
Amber of San Tan Valley, AZ on June 19, 2010
Letter I wrote and still have not had a response back from anyone.
"On Tuesday April 20th, 2010, I took my car into Just Brakes with the intention of just having the pads and shoes replaced. I had just taken my 2007 Scion into Toyota 2 weeks earlier for the 75K maintenance and they noted that my brakes would need to be serviced during the next visit. I had noticed that my brakes were hard when pushed down and there was a slight squeaking sound when I applied the brakes. So I decided to take my car into Just Brakes to have them fixed for $99.88 as advertised.
I set up my appointment with the Manager, Mike. My boyfriend followed me 10 miles to the Guadalupe location because it was going to be a couple hours until my car was ready. Another service tech by the name of Doug was the one who took my brakes apart. He called us over to go over his findings. He explained that the right front Caliper would need to be rebuilt to eliminate the constant braking that had led to the pad being worn noticeably more than the others and also to my lessened MPG I was getting. The service all together would cost $348.59. Mike told me before I left that there would be minimal squeaking of the brakes and it would be a couple days before it would subside. About 5 minutes after I left the Just Brakes, I heard a loud and quite irritating squealing coming from the front of my car. Only it was not when braking but while I am driving. When I applied the brakes it would stop. I gave it a couple days thinking it was normal but when Friday came around it was intolerable. I am unable to have my window down because of the constant annoyance. I also observed a noticeable MPG drop that morning on the way to work. A route I have driven for the last 3 years. I called Mike and told him I would bring my car in on Tuesday April 27th to have them fix the issue.
On April 27, I again had my boyfriend follow me 10 miles to the same Just Brakes location, so I would have transportation to my Doctor's appointment. I dropped off my car at 9:30 am and specifically asked Mike if a tech would go for a drive with me so that I could point out the issue that is blatantly obvious and he said there was no need. Again the tech named Doug worked on fixing the problem. I called about noon and Mike stated that there was some "hardware" that needed to be adjusted, and they took care of it. They also cleaned, lubed and reinstalled the pads. I left the Just Brakes and about 3 minutes into my drive home my car was still squealing as I drove. I had just returned from a Doctor's appointment to have several biopsies performed and did not want to turn around and go back while they yet again, "fixed" the problem.
The day after the second failed attempt to fix the problem on April 28th, I called Mike at 7:30 am on my way to work and let him know that the problem that they were suppose to fix, was yet again, not fixed. I asked him if they had test drove my vehicle and he stated they did not want to waste my gas. All the while I am wondering how they adjusted the "hardware" without even test driving the vehicle to diagnose the problem. Mike also said that there could be a defective pad and would be happy to look into it. Isn't that what was suppose to be done the first and second time I was in there? I let Mike know that I was very unhappy with the service and would be contacting Corporate after he told me that they would not refund even a partial amount of my money. So at this point the gas, time, and frustration is obviously not of any importance to the "Just Brakes, we really do care" jingle they so proudly state on the radio day after day.
Later that morning about 8 am, I called Corporate and spoke to a man by the name of Dean. After explaining in detail the situation, to my astonishment his only remark was "Well, are your brakes working or not?" I replied that, in fact that was not the issue at all and wanted to speak to his supervisor. He would not give me a name or number, so I hung up and called back and spoke to the receptionist Alicia who told me to talk to Bob. I left him a voice mail and he returned my call a little before noon. I explained yet again in great detail about my ordeal. I expressed to him that I gave the shop the benefit of the doubt to fix the issue they had created and took it back the second time. Bob told me that he would be happy to schedule another appointment at another location to fix the problem. My reaction to that was "The one I took it to the first and second time is not capable?" It is very unsettling to me to think that I would have to be forced to take my car to another Just Brakes to maybe have this issue fixed. He said that with their "non-refundable" warranty document I signed I am stuck going to them.
And if I take it anywhere else, the warranty is void. My question, why on earth would I want this business to ever touch my car again? Does it state anywhere on the limited warranty form how many times a consumer must endure the inconvenience of going again and again and again to have an issue resolved? No it does not. Bob agreed to that observation as well. It does state, however that for the Just Brakes lifetime limited warranty to apply the entire brake system must be restored to its proper operation at the time covered parts or labor are provided. In short, my car is worse of now then when I originally brought it in April 20th.
I do not feel comfortable, nor can I afford the gas, or time lost at work to deal with this issue over and over again. It should have been dealt with the second time around. I will not be returning for a third time, or ever again for that matter. Needless to say, my patience has run out. I am requesting a full refund in the amount of $348.59 for the service that was not adequately rendered the first or second time I gave the Just Brakes location an opportunity to do so.