Repairs were done to my vehicle that did not need to be done which left me with an unsafe vehicle and potential further damages to my vehicle. I have been attempting to resolve this matter and have attached the correspondence I have had with the Car Care Representative/CAA representative
Below is the initial letter that was sent to Kevin Lane (Vice President of Automotive Services for CAA)
To: Kevin Lane - CAA Car Care Plus
200 Albert Street North
Regina, SK
S4R 5E2
On December 24th I had my car transported to Car Care Plus for examination of a serpentine belt that was no longer functioning. I was called by a service representative, Kim and informed that I would require a new serpentine belt and pulley tension system which would cost about $338 and labor. Kim called me back at about 1:45pm and stated that she had been informed by the repair person that the reason that the belt had slipped was because one of the pulleys was between to out.
I asked what it would take to fix it and she stated about an hours worth of labor. I asked how long they were open and she stated that they had hoped to get out early but it looked like they would have to stay until 3pm. I stated that this would take them past 3pm and she stated that it would but they were closing by 3pm. Given the impression that they wanted to get out of work early I asked if it was okay for me to drive, as I was working through Christmas and needed it to get around.
I stated that if it was safe to drive to and from work I could take it into my mechanic the next week for repair. Kim stated that it would be fine to drive in the city and that she suggested that I just don't take it onto the highway. I said that if I could still drive it and it would be fine then I could pick it up when they had installed the new parts and take it into my mechanic next week. I asked Kim if she was sure that it did not need to be repaired before driving and she stated that it did not. I asked Kim if she could make a note on the invoice about the pulley so that I could provide it to my mechanic next week' she stated that she would do so.
I was called at about 2:20pm by Kim and informed that my car was ready for me to pick up. I arrived at Car Care Plus at about 2:50pm to retrieve my car. I asked Kim again if my car was safe to drive and wouldn't break down as I needed it to get back and forth to work over the next week; I noted to Kim that I would be working everyday over the holidays. Kim asked me where it was that I was working and I provided here the information that I worked with high needs/risk families. During our conversation Kim commented that she lived near me on 7th street ; the house with all of the lights. I acknowledged that I knew which house it was. I also asked Kim if I could next week have my mechanic call here if he needed information on what needed to be done and she replied that he could.
I went outside and started my vehicle. It sounded rough but figured that it could be an adjustment to the new parts and was certain that it would have been tested prior to them releasing the vehicle to me. I drove my vehicle directly to work, about 3 miles. After work, at midnight on Christmas Eve, I got into my vehicle and started to drive it home and noticed a smell of smoke, within seconds the lights began flashing and the car stopped. A motorist helped me to push the vehicle into a parking lot on Circle Drive.
I called Car Care Plus but there was no answer and no answering service to leave a message on/with. I called CAA and a tow truck responded to pick me and my vehicle up. I was left to spend 40 minutes in the freezing cold (minus 50C temperatures with the wind-chill) waiting for the tow truck to arrive, the driver examined the vehicle and stated that the belt and pulley tension system had come apart. I showed the driver the work invoice that I had received from CAR Care Plus and he noted that it had not been repaired or not repaired well enough.
As a result of having being given an unsafe vehicle that broke down on me after 6 miles of use I was left with taking cabs to and from work. On Monday December 29th at 9am I called Car Care plus and spoke with a service representative Ed with whom I shared the above events. Ed suggested that I have the vehicle Towed back to Car Care Plus and he would inspect the vehicle and repair it as it sounded that the job was not done right. At 4pm after not hearing from any representative of Care Car Plus I called to inquire as to the status of my vehicle. Ed stated that they had been busy and would not be able to get to my vehicle until at least tomorrow. I informed Ed that I did require my vehicle to get to work as I had paid for it to be fixed and having to take cabs was getting costly.
On December 30th at about 10am Ed called me and said that due to the initial repair job not being done right they would warrantee the parts and labor and fix the belt and pulley. Ed then stated that another part of the vehicle (where the pulley was attached) would need to be replaced and the cost for that with labor would be another estimated $250. I informed Ed that it did not make sense to me that I would have to pay for the repair and I provide him with the information that Kim and I had on December 24th. He then said that he would have to check this out and call me back.
Ed called me back and stated that Kim informed him that she said that it was safe for me to drive the car home and then to my mechanics. I informed Ed that Kim had told me that the vehicle was safe to drive within the city and that I had discussed with her that I would be driving it to and from work everyday for at least a week until I took it into my mechanic. Ed stated that he would call me right back. After not hearing back from Ed I called him at about 4pm and asked him what was happening with my vehicle. Ed stated that Kim had dropped by to complete some year end reports and stated that she would be calling me back.
Kim called me back and stated that they were not responsible in any way for the damage or cost of new repairs. I informed Kim that she had on December 24th stated that the vehicle was safe to drive within the city and that the repair for the misaligned pulley would be only 1 hour labor of $93. Kim stated that because it was driven that the additional damage occurred which they were not responsible for. I stated that there was no way that the vehicle could have been driven after so called repairs were done and Kim replied that she could not confirm if it had been or not as it was a busy day for them.
I asked to speak to a supervisor and was informed that there was not one available but that she could fax me a complaint form that I could fill in and fax to a manager in Regina. I asked how long it would take for a response and she told me that he was very busy and he would get to it when he had time. During the conversation Kim was very rude in her tone and verbiage, a significant change from our initial interaction when she had shared where she lived and her decorating of her home, inside and out.
As the last time I had repairs done to my vehicle I was given a vehicle that was not safe to drive (breaking done after only a few miles on Christmas Eve) and now being charged with additional damages that were caused as a result of a poor repair job I was hesitant about having Car Care Plus do any further work on my car. Given Kim's rude demeanor and the fact that she was now changing the information about the discussion that we had on December 24th I felt very concerned and untrusting about having Car Care Plus do any additional work on my vehicle.
I asked that my vehicle be returned to the condition it first arrived in and I would pay to have it towed to another mechanic. I was informed by Kim that she would be applying to have the costs of the parts reimbursed to me and that the decision to do so would be made in Regina. Kim stated that they would not reimburse me the amount that I had already paid for labor. I queried Kim how they could release to me an unsafe vehicle that caused more damage due to not being repaired correctly and assume no responsibility in the matter.
I am concerned that I paid to have my vehicle repaired by Car Care Plus and it was released to me in a condition that was not safe, created more damage to my vehicle and created significant other hardship (being left in the cold on Christmas Eve and addition taxi transportation costs for having an unusable vehicle). The customer service from Car Care Plus was not good, though it did appear that Ed made significant steps to be helpful.
Below are the events that occurred following my initial letter to Kevin Lane (Vice President of Automotive Services for CAA) and his responses.
I had my car inspected by another automotive service () who assessed that my car was in need of a harmonic balancer. They determined that the Serpentine Belt Tensioner that Car Car Plus had stated was damaged and had charged me to replace, was infact not damaged at all. The Automotive Service was able to fix my car putting back on the exact serpentine belt that Car Care Plus stated was damaged and needed to be replaced. My car also required the resetting of the coding system, as between the time my vehicle was dropped off at Car Care Plus on December 24th and when it was towed to the new automotive service on December 31, the engine light would not go off.
I called Kevin Lane who informed me that he had received a statement from his workers in Saskatoon and that there were discrepancies between the reports. Mr Lane provided no information about what the discrepancies were. Mr Lane assertively stated that I obviously chose to not mention in my letter that Car Care Plus had provided me a loaner vehicle for one day (Car Care Plus on December 30th provided me with a vehicle from the late afternoon of December 30, 2008 to December 31, 2009.
The service representative stated that because they were not able to get to my vehicle as he said they would be able to and because I was needing to get to work by 3pm that he would provide me with a loaner and would look at my vehicle later and get back to me). Mr Lane said that they were not responsible for any damages and that he would cut me a cheque for the cost of the parts on the invoice. Mr Lane did not ask me any questions about my experience with Car Care Plus. Mr Lane provided no apology for any inconvenience I might have experienced.
I informed Mr Lane that based on the information that I received from the repair shop that I had my car repaired at that, Car Care Plus had replaced parts in my vehicle that did not need to be repaired. I stated that the serpentine belt tensioner system that Car Care Plus stated was damaged and needed to be replaced was not damaged in anyway. I informed Mr Lane that I had my car repaired and was currently driving with the parts that Car Care Plus stated were damaged and need to be repaired. I informed Mr Lane that I had the new automotive service put back on my serpentine belt tensioner and my car was operating perfectly. Mr Lane became very hostile/aggressive at this point and said that they were willing to do more than they should; referring to providing me with a partial refund.
I commented to Mr Lane that I was unsure why he did not want to discuss my concerns about my experience with Car Care Plus. I commented that if he was unwilling to have this discussion that perhaps I should take my concerns to someone else who might be able to help me. Mr Lane told me that if I did that, he would give me nothing. I was unsure why raising the issue of my experience and concerns with Car Care Plus caused Mr Lane to become more hostile/aggressive toward me. Mr Lane told me to choose whether I wanted my money back or wanted to take it further with someone else.
As I wanted my money back I said that Iwanted to have my money back. Mr Lane then stated that he would be sending me a release form that I had to sign before he cut me a cheque. Mr Lanes position was very different than what I had been informed by Kim (the representative at Car Care Plus in Saskatoon) on December 30, 2008. Kim had stated that she would be putting in the refund request for me to receive the amount that I had paid for the parts; now 13 days later I find that this has not yet been processed and is conditional upon my signing a release form.
The release form that Mr Lane has sent to me has significant omissions in the statements that it was requiring me to sign, thus releasing CAA Saskatchewan, CAA Saskatoon Car Care Plus or its staff from any responsibility in the matter. The release form also states that CAA will provide a GOOD WILL REFUND, but does not specify any amount that it will refund if I sign the form. I am very concerned about the skewed reporting and wording in the release form and the very obvious lack of any refund dollar amount being specified.
I am very concerned about the business practice of Car Care Plus and the fact that when a person raises concern about their practices, they make attempts to silence them with threats of with-holding funds that are due to the customer. I would like a refund of my monies that I paid but am more concerned that others are not subjected to what I might consider are questionable repair and business practices. I would greatly appreciate if you can offer any information or suggestions into what I might be able to do.
Darren
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
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