Meineke Car Care Center
Reviews and Complaints

I visited the Meineke location listed above on April 8 2011 in need of a new muffler. I was quoted a price and the work was completed. This work totaled $135.00. At the time of the repair there was no mention of anything that needed attention in addition to the muffler. 11 days later, April; 19 2011 I noticed a loud noise coming from my exhaust, 2 days, after that April 21 2011 my "Check Engine" light illuminated. On April 23rd 2011 I took my car to my regular mechanic, Dekalb Tire 801 S. Atlanta St
Roswell, GA 30075, to see what the problem was. When he put my car on a lift, he pointed out an 8+ inch long crack in the pipe connecting the muffler to the resonator pipe. This was a surprise to me. There was also fresh patching material surrounding the crack. It was stated to me that the Meineke "technician" who replaced my muffler patched the exhaust pipe as well. This was able to be determined because the material was fresh. I was told that the back pressure caused by this situation is what caused my oxygen sensor to fail, and my "check engine" light to illuminate. I tried to return to the Meineke location, but they had closed early "for Easter".

I then took my car to a competitor, Midas in Sandy Springs, I was told that the muffler that was on the car had to be replaced in order to replace the cracked pipe. I therefore had to purchase a new muffler in order to be in compliance with state emmissions standards. In addition to the new muffler, I needed to pay $114 for a new oxygen sensor, which I have been told failed due to the previous faulty repair, in order to be in compliance with state emmission standards. On Monday, April 25th 2011 I returned to the Meineke location in question and spoke with the owner/franchisee. He informed me that he would not be refunding my money. I attempted to contact Meineke's customer service department and the issue has not been resolved. These clowns are the biggest joke. If you beleive this is a customer service dept. I have a bridge that I can sell you as well.

The total harm done to the consumer in this matter is:

$135.00
+$114.00 $249

In March 2011, I went to Meineke to have them do a brake inspection because I had a Ford Taurus that had been sitting idle for 18 mos. and wanted them to replace the brake fluid and check for rust. About 4 hours after getting started, I was called and told I needed new front brake pads(which was true), but also needed new front rotors, and "oh...by the way, you need a new master cylinder, sir..." Total bill will be $575.00. I had put BRAND NEW rotors on just before I put the car up in storage, so that was a lie, and I took the car home, disassembled the master cylinder myself, changed the fluid, and never needed to replace ANYTHING. I had brought my car to them as a convenience to myself because I am really busy, but I ended up doing it all myself for about $35.00. The car runs great, brakes are perfect, NO THANKS to Meineke. DO NOT GO THERE! Calhoun Highway, Easley, SC.

I took my car for a oil change 02/24/11 at 7652 West Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89128.
Next morning lots of oil on my garage floor under my car. I took back my car to them and said that they need to diagnose my steering wheel at a cost. Luckily, I decided not to and
I took my car to other mechanic and find out that the caused of oil dripping was that the tray under my engine was full of oil which was due to the change oil they done. It cost me $70.00 just for that oil dripping check.
I think this might be intentional otherwise it is incompetence on the part of Meineke mechanic.
But one thing for sure is that I will never bring my car back to Meineke for service.
Beware dealing with Meineke.

On 20 December 2010 I took my car in to have the Oxygen Sensors, a Serpatine Belt and an oil change. While they were examining the car leakage surrounding a hose was pointed out and I had the hoses replaced. I was given a price of approxamately $500 to make these repairs. I was called later and told the Coolant housing also needed to be replaced which would boost up my price to approximately $700 dollars. This actually came to over $1, 000. I gave the go ahead. When I picked up the car I questioned whether or not they had done the oil change. They had not. A mechanic in the shop quickly changed the oil while I waited. My car was at the shop all day. I picked up the car just before closing and did not make it home before the car overheated and shut down. I waited on the side of the road for a few minutes and drove the car the rest of the way home. I live less than 2 miles from the shop. I called the shop when I arrived home informing Pete Montoya the car was not right, it overheated before I got home. I was told to bring it back which I did the following business day. I could not drive the car during this time due to the danger of it overheating. My car has been back to their shop five times as of Saturday 20 December 2010. They do something to the car to get me away from their premises only to have it overheat again. This week the car was towed to them twice, yes in the same week. The also towed it to the shop after I called the corporate office. The next to the last visit I was told the radiator and heater hose were bad I had them both replaced. Another $662.00. Mind you this was after the manager told me he had replaced my hoses. He also told me he replaced the thermostat. I don't believe the original thermostat was bad as it had been replaced the previous summer. Omar Mei, the assistant manager told me this heater hose was on the opposite side of the car so it was not replaced. I picked up the car at closing and made it less than a mile from the shop before it ran hot again. I called their corporate office the next day and explained my situation. By this time I'm out $1800 for repairs and $200 for towing. My car is now sitting in my driveway--I can't drive it. I believe Meineke damaged my engine and will not make good on it. All I want is my car running like it should. It actually ran better before I took it to them a mistake I won't repeat. When I spoke to the corporate office I was told the owner would call me he hasn't. I get no further than the Manager Pete Montoya. At this point I want Meineke to tow my car to Coulter Cadillac and repaired correctly. I want a rental car while my car is being evaluated and repaired. I want my money returned and for Meineke to pay for the necessary repairs to my car. I left threer messages at Meineke's Customer Relations. To date they have not caled me back. Update: My car is now at the dealer. I again paid to have it towed. The diagnosis being a blown head gasket, the cost estimate $4500. This could have been avoided had they told me they didn't know what caused the overheating initially and I would have gone else where. How can you do what amounts to maintence to a car and hand it back overheating. I am more than pissed!

The both rear coil springs on my 2002 Ford Escort SE were broken. I ordered the parts myself.
I made appointment and took it for replacing the parts to Meineke Car Care Center @ Boston Post road, Milford, Connecticut and they told me 180.00 + $22.00 for tax and shop parts. Once they took the car inside the repair shop for replacement after signing for the repair cost, the manager came in and told me that it will cost additional 90.00 + tax as it will take 3 hours instead of 2 hours.
Having done my homework about the repair cost and the amout of time it takes to repair on the internet, I had serious doubt about the integrity of the Meineke shop manager at Milford, Connecticut repair shop.
I knew this scam very well and told them to bring the car down and out of the repair shop. ( It reminded me of the medical scams by heart surgeons performing bypass surgery in California. Once the patient’s ribcage is open, they tell the relatives that the patient requires triple bypass instead of double bypass, bumping the cost by another $50, 000.00)

I took it to another shop and they did it in less then 2 hours and it cost me less then $180 with tax.
Please avoid Meineke if you can or atleast do your homework about the repairs on internet and watch the YouTube videos about your repair if available.
I cannot imagine how many people must be getting robbed in this manner by Mieneke each day.

Atleast, my car will never be at Meineke car care again for as long as I own it.

i went to meineke on the 11/4/10 to get a brake replacment .they said they would give me a good estimate and take the jobif we could come to a agreement on th price.while waiting in the office another couple came in and said to the desk man that they just paid 600.oo dollars on to get there brakes done and that their brake padel had to be pushed all the way to the floor for the vehicle to stop.this was only one month later.I could see the people were upset, the desk man went outside with the peoples car keys and put the car on the lift.while he was gone the wife said to me don't leave your car herebecause they have a scam herecausing extra work and overcharging the greement price.this was very disturbing to me.at that time the desk mancame back and was figuring out my price.then the young machinic came back to the office and said to the couple that the car was a set and then he said to the couple that there car needs to be flush out for another 200.00 dollars and they said that they will take it to another car place that they will not be scam out of money like this company.And then i went outside and the lady said agaain don't leave your car here because they will make your car unsafe to drive and after the machinic call and said to me they break something on the jeep and to replace it it will cost another 200.00 dallors and i was very upset because they break something on the jeep and it was not my fault.so i was very upset and i said fix my jeep and i will come and get it.and i will bring the police with me because i was so upst that i was yelling at the machinic because he said my jeep will not be fix into tomorrow which is 11/5/10 and i had to call my girlfriend because i thought i was going to have a problem with this machanic.so when we pick a the jeep the brakesgo right to the floor so i can drive my jeep so i called then back after i pick up the jeep and they say i need my front ones done so i said to the i will get so one else to do the job.

After looking in the phonebook for a Meineke to repair a bracket that fell off my muffler, I went there, and Meineke is on the door and signs are up. They are no longer a Meineke shop. They are using Meineke's name for business.

Not only the professionalism was non-existant, but the garage is called Lo Temp. They hand wrote a reciept for magically 30 for labor and 30 for parts. They wouldn't let me charge it to my credit card. They lied about the price. They did unauthorized work. The mechanic kept hitting on me.

I just needed a simple front brake repair and an emissions problem resolved to keep my car going for a few more months. I explained this very clearly when I dropped the car off. They called me about five hours later with a laundry list of items that are wrong with the car, trying to sell me on additional repairs. Again, I explained that I just need the two things repaired. They call me back an hour later with a quote of $884!

I picked up my car and took it to another garage. They fixed the front brakes and my emissions problem in one hour and the bill was $153.74.

Here’s the worst part! Meineke charged me $90 for diagnosing my car! That’s right; I had to pay them $90 for trying to rip me off. Do Not Go to this garage!

I took my car in for service on the front wheel bearing, they didn't have the parts in stock so I agreed to bring it back. When I dropped off the car later in the week I asked that they change the oil while they had the car. I picked the car up the next day and while paying I asked the manager if they had remembered to change the oil. He told me he had "personally checked and all the fluids were topped off". I paid the over $400 bill and left. Within a few miles it was clear that the problem was not fixed and was just as bad as prior to the service. I took it back on Saturday afternoon, they never called, locked my car in a service bay and kept it overnight, were closed Sunday and (thankfully I was able to find a ride to work Monday) they called Monday afternoon to say they though it was the control arm on other side of the car and for an additional $300 they would repair it, I declined and picked my car up. My low oil light went on as I was pulling out of the station. I checked it and it was low despite having been charged for an oil change and new oil filter. In fact it still had a Jiffy Lube filter and seal on it from my last oil change. I went back to Meineke and the same manager that had lied about checking my oil very quickly refunded my charge for the oil change. I have an appointment with another mechanic to see if the other work they charged me for was actually done-doubtful since I still have the same problem.

My elderly father who speaks limited English went there to repair the muffler on his car. The muffler had a lifetime warranty that the shop refused to honor. The owner told him the car had been in an accident (not true) and he could not honor the warranty. He then changed the story and said the car needed a full tune-up and this is what caused the muffler to get damaged. Bottom line, he tried to rip of my father. I have filed a complaint with Meineke Corp Office, Better Business Bureau, and FL Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. My father took the car to Midas who repaired it, and told him the car DID NOT NEED a tune up or other repair. Midas in Clearwater FL is UNETHICAL. The owner is very rude and disrespectful in replying to the complaint. I would NOT visit this Meineke...never had a bad experience with a Meineke Store until now. Clearly it is this SHOP not the franchise itself. Don't know how he is still in business!

I went to meineke one day, my car was running fine just overheating. The guy ran a diagnostic and told me it would cost 1500 to fix everything it would cost me 1500 dollars. WTF are you crazy. I deny it and of course he still charge me a diagnostic fee of 100 bucks. As he is looking for my keys one of the techs slide me a card and says call me. I thought he was hitting on me, but when I looked at the card it was his business card. LONG STORY SHORT. I went with him to an automotive store let me purchase all my parts which came out to two hundred bucks which when we compared the diagnostic sheetmeineke was charging 600 for WTF WTF WTF AHHHHHH. And of course he charged me a fee of two hundred bucks. He told me about how meineke marks up their parts by 20% each part and then slack off on their labor to make you pay more, for which is 90 bucks an hour for example a two hour job they request four or five. I love it because I screwedMeineke.

It is advertised 5th oil change free and a free tire rotation! Before I could receive my freebies Nancy Finch at the Meineke location removed me from the member list because I complained to her that the service workers there were not doing their job-not doing everything they said they did. Like I had a low tire going into the location and was told that tire pressure would be checked and when oile was done I asked how the pressure was and was told fine- but it wasn't I had to put air in my tire right after leaving the location! I payed for ALL 4 oil changes and expect to get my freebies, I'm not letting NANCY FINCH RIP ME OFF OR MEINEKE! Just because a customer complains about service provided gives you (Nancy) no right to remove me (the customer) from the list and tell us we must start over! START OVER! That's what she told me to do! HA
Meineke
41 Woodlawn Rd. W
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
[protected]@bellnet.ca
IS A FRAUD AND RIPS PEOPLE OFF!

I went to Meineke in Bremerton, WA to check if my breakpads or rotor needs to be changed because of the squeeking/annoying sound but all they did was a brakeflush which they charged me $159.00 for that( other auto shop will only charge $60.00 for breakflush).I went back and they checked my car again but to no avail the sound just got worse And now, I remember, I had a bad experience from them too while i was in Oakville, CT. Just a warning: Don't ever go to any Meineke. No offense to George Foreman.

We made an appt to have our car inspected at the business. Also, we had received a quote from them to fix another issue in the car. The total to have the car inspected and fixed was around $500. Within two days the issue that was supposed to be fixed started to act up again. I went back and talked to them about it and they agreed to take it in and look at it since it was under warranty. Before I had a chance to go in the car overheated and died on the highway. We had the car towed to Meineke since we had an appt there in a few days.

Up until we had the car inspected there have never been any major issues with the car. It ran great and was very reliable. Once the car was towed there we waited for them to look at it. The came back and told us the heads blew.

To make a very long story short. They misquoted us on numerous occasions, gave us the run around on the progress on our cars. Kept insisting that our car had additional problems to it that need to be fix and once we got the car back some of the features we had before no longer worked. They told us that they never worked…We had a “new” engine replaced in the car. The total amount of money was over $3000! We are having issues with the new engine and its still under warranty. When we called and asked about it they told us the warranty doesn’t cover damages to the engine, just if the engine fails/dies in those 60 days.

They won’t honor the warranty that they have given us. They said it’s free to look at but if any repairs need to be done it would cost us! Why if its under warranty? They also would not fully honor a coupon we had, they gave us some lame excuse. I have tried to contact headquarters but they referred my complaints back the shop we were having issues with. This shop needs to be reprimanded and/or shut down for their lack of business ethics.