, when the warranty wasn't approved. She stated that my mother basically should believe her. I told her that I did not give her permission and why she did the repair even after the warranty company stated it would not be covered. She could not justify her decision. She continued to be nonchalant and rude and stated that she would just have the new parts taken off and replaced with the old parts. This is unacceptable. More damage may occur as a result of her unapproved actions. Again, she was extremely rude and said I could come get it.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/11/2024

  Dear Mr. **** and BBB,
  Thank you for the opportunity to address this complaint regarding the recent service experience at Five Star Auto Repair LLC.
  Our records show that the customer brought his vehicle to our shop for repairs under an extended warranty purchased from a third-party provider. Initially, the warranty supplier provided an incorrect part number, leading to a preliminary estimate with an out-of-pocket cost to the customer of approximately $145. This estimate included standard part overage fees, taxes, and shop fees not covered by the warranty or by the terms of his contract, as we explained to the customer in our initial conversation. Following this discussion, the customer provided verbal authorization to proceed with the repair.
  Upon identifying the part discrepancy, we promptly corrected it by changing to the correct part number and cost, resulting in a revised estimate that increased the customers out-of-pocket cost to $288, again due to coverage limitations. In an effort to reduce this cost, we engaged in a 21-email thread with the warranty company, advocating for additional coverage. Despite providing evidence, including **** screenshots, the warranty company declined, citing their choice to use a lower online price as the basis for their coverage. They also noted that their proposed option would delay the customers vehicle return by several days and weeks. They reiterated that the remaining amount was the customers responsibility, which we communicated to him verbatim as it was sent to us via email. 
  The customer indicated he would contact the warranty provider directly to discuss additional coverage but did not request that we pause or cancel the repair while he pursued this. He was also offered the option of using an OEM part to potentially reduce his out-of-pocket expense by $40, but he opted against this alternative.
  On the scheduled completion date, the customer called to inquire about the status of his vehicle and was informed it was ready. Later, his mother called, expressing concerns about the repair authorization. We explained our prior conversations with her son, including his verbal authorization. However, she expressed disbelief, stated that she would not believe our account over her sons, and informed us she was recording the conversation without our prior consent. We advised her that recording without consent is unlawful in the State of ******* and may result in further criminal action, at which point she ended the call. 
  To address their concerns, we reinstalled the original part at no charge and made the vehicle available for immediate pickup. The voicemail the customer left was a request for a callback, not an instruction to halt the repairs.
  The customer was provided with a form upon vehicle drop-off, clarifying that if repairs were not covered by the warranty, he would be responsible for the inspection fee, which he acknowledged by signing.
  To further accommodate the customer, we secured his vehicles window in an upright position, as it had originally arrived with a temporary covering (trash bag), to minimize inconvenience during the warranty resolution.
  We take customer concerns seriously and prioritize transparency in all interactions. At no time were we dismissive or unresponsive; we acted solely to assist the customer in navigating the limitations of his warranty. We regret any misunderstanding. The charges incurred were consistent with the agreed terms.
  While we strive to provide exceptional service and support to our customers, we cannot absorb costs that result from limitations in third-party warranty coverage. Unfortunately, the warranty company chose to minimize their payment based on their internal pricing decisions, despite the actual cost of parts and our efforts to advocate on the customers behalf. As an independent ********************** facility, we rely on transparent pricing to maintain quality service and cannot cover additional expenses that fall outside warranty terms or that the warranty provider elects not to cover. We hope the customer understands that these limitations are set by the warranty company and not us. 
  Thank you for your attention to this matter.
  Sincerely,
  Five Star Auto Repair LLC

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/12/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore 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.

  I WAS A CUSTOMER ON 2/9/24.I WENT TO THIS ********************** SHOP TO SERVICE MY VEHICLE FOR MY ENGINE FAN. IT WAS BLOWING CONTINUOUSLY AFTER THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THIS SHOP GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE FOR NUMEROUS OF REPAIRS. SO I PUT MY TRUST IN THIS SHOP. THEY WERE ADDING ON NON AGREED PRICES TOO MY TOTAL. I ASKED FOR MY RECEIPTS FOR ALL PURCHASED REPAIR PARTS. THE ENTIRE OFFICE REFUSED TO GIVE ME CONFIRMATION OF REPAIRS. I WAS FORCED TO PAY OVER $2000.00 DOLLARS FOR REPAIRS THEY REFUSED TO PROVE. I WAS SCAMMED. THIS REPAIR SHOP CONDUCTED HORRIBLE BUSINESS. I WOULD ADVISE CUSTOMERS TOO GET EVIDENCE OF SERVICES FROM THIS REPAIR SHOP.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/14/2024

  The auto repair facility highly values the feedback received and is dedicated to addressing the raised concerns, placing customer satisfaction and transparency at the forefront of all transactions.
  Firstly, it's crucial to clarify that the total invoice already includes the applied discount. The customer's calculation, deducting the discount after it has been applied, would incorrectly reflect a discount of $412. A comprehensive examination of the repairs, added line by line, clearly demonstrates that the discount is indeed reflected in the overall total.
  Regarding the battery replacement, the invoice explicitly states labor only, as the customer supplied the part. This is also explicitly indicated in the tech report, stating, Replaced customer supplied battery. No warranty. The facility not only provided a discount for both the inspection and the battery labor, surpassing the obligation for the battery replacement, but also replaced the customer-supplied battery twice without additional charges due to an initial incorrect part being supplied by the customer.
  The provided receipt offers a detailed breakdown of all parts and labor for each repair, complete with warranty information. The team thoroughly explained necessary repairs addressing the customer's initial complaint and presented additional recommendations discovered during the inspection. All repairs were electronically approved by the customer herself via the provided link to view our recommendations, with documented evidence supporting this, following thorough explanations of each recommendation.
  Regarding the request for receipts of parts purchase, the facility adheres to industry standards, providing a comprehensive receipt detailing the total cost of parts and labor. Drawing an analogy to a restaurant visit, it's akin to ordering a steak and then requesting the receipt for the restaurant's purchase of the meat.
  The team places a high priority on customer satisfaction and actively addressed concerns during the customer's visit by showing her husband the newly installed parts and conducting a road test to showcase improvements.
  It is important to note that during the visit, the customer exhibited disruptive behavior, cursing at our staff and attempting to assault one of our team members. She made threats of a negative ****** review and reporting to the BBB, which we welcomed, as we have video evidence of the entire interaction. These actions seem to be an attempt to obtain the completed work for free, as she obtained funding through Snap to pay for her repairs due to a lack of initial funds. Due to this, it is clear that the customer is no longer welcome at our facility for the safety of our staff. Additionally, any warranty claims she needs to complete in the specified timeframe on her receipt can be carried through at any other Technet professional facility.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/06/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore 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.

  I originally brought my ********************************************************************************************************************************** a second time at this time they replaced a c-clip on the transmission, the very next day not even ************************************************ ***** ******* my vehicle stalled in the middle of the street losing all function fortunately it stalled in front of another auto repair facility after contacting five Star Auto they refused to tow my vehicle and told me it was my problem I ended up having to leave the car there due to a ****** tow fee that I did not have, fortunately it stalled in front of another repair facility, so I had to pay for it a 4th time to be fixed again, upon them looking at my vehicle they found that the groove that the c-clamp fits into was not removed of rust and grime from old c-clip forcing the c cpip to break and shoot through my transmission completely ruining my transmission! After servicing my vehicle at this other auto company called ************** they determined that in fact the c clip broke in half they were unable to fish the piece out of trans, they then contacted me by phone ensuring me that the only way this could have happened is if the c-clip was not put in its groove correctly causing it to push out and crack and shoot through my transmission, At this time I called five Star Auto on several occasions possibly four or five leaving voicemails for days they would not contact me or answer any calls, ******* finally called days later from five Star Auto about this problem I ended up in an argument with ******* who told me that it wasn't her problem that it was my fault because I ran the vehicle which made no sense to me, I told her the shop that my vehicle was at informed me the glue grove that the c-clip fits into was not properly cleaned out and they stated this on my receipt and that is what caused the c-clip to break and shoot through my trans She started yelling at me stated that they had pictures that they cleaned out the grove, and that the reason why it broke again was because I ran the vehicle, I informed her that there is no way the c-clip could have come out or broke if it was properly put into its groove as the other repair company informed me and that I have it in writing from the other facility that tried to fix my vehicle and that C clip broke and shot through my trans but they were unable to fish it out the only way now to fix my vehicle is have the transmission rebuilt or put a whole new trans in it leaving my car completely enabled to drive due to their actions, I informed ******* if she did not fix my vehicle I will file a civil complaint and *** them for negligence not to mention pain and suffering, loss of wages and having to pay for Uber, she said have fun and hung up on me! this situation requires immediate attention this is my only vehicle and has left me completely non-independent and unable to drive anywhere

  Business Response

  Date: 02/10/2023

  The person submitting this request, *************************, is not a customer of our facility and what she is detailing in this complaint is inaccurate and false. However, her boyfriend is our customer. 
  He brought the referenced vehicle in on 1/16/23 asking for us to complete an inspection as the vehicle was leaking transmission fluid, the engine light had been on for a while and the vehicle would just shut off on them if it had anything under a quarter of a tank. He then went home and called us asking not to complete the inspection as his girlfriend was extremely upset and did not want to pay the inspection fee and **************** was apologetic and came and retrieved their vehicle. 
  The next day **************** called in and stated he had repaired the servo clip but needed us to refill his transmission with fluid as he couldnt do it. Unfortunately we were booked up and unable to fit him in as a walk-in that day. 
  On 1/20/23 **************** brought the vehicle back, apologized for not allowing us to complete the inspection at the beginning of the week as the vehicles transmission had gotten worse and he asked us to complete an inspection. He only retrieved it earlier on in the week due to his girlfriend complaining of paying the fee. **************** advised they kept driving the vehicle in that condition. **************** stated that the vehicle was barely moving by this time, grinding and leaking transmission fluid. 
  **************** also shared with us that they did not have the funds to repair the vehicle if it was over a couple hundred dollars. We suggested he tried to get approved for SNAP funding as that sounded like he may be needing a big repair such as a transmission replacement since they continued driving the vehicle in that state. **************** submitted an application and got approved only for $680 and was hoping for a short term solution to get them by in the meantime. 
  The technician found the vehicle with very little transmission fluid. The overdrive servo c-clip was half off and fluid was leaking from the servo. We recommended installing the c-clip back on correctly, filling the transmission and testing the transmission for further damage due to them driving the vehicle with no fluid and servo not being secured. Tech found the underside of the vehicle extremely ***** along with other issues. The tech completed a temporary fix by putting the c-clip back on after cleaning in, (please find pictures attached for your review that clearly indicate the clip was cleaned up and secured properly), since they could not afford to replace the transmission at the time which he was advised based on all the codes the transmission had at the time indicating failure. The technician refilled the fluid to specs. The technician road tested the vehicle and the c-clip was on securely and did not come off. The tech stated in his notes and we advised **************** verbally as well when he came to retrieve the vehicle, that there was damage found in the servo area (possibly when he attempted to repair it himself) and it could potentially be an issue in the future as we could not say if this would hold for a day or a year. **************** was pleased and hoped for the best. 
  

  The next day we received a message through ********* since our facility was closed, from a ******************* with the following communication. 
  Jan 21, 2023, 10:57 AM
  
  you just fixed my daughters car and it broke the next day it was not repaired properly
  Hi, thanks for contacting us. We've received your message and appreciate you reaching out.
  
  The car needs to be towed
  What's your daughter's name and vehicle?
  Sent by Five Star
  **************************** SHE IS STRANDED
  MUSTANG
  *************************** MUSTANG
  C CLIP DID NOT GET BACK IN THE GROOVE AND BLEW OUT
  
  NOW MY DAUGHTER IS STRANDED
  We are closed for the weekend. She can have it towed to us and we will tend to it on Monday.
  Sent by Five Star
  how is she suppose to get home
  she is 30 miles from home
  she has no one in ******* no family
  what tow company?
  ******************** parked at True Auto entrance
  the clip is gone it blew out the side
  She is not responsible for towing the car after paying for it to be fixed. Your mechanics hung up on her 2 times.
  hello
  This mechanic at this shop said this C clip should not have blown out if it was in it's groove.
  HELLO
  HELLO
  HELLO
  she is blocking the entrance to this shop
  send a to truck
  tow
  I need a response
  I mean no disrespect but this car was not reapired properly and she should nto have to come up with money to pay for towing
  
  and an uber
  Hello?
  I'm going to need a rsponse here. my daughter is sitting on the side of the road.
  there is NO PARKING AT THIS SHOP TO LEAVE THE ***
  
  ANSWER ME I AM 71 YEARS OLD YOUR BEING DISRESPECTFUL
  She will be responsible for towing it to us. The repair was completed to specs but that vehicle has a lot of issues which we already advisd them of. She can ride with the tow to our shop as she lives a street up from the shop this way she doesn't need to pay for an uber in addition to the tow. We will check the vehicle out during our business hours on Monday.
  Sent by Five Star
  Wrong.. The part replaced on the car blew out that is not her fault it was not repaired properly ..A mechanic from the shop came out looked at it and told her if this was fixed it would not have blown out the next day
  1
  your shop is responsible for a repair that didn't last 24 hours
  
  Anything else wrong with the car has nothing to do with what your mechanics fixed.
  ***** your daughter has never been to our shop and she never had a conversation with out technician. We are unsure what's being relayed to you however that is not how things took place. This is the last communication you will be receiving from us as you are not the customer. We have provided you with her options and if she chooses to tow it back in we will inspect her vehicle on Monday during our business hours.
  Sent by Five Star
  Her boyfriend ********************* DROPPED THE *** OFF SHE IS THE ONE STRANDED
  
  
  So your telling me your company does not stand by repairs 24 hours old
  
  
  **************** left one voicemail during Saturday when the facility was closed and then called 3 consecutive times on Tuesday, when our office manager received those calls and returned her call timely. ***************** was belligerent on the call and demanded that we take responsibility for her already faulty transmission. She was advised all that we had indicated to ***************, that they had continued driving it with almost no fluid which further damaged their transmission and that her claims were untrue as we had proof of the work that we completed with the pictures we took showing we did the repair correctly and that her servo was already damaged. ***************** became even more belligerent after this and started yelling at our staff and advised she would proceed with suing us and hung up the phone. 
  The timeline we provided of all events are registered and timestamped through our telephone carrier, ******** messenger, pictures, cameras on the property and our system.
  Regarding all the other claims such as loss of wages is also untrue as **************** had advised us that **************** is not employed which is why their funding situation was as is. 
  Regarding the claims that the c-clip was sucked in by the transmission based on the laws of physics this is utterly impossible. 
  There is also a technical service bulletin for this particular vehicle, Reference Number(s): 09-12-12, Date of Issue:  June 29, 2009, 5R55S/5R55N/5R55W TRANSMISSIONS - SHIFT CONCERNS, LOSS OF 2ND, 3RD AND 5TH GEAR, INCORRECT RATIO DTC'S. In other words this is a known issue for this transmission.
  

  Thank you for taking the time to review this issue and we hope we have brought some clarity. Should you have any questions feel free to contact us. 
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 19341230
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/14/2023

   
  *omplaint: 19341230
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  am rejecting this response because: They did do an inspection and it come back that the c clip needed to be replaced to be fixed, They are completely dancing around this problem, point is, THEY REPLA*ED THE * *lip ON MY VEHI*LE, NOT EVEN 24 HOURS LATER THE SAME PART THEY REPLA*ED *AME OUT OF ITS GROOVE *racked AND SHOT THROUGH MY TRANSMISSION, THIS IS WHY MY VEHI*LE IS *** *OMPLETELY BROKE DOWN, IT US NOT FOR ANY OTHER Problem WITH MY *AR, They stated in my receipt that," THEY WERE able to get the c clip into its groove!! If the clip was properly put into its groove THIS Would NOT OF HAPPENED, Upon MY VEHI*LE BEING INSPE*TED BY TRUE *ARE AUTO, IT WAS THEN DETERMINED THAT WHEN REPLA*ING THE *LIP, THE GROOVE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE *LEANED OUT PROPERLY, *** THAT THIS A*TION WAS NOT DONE, THUS *AUSING * *LIP TO *OME OUT, BREAK AND *** RUINING MY TRANSMISSION! MY VEHI*LE IS NOT BROKE DOWN FOR ANY OTHER REASON OTHER THAN THE PART THEY PUT IN MY VEHI*LE, All the things that they have stated are not true,they are completely false, My boyfriend did bring in my vehicle because I was unavailable,but this is my vehicle, and I am the person who spoke to ******* on the phone. This company is THEE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL, DISRESPE*TFUL *OMPANY I HAVE EVER *OME IN *ONTA*T WITH, The reason they were being contacted on messenger by my Mother was due to the fact of me being broke down on the street, they refused to answer my calls, a mechanic picked up the phone and said, STOP *ALLING, INLY ME*HANI*S ARE HERE, AND THEN HUNG UP ON ME, AGAIN, My vehicle was brought in AS SOON AS WE DIS*OVERED THERE WAS A LEAK IF TRANSMISSION FLUID, Upon it being inspected, it was found by FIVE STAR AUTO that the * *LIP NEEDED TO BE REPLA*ED, MY *AR US NOT BROKE DOWN FOR ANY OTHER REASON THAN THE EXA*T Part THEY PUT ON MY VEHI*LE, BE*AUSE IT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED, PERIOD.. THE FIRST TIME THE *AR WAS DRIVIN, WITHIN 15 MILES, *AME OUT, *RA*KED, and SHOT TROUGH MY TRANSMISSION, the ONLY WAY THIS *OULD OF HAPPENED IS FROM THE GROOVE NOT BEING *leaned OUT before installing the new clip, Five Star Auto knows that they are at fault which is why they are being up all these other things that have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH WHY MY VEHI*LE IS *** *OMPLETELY UNABLE TO BE DRIVIN! What I have stated is not my opinion, But FA*TS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION From ANOTHER ME*HANI* SHOP, UPON THIS SHOP INSPE*TING THE PROBLEM, THEY FOUND THE GROOVE FOR THE * *LIP TO ******** WITH RUST AND GRIME FROM The OLD *LIP THUS BEING THE REASON WHY THE REASON THUS HAPPENED, So again, any other possible problem that could occur in the future with my vehicle has nothing to do with the fact that, FIVE STAR AUTO INSPE*TED MY *AR, RELATED THE ISSUE TO US, and we gave the go ahead for them to fix it, The exact part they attempted to replace, WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY, THE EXA*T PART THEY INSTALLED WITHIN LESS THAN 20 MILES *AME OUT, BROKE AND *** RUINED MY TRANSMISSION *OMPLETELY, UNLESS THIS PIE*E OF * *LIP *AN BE FISHED OUT, I DRIVE THIS VEHI*LE FOR 10 YEARS WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL * *LIP *OMING OUT OF ITS GROOVE, IF THEY HAD *LEANED OUT THE Groove PROPERLY, THERES NO WAY THE * *LIP *OULD *OME OUT. I brought my car there due to it leaking, the *lip was not broke or out of its groove, but DID NEED TO BE REPLA*ED, FIVE STAR AUTO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED THIS *LIP PERIOD and THEY NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE *** DAMAGED TRANSMISSION DUE TO THEY'RE IN*OMPETEN*E!

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 02/14/2023

  The new response does not include any new information from the consumer. The consumer reiterated the same information from her first message. The information we provided still stands and the pictures of our work indicate that we completed the work as we were authorized. The groove was already damaged, which is evident in the pictures, prior to bringing it to us as **************** attempted to do the work earlier on in the week himself. **************** keeps stating that we replaced the c-clip however we did not replace it and this is also indicated in our technicians notes. **************** stated that this had not ever happened before in the 10 years shes had this vehicle however both times she brought the vehicle in was due to the fact that the transmission fluid was leaking. This was due to the c-clip being out of the groove for the overdrive servo. It is evident that **************** does not have any mechanical knowledge as her claims are unsubstantiated and counterintuitive. Again by the laws of physics it is absolutely impossible for the c-clip to shoot up into her transmission. We understand the position she is in can be frustrating however what she paid for was completed to specs and was also made evident to **************** in person and in our technicians notes that this could be a continuing issue as her transmission was already faulty. All of our work is indicative in our notes.