Benny's Car Wash The car I came to support their business with was not the car I left with! Ripoff Baton Rouge Louisiana

I went to Benny's Car Wash for the first time ever on January 31, 2006. I heard you could get an oil change and a carwash for $35.

When I arrived at Benny's car wash, a young woman asked what I was getting done to my 1994 standard Honda Civic. Then directed me to pull up to the oil change line. There, a man in a wheel chair looked at my vehicle and an Asian man observed that I needed some more blades for my windshield wipers. I gave them the go ahead to work on my car while my mother and I sat inside.

After awhile, I paid my bill and saw that my car was being pulled around. When I walked over to my vehicle, a Mexican man got out of the car, took my ticket, and walked off. When my mother and I got in the car, I immediately realized that the shift ball at the top of my stick was broken.

It was not the manufactured shift ball, it was one that lit up in the dark that I bought and had installed. It was broken and leaning over by its wires.

I went to the manager immediately and reported what happened. Jeff, the manager at that particular branch, appeared to be no more than 21 years old. Jeff asked us to wait in his office while he took a look at the damage. He came back and said he would report the incident to his general manager, David Whitehead. But that there was nothing he could do. I asked him who was responsible. He said, "we have an african and an asian back there and neither one of them speak English."

I asked for the general manager's phone number and called him right then from the office. I received his voicemail and left a message asking him to give me a call regarding that matter.

My mother and I left the car wash dissatisfied with the outcome and decided to return 10 minutes later. We didn't understand why the manager couldn't take care of this situation. After all, that's what managers are for. In addition, I had just given them 50 of my dollars, entrusted them with my vehicle, and this was how they repaid me for supporting their business.... by returning my car in a condition it was not in when I gave it to them.

Jeff approached us when he saw that we had returned saying that he had just talked to the general manager and said, "He does not have time to deal with that today. Have her give me a call tomorrow."

I didn't like the idea of leaving there with the situation unresolved, but Jeff kept insisting that there was nothing he could do. Which is still amazing to me, being that he was a manager.

Nevertheless, the next morning came, and I called David Whitehead. I explained to him in detail what happened. His response was, "I don't see how something like that could happen. You want me to believe that one of my experienced drivers broke your stick."

I was a bit taken back by his response and I responded, "I am not calling you to get your opinion on whether or not you think this is possible... I am telling you it happened and I need the situation rectified.

He responded, "There's nothing I can do. We couldn't have broken it."

I explained to him that it was a special shift ball and that it was not one from the car's manufacturer, and that I had just purchased it.

He then claimed that it was the person who installed the stick's fault, and not them.

Needless to say, it ended in a shouting match, and still unresolved. I know this may not seem like a big deal. But it was something I paid for and they broke it. And to top it off, they refused to take responisiblity for it.

David Whitehead is one of the most unprofessional, insensitive, untrained managers I have ever come across. No steps were taken to try and rectify the situation and that alone is unacceptable!

It may be a small matter to them... but such a Huge INJUSTICE to me!!!!

Rhodesia
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
U.S.A.