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:09/23/2022

  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 had dropped my vehicle off at said business on Saturday, September 3rd. I was supposed to ONLY get an estimate on balljoints. However, that is not the case. I asked Saturday night how my **** ******* was coming along, and said I'd like my **** back by 10AM Sunday to go to church, which, is a half hour away. He said its a 2-3 hour job, and he refuses to wake up early. It didnt make sense, because I needed an estimate only. Sunday afternoon rolls around, and he said he knows what my brake noise. I needed brakes & rotors. I already knew that, and planned to have a friend do that job. He continued to say that my bill would have been $500 for just the balljoints. I asked if my bill was $500 on Sunday. He said no, and that for everything it would be $800! I said I just wanted an estimate on balljoints, and to have them replaced (if it was a reasonable price.) I stated that I CAN NOT afford any of that, and that I would be over to get the **** within the next hour and a half. He never told me my **** was together, and ready for pick-up. Monday afternoon I had asked a friend to pick the key up, as I was busy cleaning. He relays to me that I owe Joel  (the mechanic) $400, and then, I can pick my vehicle up. I called my mom, and she charged her credit card, so I can get it back. I go to pick my **** up. My cousin told me that there was a problem when she rode by it. He made my window come off track, and it was down pouring Monday. My drivers seat was water damaged, even though, the night before when I tried to pick my **** up, my windows were all up, and closed correctly. I asked for a hard copy of my receipt, and told me he sent a digital one to my mother. I said my cousins husband would be in to get it. Joel said to my cousin's husband that he doesn't see why I need one, since I didn't pay for it, and that Ill need a family member to get a hold of him (my mom, sister, sisters boyfriend) in order for me to get a receipt of the work done. He did brakes, and 1 balljoint.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/20/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by Dobson Family Auto Service regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/24/2022

  Good afternoon,

  
  

  We are emailing you in regards to our complaint from ***** ******. 

  
  

  On Labor day weekend, our previous employee was scheduled to have her **** come in for service. She was supposed to have her front ball joints replaced. Upon removing the tires and brakes to reach access to her ball joints, we noticed that her brakes were extremely bad, actually unsafe. Upon dropping off her vehicle, ***** did ask about her brakes making a noise. As the brakes were removed for the ball joint replacement, the brakes were found to be so thin that they could physically not fit back in their brackets. We then attempted to contact the customer by texting and calling her cell phone. Since we could not reach her, we took it upon ourselves to drive out to the local parts store, on a holiday weekend and after business hours to pick up the brakes needed so she could safely drive her car again. Customer then contacted us and explained she could not afford to have all jobs (the ball joints, front brakes, and front rotors) to be completed. We offered for her to make a payment plan with us and she denied wanting to do that. Her bill was originally quoted $500 to have both ball joints replaced. The total job, if adding the brakes and rotors, would have been close to $800. Due to her denying the payment plan, we took it upon ourselves that it was more important for her safety. We then completed the one ball joint replacement, and then replaced the front brakes and rotors. She was not charged for her brakes and rotors. Her invoice is only for replacing the one ball joint and the labor to do so. While completing the tasks at hand, the customer became upset and only wanted to have her ball joints completed and was quite persistent to have her keys left in the car so she could pick it up. Now keep in mind, her brakes were so thin and worn, they could physically not fit back on to the brackets on the vehicle. Therefore, to remove the vehicle, the customer would have had to have the expense of renting equipment to remove the vehicle off our lift, then a tow truck to remove the vehicle from our business since it could not be correctly put back together. That being said, her vehicle was put together with new front brakes and rotors and one ball joint. Due to her attitude throughout this process and unwillingness to understand the safety issues at hand, we were under the assumption that she was not planning on paying for her invoice before picking up her vehicle. She insisted on picking up her vehicle at 7pm on a Saturday night, we waited three hours and she did not show up. On Sunday, she attempted to have her friends and relatives pick up her car keys before paying the invoice. We did not allow them to pick them up until the invoice was paid. This was on Sunday, Labor Day weekend. We did not have to be open for her. Most businesses are closed not only on Sundays but also holiday weekends.  Customer's mother then called us and was informed of the situation. She was thankful that we made sure her daughter's car was safe to drive, as she was worried beforehand. The invoice was paid over the phone with a credit card. An online receipt was sent to her mother. The vehicle was then parked in the parking lot with her keys in it for her to pick up on her own schedule. We did read that in the customer's complaint that her window was "off track". That is not the case, we have been in business for quite some time now and we always make sure that our customers windows are up, and vehicles locked unless directed otherwise from the customer themself. Customer was charged for only the ball joint replacement and the labor needed to complete the task. Her total was $400, and she was already given the discount of the free front brakes and rotors. Mother was also sent pictures of previous brakes and rotors to show the high risk that they were. Customer is insisting on a refund for a brake job that she was never charged for to begin with.