This repair wasn't unnecessary ... but it was over-priced, incompetent, incorrect and incomplete!
From
https://www.facebook.com/notes/janet-young/canadian-tire-rips-people-off/10151187849662245
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Canadian Tire has ripped me off. After writing a five page letter to the owner in December, I finally just heard from the owner of the Chelmsford Canadian Tire, Edgar Head, who told me, "I don't believe it is our fault". I'm so sick of being ripped off!
Here is a copy of my letter. Save yourselves the time, money and aggravation and take your vehicle to someone qualified to fix it!
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December 22, 2012
Mr. Edgar Head, Associate Dealer
Canadian Tire
3595 Highway 144
Chelmsford, ON, P0M 1L0
Dear Mr. Head:
Recently, I had what I will call a “negative experience” at your Canadian Tire store. I feel it is important for business owners to be aware of how customers are being treated in their store and what kind of service your employees are giving. After reading the store’s website, I understand that you value feedback.
On Sunday, November 25, I noticed a couple of issues with my vehicle (a 2006 Dodge Charger). The issues were:
1: A loud noise coming from under the hood when the A/C or heat was turned on.
2: A loud clicking noise coming from the under the dash, upon starting the car in the morning.
As I had an important appointment on Tuesday, November 27, I felt it important to get the car looked at as soon as possible so I brought it to our nearby Canadian Tire. I am currently unemployed and looking for work, and as stressful as this can be, it is more stressful to have a car that can potentially break down when I am on my way to an interview or other important appointment.
The clerk at the Canadian Tire store instructed me to leave the car overnight and it would be looked at the very next day (Monday, November 26).
On November 26, Mark Laporte, the Service Bay Manager, telephoned and told me:
1) My air conditioning compressor had to be replaced and they would have to order the reconditioned part.
2) They could not hear the noise coming from under the dash, so nothing could be done.
They received the part (A/C compressor) and worked on my car on November 28th and I picked it up later that day. The bill was $760.44.
I was on my way to do an errand afterwards when I noticed my stereo was not working, as it had been previous to bringing it to Canadian Tire for repairs.
I returned to Canadian Tire after my errand (Nov. 28) and Mark told me to leave it with him overnight and he would look at the radio in the morning.
On Nov. 29 I was called by my boyfriend, Jerry (Mark Laporte from Canadian Tire had called HIM to discuss MY car) even though I had left my phone number with him. Jerry instructed me to go to Canadian Tire to pick up my car. I did not know what was going on. At Canadian Tire, Mark said to me, “I can’t figure out why the radio is not working but Mike Doyle Dodge has agreed to look at it for me. Bring it over there and ask for Randy. If it’s our fault that the radio does not work, we will work something out”.
At this point, Mark told me they did finally hear the noise under my dash, and that it was a blend door for the different heating vents of the car. He also told me that although they could not fix it, he would call a wrecking yard to look for a whole new dash and would call me when he received one and would “give me a deal on installing it.” He said he would call when it came in. He hasn’t called yet.
After speaking with Mark, I immediately drove my car over to Mike Doyle Dodge, on the other side of town and asked for “Randy”. Randy said, “Oh, I thought you were going to make an appointment.” But they looked at my car anyway ... a mechanic explained to me, “the radio is .... defective”.
I went to see Mark at Canadian Tire who refused to do anything to help me with this bill, which I find unfair. But that’s not the best of the story.
Yesterday morning, after having gone all this time with no radio, I was sitting in the Tim Horton’s Drive Thru waiting to order a coffee. The clock was still working on my radio so I set the time. I thought, “I can’t understand why the clock is still working but not the radio/cd player. Almost instinctively, I pulled one of the knobs off the radio (the one that controls the volume). I turned the silver “stick” which was underneath the knob and guess what, the radio works. It wasn’t even broken! I put the knob back on and everything is fine and in complete working order.
I would also like to add another bit of feedback. The female receptionist at the Canadian Service Department has a very unprofessional habit of calling everyone “sweetie, hun or darlin’”. This is very annoying at any time, but especially when you are dealing with frustrating car problems.
And, also, I would like to get a refund for the $225.43 I had to spend at Mike Doyle Dodge for “taking a look“ at something which wasn‘t broken. You will find copies of my invoices attached to this letter.
I invite you to contact me if you would like to discuss this matter further. I believe in giving someone a chance to make things right and, as one Maritimer to another, I feel you deserve to have the opportunity to retain me as a customer. (I read your LinkedIn Profile).
Janet Young
P.S. I still have the noise under my dash. If you could recommend someone who may be able to fix the blend door, I would love to receive your recommendation.